BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an illustration of an earpiece and mobile audio device in accordance with the principle of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing one process for implementation or the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention having a temperature sensor;
FIG. 4A is an external view of an earbud-style earpiece having a temperature sensor; FIG. 4B is an internal view of the earbud of FIG. 4A;
FIG. 5 is an illustration of an earbud style earpiece having a capacitance sensor;
FIG. 6 is an external view of a headset-style earpiece with an exploded view of a mechanical switch type sensor;
FIG. 7 is an illustration of a mobile telephone of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of the telephone circuitry of the mobile telephone of FIG. 7; and
FIG. 9 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present invention having an earpiece in communication with a mobile telephone.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling the audio output of an audio device. Most audio devices, particularly mobile audio devices, use earpieces to provide a user with audio content via an audio feed such as playing a song. Audio content may include audio files in various storage formats, over-the-air broadcasts, and Internet or network streaming feeds. Often, the user removes the earpieces and would prefer the audio content to stop, either so that the user can engage in another activity, such as a conversation, or because the user no longer wishes to use the audio device. In general, the present invention provides an earpiece with a sensor capable of detecting the usage state of the earpiece to determine when the audio device should be stopped.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the system includes an earpiece 12 having a communication mechanism 18 in communication with a mobile audio device 14. The earpiece 12 may be of any of the various types of earpieces, such as earbuds or headphones, designed for use in a single ear or both ears, or include a microphone such as a telephone headset. The communication mechanism 18 enables communication, in one embodiment two-way communication, between the earpiece 12 and the mobile audio device 14, such as either wired or wireless. In general, the earpiece 12 of the present invention includes at least one speaker 13 of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 at least partially disposed within a housing 15 of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. The earpiece 12 includes a sensor 16 for detecting info such as when the earpiece 12 is in use. The sensor 16 is in communication with the mobile audio device, preferably by the same mechanism as the mobile audio device sends audio content to the earpieces, e.g. a wired connection or a wireless connection.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the sensor 16 is capable of detecting the usage or wear state of the earpiece 12, i.e. whether the earpiece 12 is in use (e.g., being worn) or not in use (e.g., removed). In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor is in communication with a printed circuit board 20 of FIG. 4B. In one embodiment, the sensor 12 outputs a signal to an applied control interface (ACI) 26 of FIG. 3. The ACI is used for communication between the earpiece 12 and the mobile electronic device 14.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the method of controlling the mobile electronic device 14 is interrupt based. The mobile audio device 14 receives an interrupt from the earpiece when the user is not wearing the headset. During play, at a digital signal-processing step 30, the mobile audio device receives or reads from memory a digital signal including audio content. At a digital signal-processing step 31, this digital signal is processed and sent to a digital/analog converter. At the conversion step 32, the digital/analog converter converts the digital signal to analog, and this analog signal is sent to the earpiece 12. During the analog signal reception step 33, the earpiece receives the signal and converts the signal to sound waves. At the user sense step 34, the earpiece constantly monitors the state of the earpiece to determine if the earpiece is in use. If the earpiece is in use, then the mobile audio device continues to process the digital signal for transmission to the earpiece and conversion to sound. If the earpiece is not in use, then at an interrupt step 36, the earpiece 12 transmits a non-use interrupt to the mobile audio device 14. The non-use interrupt causes the mobile audio device 14 to change its state to stop playing the audio content.
