Automatically switching active microphone for wireless headsets

#Due to limitations in the short range wireless communication standards, wireless earbuds only support one of the buds serving as the active microphone during a phone call. This presents a user experience problem for users as they are unable to easily share their bud with a friend while on a phone call to have a “3-way” call that would work seamlessly. One possible solution is that the user can manually specify on which bud to use the microphone. The manually specified earbud serves as the active microphone regardless of whether it is being worn on the user's head or not. In this mode, the earbud with the active microphone may be in the case for a period of time before the user figures out that voice data is not being captured by the other earbud that is worn.

#The present disclosure provides an audio playback system adapted to automatically switch the active microphone back and forth between two or more devices. For example, where the system is a pair of earbuds, where each earbud is worn by a separate user, the system may switch the active microphone to the device worn by user that is speaking at a given time. While that device holds the active microphone, the other device may wait until a particular event that frees up the microphone, such as if the user wearing the device with the active microphone stops talking. Such event may trigger the active microphone to become free, at which point the other device may secure the active microphone. According to some examples, a sidetone or comfort noise or other notification may be provided through one or more of the devices in the system to let the user know, for example, that he does not have the active microphone, that the active microphone is free, that the active microphone has been switched, etc.

#One aspect of the disclosure provides a system, including a first device in wireless communication with a second device, the first device including a speaker, a microphone configured to operate in an active mode wherein it captures audio input for transmission to a computing device, and in an inactive mode in which it does not capture audio input, and one or more processors When the first device microphone is in the active mode and the second device microphone is in the inactive mode, the one or more processors of the first device are configured to receive speech input through the first device microphone, detect an endpoint in the received speech input, and provide an opportunity for the second device microphone to switch to the active mode. Detecting the endpoint may include, for example, detecting at least one of a pause, keyword, or inflection.

#FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram illustrating an example use of an auxiliary device according to aspects of the disclosure.

#FIG. 2 is a pictorial diagram illustrating another example use of an auxiliary device according to aspects of the disclosure.

#FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example system according to aspects of the disclosure.

#Overview:

#The present disclosure provides for seamlessly sharing one active microphone source among a plurality of user devices, such as earbuds worn by two different people, without user input. Each user device may be configured to determine which device is likely to need the active microphone. For example, the system may detect endpoints in speech input of a user, and thereby detect when the other user is likely to input responsive speech. Examples of such endpoints may be a pause, keyword, inflection, or other factor. The device that is likely to need the active microphone may be switched to the active microphone. In some examples, a particular device can request or otherwise secure the active microphone. Such device may continue to hold the active microphone until its user temporarily stops providing audio input.

#In some examples, each device can detect whether the user wearing the device is talking. If the user is talking, but the device does not have the active microphone, a notification may be provided. For example, a sidetone, comfort sound, or other audible notification may be provided. In other examples, the notification may be tactile, such as vibration of the device.