# US 10,873,821 B2 · Switching binaural sound

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- Number: US 10,873,821 B2
- Document ID: US10873821B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/896,251
- Filed: 2020-06-09
- Published: 2020-09-24
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-27
- Applicants: Philip Scott Lyren; Glen A. Norris
- Inventors: Philip Scott Lyren; Glen A. Norris
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873821B2

## CPC

- H04S 1/007: {in which the audio signals are in digital form (data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02)}
- G10L 19/167: {Audio streaming, i.e. formatting and decoding of an encoded audio signal representation into a data stream for transmission or storage purposes}
- G10L 19/22: Mode decision, i.e. based on audio signal content versus external parameters
- 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)}
- H04S 7/30: {Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field}
- H04S 7/302: {Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation (H04S7/301 takes precedence)}
- H04S 7/303: {Tracking of listener position or orientation}
- H04S 7/305: {Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space (H04S7/301 takes precedence)}
- H04R 27/00: Public address systems (circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; {monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007}; amplifiers H03F)
- H04R 2227/003: Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
- H04S 2420/01: Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD]
- H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS
- G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
- 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)

## Abstract

A method provides binaural sound to a person through electronic earphones. The binaural sound localizes to a sound localization point (SLP) in empty space that is away from but proximate to the person. When an event occurs, the binaural sound switches or changes to stereo sound, to mono sound, or to altered binaural sound.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Headphones, comprising:
one or more microphones that capture environmental sound;
speakers that play music and the environmental sound captured with the one or more microphones to a listener wearing the headphones; and
a sensor that senses a hand of the listener wearing the headphones,
wherein sound being played through the speakers in the headphones automatically changes when the listener is not moving such that the headphones play the music but block the environmental sound captured with the one or more microphones from playing through the speakers to the listener,
wherein the sound being played through the speakers in the headphones automatically changes when the listener is moving such that the headphones play the music and allow the environmental sound to play through the speakers to the listener,
wherein the headphones automatically change an amount of the environmental sound captured with the one or more microphones that plays through the speakers in response to the sensor sensing the hand of the listener,
wherein the headphones automatically play, in response to detecting the listener wearing headphones is walking, an alert of a non-naturally occurring sound through the speakers in the headphones in order to notify the listener of changing of the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that passes through the speakers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The headphones of claim 1, wherein the non-naturally occurring sound is a chime or a beep.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The headphones of claim 1, wherein the headphones automatically change the amount of the environmental sound that plays through the speakers in response to a motion sensor in a smartphone with the listener detecting that the listener is moving.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The headphones of claim 1, wherein a smartphone wirelessly transmits the music to the headphones, and the headphones automatically change the amount of the environmental sound that plays through the speakers in response to an accelerometer in the smartphone detecting that the listener is walking.

### Claim 5

A method comprising:
capturing, with one or more microphones in headphones worn on a head of a listener, sound in an environment of the listener;
detecting, with one or more sensors, when the listener wearing the headphones is not moving and when the listener wearing the headphones is walking;
switching, in response to detecting the listener is not moving, to a first mode of operation that plays through speakers in the headphones music but blocks the sound in the environment captured with the one or microphones;
switching, in response to detecting the listener is walking, to a second mode of operation that plays through the speakers the headphones the music and at least a portion of the sound in the environment captured with the one or microphones;
sensing, with a sensor in the headphones, a hand of the listener;
changing, in response to sensing the hand of the listener, an amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or microphones that plays through the speakers in the headphones; and
playing, in response to detecting the listener wearing headphones is walking, an alert of a non-naturally occurring sound through the speakers in the headphones in order to notify the listener of the switching to the second mode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the non-naturally occurring sound includes at least one of a chime or a beep.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 further comprising:
changing, in response to determining the listener wearing the headphones is walking with one or more motion sensors in a smartphone, the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or microphones that plays through the speakers in the headphones.

### Claim 8

A method, comprising:
capturing, with one or more microphones in headphones that a user is wearing, sound in an environment of the user;
playing, through speakers in the headphones, music to the user;
changing, in response to detecting the user wearing headphones is walking and while the music plays, an amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that passes through the speakers in the headphones to the user;
changing, in response to detecting the user wearing headphones is not moving and while the music plays, the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that passes through the speakers in the headphones to the user;
sensing, with a sensor in the headphones, a hand of the user;
changing, in response to sensing the hand of the user and while the music plays, the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that passes through the speakers in the headphones to the user; and
playing, in response to detecting the user wearing headphones is walking, an audio alert through the speakers in the headphones in order to notify the user the changing of the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that passes through the speakers.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the audio alert includes one of a chime or a beep.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
changing, in response to detecting a voice of the user wearing the headphones with the one or more microphones, to a pass-thru mode that increases the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that passes through the speakers in the headphones to the user.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein one or more sensors in a smartphone that sense motion perform the detecting the user wearing the headphones is walking.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the headphones deactivate an Active Noise Control (ANC) function in response to the sensor in the headphones sensing the hand of the user to an earphone of the headphones.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
sensing, with a motion sensor, that the user is not moving for an amount of time; and
changing a mode of operation and the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that passes through the speakers in response to sensing that the user is not moving for the amount of time.

### Claim 14

Headphones, comprising:
one or more microphones that capture sound in an environment of a user wearing the headphones;
a sensor that senses a hand of the user;
speakers that play music and the sound in the environment captured with the one or microphones; and
a processor that processes the sound and changes an amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that plays through the speakers in the headphones to the user,
wherein the headphones automatically change the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that plays through the speakers in response to a detection being made that the user is walking,
wherein the headphones automatically change the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that plays through the speakers in response to a detection being made that the user is not moving,
wherein the headphones automatically change the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that plays through the speakers in response to the sensor sensing the hand of the user,
wherein the headphones automatically play, in response to detecting the user wearing the headphones is walking, an audio alert through the speakers in the headphones to notify the user of the changing of the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that plays through the speakers.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The headphones of claim 14, wherein the audio alert includes at one of a chime or a beep.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The headphones of claim 14, wherein the headphones automatically change the amount of the sound in the environment captured with the one or more microphones that plays through the speakers in response to a detection being made that the user is running, and an accelerometer in a smartphone in wireless communication with the headphones detects the user is walking and detects the user is running.