Personal audio system with earpiece remote controller
First Claim
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1. A personal audio system comprising:
- a remotely controllable device,a first controller for remotely controlling the device by sending a first control signal to the device,a second controller for remotely controlling the device by sending a second control signal to the device, wherein;
each of the first controller and the second controller includes an outer surface with a touch-sensitive area, and is configured to;
be substantially worn in or by a human ear,detect a touching of the touch-sensitive area, andsend the corresponding control signal to control one or more functions of the personal audio system based on the touching;
at least one of the one or more functions being controlled by the first controller differs from one or more functions being controlled by the second controller; and
wherein the outer surface of at least one of the controllers includes a second touch-sensitive area, such that the second touch-sensitive area is touched substantially by the ear when the controller is substantially worn in or by a human ear, the controller being arranged to send the corresponding control signal only if the second touch-sensitive area is touched.
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Abstract
In a personal audio system (100), a remote controller (120) has a touch-sensitive area (122) and is worn in or by a human ear. A temporal pattern in the area (122), which is being touched, is detected and used for remotely controlling a device (110) for personal audio by means of a control signal (130). This prevents the hassle involved in finding, manipulating and operating a conventional remote control that is typically dangling somewhere along a wire.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A personal audio system comprising:
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a remotely controllable device, a first controller for remotely controlling the device by sending a first control signal to the device, a second controller for remotely controlling the device by sending a second control signal to the device, wherein; each of the first controller and the second controller includes an outer surface with a touch-sensitive area, and is configured to; be substantially worn in or by a human ear, detect a touching of the touch-sensitive area, and send the corresponding control signal to control one or more functions of the personal audio system based on the touching; at least one of the one or more functions being controlled by the first controller differs from one or more functions being controlled by the second controller; and wherein the outer surface of at least one of the controllers includes a second touch-sensitive area, such that the second touch-sensitive area is touched substantially by the ear when the controller is substantially worn in or by a human ear, the controller being arranged to send the corresponding control signal only if the second touch-sensitive area is touched. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for remote control of a personal audio device, the method comprising:
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wearing a pair of controllers substantially in or by a pair of human ears; detecting a touching of a touch-sensitive area of each of the controllers; and sending a control signal to the device in response to detecting the touching of each touch-sensitive area to control one or more functions of the personal audio system; wherein at least one of the one or more functions being controlled by a first controller of the pair of controllers differs from one or more functions being controlled by a second controller of the pair of controllers; and the outer surface of at least one of the controllers includes a second touch-sensitive area, such that the second touch-sensitive area is touched substantially by the ear when the controller is substantially worn in or by a human ear, and the sending of the control signal occurs only if the second touch-sensitive area is touched.
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10. A pair of earbuds coupled to a corresponding pair of channels of an audio device, each earbud comprising:
- a transducer that is configured to provide sound from the corresponding channel of the audio device, and a sensor that is configured to detect a touch of the earbud, and to provide an indication of the touch to the audio device, to facilitate control of the audio device based on the indications from the pair of earbuds;
wherein at least one function being controlled by the indication of the touch from a first earbud of the pair of earbuds differs from each function being controlled by the indication of touch from a second earbud of the pair of earbuds, and the outer surface of at least one of the controllers includes a second touch sensitive area, such that the second touch-sensitive area is touched substantially by the ear when the controller is substantially worn in or by a human ear, the controller being arranged to send the corresponding control signal only if the second touch-sensitive area is touched. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
- a transducer that is configured to provide sound from the corresponding channel of the audio device, and a sensor that is configured to detect a touch of the earbud, and to provide an indication of the touch to the audio device, to facilitate control of the audio device based on the indications from the pair of earbuds;
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13. A device comprising:
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a source of audio content material, an audio amplifier that is configured to provide a pair of audio output signals to a corresponding pair of earbuds, and a control element that is configured to receive indications of touchings of each earbud of the pair of earbuds, and to control the device based on these indications; wherein at least one function being controlled by the indications of touchings from a first earbud of the pair of earbuds differs from each function being controlled by the indications of touchings from a second earbud of the pair of earbuds, and the outer surface of at least one of the ear buds includes a second touch-sensitive area, such that the second touch-sensitive area is touched substantially by the ear when the ear bud is substantially worn in or by a human ear, the control element being configured to control the device only if the second touch-sensitive area is touched. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A personal audio system comprising:
- a remotely controllable device, a controller for remotely controlling the device by sending a control signal to the device, wherein the controller includes an outer surface with a first touch-sensitive area, and is configured to;
be substantially worn in or by a human ear, detect a touching of the touch-sensitive area when the controller is substantially worn in and by the human ear, and send the control signal to control one or more functions of the personal audio system based on the touching and the outer surface of at least one of the controllers includes a second touch sensitive area, such that the second touch-sensitive area is touched substantially by the ear when the controller is substantially worn in or by a human ear, the controller being arranged to send the corresponding control signal only if the second touch-sensitive area is touched. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
- a remotely controllable device, a controller for remotely controlling the device by sending a control signal to the device, wherein the controller includes an outer surface with a first touch-sensitive area, and is configured to;
Specification