Automatic user interface switching

• US 10,638,214 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2018
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Delhoume, Alexia, Quintus, Morgen J., Minich, David R., Fecko, Sarah, Celuch, Denise P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suthers, Douglas J
• Application Number:
  US16/229,955
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 381 716, 381 74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/178 by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1081 Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
• 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 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence

Abstract

An audio system and method directed to sensing whether a first headphone and a second headphone are engaged with, proximate to, or within a user'"'"'s ear. In one example, if the system detects that the first and second headphones are engaged with or proximate to the user'"'"'s ear, the first headphone provides a first set of user control settings and the second headphone provides a second set of user control settings. In one example, if the system detects that the first headphone is not engaged with or proximate to the user'"'"'s ear and the second headphone is engaged with or proximate the user'"'"'s ear, the second headphone provides controls which include at least one user control from the first set of user controls.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an audio system, comprising the steps of:

detecting, at a first sensor of a first headphone, whether the first headphone is engaged with or removed from an ear of a user;

detecting, at a second sensor of a second headphone, whether the second headphone is engaged with or removed from an ear of the user;

providing a first set of user control settings to a first user interface associated with the first headphone and providing a second set of user control settings to a second user interface of the second headphone if the first sensor determines that the first headphone is engaged with the ear of the user and the second sensor determines that the second headphone is engaged with the ear of the user; and

providing the first set of user control settings to the second user interface associated with the second headphone only if the first sensor determines that the first headphone is removed from the ear of the user and the second sensor determines that the second headphone is engaged with the ear of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input is a first touch capacitive sensor and the second input is a second touch capacitive sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor of the first headphone comprises at least one of:

a gyroscope, an accelerometer, an infrared (IR) sensor, a magnetometer, an acoustic sensor, a motion sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a piezoresistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, and a magnetic field sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first headphone further comprises a first outer surface, the first outer surface comprising a first touch capacitive sensor adapted to receive at least one gesture from the user, and the second headphone further comprises a second outer surface, the second outer surface comprising a second touch capacitive sensor adapted to receive the at least one gesture from the user.

5. An audio system comprising:

a first headphone, the first headphone comprising;

a first speaker arranged to produce a first audio signal;

a first sensor arranged to determine if the first headphone is engaged with or removed from an ear of a user; and

a first user interface adapted to receive user input comprising at least one first user control setting of a first set of user control settings; and

a second headphone, the second headphone comprising;

a second speaker arranged to produce a second audio signal;

a second sensor arranged to determine if the second headphone is engaged with or removed from an ear of the user; and

a second user interface adapted to;

i) receive user input comprising at least one second user control setting of a second set of user control settings if the first sensor determines that the first headphone is engaged with the ear of the user and the second sensor determines that the second headphone is engaged with the ear of the user, and ii) receive user input comprising the at least one first user setting of the first set of user control settings only if the first sensor determines that the first headphone is removed from the ear of the user and the second sensor determines that the second headphone is engaged with the ear of the user.

6. The audio system of claim 5, wherein the first headphone further comprises a first outer surface, the first outer surface comprising a first touch capacitive sensor.

7. The audio system of claim 6, wherein the first touch capacitive sensor comprises the first user interface.

8. The audio system of claim 5, wherein the second headphone further comprises a second outer surface, the second outer surface comprising a second touch capacitive sensor, and the second touch capacitive sensor comprises the second user interface.

9. The audio system of claim 5, wherein the first headphone further comprises a first antenna arranged to communicate with the second headphone.

10. The audio system of claim 5, wherein the first headphone further comprises a first antenna arranged to communicate with at least one first device and the second headphone further comprises a second antenna arranged to communicate with the at least one first device.

11. The audio system of claim 5, wherein the first user control of the first set of user controls comprises at least one of:

increase volume of the first audio signal and second audio signal;

decrease volume of the first audio signal and second audio signal;

start the first audio signal and the second audio signal;

stop the first audio signal and the second audio signal;

answer a first phone call;

decline the first phone call;

accept a first notification;

dismiss the first notification;

and access a voice assistant.

12. The audio system of claim 5, wherein the at least one second user control setting comprises at least one of:

display or announce a first battery level;

activate a noise cancellation mode;

deactivate the noise cancellation mode; and

adjust a level of the noise cancellation mode.

13. An audio system comprising:

a first headphone, the first headphone comprising;

a first speaker arranged to produce a first audio signal;

a first sensor arranged to determine if the first headphone is engaged with or removed from an ear of a user; and

a first user interface adapted to receive user input comprising at least one first user control setting of a first set of user control settings; and

a second headphone, the second headphone comprising;

a second speaker arranged to produce a second audio signal;

a second sensor arranged to determine if the second headphone is engaged with or removed from an ear of the user; and

a second user interface adapted to;

i) receive user input comprising at least one second user control setting of a second set of user control settings if the first sensor determines that the first headphone is engaged with the ear of the user and the second sensor determines that the second headphone is engaged with the ear of the user, and ii) receive user input comprising the at least one first user setting of the first set of user control settings and the at least one second user control setting of the second set of user control settings only if the first sensor determines that the first headphone is removed from the ear of the user and the second sensor determines that the second headphone is engaged with the ear of the user.

14. The audio system of claim 13, wherein the first headphone further comprises a first outer surface, the first outer surface comprising a first touch capacitive sensor.

15. The audio system of claim 14, wherein the first touch capacitive sensor comprises the first user interface.

16. The audio system of claim 13, wherein the second headphone further comprises a second outer surface, the second outer surface comprising a second touch capacitive sensor, and the second touch capacitive sensor comprises the second user interface.

17. The audio system of claim 13, wherein the first headphone further comprises a first antenna arranged to communicate with the second headphone.

18. The audio system of claim 13, wherein the first headphone further comprises a first antenna arranged to communicate with at least one first device and the second headphone further comprises a second antenna arranged to communicate with the at least one first device.

19. The audio system of claim 13, wherein the first user control of the first set of user controls comprises at least one of:

increase volume of the first audio signal and second audio signal;

decrease volume of the first audio signal and second audio signal;

start the first audio signal and the second audio signal;

stop the first audio signal and the second audio signal;

answer a first phone call;

decline the first phone call;

accept a first notification;

dismiss the first notification; and

access a voice assistant.

20. The audio system of claim 13, wherein the at least one second user control setting comprises at least one of:

display or announce a first battery level;

activate a noise cancellation mode;

deactivate the noise cancellation mode; and

adjust a level of the noise cancellation mode.