EARBUDS WITH BIOMETRIC SENSING
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An audio device, comprising:
- an earbud housing having a size and shape suitable for at least partial insertion into an ear of a user;
a speaker disposed within the earbud housing;
a biometric sensor disposed within the earbud housing and including a sensing surface arranged along an exterior surface of the earbud housing; and
a processor configured to determine an orientation of the earbud housing within the ear of a user using a value of a biometric parameter detected by the biometric sensor and adjust an operational state of the speaker in accordance with the determined orientation.
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Abstract
This application relates to earbuds configured with one or more biometric sensors. At least one of the biometric sensors is configured to be pressed up against a portion of the tragus for making biometric measurements. In some embodiments, the housing of the earbud can be symmetric so that the earbud can be worn interchangeably in either a left or a right ear of a user. In such an embodiment, the earbud can include a sensor and circuitry configured to determine and alter operation of the earbud in accordance to which ear the earbud is determined to be positioned within.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An audio device, comprising:
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an earbud housing having a size and shape suitable for at least partial insertion into an ear of a user; a speaker disposed within the earbud housing; a biometric sensor disposed within the earbud housing and including a sensing surface arranged along an exterior surface of the earbud housing; and a processor configured to determine an orientation of the earbud housing within the ear of a user using a value of a biometric parameter detected by the biometric sensor and adjust an operational state of the speaker in accordance with the determined orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for controlling operation of an earbud, the method comprising:
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receiving a signal from a first biometric sensor of the earbud consistent with the earbud being worn in a first ear of a user; selecting a first audio channel of a multi-channel audio signal in accordance with the signal received from the first biometric sensor; sending the first audio channel of the multi-channel audio signal to a speaker unit of the earbud, and adjusting an operational state of a second biometric sensor of the earbud in accordance with the signal received from the first biometric sensor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 12, 13)
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9. (canceled)
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11. (canceled)
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14-16. -16. (canceled)
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17. An audio device, comprising:
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a speaker; a wireless transceiver; a biometric sensor for measuring a biometric parameter of a user of the audio device; an energy storage device providing power for operation of the speaker, the biometric sensor and the wireless transceiver; an earbud housing enclosing the speaker, the wireless transceiver the biometric sensor and the energy storage device; and a processor configured to determine an orientation of the earbud housing within an ear of the user using data provided by the biometric sensor and change an operational state of the speaker in accordance with the determined orientation of the earbud housing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification