# US 12,213,769 B2 · Electronic device, control method, and control program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,213,769 B2 - Document ID: US12213769B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/260,027 - Filed: 2020-08-04 - Published: 2021-07-01 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-08 - Assignees: KYOCERA Corporation - Applicants: KYOCERA Corporation - Inventors: Takahiro Watanabe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213769B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/0261: {using optical means, e.g. infrared light} - A61B 5/0245: by using sensing means generating electric signals, {i.e. ECG signals} - A61B 5/4809: {Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not} - A61B 5/6803: {Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles} - A61B 5/6815: {Ear} - A61B 5/6817: {Ear canal} - A61B 5/6898: {Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers} - A61B 5/7221: {Determining signal validity, reliability or quality (preventing, reducing or removing noise induced by motion artefacts A61B5/7207; noise originating from a therapeutic or surgical apparatus A61B5/7217)} - A61B 5/7405: {using sound} - G10K 11/178: by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase - H04R 3/00: Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F) - A61B 5/746: {Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 An electronic device comprises an insertion portion, a sensor, and a controller. The insertion portion is configured to be at least partly inserted in an external ear canal of a user. The sensor is configured to detect a signal relating to an organism of the user, in a state in which at least part of the insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the user. The controller is configured to perform a predetermined process, based on a signal that satisfies a predetermined condition from among the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device comprising: an insertion portion configured to be at least partly inserted in an external ear canal of a user; a sensor configured to detect a signal relating to an organism of the user, in a state in which at least part of the insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the user; a driver unit configured to output sound from the insertion portion; and a controller configured to perform a predetermined process, based on a signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the controller is configured to measure a blood flow rate of the user, based on the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies the predetermined condition, the controller is configured to determine a timing to output the sound based on a relationship between the measured blood flow rate of the user and a depth of sleep of humans, and the controller is configured to control the driver unit to output the sound at the determined timing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the insertion portion includes: a first insertion portion configured to be at least partly inserted in an external ear canal of a left ear of the user; and a second insertion portion configured to be at least partly inserted in an external ear canal of a right ear of the user, and the sensor includes: a first sensor configured to measure information relating to the organism of the user in a state in which at least part of the first insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the left ear of the user; and a second sensor configured to measure information relating to the organism of the user in a state in which at least part of the second insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the right ear of the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to perform the predetermined process, based on the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the first sensor and the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the second sensor that satisfy the predetermined condition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an optical emitter and an optical detector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a laser Doppler velocimeter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the insertion portion includes an earpiece configured to prevent sound from entering the external ear canal of the user from outside the electronic device in the state in which the at least part of the insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the driver unit to output predetermined sound at a predetermined timing set beforehand. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the driver unit to output sound opposite in phase to sound entering the external ear canal of the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform the predetermined process, based on a signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor and having at least a predetermined intensity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform the predetermined process, based on a signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor and having an intensity within a predetermined range. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a communication interface configured to transmit the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor, to an other electronic device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the signal relating to the organism of the user at an ear concha of the user. ### Claim 13 A control method of an electronic device that includes: an insertion portion configured to be at least partly inserted in an external ear canal of a user; a sensor configured to detect a signal relating to an organism of the user, in a state in which at least part of the insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the user; and a driver unit configured to output sound from the insertion portion, the control method comprising performing a predetermined process, based on a signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies a predetermined condition, measuring a blood flow rate of the user, based on the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies the predetermined condition, determining a timing to output the sound based on a relationship between the measured blood flow rate of the user and a depth of sleep of humans, and controlling the driver unit to output the sound at the determined timing. ### Claim 14 A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer program instructions, which when executed by an electronic device that includes: an insertion portion configured to be at least partly inserted in an external ear canal of a user; a sensor configured to detect a signal relating to an organism of the user, in a state in which at least part of the insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the user; and a driver unit configured to output sound from the insertion portion, cause a controller to perform a predetermined process, based on a signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies a predetermined condition, measure a blood flow rate of the user, based on the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies the predetermined condition, determine a timing to output the sound based on a relationship between the measured blood flow rate of the user and a depth of sleep of humans, and control the driver unit to output the sound at the determined timing. ### Claim 15 An electronic device comprising: an insertion portion configured to be at least partly inserted in an external ear canal of a user; a sensor configured to detect a signal relating to an organism of the user, in a state in which at least part of the insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the user; a driver unit configured to output sound from the insertion portion; and a controller configured to perform a predetermined process, based on a signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the controller is configured to measure a blood flow rate of the user, based on the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies the predetermined condition, the controller is configured to control the driver unit to output the sound at a timing determined based on the blood flow rate of the user, and wherein the predetermined condition is a threshold set based on a history of signals detected by the sensor. ### Claim 16 A system comprising: an insertion portion configured to be at least partly inserted in an external ear canal of a user; a sensor configured to detect a signal relating to an organism of the user, in a state in which at least part of the insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the user; a driver unit configured to output sound to the user; and a controller configured to perform a predetermined process, based on a signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the controller is configured to measure a blood flow rate of the user, based on the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies the predetermined condition, the controller is configured to determine a timing to output the sound based on a relationship between the measured blood flow rate of the user and a depth of sleep of humans, and the controller is configured to control the driver unit to output the sound at the determined timing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system according to claim 16, wherein the insertion portion and the sensor are included in a device, and the driver unit is configured to output sound from the insertion portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system according to claim 17, wherein the driver unit is included in the device. ### Claim 19 A system comprising: an insertion portion configured to be at least partly inserted in an external ear canal of a user; a sensor configured to detect a signal relating to an organism of the user, in a state in which at least part of the insertion portion is inserted in the external ear canal of the user; a driver unit configured to output sound to the user; and a controller configured to perform a predetermined process, based on a signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the controller is configured to measure a blood flow rate of the user, based on the signal relating to the organism of the user detected by the sensor that satisfies the predetermined condition, the controller is configured to control the driver unit to output the sound at a timing determined based on the blood flow rate of the user, and wherein the predetermined condition is a threshold set based on a history of signals detected by the sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system according to claim 19, wherein the insertion portion and the sensor are included in a device, and the driver unit is configured to output sound from the insertion portion. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20, wherein the driver unit is included in the device.