Binaural Recording For Smart Pen Computing Systems

• US 20090022343A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Livescribe Incorporated (Anoto Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Livescribe Incorporated (Anoto Group AB)
• Inventors: Connell, Byron, Lewis, Rick, Van Schaack, Andy, Canova, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/309
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

A pen based computing system concurrently captures handwriting gestures and records audio using binaural recording. A binaural headset communicatively coupled to the smart pen device uses at least two microphones. A left microphone is placed in or near the left ear and the right microphone is placed in or near the right ear, each facing outward. Speakers are integrated into a shared housing with the microphones facing inward towards the ear canal to play back the audio recordings. By recording audio with microphones placed close to the ears, the system provides realistic sounding playback and allows users to more easily differentiate between multiple sources of audio.

Claims

1. A pen-based computing system for recording and playing back audio comprising:

a left audio device adapted to fit proximate to a user'"'"'s left ear, the left audio device having an integrated left microphone for recording a left audio channel, and an integrated left speaker for playing back the recorded left audio channel;

a right audio device adapted to fit proximate to a user'"'"'s right ear, the right audio device having an integrated right microphone for recording a right audio channel and an integrated right speaker for playing back the recorded right audio channel;

a smart pen device configured to capture handwriting gestures and configured to record left and right audio channels from the left and right audio devices, the smart pen further configured to synchronize the captured handwriting gestures in time with the left and right audio channels; and

an interface for transmitting the left and right audio channels recorded by the left and right microphones to the smart pen device and for transmitting the recorded left and right audio channels from the smart pen device to the left and right speakers for playback.

2. The pen-based computing system of claim 1,

wherein the left audio device comprises a left earbud housing adapted to be placed in a left ear wherein the integrated left microphone faces away from the left ear and the integrated left speaker faces towards the left ear;

and

wherein the right audio device comprises a right earbud housing adapted to be placed in a right ear wherein the integrated right microphone faces away from the right ear and the integrated right speaker faces towards the right ear.

3. The pen-based computing system of claim 1,

wherein the left audio device comprises a left earclip adapted to clip around a portion of a left ear such that the integrated left microphone faces away from the left ear and the integrated left speaker faces towards the left ear;

and

wherein the right audio device comprises a right earclip adapted to clip around a portion of a right ear such that the integrated right microphone faces away from the right ear and the integrated right speaker faces towards the right ear.

4. The pen-based computing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a rigid band shaped for placement around a user'"'"'s neck, wherein the left audio device is connected to a left end of the rigid band and the right audio devices is connected to a right end of the rigid band.

5. The pen-based computing system of claim 1, further comprising:

A first fastening mechanism for attaching the left audio device to a left side of a user'"'"'s clothing or body; and

A second fastening mechanism for attaching the right audio device to a right side of a user'"'"'s clothing or body.

6. The pen-based computing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible strap for hanging around a user'"'"'s neck, wherein the left audio device is connected to a first end of the flexible strap and the right audio devices is connected to a second end of the flexible strap.

7. The pen-based computing system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a right angle plug adapted to couple with an input jack on the smart pen device.

8. The pen-based computing system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a connecting plug having an integrated sliding volume controller for controlling speaker output volume.

9. The pen-based computing system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a conductor plug comprising:

a left audio input conductor for coupling the left microphone to the smart pen device;

a left audio output conductor for coupling the left speaker to the smart pen device;

a right audio input conductor for coupling the right microphone to the smart pen device;

a right audio output conductor for coupling the right speaker to the smart pen device; and

a ground conductor for supplying a reference voltage for signals on the left audio input conductor, the left audio output conductor, the right audio input conductor, and the right audio output conductor.

10. The pen-based computing system of claim 1,

wherein the left audio device comprises a first membrane adapted for common use by the left microphone and the left speaker;

and

wherein the right audio device comprises a second membrane adapted for common use by the right microphone and the right speaker.

11. The pen-based computing system of claim 1, wherein the smart pen device comprises:

a processor for processing the audio captured by the left and right microphones to adjust relative gain between a first audio source originating from a first direction and a second audio source originating from a second direction.

12. The pen-based computing system of claim 11, wherein the processor is programmed to adjust the relative gain between the first audio source and the second audio source in real time and output the processed audio to the left and right speakers.

13. A headset for recording and playing back audio, comprising:

a left earbud adapted to fit substantially within a left ear, the left earbud comprising an integrated left microphone for recording a left audio channel and an integrated left speaker for playing back the recorded left audio channel, the left microphone facing opposite the left speaker;

a right earbud adapted to fit substantially within a right ear, the right earbud comprising an integrated right microphone for recording a right audio channel and an integrated right speaker for playing back the recorded right audio channel, the right microphone facing opposite the right speaker; and

an interface for transmitting the left and right audio channels captured by the left and right microphones to a memory and for transmitting recorded left and right audio channels from the memory to the left and right speakers for playback.

14. The headset of claim 13, wherein the interface comprises:

a left audio input conductor for coupling the left microphone to the smart pen device;

a left audio output conductor for coupling the left speaker to the smart pen device;

a right audio input conductor for coupling the right microphone to the smart pen device; and

a right audio output conductor for coupling the right speaker to the smart pen device.

15. The headset of claim 13,

wherein the left earbud comprises a first membrane commonly used by the left microphone and the left speaker;

and

wherein the right earbud comprises a second membrane commonly used by the right microphone and the right speaker.

16. The headset of claim 13, wherein the interface comprises a connecting plug having an integrated sliding volume controller for controlling speaker output volume.

17. A method for recording and playing audio in a smart pen computing system, comprising:

recording left and right audio channels using a left microphone located proximate to a left ear and a right microphone located proximate to a right ear;

capturing handwriting gestures concurrently with the recording the left and right audio channels using a smart pen device;

synchronizing the left and right audio channels with the captured handwriting gestures; and

playing back the left and right audio channels through left and right speakers, wherein the left speaker shares a first housing with the left microphone and the right speaker shares a second housing with the right microphone.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

processing the audio captured by the left and right microphones to adjust relative gain between a first audio source originating from a first direction and a second audio source originating from a second direction.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein processing the audio comprises adjusting the relative gain between the first audio source and the second audio source in real time and outputting processed audio to the left and right speakers.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

retrieving an electronic representation of the captured handwriting gestures together with playing back the recorded audio.

21. The method of claim 18,

wherein the left speaker is positioned facing into the left ear and the left microphone is positioned facing away from the left ear;

and

wherein the right speaker is positioned facing into the right ear and the right microphone is positioned facing away from the right ear.