Method and Apparatus for Detecting a Position of a Pair of Ear Phones at a User

• US 20110249854A1
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: NYSTRêM, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,265,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/370
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/684 Indicating the position of the sensor on the body
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/109 Arrangements to adapt hands free headphones for use on both ears
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A method for detecting a position of a pair of headphones at a user and a detection apparatus for detecting a position of a pair of ear phones at a user are described.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a position of a pair of ear phones at a user, the method comprising:

detecting a first heart beat signal of the user at a first ear phone of the pair of ear phones,

detecting a second heart beat signal of the user at a second ear phone of the pair of ear phones,

determining a time difference between the first heart beat signal and the second heart beat signal, and

determining which ear phone is located at a right ear of the user and which ear phone is located at a left ear of the user based on the determined time difference.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second heart beat signals are detected via an optical infrared detection.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second heart beat signals are detected via a pressure detection.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second heart beat signals are detected via a sound detection.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

guiding audio data to be output to the left ear of the user to the first ear phone or the second ear phone based on the determination which ear phone is located at the left ear of the user, and

guiding audio data to be output to the right ear of the user to the first ear phone or the second ear phone based on the determination which ear phone is located at the right ear of the user.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pair of ear phones is connected to a mobile device, and wherein the method is automatically carried out under control of the mobile de-vice.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the mobile device comprises a device selected from a group comprising a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile navigation sys-tem, a mobile media player, and a mobile computer.

8. A detection apparatus for detecting a position of a pair of ear phones at a user, comprising

a first heart beat sensor adapted to detect a first heart beat signal of the user at a first ear phone of the pair of ear phones,

a second heart beat sensor adapted to detect a second heart beat signal of the user at a second ear phone of the pair of ear phones, and

a detection unit adapted

to determine a time difference between the first heart beat signal and the second heart beat signal, and

to determine which ear phone is located at a right ear of the user and which ear phone is located at a left ear of the user based on the determined time difference.

9. The detection apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first and the second heart beat sensors comprise optical sensors adapted to detect the first and the second heart beat signals via an optical infrared detection.

10. The detection apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first and the second heart beat sensors comprise pressure sensors adapted to detect the first and the second heart beat signals via a pressure detection.

11. The detection apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first and the second heart beat sensors comprise audio sensors adapted to detect the first and the second heart beat signals via an acoustic detection.

12. The detection apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the detection unit is adapted

to guide audio data to be output to the left ear of the user to the first ear phone or the second ear phone based on the determination which ear phone is located at the left ear of the user, and

to guide audio data to be output to the right ear of the user to the first ear phone or the second ear phone based on the determination which ear phone is located at the right ear of the user.

13. The detection apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pair of ear phones is connectable to a mobile device.

14. The detection apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the mobile device comprises a device selected from a group comprising a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile navigation system, a mobile media player, and a mobile computer.

15. The detection apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the detection unit is integrated into the mobile device.

16. The detection apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the detection unit is integrated into the pair of ear phones.