AUTOMATED AND BODY DRIVEN HEADSET AUDIO CONTROL

• US 20170280223A1
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Cavarra, Chiara, Chiappero, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 10,911,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones

Abstract

Various techniques for performing automated detection and control of audio-based conditions for headsets and like wearable audio devices are disclosed herein. In an example, an audio headset device includes at least one sensor to collect sensor data and processing circuitry to detect an applicable audio control condition, based on the sensor data, to cause control of the audio to be output from the headset device. Also in an example, a computing device includes an audio control processing component to receive and process sensor data collected from a headset audio device and identify a control action in a software application, to cause control of audio to be output to the headset. Further examples to enable simplified, dynamic audio controls for the operation of a headset device and a connected computing device are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A wearable apparatus, comprising:

at least one sensor;

at least one speaker to output audio received from a remote device; and

processing circuitry to perform operations that;

collect sensor data from the at least one sensor;

determine, from the sensor data, that the sensor data is produced from a positioning of the wearable apparatus on a human user;

detect a condition, based on the sensor data that is produced from the positioning of the wearable apparatus, to change the audio to be output with the at least one speaker; and

transmit data to the remote device, based on the condition, to control playback of the audio to be output from the at least one speaker.

2. The wearable apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the operations to collect sensor data from the at least one sensor cause the wearable apparatus to collect sensor data from at least two environmental sensors, and

wherein the operations to detect the condition to change the audio cause the wearable apparatus to detect the condition from a comparison of data obtained from the at least two environmental sensors to a predefined condition.

3. The wearable apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the wearable apparatus is an audio headset,

wherein the operations to detect the condition to change the audio to be output include detection of a partial removal of the audio headset from the human user or detection of a complete removal of the audio headset from the human user, and

wherein the operations to transmit data to the remote device include operations that:

transmit a first command to pause the output of the audio at an electronic device that provides the audio to the wearable apparatus, in response to the partial removal of the audio headset from the human user, and

transmit a second command to stop the output of the audio at the electronic device that provides the audio to the wearable apparatus, in response to the complete removal of the audio headset from the human user.

4. The wearable apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the remote device is a computing device and wherein the audio received from the remote device is generated by the computing device, and

wherein the computing device implements operations to control the playback of the audio from an audiovisual software program executing on the computing device in response to the condition.

5. The wearable apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

wherein the operations to transmit the data to the remote device are performed via a communication sent to the computing device with the wireless transceiver.

6. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an environmental sensor, the at least one sensor including at least one of:

an accelerometer,

a gyroscope,

a strain gauge,

a proximity sensor, or

a temperature sensor.

7. The wearable apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the at least one sensor is a capacitive sensor,

wherein the operations to detect the condition to change the audio to be output include operations to detect a gesture made by the human user in proximity to the capacitive sensor, and

wherein the gesture corresponds to a predefined operation to change the audio to be output.

8. The wearable apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry is provided by a microcontroller unit,

wherein the operations to detect the condition to change the audio to be output are performed at least in part by pattern matching performed on the sensor data with the microcontroller unit, and

wherein the microcontroller unit is adapted to communicate an event to a device driver of a computing device connected to the wearable apparatus, to control the playback of the audio that is provided from the computing device to the wearable apparatus using the device driver.

9. The wearable apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the audio to be output originates from a media player software application executing on the computing device,

wherein the wearable apparatus is a headset adapted for connection to the computing device, and

wherein the operations to transmit data to the remote device include operations to communicate the event to the computing device to cause control of the media player software application.

10. The wearable apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the wearable apparatus is a headset adapted to be worn by the human user,

wherein the at least one speaker includes a left speaker to output a left audio channel and a right speaker to output a right audio channel, and

wherein, in response to the sensor data indicating an orientation of the headset worn by the human user that provides the left speaker over the human user'"'"'s right ear and the right speaker over the human user'"'"'s left ear, the operations to control the playback of the audio to be output include reversal of the left audio channel and the right audio channel to cause output of the left audio channel with the right speaker and output of the right audio channel with the left speaker.

11. At least one device readable storage medium, comprising a plurality of instructions that, responsive to being executed with circuitry of a headset device, cause the headset device to perform operations that:

collect sensor data from at least one sensor;

detect a condition, based on the sensor data, to change audio to be output from at least one speaker of the headset device; and

transmit data to a remote device that provides the audio to the headset device, based on the condition, to control a playback of the audio to be output from the at least one speaker.

12. The device readable storage medium of claim 11,

wherein the operations to collect sensor data from the at least one sensor cause the headset device to collect sensor data from at least two environmental sensors, and

wherein the operations to detect the condition to change the audio cause the headset device to detect the condition from a comparison of data from the at least two environmental sensors to a predefined condition.

