Earpiece with an inertial sensor

• US 20030002705A1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martha Trout
• Original Assignee: Peter V Boesen
• Inventors: Boesen, Peter V.
• Granted Patent: US 6,920,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/380
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• 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 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers

Abstract

A communication device includes an earpiece housing adapted for fitting to an car of a user such that the earpiece does not block the canal, an inertial sensor operatively connected to the earpiece housing for sensing positional changes of the user'"'"'s ears, a processor operatively connected to the inertial sensor and disposed within the earpiece determining presence of an alert condition at least partially based on positional changes, and a speaker operatively connected to the processor.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

an earpiece adapted for fitting to an ear of a user such that the earpiece does not block an external auditory canal of the ear of the user canal;

an inertial sensor operatively connected to the earpiece for sensing positional changes;

a processor operatively connected to the inertial sensor and disposed within the earpiece determining presence of an alert condition at least partially based on positional changes; and

a speaker operatively connected to the processor for producing audible alert.

2. The communication device of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver operatively connected to the processor.

3. The communication device of claim 1 further comprising a sensor operatively connected to the earpiece housing for sensing voice sound information.

4. The communication device of claim 3 wherein the sensor is an air conduction sensor.

5. The communication device of claim 3 wherein the sensor is a bone conduction sensor.

6. The communication device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the earpiece housing for sensing voice sound information.

7. The communication device of claim 6 wherein at least one of the sensors is a bone conduction sensor.

8. The communication device of claim 6 wherein at least one of the sensors is an air conduction sensor.

9. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the alert condition is associated with the user falling asleep.

10. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the alert condition is associated with nodding.

11. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the processor is electrically connected to the speaker and the processor is adapted to produce the audible alert upon occurrence of the alert condition.

12. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the inertial sensor is a gyrometer.

13. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the inertial sensor is an accelerometer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the physical measurement is a positional change of the sensor.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the alert condition is associated with the user falling asleep.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the sensor is a gyrometer.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising transmitting notification of the alert condition from the earpiece using a wireless transceiver of the earpiece.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining whether the user is wearing the earpiece by sensing a temperature associated with the earpiece.

14. A method of alerting a user, comprising:

sensing a physical movement with a sensor operatively connected to an earpiece;

processing the sensed physical measurement to determine presence of an alert condition using a processor disposed within the earpiece;

producing an audible alert after occurrence of the alert condition of the earpiece that is using a speaker operatively connected to the processor.

21. A communication device, comprising:

an earpiece housing adapted for fitting to an ear of a user;

an inertial sensor operatively connected to the earpiece housing;

a processor operatively connected to the inertial sensor and disposed within the earpiece;

a speaker operatively connected to the processor;

a sensor operatively connected to the processor for sensing voice sound information; and

a transceiver operatively connected to the processor.

22. The communication device of claim 21 wherein the inertial sensor is an accelerometer.

23. The communication device of claim 21 wherein the inertial sensor is a gyrometer.

24. The communication device of claim 21 wherein the processor is adapted to monitor an output of the inertial sensor for occurrence of an alert condition.

25. The communication device of claim 21 wherein the processor is further adapted to produce an audible alert on the speaker upon occurrence of the alert condition.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising producing an audible alert after occurrence of the alert condition using a speaker disposed within the earpiece.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising producing a vibrating alert by backdriving the bone conduction sensor within the earpiece.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising receiving feedback that the user has responded to the audible alert.

31. The method of claim 27,further comprising receiving feedback from the user to indicate the user is aware of the alert condition.

32. The method of claim 27 further comprising transmitting the occurrence of the alert condition from the earpiece to a computing device.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising determining a location of potential interest and directing the user to the location of potential interest.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the location of potential interest is selected from the set comprising an exit, a hotel, a motel, and a rest area.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising making a reservation at the location of potential interest.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of directing the user to the location includes displaying a map.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein the computing device is operatively connected to a vehicle and further comprising notifying the user of the presence of the alert condition through use of a feature of the vehicle.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the feature of the vehicle is a sound system of the vehicle.

26. A communication device, comprising:

an earpiece housing adapted for fitting to an ear of a user;

an inertial sensor operatively connected to the earpiece housing;

a processor operatively connected to the inertial sensor and disposed within the earpiece; and

a speaker operatively connected to the processor;

27. A method of alerting a user, comprising:

sensing a physical movement with a sensor operatively connected to an earpiece; and

processing the sensed physical measurement to determine presence of an alert condition using a processor disposed within the earpiece.