Method and apparatus for configuring a handheld audio device using ear biometrics

• US 20090060240A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology LLC (Avaya Incorporated)
• Inventors: Coughlan, Marc William Joseph, Michaelis, Paul Roller, Warta, Ralph, Gannon, Ciaran, Forbes, Alexander Quentin, Runcie, Peter Donald
• Granted Patent: US 8,229,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/314
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72478 for hearing-impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A method and apparatus configure a handheld audio device to communicate audio information by identifying an ear being used with the handheld audio device and by configuring the handheld audio device in response to the ear identification to communicate audio information to the ear. The identification may use sonic or visual techniques to identify the ear.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a handheld audio device to communicate audio information, comprising:

identifying an ear being used with the handheld audio device; and

configuring the handheld audio device in response to the ear identification to communicate audio information to the ear.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying comprises using sonic techniques for the ear identification.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the using comprises obtaining sonic information from an ear canal of the ear;

and

comparing the obtained sonic information with sonic information stored in a database.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein obtaining comprises transmitting ultrasonic signal into the ear canal;

and

determining physical characteristics of the ear canal based on reflected signals resulting from the transmitted ultrasonic signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying comprises using visual techniques for the ear identification.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the using comprises obtaining visual information of an ear;

and

comparing the obtained visual information with visual information stored in a database.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuring comprises adjusting a volume of the acoustic signal representing the audio information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuring comprises adjusting a spectral content of the audio information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuring comprises adjusting an electro-magnetic field communicating the audio information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the adjusting comprises controlling strength of the electro-magnetic field communicating the audio information.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the adjusting comprises aiming the electro-magnetic field.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the aiming comprises selecting one of a plurality of inductive coils to produce the electro-magnetic field.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the handheld audio device is at least one of a mobile telephone, a cellular telephone, a cordless telephone, a two-way radio, or a personal digital assistant.

14. A configurable handheld audio device, comprising:

a transmitter for communicating voice information to an ear of a user;

a receiver for receiving voice information from the user;

a ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting ultrasonic signals into an ear canal of the ear of the user;

a ultrasonic receiver for receiving reflected ultrasonic signals from the ear canal resulting from the transmitted ultrasonic signals;

a computer for processing the reflected ultrasonic signals from the ear canal to determine the identification of the ear; and

the computer responsive to the identification of the ear to configure the handheld audio device wherein the voice information communicated by the transmitter is adjusted for the ear.

15. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 14 wherein the computer further responsive to the identification of the ear to adjust a volume of the acoustic signal representing the audio information.

16. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 14 wherein the computer further responsive to the identification of the ear to adjust a spectral content of the audio information.

17. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 14 wherein the computer further responsive to the identification of the ear to adjust an electro-magnetic field communicating the audio information to a hearing aid.

18. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 17 wherein the computer further adjusts the electro-magnetic field by controlling strength of the electro-magnetic field.

19. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 17 wherein the computer further adjusts the electro-magnetic fields by aiming the electro-magnetic field.

20. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 14 further comprises a plurality of inductive coils for utilization with a hearing aid;

and

the computer further responsive to the identification of the ear to select one of the plurality of inductive coils for transmission of electro-magnetic field to the hearing aid.

21. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 14 is at least one of a mobile telephone, a cellular telephone, a cordless telephone, a two-way radio, or a personal digital assistant.

22. A configurable handheld audio device, comprising:

a transmitter for communicating voice information to an ear of a user;

a receiver for receiving voice information from the user;

an imaging module for obtaining digital images of the ear of the user;

a computer for processing the obtained digital images of the ear to determine the identification of the ear; and

the computer responsive to the identification of the ear to configure the handheld audio device wherein the voice information communicated by the transmitter is adjusted for the ear.

23. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 22 wherein the computer further responsive to the identification of the ear to adjust a volume of the acoustic signal representing the audio information.

24. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 22 wherein the computer further responsive to the identification of the ear to adjust a spectral content of the audio information.

25. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 22 wherein the computer further responsive to the identification of the ear to adjust an electro-magnetic field communicating the audio information to a hearing aid.

26. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 25 wherein the computer further adjusts the electro-magnetic field by controlling strength of the electro-magnetic field.

27. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 25 wherein the computer further adjusts the electro-magnetic fields by aiming the electro-magnetic field.

28. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 22 further comprises a plurality of inductive coils for utilization with a hearing aid;

and

the computer further responsive to the identification of the ear to select one of the plurality of inductive coils for transmission of electro-magnetic field to the hearing aid.

29. The configurable handheld audio device of claim 22 is at least one of a mobile telephone, a cellular telephone, a cordless telephone, a two-way radio, or a personal digital assistant.

30. A computer-readable medium for configuring a handheld audio device to communicate audio information, comprising computer-executable instructions configured for:

computer-executable instructions for identifying an ear being used with the handheld audio device; and

computer-executable instructions for configuring the handheld audio device in response to the ear identification to communicate audio information to the ear.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the computer-executable instructions for identifying comprise computer-executable instructions for using sonic techniques for the ear identification.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein the computer-executable instructions for using comprise computer-executable instructions for obtaining sonic information from an ear canal of the ear;

and

computer-executable instructions for comparing the obtained sonic information with sonic information stored in a database.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the computer-executable instructions for obtaining comprise computer-executable instructions for transmitting ultrasonic signal into the ear canal;

and

computer-executable instructions for determining physical characteristics of the ear canal based on reflected signals resulting from the transmitted ultrasonic signal.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the computer-executable instructions for identifying comprise computer-executable instructions for using visual techniques for the ear identification.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34 wherein the computer-executable instructions for using comprise computer-executable instructions for obtaining visual information of an ear;

and

computer-executable instructions for comparing the obtained visual information with visual information stored in a database.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the computer-executable instructions for configuring comprise computer-executable instructions for adjusting a volume of the acoustic signal representing the audio information.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the computer-executable instructions for configuring comprise computer-executable instructions for adjusting a spectral content of the audio information.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the computer-executable instructions for configuring comprise computer-executable instructions for adjusting an electro-magnetic field communicating the audio information.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38 wherein the computer-executable instructions for adjusting comprise computer-executable instructions for controlling strength of the electro-magnetic field communicating the audio information.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38 wherein the computer-executable instructions for adjusting comprise computer-executable instructions for aiming the electro-magnetic field.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the computer-executable instructions for aiming comprise computer-executable instructions for selecting one of a plurality of inductive coils to produce the electro-magnetic field.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the handheld audio device is at least one of a mobile telephone, a cellular telephone, a cordless telephone, a two-way radio, or a personal digital assistant.