# US 10,313,781 B2 · Audio accelerometric feedback through bilateral ear worn device system and method

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- Number: US 10,313,781 B2
- Document ID: US10313781B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/953,677
- Filed: 2018-04-16
- Published: 2018-08-23
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-08
- Applicants: BRAGI GmbH
- Inventors: Peter Vincent Boesen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313781B2

## CPC

- H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)}
- A61B 5/1114: {Tracking parts of the body}
- A61B 5/486: {Biofeedback (using electroencephalography [EEG] A61B5/375)}
- G06F 3/012: {Head tracking input arrangements}
- G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
- H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type}
- A61B 5/6817: {Ear canal}
- A61B 2503/10: Athletes
- A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
- H04R 2460/07: Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection
- H04R 2460/13: Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
- H04S 7/304: {For headphones}
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS

## Abstract

A system includes at least one earpiece having at least one sensor, at least one speaker, and at least one processor capable of ascertaining a desired position for a user's head to guide the user as to the desired position for the user's head. A method includes determining a current orientation of a user's head, calculating a desired position for the user's head in relation to the current orientation of the user's head, creating an audio signal containing instructions to guide the user as to the desired position for the user's head, and transmitting the audio signal to a user's ears.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An earpiece, comprising:
an earpiece housing;
a speaker;
an inertial sensor disposed within the earpiece housing, the inertial sensor comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope;
at least one processor disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the speaker and the inertial sensor;
a task profile stored on a non-transitory memory of the earpiece, wherein the task profile defines head orientation and movement associated with performing a task;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare measurements sensed with the inertial sensor with the task profile, and if the measurements sensed exceed preset thresholds, calculate a desired position of the head orientation and generate an audible signal at the speaker instructing a user of the earpiece to alter head position to the desired head orientation position; and
wherein the head orientation, head movement, and the head alterations are stored in the non-transitory memory of the earpiece or at a connected device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The earpiece of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the at least one processor for communicating with at least one external sensor operatively connected to the user, wherein the transceiver receives kinematic information from the at least one external sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The earpiece of claim 2 wherein the task profile further defines orientation or movement associated with performing the task for at least one of a neck of the user, a set of shoulders of the user, a torso of a user, a set of hips of the user, and a set of feet of the user.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The earpiece of claim 3 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compare measurements sensed with the at least one external sensor with the task profile and if the measurements sensed with the at least one external sensor exceed preset thresholds, generate an audible signal at the speaker instructing the user of the earpiece to alter body position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the task is associated with performing a sport.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A system comprising a left ear piece and a right earpiece and wherein one of the left earpiece and the right earpiece is the earpiece of claim 1.

### Claim 7

A method for improving performance of a task using an earpiece, the method comprising steps of:
sensing head orientation using an inertial sensor of the earpiece, the inertial sensor comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope;
evaluating by a processor of the earpiece the head orientation to determine if the head orientation exceeds one or more thresholds for performance of the task;
generating an audio signal instruction which guides the user to alter the head orientation to a specific position based upon the task being performed if the head orientation or the movement exceeds one or more thresholds for performance of the task;
transducing the audio signal instruction at a speaker of the earpiece to guide the user to alter the head orientation as the user performs the task; and
recording the head orientation, movement and the head alterations in a non-transitory memory of the earpiece.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving a selection of the task from the user using a gestural user interface of the earpiece.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the step of evaluating comprises obtaining the one or more thresholds for performance of the task from a task profile stored on a non-transitory storage medium.

### Claim 10

An earpiece, comprising:
an earpiece housing;
a speaker;
an inertial sensor disposed within the earpiece housing, the inertial sensor comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope;
at least one processor disposed with the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the speaker and the inertial sensor;
a task profile stored on a non-transitory memory of the earpiece, wherein the task profile defines head orientation and movement associated with performing a task requiring proper head orientation and head movement associated with performing any of at least one activity;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare measurements sensed with the inertial sensor with the task profile, and if the measurements sensed exceed preset thresholds, generate an audible signal at the speaker instructing a user of the earpiece to alter head position; and
wherein the head orientation, head movement, and the head alterations are stored in the non-transitory memory of the ear piece or at a connected device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The earpiece of claim 10 further comprising a transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the at least one processor for communicating with at least one external sensor operatively connected to the user, wherein the transceiver receives kinematic information from the at least one external sensor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The earpiece of claim 11 wherein the task profile further defines at least one of orientation and movement associated with performing the task for at least one of a neck of the user, a set of shoulders of the user, a torso of a user, a set of hips of the user, and a set of feet of the user.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The earpiece of claim 12 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compare measurements sensed with the at least one external sensor with the task profile and if the measurements sensed with the at least one external sensor exceed preset thresholds, generate an audible signal at the speaker instructing the user of the earpiece to alter body position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The earpiece of claim 10 wherein the task is associated with performing a sport.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The earpiece of claim 14 wherein the sport is skiing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

A system comprising a left ear piece and a right earpiece and wherein one of the left earpiece and the right earpiece and the right earpiece is the earpiece of claim 10.