CONTROL SYSTEM, EARPHONE AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20120002822A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Peissig, Jürgen, Schlessinger, Daniel, Zeuner, Heiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/304 For headphones

Abstract

There is provided a control system (1) comprising an earphone (2) and a processing device (3). The control system (1) has a processing device (3) for the evaluation of head movement information and/or head position information. In that case the processing device is adapted to output at least one control signal dependent on the evaluation, wherein the earphone has a sensor device (9a, 9b, 9c) for detecting the movement information and/or position information and a transmitting device (10) for transmitting the movement information and/or the position information to the processing device.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

an earphone or headset for reproduction of audio signals which has a sensor device for detecting head movement information and/or head position information and a transmitting device for transmitting the detected movement information and/or the position information,

a processing device for evaluating the movement information and/or position information from the transmitting unit and for outputting at least one control command or control signal dependent on the evaluation,

wherein the processing device is adapted to recognise a movement pattern from the movement information and/or position information and to output at least one control command or control signal dependent on the recognised movement pattern, and

an activation unit for activating or deactivating the sensor device and/or the transmitting device for preventing the unintentional output of control commands.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the processing device has a receiving device for receiving the movement information and/or position information from a transmitting device.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the processing device is operable in a training mode in which the processing device can learn movement patterns and/or holding positions.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one control signal depends on the time duration of a movement pattern or a holding position.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the processing device has a filter for filtering the items of movement information and position information, the filter being adapted to weight movement information more highly than position information.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the processing device has a compensating filter for filtering of the movement information and/or position information, wherein the filter is adapted to compensate particularities of the sensor device.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein an acoustic feedback is outputted upon a recognized command.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein a transmission of the signals from the sensor device or the sensor itself is deactivated or stopped when no head movement which can be deemed to be commands were detected over an adjustable period of time.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein a triggering of a command is affected directly by way of an angular speed and a corresponding control command is outputted, if the magnitude of the angular speed exceeds a triggering comparison value.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the magnitude of the angular speed is monitored after detection of the command, wherein a renewed generation of the corresponding command is suppressed if the magnitude of the angular speed is continuously above a cancellation comparison value.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the cancellation comparison value is lower than the triggering comparison value.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein the renewed generation of the corresponding command is suppressed for a predetermined period of time after the command has been recognized.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. A method of controlling a reproduction of audio signals in an earphone or headset comprising the steps:

detecting head movement information and/or head position information with a sensor device on an earphone or headset;

evaluating the movement information and/or position information with a processing unit for recognising a movement pattern from the movement information and/or position information;

outputting at least one control command or control signal dependent on the recognised movement pattern, and

activating or deactivating the sensor device to prevent the output of control commands by error.

10. A control method according to claim 9 comprising at least one of the following steps:

determining head movement parameters and/or head position parameters from the movement information and/or position information;

outputting at least one control signal dependent on the movement parameters and/or position parameters;

evaluating movement information and/or position information for the recognition of at least one movement pattern;

outputting at least one control signal dependent on the recognised movement pattern;

filtering the movement information and position information in such a way that head movement information are weighted more highly than items of head position information; and

filtering the movement information and/or position information in such a way that particularities of the sensor device are compensated.