Eartip that conforms to a user's ear canal

• US 10,045,107 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kirsch, James M., Sheffield, Branden, Walker, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Ojo, Oyesola C
• Application Number:
  US14/805,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/10 inflatable or expandable
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/45 Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/656 Non-customized, universal ear tips, i.e. ear tips which are not specifically adapted to the size or shape of the ear or ear canal

Abstract

One or more embodiments set forth include a personal aural device that includes an expandable eartip. The expandable eartip has a contracted state and an expanded state. The expandable eartip includes an insertion sensor configured to receive an indication that the eartip has been placed in an ear of a user. The expandable eartip further includes a controller configured to, in response, actuate a first device to inflate a first chamber to conform to a first portion of the ear. At least one advantage of the described techniques is that eartips in a set of earphones automatically inflate to provide an optimal fit for any listener'"'"'s ears.

Claims

1. A personal aural device, comprising:

an expandable eartip having a contracted state and an expanded state, the expandable eartip comprising;

an insertion sensor configured to receive an indication that the eartip has been placed in an ear of a user, and

a controller configured to, in response to the eartip being placed in the ear of the user;

actuate a first device to inflate a first chamber to a first inflation pressure to conform to a first portion of the ear that comprises a region of an ear canal, and

actuate at least one of the first device and a second device to inflate a second chamber to a second inflation pressure that is different from the first inflation pressure to conform to a second portion of the ear that comprises a region of a concha.

2. The personal aural device of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that the eartip has been placed in the ear comprises receiving a signal that indicates a change in light level.

3. The personal aural device of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that the eartip has been placed in the ear comprises receiving a signal that indicates the eartip is horizontally oriented.

4. The personal aural device of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that the eartip has been placed in the ear comprises determining that an audio signal is being received by the personal aural device.

5. The personal aural device of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that the eartip has been placed in the ear comprises receiving a signal that indicates a change in capacitance consistent with the eartip being in contact with human skin.

6. The personal aural device of claim 1, wherein actuating the first device comprises actuating a pump to introduce compressed air into the first chamber.

7. The personal aural device of claim 1, wherein actuating the first device comprises transmitting an electrical charge to the eartip to orient fibers associated with the first chamber.

8. The personal aural device of claim 1, further comprising an inflation sensor configured to transmit a signal to the controller that indicates an inflation level of the first chamber, and wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the first chamber has been inflated to a desired level.

9. The personal aural device of claim 8, wherein determining that the first chamber is inflated to a desired level comprises detecting a change in at least one operating characteristic of the first device.

10. The personal aural device of claim 8, wherein determining that the first chamber is inflated to a desired level comprises receiving a signal indicating that the first chamber has achieved a threshold pressure.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to adjust an eartip associated with a personal aural device, by performing the steps of:

receiving an indication that the eartip has been placed in an ear of a user; and

in response to the eartip being placed in the ear of the user;

actuating a first device to inflate a first chamber to a first inflation pressure to conform to a first portion of the ear, and

actuating at least one of the first device and a second device to inflate a second chamber to a second inflation pressure that is greater than the first inflation pressure to conform to a second portion of the ear.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the ear comprises a region of an ear canal.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the second portion of the ear comprises a region of a concha.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the ear comprises a region of an ear canal, and the second portion of the ear comprises a region of a concha.

15. A method for adjusting an eartip associated with a personal aural device, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that the eartip has been placed in an ear of a user, wherein the indication is based on determining that a first light level detected by a first portion of the eartip that is placed inside the ear is less than a second light level detected by a second portion of the eartip that remains outside of the ear; and

actuating a first device, in response to the eartip being placed in the ear of the user, to inflate a first chamber to conform to a first portion of the ear.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first portion of the ear comprises a region of an ear canal.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first portion of the ear comprises a region of a concha.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising, in response to receiving the indication that the eartip has been placed in the ear of the user, actuating a second device to inflate a second chamber to conform to a second portion of the ear.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first portion of the ear comprises a region of an ear canal, and the second portion of the ear comprises a region of the concha.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein both the first light level and the second light level are detected at a first time.