US 2022/0070592 A9 · ULTRASONIC PROXIMITY SENSORS, AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

Abstract

An ultrasonic proximity sensor can determine one or more characteristics of a local environment. For example, the sensor can emit an ultrasonic signal into a local environment and can receive an ultrasonic signal from the local environment. From a measure of correlation between the emitted and the received signals, the sensor can classify the local environment. By way of example, such a sensor can assess whether an in-ear earphone is positioned in a user's ear. A media device in communication with the sensor can transmit an audio signal to the earphone for audio playback responsive to a determination by the sensor that the earphone is in the user's ear and can redirect the audio signal to another playback device responsive to a determination by the sensor that the earphone is not in the user's ear. Related and other aspects also are described.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having an internal surface and an external surface;
and
a sensor, comprising:
a plurality of ultrasonic transducers spaced apart along the internal surface of the housing, wherein the sensor is configured to:
emit a plurality of ultrasonic signals through at least a portion of the housing from the plurality of ultrasonic transducers,
detect a plurality of reflections of at least some of the emitted plurality of ultrasonic signals, and
determine a contact on the external surface based on the detected plurality of reflections.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/152,694Filed 19 Jan 2021

Priority

17 Feb 2018

Published

3 Mar 2022

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H04R 17/10
Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers: resonant transducers, i.e. adapted to produce maximum output at a predetermined frequency
G01H 11/08
By electric means: using piezoelectric devices
H04R 1/1016
Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones: earpieces of the intra-aural type
H04R 1/1041
Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones: mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements

Family

Application62/631,670Us provisional application · filed 17 Feb 2018

Application16/259,211Continuation · filed 28 Jan 2019

Application17/152,694Continuation

US 10,932,062 B2Related patent

US 12,267,647 B2Related patent

US 2019/0261094 A1Published application

US 2021/0144481 A1Published application

US 2022/0070592 A9This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Ultrasonic proximity sensors, and related systems and methods

Life of this patent

Ultrasonic proximity sensors, and related systems and methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20