Wireless earpiece with force feedback

• US 10,455,313 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Boesen, Peter Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Disler
• Application Number:
  US15/799,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20180124495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 381 74, 381 58, 381107, 381376, 381380
• 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 2400/03 Transducers capable of generating both sound as well as tactile vibration, e.g. as used in cellular phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/15 Determination of the acoustic seal of ear moulds or ear tips of hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method for providing feedback through wireless earpieces, may have one or more of the following steps: (a) detecting a position of the wireless earpieces in ears of a user utilizing a number of contacts, (b) analyzing how to modify communications with the user based on the position, (c) communicating with the user utilizing the analysis, (d) adjusting an orientation of one or more speakers of the wireless earpieces in response to the position, and (e) adjusting a plurality of sensors in response to the position.

Claims

1. A wireless earpiece, comprising:

a frame for fitting in an ear of a user;

a processor integrated with the frame for controlling functionality of the wireless earpiece;

a plurality of contacts operatively connected to the processor for determining a fit of the wireless earpiece within the ear of the user and determining a structure of the ear; and

at least one speaker operatively connected to the processor and mounted to the frame via an actuator for communicating audio;

wherein the processor processes input from the plurality of contacts for determining the fit of the wireless earpiece within the ear of the user; and

wherein the processor analyzes how to maximize communication of the audio with the user based on the fit of the wireless earpiece and the structure of the ear of the user relative to an orientation of the at least one speaker, and adjusts the actuator to communicate the audio via the at least one speaker with the user utilizing the analysis

wherein the at least one speaker communicates the audio.

2. The wireless earpiece of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contacts include optical sensors for determining an external shape of the ear of the user.

3. The wireless earpiece of claim 1, wherein the processor alerts the user of improper positioning of the wireless earpieces within the ear of the user.

4. The wireless earpiece of claim 1, wherein amplitudes and frequencies of the at least one speaker of the wireless earpiece are adjusted in response to the fit of the wireless earpiece.

5. The wireless earpiece of claim 4, wherein the adjusting of the amplitudes and the frequencies is performed iteratively by the processor.