System and method for sharing wireless earpieces

• US 10,575,086 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2018
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Boesen, Peter Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Simon
• Application Number:
  US15/908,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20180279038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for using a set of wireless earpieces includes establishing a connection between each earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces, acquiring data indicative of a mode of operation, setting the mode of operation to operate the set of wireless earpieces based on the data indicative of the mode of operation and delivering audio to one or more speakers of each earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces based on the mode of operation.

Claims

1. A method of using a set of wireless earpieces comprising:

establishing a connection between each earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces;

acquiring data indicative of a mode of operation;

setting the mode of operation to operate the set of wireless earpieces based on the data indicative of the mode of operation; and

delivering audio to one or more speakers of each earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces based on the mode of operation;

wherein the mode of operation is from a set comprising a standard mode of operation and a shared mode of operation;

wherein in the standard mode of operation the audio comprises a first audio signal delivered to at least one speaker of a first earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces and a second audio signal delivered to at least one speaker of a second earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces; and

wherein in the shared mode of operation the audio comprises a third audio signal based on the first audio signal and the second audio signal, the third audio signal delivered to at least one speaker of both the first earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces and the at least one second earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of the mode of operation includes biometric information associated with at least one user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection provides for bidirectional communication between each earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the third audio signal in the shared mode of operation is dynamically adjusted based upon a distance between the first earpiece and the at least one second earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the distance is determined from a signal strength associated with the connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the third audio signal in the shared mode of operation is dynamically adjusted based upon connection quality.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the connection quality includes latency, lag, throughput, and error rate.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a second connection between the first earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces and a wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second connection in the shared mode of operation is dynamically adjusted based upon a distance between the first earpiece and the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining of the distance between the first earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces and the wireless device is based upon a signal strength associated with the second connection.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a power mode based on the mode of operation.

12. A set of wireless earpieces, wherein each earpiece comprises:

an earpiece housing having an extension configured to fit substantially within an ear;

a processor disposed within the earpiece housing;

a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the processor; and

a transceiver operatively connected to the processor;

wherein the set of wireless earpieces are configured to establish a connection with each earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces, acquire data indicative with a mode of operation, set the mode of operation for operating the set of wireless earpieces based upon the data indicative of the mode of operation, and deliver audio to one or more speakers of each earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces based on the mode of operation;

wherein the mode of operation is from a set comprising a standard mode of operation and a shared mode of operation;

wherein in the standard mode of operation the audio comprises a first audio signal delivered to at least one speaker of a first earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces and a second audio signal delivered to at least one speaker of a second earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces; and

wherein in the shared mode of operation the audio comprises a third audio signal based on the first audio signal and the second audio signal, the third audio signal delivered to at least one speaker of both the first earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces and the second earpiece within the set of wireless earpieces.

13. The set of wireless earpieces of claim 12, wherein at least one first sensor of the plurality of sensors for each earpiece is located on the extension.

14. The set of wireless earpieces of claim 13, wherein the at least one first sensor of the plurality of sensors for each earpiece is an optical sensor for determining an identity.

15. The set of wireless earpieces of claim 12, wherein at least one second sensor of the plurality of sensors of each earpiece is a global positioning sensor and the data indicative of the mode of operation includes global positioning data detected by the global positioning sensor of each earpiece for dynamically adjusting the connection.

16. The set of wireless earpieces of claim 12, wherein the third audio signal is dynamically adjusted based upon a connection quality.

17. The set of wireless earpieces of claim 12, wherein the connection provides for bidirectional communication between each earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces.

18. The set of wireless earpieces of claim 13, wherein the set of wireless earpieces are configured to set a power mode based on the mode of operation.

19. The set of wireless earpieces of claim 15, wherein the first earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces includes a second transceiver for establishing a second connection with the second earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces if a distance based upon the global positioning data between the first earpiece and the second earpiece exceeds a threshold.

20. The set of wireless earpieces of claim 19, wherein the first earpiece of the set of wireless earpieces is configured to establish a third connection with a wireless device via the second transceiver.