13. The device readable storage medium of claim 11,

wherein the operations to detect the condition to change the audio to be output include detection of a partial removal of the headset device from a human user or detection of a complete removal of the headset device from the human user, and

wherein the operations to transmit data to the remote device include operations that:

transmit a first command to pause the output of the audio at an electronic device providing the audio, in response to the partial removal of the headset device from the human user, and

transmit a second command to stop the output of the audio at the electronic device providing the audio, in response to the complete removal of the headset device from the human user.

14. The device readable storage medium of claim 11,

wherein the remote device is a computing device and wherein the audio received from the remote device is generated by the computing device, and

wherein the computing device implements operations to control the playback of the audio from an audiovisual software program executing on the computing device in response to the condition.

15. The device readable storage medium of claim 14,

wherein the operations to transmit the data to the remote device are performed via a wireless or wired connection with the computing device.

16. The device readable storage medium of claim 11,

wherein the sensor data obtained from the at least one sensor is provided by an environmental sensor, the environmental sensor including at least one of:

an accelerometer,

a gyroscope,

a strain gauge,

a proximity sensor, or

a temperature sensor.

17. The device readable storage medium of claim 11,

wherein the sensor data obtained from the at least one sensor is provided by a capacitive sensor,

wherein the operations to detect the condition to control the audio to be output include operations to detect a gesture made by a human user in proximity to the capacitive sensor, and

wherein the gesture corresponds to a predefined operation to control the audio to be output.

18. The device readable storage medium of claim 11,

wherein the headset device includes a microcontroller unit to perform pattern matching and communication with a computing device that is communicatively coupled to the headset device,

wherein the operations to detect the condition to control the audio to be output are performed at least in part by pattern matching performed on the sensor data with the microcontroller unit, and

wherein the microcontroller unit is adapted to communicate an event to a device driver of the computing device communicatively coupled to the headset device, to cause control of the audio that is provided from the computing device to the headset device using the device driver.

19. The device readable storage medium of claim 11,

wherein the audio to be output originates from a media player software application executing on a computing device connected to the headset device, and

wherein the operations to control the audio to be output from the at least one speaker based on the condition cause the headset device to communicate an event to the computing device to cause control of the media player software application.

20. A wearable headset apparatus configured to be coupled to a computing device, the wearable headset apparatus comprising:

a flexible headphone band;

a microphone coupled to the flexible headphone band, the microphone to capture audio to be transmitted to the computing device;

a first headphone speaker coupled to a first end of the flexible headphone band and a second headphone speaker coupled to a second end of the flexible headphone band, the first headphone speaker and the second headphone speaker to output audio received from the computing device;

a strain gauge embedded within the flexible headphone band, the strain gauge to provide data indicating a position of the flexible headphone band; and

circuitry to;

transmit audio from the microphone to the computing device;

receive audio from the computing device and output the audio with the first headphone speaker and the second headphone speaker;

detect a condition, based on the data of the strain gauge, to change a playback or a recording of the audio at the computing device; and

transmit data to the computing device, based on the condition, to change the playback or the recording of the audio at the computing device.

21. The wearable headset apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a temperature sensor embedded within the wearable headset apparatus, the temperature sensor to provide data that indicates whether the wearable headset apparatus is worn by a human user;

wherein the circuitry is further to detect the condition based on the data of the temperature sensor that indicates whether the wearable headset apparatus is worn by a human user.

22. The wearable headset apparatus of claim 20,

wherein the position of the flexible headphone band corresponds to a position when the flexible headphone band is moved from a worn orientation to an unworn orientation on a human user, and

wherein the condition is to change the playback of the audio at the computing device by causing the computing device to mute the audio to be output with the first headphone speaker and the second headphone speaker.

23. The wearable headset apparatus of claim 20,

wherein the position of the flexible headphone band corresponds to a position when the flexible headphone band is moved from a fully worn orientation to a partially worn orientation on a human user, and

wherein the condition is to change the playback of the audio at the computing device by causing the computing device to reduce a volume of the audio to be output with the first headphone speaker and the second headphone speaker.

24. The wearable headset apparatus of claim 23,

wherein the position of the flexible headphone band corresponds to a position when the flexible headphone band is moved from a partially worn orientation to a fully worn orientation on a human user, and

wherein the condition is to change the playback of the audio at the computing device by causing the computing device to increase a volume of the audio to be output with the first headphone speaker and the second headphone speaker.

25. The wearable headset apparatus of claim 20,

wherein the position of the flexible headphone band corresponds to a position when the flexible headphone band is moved from a worn orientation to an unworn orientation on a human user, and

wherein the condition is to change the recording of the audio at the computing device by causing the computing device to mute the audio to be received from the microphone.