Audio device

• US 10,335,084 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2015
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Inagaki, Tomohiro, Hirano, Asao
• Primary Examiner(s): Downey, John R
• Application Number:
  US14/830,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20160066851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/00 Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

There has been no sufficient study to address an issue caused in the use of an open-air type audio device. Therefore, provided is an audio device with an actually useful organism sensor. In particular, the audio device includes an audio unit 10 to externally abut on the ear without being inserted thereinto, and an organism sensor unit 70 to be inserted into the ear.

Claims

1. An audio device comprising:

an audio unit to externally abut on an ear without being inserted into the ear; and

an organism sensor unit to be inserted into the ear, wherein

the audio unit includes a piezoelectric element, and a panel directly attached to the piezoelectric element, and the panel delivers sound by being bent directly by the piezoelectric element,

the organism sensor unit is inserted into a concha,

the audio unit externally abuts a tragus, wherein the audio unit and the organism sensor unit sandwich the tragus,

the organism sensor unit is provided with a light emission unit and a light reception unit, and

the light emission unit emits light to the concha.

2. The audio device according to claim 1, wherein the audio device externally abuts on a tragus or an antitragus.

3. The audio device according to claim 1, wherein the organism sensor unit measures a pulse, a volume of blood flow, or body temperature.

4. The audio device according to claim 1, wherein the organism sensor unit is provided with a pair of sensors including a left ear sensor and a right ear sensor.

5. The audio device according to claim 1, wherein the audio unit is provided with a pair of audio units including a left ear audio unit and a right ear audio unit.

6. The audio device according to claim 4, wherein the pair of sensors measure organism data.

7. The audio device according to claim 6, further comprising a communication unit for externally transmitting the organism data.

8. The audio device according to claim 6, wherein when a possibility of a user'"'"'s health problem is detected from the organism data, the audio unit notifies accordingly.

9. The audio device according to claim 1, wherein the organism sensor unit is provided with an insertion unit to be inserted into an external ear canal.

10. The audio device according to claim 1, wherein the organism sensor is provided with a vent for allowing an external ear canal to communicate with outside.

11. The audio device according to claim 6, wherein

the organism data is pulse.

12. The audio device according to claim 6, wherein

the organism data is volume of blood flow.

13. The audio device according to claim 6, wherein

the organism data is temperature.