Automated Audio Source Control Based on Audio Output Device Placement Detection

• US 20090226013A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Burge, Benjamin D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,238,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/309
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

An apparatus and method for automatically remotely controlling an audio source providing the apparatus with audio for being audibly output to a user of the apparatus entails monitoring various sensors to determine whether or not one or more ear couplings of the apparatus are positioned in close proximity to one or both of the user'"'"'s ears to determine whether the user is listening to the audibly output audio with either one or both ears, or is not listening at all. In response to changes in whether the user is listening with either one or both ears, or whether the user is listening at all, the audio source is automatically signaled with one or more commands to cease or resume providing the audio to the apparatus, perform or cease performing various alterations on the audio before providing it to the apparatus, etc.

Claims

1. An apparatus structured to be worn on the head of a user to audibly output a piece of audio conveyed to the apparatus by an audio source, the apparatus comprising:

a first acoustic driver;

a first ear coupling structured to be positioned in close proximity to a first ear of the user to position the first acoustic driver to audibly output a first portion of the piece of audio to the first ear;

a first sensor positioned relative to the first ear coupling to detect an indication of whether or not the first ear coupling is positioned in close proximity to the first ear; and

a circuit coupled to the first sensor to monitor the first sensor and structured to control the audible output of the first portion of the piece of audio by the first acoustic driver, wherein the circuit is structured to signal the audio source with a command in response to receiving from the sensor an indication of the first ear coupling not being positioned in close proximity to the first ear.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second acoustic driver;

a second ear coupling structured to be positioned in close proximity to a second ear of the user to position the second acoustic driver to audibly output a second portion of the piece of audio to the second ear; and

a second sensor coupled to the circuit to be monitored by the circuit and positioned relative to the second ear coupling to detect an indication of whether or not the second ear coupling is positioned in close proximity to the second ear.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the circuit is further structured to signal the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to cease conveying the piece of audio to the apparatus in response to indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the circuit is further structured to signal the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source resume conveying the piece of audio to the apparatus in response to an indication that at least one of the first ear coupling is again in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling is again in close proximity to the second ear.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the circuit is further structured to signal the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to be turned off in response to an elapsing of a predetermined period of time from the indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears, and to there being no indication of at least one of the first ear coupling again being in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling again being in close proximity to the second ear.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the piece of audio is an audio recording, wherein the audio source conveys the piece of audio to the apparatus as part of playing the piece of audio, and wherein the circuit is further structured to signal the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to pause the playing of the piece of audio in response to indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the circuit is further structured to signal the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to stop the playing of the piece of audio in response to an elapsing of a predetermined time from the indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears, and to there being no indication of at least one of the first ear coupling again being in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling again being in close proximity to the second ear.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the circuit is further structured to signal the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to prepare for a subsequent playing of the piece of audio to start at the beginning of the piece of audio in response to an elapsing of a predetermined period of time from the indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears, and to there being no indication of at least one of the first ear coupling again being in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling again being in close proximity to the second ear.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the circuit is further structured to signal the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to redirect the second portion of the piece of audio away from the second acoustic driver and to the first acoustic driver in combination with the first portion of the piece of audio in response to indications that the first ear coupling is in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling is not in close proximity to the second ear.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the circuit is further structured to signal the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to cease providing a simulation of surround sound audio in conveying the first and second portion of the piece of audio to the apparatus in response to indications that the first ear coupling is in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling is not in close proximity to the second ear.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the circuit is further structured to signal the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to cease providing at least a third portion of the piece of audio to the apparatus while still providing the first and second portions of the piece of audio to the apparatus in response to indications that the first ear coupling is in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling is not in close proximity to the second ear, wherein conveying a combination of the first portion of the piece of audio, the second portion of the piece of audio and the at least a third portion of the piece of audio to the apparatus conveys surround sound to the apparatus.

12. A method of automatically remotely controlling an audio source conveying a piece of audio to an apparatus structured to be worn on the head of a user, the method comprising:

monitoring a first sensor for indications of whether or not a first ear coupling is positioned in close proximity to a first ear of the user such that a first acoustic driver is positioned to audibly output a first portion of the piece of audio to the first ear; and

signaling the audio source with a command in response to receiving from the first sensor an indication of the first ear coupling not being positioned in close proximity to the first ear.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising monitoring a second sensor for indications of whether or not a second ear coupling is positioned in close proximity to a second ear of the user such that a second acoustic driver is positioned to audibly output a second portion of the piece of audio to the second ear.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising signaling the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to cease conveying the piece of audio to the apparatus in response to indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising signaling the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to resume conveying the piece of audio to the apparatus in response to an indication that at least one of the first ear coupling is again in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling is again in close proximity to the second ear.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising signaling the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to be turned off in response to an elapsing of a predetermined period of time from the indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears, and to there being no indication of at least one of the first ear coupling again being in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling again being in close proximity to the second ear

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the piece of audio is an audio recording and the audio source conveys the piece of audio to the apparatus as part of playing the piece of audio, the method further comprising signaling the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to pause the playing of the piece of audio in response to indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising signaling the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to stop the playing of the piece of audio in response to an elapsing of a predetermined period of time from the indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears, and to there being no indication of at least one of the first ear coupling again being in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling again being in close proximity to the second ear.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising signaling the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to prepare for a subsequent playing of the piece of audio to start at the beginning of the piece of audio in response to an elapsing of a predetermined period of time from the indications from the first and second sensors that the first and second ear couplings are not in close proximity to the first and second ears, and to there being no indication of at least one of the first ear coupling again being in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling again being in close proximity to the second ear.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising signaling the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to redirect the second portion of the piece of audio away from the second acoustic driver and to the first acoustic driver in combination with the first portion of the piece of audio in response to indications that the first ear coupling is in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling is not in close proximity to the second ear.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising signaling the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to cease providing a simulation of surround sound audio in conveying the first and second portion of the piece of audio to the apparatus in response to indications that the first ear coupling is in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling is not in close proximity to the second ear.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising signaling the audio source with at least one command to cause the audio source to cease providing at least a third portion of the piece of audio to the apparatus while still providing the first and second portions of the piece of audio to the apparatus in response to indications that the first ear coupling is in close proximity to the first ear and the second ear coupling is not in close proximity to the second ear, wherein conveying a combination of the first portion of the piece of audio, the second portion of the piece of audio and the at least a third portion of the piece of audio to the apparatus conveys surround sound to the apparatus.