Wearable Speaker User Detection

• US 20150110280A1
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wardle, Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 9,439,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• 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: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308

Abstract

Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer-readable media comprise: a speaker interface configured to provide audio to a wearable speaker of a headset and to receive speaker return signals generated by from the wearable speaker of the headset; and a user detection module configured to determine a user-related parameter based on the speaker return signals received by the speaker interface from the wearable speaker of the headset.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a speaker interface configured to provide audio to a wearable speaker and to receive speaker return signals generated by the wearable speaker; and

a user detection module configured to determine a user-related parameter based on the speaker return signals received by the speaker interface from the wearable speaker.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user-related parameter indicates whether or not the wearable speaker is being worn by a user, the apparatus further comprising:

a user present module configured to provide a user present indication responsive to the user detection module determining that the wearable speaker is being worn.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

an audio switch configured to provide the audio to the speaker interface responsive to the user present indication.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the user detection module comprises:

a heartbeat module configured to detect a heartbeat of the user based on the speaker return signals received by the speaker interface from the wearable speaker;

wherein the user detection module determines the user-related parameter based on the heartbeat detected by the heartbeat module.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a heart rate module configured to determine a heart rate of the user based on the heartbeat of the user.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a user stress module configured to determine a stress level of the user based on the heart rate of the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a call module configured to provide

i) an indication of the stress level of the user, and

ii) identification information for a call handled by the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a call management system configured to monitor a health of the user based on a plurality of the heart rates of the user.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a headset, wherein the headset comprises

the wearable speaker, and

the user detection module.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the audio is first audio, and wherein the headset further comprises:

a microphone configured to provide second audio to the speaker interface.

11. A method comprising:

providing audio to a wearable speaker;

receiving speaker return signals generated by the wearable speaker; and

determining a user-related parameter based on the speaker return signals generated by the wearable speaker.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user-related parameter indicates whether or not the wearable speaker is being worn by a user, the method further comprising:

providing a user present indication responsive to determining that the wearable speaker is being worn by the user.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing the audio to the speaker interface responsive to the user present indication.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a heartbeat of the user based on the speaker return signals generated by the wearable speaker.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a heart rate of the user based on the heartbeat of the user.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a stress level of the user based on the heart rate of the user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing an indication of the stress level of the user; and

providing identification information for a call handled by the user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

monitoring a health of the user based on a plurality of the heart rates of the user.

19. Computer-readable media embodying instructions executable by a computer to perform functions comprising:

determining a user-related parameter based on speaker return signals generated by a wearable speaker.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the user-related parameter indicates whether or not the wearable speaker is being worn by a user, and wherein the functions further comprise:

providing a user present indication responsive to determining that the wearable speaker is being worn by the user.

21. The computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the functions further comprise:

providing the audio to the speaker interface responsive to the user present indication.

22. The computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the functions further comprise:

detecting a heartbeat of the user based on the speaker return signals generated by the wearable speaker.

23. The computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a heart rate of the user based on the heartbeat of the user.

24. The computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a stress level of the user based on the heart rate of the user.

25. The computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein the functions further comprise:

providing an indication of the stress level of the user; and

providing identification information for a call handled by the user.

26. The computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein the functions further comprise:

monitoring a health of the user based on a plurality of the heart rates of the user.