Intelligent headphone

• US 9,706,284 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
• Inventors: Lott, Phillip Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US14/721,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• 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 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication

Abstract

An intelligent headphone may be configured at least with a headphone having a shape, size, and material to engage an ear of a user. The headphone may have at least a controller, accelerometer, and audio processor. The headphone accelerometer can be positioned to allow speech of the user to be sensed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a headphone configured to engage an ear of a user, the headphone comprising a controller connected to an accelerometer and an audio processor, the audio processor connected to an audio driver configured to generate sound from electrical signals provided by the audio processor, the headphone accelerometer positioned to sense speech of the user via vibrations transferred through the user'"'"'s ear, the controller configured to alter the generated sound in response to the sensed speech.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor on the headphone is connected to the controller, the at least one sensor adapted to detect biometrics of the user via the contact with the user'"'"'s ear.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is adapted to verify an identity of the user based on a profile stored in a local memory by comparing a detected biometric with the profile.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the detected biometric is at least one of a number of:

heart beats of the user per minute, vibrations during speech of the user, vibrations of a heart of the user, temperature of the user'"'"'s ear, movement of a head of the user, and blood pressure of the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headphone comprises first and second microphones, the first microphone positioned to detect sound external to the user'"'"'s ear and the second microphone positioned to detect movement in a mandible of the user.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller selectively activates the first microphone in response to sensed speech.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headphone is wirelessly connected to at least one remote host.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headphone comprises at least one battery.

9. A method comprising:

engaging a headphone with an ear of a user, the headphone comprising a controller connected to an accelerometer and an audio processor, the audio processor connected to an audio driver configured to generate sound from electrical signals provided by the audio processor;

sensing speech of the user with the accelerometer via vibrations transferred through the user'"'"'s ear; and

altering the generated sound with the controller in response to the sensed speech.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller psycho-acoustically identifies a type of sound in response to the vibrations in the user'"'"'s ear corresponding to the sensed speech.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller compensates an active noise cancelling signal in response to vibrations or movement of the user sensed by the accelerometer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller captures compression and rarefaction phases of noise external to the headphone with a microphone in response to vibrations or movement of the user to actively reduce noise external to the headphone.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the controller compensates the noise cancelling signal by adjusting the sensitivity and gain of the microphone to produce a phase cancelling interference phase.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio processor amplifies at least one acoustic signal external to the headphone in response to the sensed speech.

15. A method comprising:

engaging a headphone with an ear of a user, the headphone comprising a controller connected to an accelerometer and an audio processor, the audio processor connected to an audio driver configured to generate sound from electrical signals provided by the audio processor;

sensing speech of the user with the accelerometer by detecting vibrations and movement of a first mandible of the user;

adjusting an external microphone connected to the controller in response to the detected movement;

receiving external acoustic signals with the external microphone;

differentiating first and second types of sound in the received external acoustic signals with the controller;

altering the external acoustic signals with the controller to amplify the first type of sound and adjust the second type of sound; and

reproducing the altered external acoustic signals with the audio driver as directed by the controller.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensitivity and gain of the external microphone are altered in the adjusting step.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a filter is employed by the external microphone in the adjusting step.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the second type of sound is adjusted by being delayed.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the second type of sound is adjusted by being cancelled.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the external audio signals are altered to account for an anatomy of the user'"'"'s ear.