Sports monitoring system for headphones, earbuds and/or headsets

• US 9,497,534 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Prest, Christopher, Hoellwarth, Quin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sefer, A.
• Application Number:
  US14/639,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20150181326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083

Abstract

A monitoring system that can be placed proximate to the head or ear of a user is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the monitoring system can be used with headphones, earbuds or headsets. The monitoring system can, for example, be used to monitor user activity, such as during exercise or sporting activities. The positioning of the monitoring system can also facilitate sensing of other user characteristics (e.g., biometric data), such as temperature, perspiration and heart rate. The monitoring system can also be used to control a an electronic device. In one embodiment, the monitoring system facilitates user control of the electronic device using head gestures.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an audio output device configured to be positioned within or proximate to a user'"'"'s ear;

a motion sensor housed in or proximate to the audio output device;

a biometric sensor housed in or proximate to the audio output device;

a processing unit coupled to the motion sensor and the biometric sensor, the processing unit configured to;

receive motion data from the motion sensor;

receive biometric data from the biometric sensor;

identify a user characteristic using the motion data and biometric data; and

configure a command based on the identified user characteristic.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where the command is configured to determine a media selection for playback on an electronic device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device coupled to the processing unit and configured to receive touch input, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate the command using the touch input.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, where the command is configured as a user speech command for playback as speech by an electronic device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

a proximity sensor coupled to the processing unit and configured to provide proximity data, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate the command using the proximity data.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, where the apparatus self-actuates based at least in part on the proximity data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, where the apparatus self-actuates based at least in part on the motion data or biometric data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a direction sensor configured to provide direction data, where the processing unit determines a direction the user is looking based on the direction data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, where the processing unit generates a command that is configured to turn on or off a display of an electronic device based on the direction data.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, where the processing unit is configured to determine distance traveled by the user using the motion data and generate feedback to the user through the apparatus at predetermined distances.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, where the biometric data is user heart rate.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, where the biometric data is user temperature.

13. A system comprising:

a hearing device comprising;

an audio output device configured to be positioned within or proximate to a user'"'"'s ear;

a motion sensor housed in or proximate to the audio output device;

a biometric sensor housed in or proximate to the audio output device;

a processing unit coupled to the motion sensor and the biometric sensor, the processing unit configured to;

receive motion data from the motion sensor;

receive biometric data from the biometric sensor;

identify a user characteristic using the motion data and biometric data;

configure a command based on the identified user characteristic; and

an electronic device coupled to the hearing device and configured to receive the command from the hearing device and to perform an action based on the command.

14. The system of claim 13, where the action is selecting media to playback on the electronic device.

15. The system of claim 13, where the hearing device is wirelessly coupled to the electronic device.

16. The system of claim 13, where the biometric data is user heart rate.

17. The system of claim 13, where the biometric data is user temperature.