Loading patent…
AssigneeESS Technology, Inc.
InventorsDustin Dale Forman, Christian Leth Petersen, A. Martin Mallinson
Estimating the term…
An improved method and apparatus for detecting and measuring one or more biometric parameters of a user using a computing device in conjunction with an electroacoustic (audio) transducer is described. A first mode in which the audio transducer produces sound is disabled, and the device is placed in a second mode of operation in which a biometric signal is recovered from the transducer using a “back” audio signal. The biometric signal may then be measured or analyzed. The first mode is disabled by temporarily creating a high impedance between circuitry producing the audio signal and the transducer, while the biometric parameter is measured. This allows for detection of the biometric event without the need for significant additional components or circuitry. The computing device may most conveniently be a smartphone, but the approach described herein may also be easily and usefully applied to tablets, laptop or desktop computers or other devices.
A circuit for using an audio transducer with a computing device to detect a biometric event, comprising:
A method of using an audio transducer with a computing device to detect a biometric event, the electroacoustic transducer configured to receive an input signal and produce sound representing the input signal and to generate a back signal from pressure impinging upon the electroacoustic transducer, the method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.