Wearable computing device with indirect bone-conduction speaker

• US 9,900,676 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2016
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Dong, Jianchun, Chi, Liang-Yu Tom, Heinrich, Mitchell, Ooi, Leng
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sean H
• Application Number:
  US15/066,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20160192048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 381151
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow

Abstract

Exemplary wearable computing systems may include a head-mounted display that is configured to provide indirect bone-conduction audio. For example, an exemplary head-mounted display may include at least one vibration transducer that is configured to vibrate at least a portion of the head-mounted display based on the audio signal. The vibration transducer is configured such that when the head-mounted display is worn, the vibration transducer vibrates the head-mounted display without directly vibrating a wearer. However, the head-mounted display structure vibrationally couples to a bone structure of the wearer, such that vibrations from the vibration transducer may be indirectly transferred to the wearer'"'"'s bone structure.

Claims

1. A wearable-computing system comprising:

a support structure comprising a front section and at least one side section, wherein the side section is arranged to be located on a side of a face when the support structure is worn;

an audio interface configured to receive an audio signal; and

at least one vibration transducer located on the at least one side section;

wherein the support structure is configured such that when worn, a first portion of the at least one side section has an inner wall that contacts a wearer at or behind an ear so as to vibrationally couple to a bone structure at or behind the ear;

wherein the vibration transducer is located on a second portion of the at least one side section, wherein the side section is arranged such that when the support structure is worn, the second portion and the vibration transducer are adjacent to a temple of the wearer and do not contact the wearer;

wherein the at least one vibration transducer is configured transfer vibration, based on the audio signal, to the second portion of the at least one side section adjacent to the temple, wherein the vibration transferred to the second portion propagates through the at least one side section to the first portion of the side section at or behind an ear where said vibration is transferred to the bone structure of the wearer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the at least one side section is proximate to a connection between the at least one side section and the front section.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a head-mounted display (HMID) that includes the support structure, one or more optical elements, and a touchpad interface located on at least one of the side sections of the support structure.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more optical elements comprise one or more graphic displays.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the support structure is configured, when worn, to provide, a separation distance between the vibration transducer and the wearer such that the vibration transducer does not directly transfer vibration to the wearer'"'"'s bone structure.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one coupler located on the inner wall of the first portion of the at least one side section such that the at least one coupler contacts the wearer, wherein the at least one coupler are configured to enhance the vibrational coupling of the support structure to the bone structure of the wearer.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one coupler is configured to contact a wearer at a given location, wherein the given location comprises at least one of:

(a) a location on the back of the wearer'"'"'s ear, (b) a location on or above the wearer'"'"'s nose, (c) a location near the wearer'"'"'s temple, (d) a location on the wearer'"'"'s eyebrow, and (a) a location on the wearer'"'"'s neck.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one coupler is configured to contact a wearer at a mastoid of the wearer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration transducer is attached to an outer wall of the at least one side section.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration transducer is partially embedded in an outer wall of the at least one side section.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration transducer is enclosed within the at least one side section.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration transducer is partially embedded in an inner wall of the at least one side section.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration transducer is attached to an inner wall of the at least one side section.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one side section comprises a first side section and a second side section, and wherein the vibration transducer is included on only the first side section.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one side section comprises a first side section and a second side section, and wherein the at least one vibration transducer comprises a first vibration transducer located on the first side section and a second vibration transducer located on the second side section.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first vibration transducer is configured to vibrate a first portion of the support structure based on a first audio signal, and wherein the second vibration transducer is configured to vibrate a second portion of the support structure based on a second audio signal.

17. The system of claim 16:

wherein the first vibration transducer is configured to vibrate at least a portion of the first side section based on a first audio signal, and wherein the second vibration transducer is configured to vibrate at least a portion of the second side section based on a second audio signal;

wherein the at least one vibration dampener comprises a first vibration dampener vibrationally coupled to the first side section and a second vibration dampener vibrationally coupled to the second side section, wherein the first vibration dampener is configured to substantially isolate the vibrational coupling of the first vibration transducer to the first side section from other portions of the support structure, and wherein the second vibration dampener is configured to substantially isolate the vibrational coupling of the second vibration transducer to the second side section from other portions of the support structure.

18. A wearable-computing system comprising:

a support structure comprising a front section and at least one side section, wherein the side section is arranged to be located on a side of a face when the support structure is worn;

a means for receiving an audio signal; and

a means for vibrating at least a portion of the support structure based on the audio signal, wherein the means for vibrating is located on the at least one side section;

wherein the support structure is configured such that when worn, a first portion of the at least one side section has an inner wall that contacts a wearer at or behind an ear so as to vibrationally couple to a bone structure of the wearer at or behind the ear;

wherein the means for vibrating is located on a second portion of the at least one side section, wherein the side section is arranged such that when the support structure is worn, the second portion and the vibration transducer are adjacent to a temple of the wearer and do not contact the wearer, wherein the means for vibrating is configured transfer vibration, based on the audio signal, to the second portion of at least one side section adjacent to the temple, wherein the vibration transferred to the second portion propagates through the at least one side section to the first portion of the side section at or behind an ear where said vibration is transferred to the bone structure of the wearer.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for coupling the support structure to the wearer, wherein the means for coupling is located on the inner wall of the first portion of the at least one side section such that the means for coupling contacts the wearer, and wherein the means for coupling is configured to enhance the vibrational coupling of the support structure to the bone structure of the wearer.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for coupling is configured to contact the wearer at a mastoid of the wearer.