Earbuds with biometric sensing

• US 9,838,775 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Qian, Phillip, Siahaan, Edward, Grinker, Scott C., LeBlanc, Jason J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US14/856,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 381 716, 381 74, 381309, 381375, 381380, 381 58, 381107, 381109, 381174, 381304, 381311, 381381, 381 56, 4555752, 600310, 600476, 600508, 607 2, 704226, 34087007, 379430
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14557 specially adapted to extracorporeal circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• 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 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/109 Arrangements to adapt hands free headphones for use on both ears
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

This application relates to earbuds configured with one or more biometric sensors. At least one of the biometric sensors is configured to be pressed up against a portion of the tragus for making biometric measurements. In some embodiments, the housing of the earbud can be symmetric so that the earbud can be worn interchangeably in either a left or a right ear of a user. In such an embodiment, the earbud can include a sensor and circuitry configured to determine and alter operation of the earbud in accordance to which ear the earbud is determined to be positioned within.

Claims

1. An audio device, comprising:

an earbud housing having a size and shape suitable for at least partial insertion into an ear of a user;

a speaker disposed within the earbud housing;

a wireless transceiver disposed within the earbud housing;

a biometric sensor disposed within the earbud housing and including a sensing surface arranged along an exterior surface of the earbud housing;

an energy storage device disposed within the earbud housing and providing power for operation of the audio device; and

a processor configured to determine an orientation of the earbud housing within the ear of a user using a value of a biometric parameter detected by the biometric sensor and adjust an operational state of the speaker in accordance with the determined orientation.

2. The audio device as recited in claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor is a first biometric sensor and wherein the audio device further comprises a second biometric sensor comprising a light emitter and a light detector, the light detector measuring light from the light emitter after being reflected off the tragus of the ear of the user when the earbud housing is positioned within the ear of the user.

3. The audio device as recited in claim 2, wherein the light emitter comprises a first light emitter and a second light emitter, the first light emitter being configured to emit light at a different frequency than the second light emitter.

4. The audio device as recited in claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor is selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a capacitive sensor and a proximity sensor.

5. The audio device as recited in claim 1, wherein the shape and size of the earbud housing is symmetric, the symmetry of the earbud housing allowing the earbud housing to be worn in either ear of the user.

6. The audio device as recited in claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor is in direct contact with a surface of the ear when the earbud housing is positioned within a first ear of the user and out of contact with the ear when the earbud housing is positioned within a second ear of a user.

7. The audio device as recited in claim 6, wherein the biometric sensor is a first biometric sensor and wherein the audio device further comprises a second biometric sensor that is in direct contact with a surface of an ear of the user only when the earbud housing is positioned within the second ear of the user.

8. A method for controlling operation of an earbud in wireless communication with an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from a first biometric sensor of the earbud consistent with the earbud being worn in a first ear of a user, wherein the earbud is powered by an energy storage device disposed within the earbud;

selecting a first audio channel of a multi-channel audio signal wirelessly communicated from the electronic device to the earbud, the first audio channel being selected in accordance with the signal received from the first biometric sensor;

sending the first audio channel of the multi-channel audio signal to a speaker unit of the earbud; and

adjusting an operational state of a second biometric sensor of the earbud in accordance with the signal received from the first biometric sensor.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the first biometric sensor comprises a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of at least two separate regions of an exterior surface of a housing of the earbud.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the first biometric sensor comprises a first temperature sensor and the second biometric sensor comprises a second temperature sensor and wherein adjusting the operational state of the second biometric sensor comprises associating the second temperature sensor with an ambient temperature.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the second biometric sensor comprises a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor and adjusting the operational state of the sensor comprises specifying which portion of the reflected light to focus on based upon the signal from the first biometric sensor.

12. An audio device, comprising:

a speaker;

a wireless transceiver;

a biometric sensor for measuring a biometric parameter of a user of the audio device;

an energy storage device providing power for operation of the speaker, the biometric sensor and the wireless transceiver;

an earbud housing enclosing the speaker, the wireless transceiver the biometric sensor and the energy storage device; and

a processor configured to determine an orientation of the earbud housing within an ear of the user using data provided by the biometric sensor and change an operational state of the speaker in accordance with the determined orientation of the earbud housing.

13. The audio device as recited in claim 12, wherein the biometric sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

14. The audio device as recited in claim 12, further comprising a compliant member coupled to the earbud housing and configured to engage a rear portion of the ear to keep the earbud housing seated within the ear.

15. The audio device as recited in claim 12, wherein the processor is also configured to determine whether the audio device is situated within either ear of the user and when the processor determines the earbud housing is not situated in either ear, the processor places the audio device in a standby or deactivated state.