METHOD TO DYNAMICALLY CHANGE THE DIRECTIONAL SPEAKERS AUDIO BEAM AND LEVEL BASED ON THE END USER ACTIVITY

• US 20180152783A1
• Filed: 11/28/2016
• Published: 05/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: BARMOAV, FELIX, COHEN, UZI, KAHLON, HAIM, SASSON, DORI, SHMOUKLER, ALEXANDER
• Granted Patent: US 10,271,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3005 in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/32 the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/323 for loudspeakers H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

A method and personal stereo speaker system is provided for providing audio to a user. Speakers provide audio to the ears of a user. The speakers are preferably mounted on the shoulders of the user. The audio emanating from the speakers has a beam angle and an audio level. When the system detects that the head of the user has moved, either side-to-side, up and down, or rotationally, or that the user has commended moving, a controller changes at least one of the beam angle and the audio level in response to the movement. This improves the quality of the sound heard by the user and also keeps the privacy of the audio optimized.

Claims

1. A personal stereo speaker system comprising:

a first speaker worn by a user and directed toward a first ear of the user, the first speaker providing first audio toward the first ear, the first audio comprising a first beam angle and a first audio level;

a second speaker worn by the user and directed toward a second ear of the user, the second speaker providing second audio toward the second ear, the second audio comprising a second beam angle and a second audio level;

a sensor worn by the user that detects that the user is moving; and

a controller worn by the user and coupled to the sensor for changing at least one of the first beam angle, the second beam angle, the first audio level, and the second audio level in response to detecting that the head of the user has moved.

2. The personal stereo speaker system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects that the user has transitioned from a static position to a moving position.

3. The personal stereo speaker system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects that the head of the user has bent forward.

4. The personal stereo speaker system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects that the head of the user has bent backward.

5. The personal stereo speaker system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects that the head of the user has moved leftward.

6. The personal stereo speaker system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects that the head of the user has moved rightward.

7. The personal stereo speaker system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects that the head of the user has moved rotationally.

8. A method for providing audio to a user comprising:

providing audio from a speaker worn by a user to an ear of the user, the audio comprising a beam angle and an audio level;

detecting that the head of the user has moved; and

changing at least one of the beam angle and the audio level in response to detecting that the head of the user has moved.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved comprises detecting that the user has transitioned from a static position to a moving position.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved comprises detecting that the user has transitioned from a moving position to a static position.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved comprises detecting that the head of the user has bent forward.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved comprises detecting that the head of the user has bent backward.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved comprises detecting that the head of the user has moved leftward.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved comprises detecting that the head of the user has moved rightward.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved comprises detecting that the head of the user has moved rotationally.

16. A method for providing audio to a user comprising:

providing audio from a speaker worn by a user to an ear of the user, the audio comprising a beam angle and an audio level;

determining an ambient noise level near the user; and

changing at least one of the beam angle and the audio level in response to determining the ambient noise level near the user.

17. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved comprises detecting that the user has transitioned from a static position to a moving position.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of detecting that the head of the user has moved comprises detecting that the user has transitioned from a moving position to a static position.