Systems and methods for accelerometer usage in a wireless headset

• US 8,290,545 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Terlizzi, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMMONDS, MARCUS C
• Application Number:
  US12/220,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20100022269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.2, 455/556.1, 455/569.1, 455/570, 381/56, 381/92, 381/313, 700/94, 367/118
• US Class Current: 455/570
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• 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 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

This includes systems and methods for accelerometer usage in a wireless headset. An accelerometer can be used to determine the location of a wireless headset. The determined location can be used to control and improve a noise cancellation system. In some embodiments, the determined location can be used in controlling the functions of buttons of the wireless headset. In some embodiments, the accelerometer can further be used to determine when the system is in use. If the system has not been in use for a predetermined amount of time, at least a portion of the wireless headset can be turned off to save power.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining with a wireless headset a first angular position of the wireless headset;

in response to the determining, defining a size of a cone-shaped noise cancellation region for the wireless headset based on the determined first angular position;

after the defining the size, receiving with the wireless headset an audio signal; and

in response to the receiving the audio signal, processing the received audio signal based on the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the defining the size comprises controlling a noise cancellation system of the wireless headset based on the determined first angular position.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in response to the determining the first angular position, determining that the determined first angular position is greater than a breakpoint value, wherein the controlling the noise cancellation system further comprises turning off all but one of a plurality of omni-directional microphones of the wireless headset in response to determining that the determined first angular position is greater than the breakpoint value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the received audio signal based on the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region comprises:

determining whether the received audio signal is received from a direction that is outside of the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region; and

in response to determining that the received audio signal is received from a direction that is outside of the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region, discarding the received audio signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving with the wireless headset the audio signal comprises:

using a first microphone of a plurality of omnidirectional microphones of the wireless headset to receive the audio signal; and

using a second microphone of the plurality of omnidirectional microphones of the wireless headset to receive the audio signal; and

the determining whether the received audio signal is received from a direction that is outside of the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region comprises;

determining a first time when the first microphone receives the audio signal;

determining a second time when the second microphone receives the audio signal;

after the determining the first time and after the determining the second time, determining a time difference between the determined first time and the determined second time; and

after the determining the time difference, based on the determined time difference, determining whether the audio signal is received from a direction that is outside of the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the using the first microphone and the using the second microphone is based on the determined first angular position of the wireless headset.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the first angular position of the wireless headset comprises using an accelerometer of the wireless headset to determine an orientation of the wireless headset with respect to a user'"'"'s mouth.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the defining the size comprises deciding whether the determined first angular position of the wireless headset indicates that at least a portion of the wireless headset is pointing towards a user'"'"'s mouth.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the defining the size comprises extending the cone-shaped noise cancellation region from a first microphone of the wireless headset.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least a second microphone of the wireless headset is within the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region that extends from the first microphone.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

after the defining the size, detecting a change of the wireless headset from the first angular position to a second angular position; and

in response to the detecting the change, redefining the size based on the second angular position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the redefining the size comprises extending the cone-shaped noise cancellation region from a second microphone of the wireless headset.

13. A system comprising:

a wireless headset comprising;

a receiver for receiving a particular audio signal;

an accelerometer that is configured to generate a position signal, wherein the generated position signal is indicative of an angular position of the wireless headset; and

a processor that is configured to;

define a size of a cone-shaped noise cancellation region for the wireless headset based on the generated position signal; and

after defining the size, process the received particular audio signal based on the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to control a noise cancellation system of the wireless headset based on the generated position signal.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the wireless headset further comprises a plurality of omni-directional microphones, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

after the accelerometer generates the position signal, determine from the generated position signal that the angular position of the wireless headset is greater than a breakpoint value; and

turn off all but one of the plurality of omni-directional microphones in response to determining that the angular position of the wireless headset is greater than the breakpoint value.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the processor processes the received particular audio signal based on the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region by;

determining whether the received particular audio signal is received from a direction that is outside of the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region; and

in response to determining that the received particular audio signal is received from a direction that is outside of the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region, discarding the received particular audio signal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the receiver comprises a plurality of omnidirectional microphones; and

the processor determines whether the received particular audio signal is received from a direction that is outside of the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region by;

determining a first time when the particular audio signal reaches a first microphone of the plurality of omnidirectional microphones;

determining a second time when the particular audio signal reaches a second microphone of the plurality of omnidirectional microphones;

after determining the first time and after determining the second time, determining a time difference between the determined first time and the determined second time; and

after determining the time difference, based on the determined time difference, determining whether the received particular audio signal reaches at least one of the first microphone and the second microphone from a direction that is outside the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to choose the first microphone to determine the first time and to choose the second microphone to determine the second time based on the generated position signal.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the accelerometer generates the position signal that is indicative of the angular position of the wireless headset based on an orientation of the wireless headset with respect to a user'"'"'s mouth.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor defines the size by deciding whether the generated position signal indicates that at least a portion of the wireless headset is pointing towards a user'"'"'s mouth.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor defines the size by extending the cone-shaped noise cancellation region from a first microphone of the wireless headset.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein at least a second microphone of the wireless headset is within the defined cone-shaped noise cancellation region that extends from the first microphone.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

after defining the size, detect change of the wireless headset from the angular position to another angular position; and

in response to detecting the change, redefine the size based on the another angular position.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor redefines the size by extending the cone-shaped noise cancellation region from a second microphone of the wireless headset.