METHODS, SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR COLLECTING EARPIECE DATA FROM A MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20130149969A1
• Filed: 08/10/2011
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Martin Nystrom
• Inventors: Nilsson, Jesper, Smailagic, Sead, Nystrom, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,094,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/39 Aspects relating to automatic logging of sound environment parameters and the performance of the hearing aid during use, e.g. histogram logging, or of user selected programs or settings in the hearing aid, e.g. usage logging
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange

Abstract

A system for collecting earpiece data from a mobile terminal comprising an earpiece includes an earpiece data module in the mobile terminal configured to obtain earpiece data based on usage of the earpiece. A mobile terminal memory is in the mobile terminal and is configured to store the earpiece data. A communications module is in the mobile terminal and is configured to connect the mobile terminal to a remote earpiece data collection module that is remote to the mobile terminal. The earpiece data module is further configured to determine if the earpiece data in the mobile terminal memory satisfies a threshold and to transmit the earpiece data to the remote earpiece data collection module by the communications module if the earpiece data satisfies the threshold.

Claims

1. A system for collecting earpiece data from a mobile terminal comprising an earpiece, the system comprising:

an earpiece data module in the mobile terminal configured to obtain earpiece data based on usage of the earpiece;

a mobile terminal memory in the mobile terminal configured to store the earpiece data;

a communications module in the mobile terminal configured to connect the mobile terminal to a remote earpiece data collection module that is remote to the mobile terminal;

wherein the earpiece data module is further configured to determine if the earpiece data in the mobile terminal memory satisfies a threshold and to transmit the earpiece data to the remote earpiece data collection module by the communications module if the earpiece data satisfies the threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the earpiece data module is further configured to determine, responsive to the earpiece data, whether the earpiece is in use in a user'"'"'s ear, and the earpiece data satisfies the threshold when the earpiece data module determines that the earpiece is in use in the user'"'"'s ear.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the earpiece data module is further configured to store the earpiece data in the mobile terminal memory if the earpiece satisfies the threshold.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the threshold comprises a first threshold, and the earpiece data module is further configured to determine if the earpiece data stored in the mobile terminal satisfies a second threshold, and the communications module is configured to initiate a connection between the mobile terminal and the remote earpiece data collection module when the earpiece data stored in the mobile terminal satisfies the second threshold.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second threshold comprises an amount of earpiece data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal further comprises a sensor on the earpiece configured to generate the earpiece data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises an acoustic sensor, an impedance sensor, an RF sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a pressure sensor and/or a capacitive sensor.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a position of the earpiece with respect to an ear of the user.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor is configured to detect an acoustic signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the earpiece data comprises demographic data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the demographic data includes a geographic area of the mobile terminal, a user gender, and/or a user age.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the remote earpiece data collection module is configured to receive earpiece data from a plurality of mobile terminals, and to classify the earpiece data responsive to the demographic data.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications module comprises a wireless transceiver.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing earpiece data using a sensor on the earpiece configured to generate the earpiece data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sensor comprises an acoustic sensor, an impedance sensor, an RF sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a pressure sensor and/or a capacitive sensor.

14. A method for collecting earpiece data from a mobile terminal comprising an earpiece, the method comprising:

obtaining earpiece data based on usage of the earpiece at the mobile terminal;

determining if the earpiece data at the mobile terminal satisfies a threshold; and

transmitting the earpiece data to a remote earpiece data collection module that is remote to the mobile terminal if the earpiece data at the mobile terminal memory satisfies the threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining, responsive to the earpiece data, whether the earpiece is in use in a user'"'"'s ear, and wherein the earpiece data satisfies the threshold when the earpiece is determined to be in use in the user'"'"'s ear.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing the earpiece data in the mobile terminal if the earpiece satisfies the threshold.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the threshold comprises a first threshold, the method further comprising determining if the earpiece data stored in the mobile terminal satisfies a second threshold, and initiating a connection between the mobile terminal and the remote earpiece data collection module when the earpiece data stored in the mobile terminal satisfies the second threshold.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the earpiece data includes demographic data, the method comprising:

receiving earpiece data from a plurality of mobile terminals at the remote earpiece data collection module; and

classifying the earpiece data responsive to the demographic data.