In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the sensor includes a temperature sensor 17. In one embodiment, the temperature sensor 17 is in contact with a printed circuit board 20 and includes a temperature-sensing element 21 and temperature sensor circuitry 22. The temperature sensor 17 is adapted to be in communication with the mobile audio device 14 via an ACI 26. The mobile audio device 14 checks the ACI for an interrupt to determine if the mobile audio device needs to change modes. For example, the mobile audio device 14 may change from standby to play when the earpiece is placed in use, or from play to standby when the earpiece is no longer in use. In one embodiment, the temperature range indicating use comprises a range around human body temperature (37 degrees Celsius), for example 35 to 39 degrees Celsius. In one embodiment, the temperature sensor is only active during the playing of an audio content.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 4A and 4B, the earpiece 12 includes, in addition to the temperature sensor 17, a motion sensor or accelerometer 25. While the temperature sensor 17 is adapted to determine if the earpiece 12 is in use, situations may arise where the earpiece 12 is not in use while the temperature sensor 17 detects a temperature within the ranged determined to correspond to in-use. For example, the earpiece 12 and mobile audio device 14 may be left in a hot car or sitting in the sun were a high temperature is detected but the user is not using the mobile audio device 14. Thus, it is sometimes desirable to determine by another mechanism if a user is using the mobile audio device 14. In an exemplary embodiment, the mobile audio device 14 is controlled by both the temperature sensor 17 and the motion sensor 25. In this embodiment, the mobile audio device 14 will change mode to a standby mode when an interrupt is received, reflecting a temperature outside of the desired range and motion below a desired amount.
In yet another embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the sensor 16 includes a capacitive sensor 27 that detects contact with a user's skin. In one embodiment, the earpiece 12 is an earbud style headphone, which includes a capacitive sensor 27 for contact with the inner portion of a user's ear.
In still another embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the sensor 16 includes a simple mechanical switch 28 that detects whether the earpiece 12 is in use. In one embodiment, the earpiece 12 is a non-earbud headphone that has a semi-rigid structure. The switch 28 is turned on when the user wears the earpiece due the flexing of the earpiece 12 when in use.
In one embodiment, the mobile audio device comprises a mobile telephone. FIG. 7 shows one representative mobile telephone 112 within which the present invention may be implemented. It should be understood, however, that the present invention is not intended to be limited to one particular type of mobile telephone 112 or other electronic device. FIG. 8 depicts a mobile telephone having digital audio functionality in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The mobile telephone 112 of FIG. 8 includes a housing 130, a display 132 in the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a keypad 134, a microphone 136, an ear-piece 138, a battery 140, an infrared port 142, an antenna 144, a smart card 146, in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) according to one embodiment of the invention, a card reader 148, radio interface circuitry 152, codec circuitry 154, a controller 156 and a memory 158. In one embodiment, an application control interface (ACI) 160 is provided. In a further embodiment, the mobile telephone 112 includes a digital radio 162 and a digital media player 164 for playback of audio files. Individual circuits and elements are all of a type well known in the art, for example in the Nokia range of mobile telephones. Other types of electronic devices with which the present invention may be incorporated can include, but are not limited to, personal digital assistants (PDAs), integrated messaging devices (IMDs), and notebook computers.
Various control systems are possible depending upon the functionality of the mobile audio device 14. For example and in one embodiment, the mobile audio device 14 would stop playing the audio content, such as a song, when the earpiece 14 is removed, and the mobile audio device 14 would resume the audio content at the same spot when the earpiece 12 is placed back in use. In one embodiment, an energy conservation step is performed after a predetermined time following a change in earpiece 12 status to unused. In an exemplary embodiment, the mobile audio device 14 powers down after a predetermined time after a user removes the earpiece 12.
The present invention is described in the general context of method steps, which may be implemented in one embodiment by a program product including computer-executable instructions, such as program code, executed by computers in networked environments.
Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of program code for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represent examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps.
Software and web implementations of the present invention could be accomplished with standard programming techniques, with rule based logic, and other logic to accomplish the various database searching steps, correlation steps, comparison steps and decision steps. It should also be noted that the words “component” and “module” as used herein, and in the claims, is intended to encompass implementations using one or more lines of software code, and/or hardware implementations, and/or equipment for receiving manual inputs.
The foregoing description of embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the present invention in various embodiments, and with various modifications, as are suited to the particular use contemplated. For example, the present invention could be utilized in conjunction with stationary audio players or could utilize various types of earpieces, including those having additional functionality such as microphones.
Patent Application
20070297618
