Wearable Device Using Bone Conduction Speaker

• US 20160142818A1
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Center For Integrated Smart Sensors Foundation (Center for Integrated Smart Sensors)
• Original Assignee: Center For Integrated Smart Sensors Foundation (Center for Integrated Smart Sensors)
• Inventors: Park, JiHoon
• Granted Patent: US 9,681,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/16 Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general G10K11/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/14 Throat mountings for microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/02 for preventing acoustic reaction , i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453

Abstract

A wearable device using a bone conduction speaker, including a wearable band worn on an arm of a user, a communication module attached to the wearable band, an audio processor configured to process an audio signal transmitted and received through the communication module, a microphone configured to transmit a voice signal, which is input in sound by the user, to the audio processor, a bone conduction speaker configured to output a reception audio signal, which is processed by the audio processor, in bone conduction mode, and an echo canceller configured to cancel the voice signal in an audio signal output from the bone conduction speaker, is provided.

Claims

1. A wearable device using a bone conduction speaker, the wearable device comprising:

a wearable band worn on an arm of a user;

a communication module attached to the wearable band;

an audio processor configured to process an audio signal transmitted and received through the communication module;

a microphone configured to transmit a voice signal, which is input in sound by the user, to the audio processor;

a bone conduction speaker configured to output a reception audio signal, which is processed by the audio processor, in bone conduction mode; and

an echo canceller configured to cancel the voice signal in an audio signal output from the bone conduction speaker.

2. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the echo canceller is configured to cancel the voice signal in the audio signal, which is output from the bone conduction speaker, through an acoustic transfer function estimated corresponding to the voice signal.

3. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the bone conduction speaker is exposed on an inner surface of the wearable band in contact with a body of the user.

4. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the microphone is exposed on an outer surface of the wearable band to make the voice signal easily input in sound by the user.

5. The wearable device of claim 4, wherein the microphone is exposed on the outer surface of an area of the wearable band around the mouth of the user if the user is posing to hear an audio signal output from the bone conduction speaker.

6. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the communication module is configured to support wireless communication in connection with a base station accepting a communication network.

7. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the communication module is configured to support local wireless communication in connection with a wireless terminal of the user which is communicable with a base station accepting a communication network.

8. A call service providing method of a wearable device using a bone conduction speaker, the call service providing method comprising:

processing a reception audio signal in an audio processor that processes the audio signal transmitted and received through a communication module attached to a wearable band worn on an arm of a user;

transmitting a voice signal, which is input in sound by the user, to the audio processor through a microphone; and

outputting the reception audio signal, which is processed by the audio processor, from a bone conduction speaker in bone conduction mode,

wherein the outputting of the reception audio signal in the bone conduction mode comprises;

cancelling the voice signal in an audio signal, which is output from the bone conduction speaker, through an echo canceller.

9. The call service providing method of claim 8, wherein the cancelling of the voice signal comprises:

cancelling the voice signal in an audio signal, which is output from the bone conduction speaker, through an acoustic transfer function estimated corresponding to the voice signal.

10. The call service providing method of claim 8, wherein the outputting of the reception audio signal in the bone conduction mode comprises:

outputting the reception audio signal in the bone conduction mode form the bone conduction speaker that is exposed on an inner surface of the wearable band in contact with a body of the user.