US-12621596-B2 - Ear worn device

US12621596B2US 12621596 B2US12621596 B2US 12621596B2US-12621596-B2

Abstract

The invention relates to an ear worn device ( 1 ), particularly a wireless headphone or a hearing aid, comprising a first module ( 10 ) configured to be inserted at least partially into an ear canal ( 2 a ) of a user, wherein the first module ( 10 ) comprises a loudspeaker ( 11 ) configured to emit sound into the ear canal ( 2 a ) of the user, and wherein the first module ( 10 ) comprises at least one microphone ( 12, 13 ) configured to pick up sound, and a second module ( 20 ) configured to be arranged outside of the concha cava ( 2 b ) adjacent to said ear canal ( 2 a ) of the user when the first module ( 10 ) is inserted into said ear canal ( 2 a ), wherein the second module ( 20 ) comprises at least one electronic component ( 21 ) which is operatively coupled to the loudspeaker ( 11 ) and/or the at least one microphone ( 12, 13 ) of the first module, wherein the first ambient microphone ( 12 ) is configured to be arranged behind the tragus ( 2 c ) of the ear ( 2 ) of the user adjacent to the ear canal ( 2 a ) and faces away from the ear canal ( 2 a ).

Inventors

Pauline O'Callaghan
John Usher

Assignees

BOSE CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210507
Priority Date: 20200507

Claims (13)

1 . An ear worn device ( 1 ), particularly a wireless headphone or a hearing aid, comprising a. a first module ( 10 ) configured to be inserted at least partially into an ear canal ( 2 a ) of a user, wherein the first module ( 10 ) comprises a loudspeaker ( 11 ) configured to emit sound into the ear canal ( 2 a ) of the user, and wherein the first module ( 10 ) comprises at least one microphone ( 12 , 13 ) configured to pick up sound, including a first ambient microphone ( 12 ) configured to be arranged behind the tragus ( 2 c ) of the ear ( 2 ) of the user adjacent to the ear canal ( 2 a ) and face away from the ear canal ( 2 a ) when the first module is inserted into said ear canal ( 2 a ), such that the concha cava ( 2 b ) of the ear ( 2 ) of the user remains unobstructed, b. a second module ( 20 ), wherein the second module is configured to be arranged outside of the concha cava ( 2 b ) adjacent to said ear canal ( 2 a ) of the user when the first module ( 10 ) is inserted into said ear canal ( 2 a ), wherein the second module ( 20 ) comprises at least one electronic component ( 21 ) which is operatively coupled to the loudspeaker ( 11 ) and/or the at least one microphone ( 12 , 13 ) of the first module ( 10 ), and c. a housing ( 16 ) covering at least the first module ( 10 ), wherein the housing ( 16 ) is configured to seal the ear canal ( 2 a ) of the user.
2 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the ear worn device ( 1 ) comprises an earpiece ( 3 ) configured to be inserted at least partially into said ear canal ( 2 a ), wherein the earpiece ( 3 ) comprises the first module ( 10 ) and wherein the ear worn device ( 1 ) comprises a main body ( 5 ) connected to the earpiece ( 3 ), wherein the main body ( 5 ) comprises the second module ( 20 ), and wherein the main body ( 5 ) comprises a first section ( 6 ) connected to the earpiece ( 3 ), wherein the ear worn device ( 1 ) is configured such that the first section ( 6 ) extends upward from the ear canal ( 2 a ) behind the tragus ( 2 c ) towards the helicis crus ( 2 f ) of the ear ( 2 ) when the earpiece is ( 3 ) inserted into the ear canal ( 2 a ), such that the concha cava ( 2 b ) of the ear ( 2 ) remains unobstructed, wherein particularly the main body ( 5 ) further comprises a second section ( 7 ) connected to the first section ( 6 ), wherein the ear worn device ( 1 ) is configured such that the second section ( 7 ) extends from the helicis crus ( 2 f ) along an outside of the helix ( 2 e ) of the ear ( 2 ) of the user when the earpiece ( 3 ) is inserted at least partially into the ear canal ( 2 a ) of the ear ( 2 ).
3 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that the earpiece ( 3 ) comprises a core part ( 32 ) and a sleeve part ( 33 ), wherein the sleeve part ( 33 ) is mechanically connectable to the core part ( 32 ), such that the sleeve part ( 33 ) is arranged around the core part ( 32 ).
4 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that the main body ( 5 ) further comprises a third section ( 8 ) connected to the second section ( 7 ), wherein the third section ( 8 ) forms a hook configured to be arranged behind the auricle ( 2 d ) of the ear ( 2 ) when the earpiece ( 3 ) is inserted at least partially into the ear canal ( 2 a ) of the ear ( 2 ).
5 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one microphone ( 12 , 13 ) of the first module comprises an in-ear microphone ( 13 ) facing into the ear canal ( 2 a ) when the first module is inserted into said ear canal ( 2 a ), wherein the in-ear microphone ( 13 ) is configured to pick up sound from inside the ear canal ( 2 a ) of the user.
6 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first module ( 10 ) comprises a biometric sensor ( 14 ) configured to pick up a biometric signal, wherein particularly the at least one electronic component ( 21 ) of the second module ( 20 ) is operatively coupled to the biometric sensor ( 14 ), wherein particularly the biometric signal is a heart rate, a blood oxygen saturation, a body temperature, a respiration rate, blood glucose level, a hormone level, an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal of the user, or a sound signal picked up from inside the body of the user.
7 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the ear worn device ( 1 ) comprises a first electrode and a second electrode configured to detect a galvanic skin response, an electroencephalogram or an electrocardiogram, wherein particularly the first electrode is comprised in the first module ( 10 ) and the second electrode is comprised in the second module ( 20 ).
8 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the ear worn device ( 1 ), particularly the first module ( 10 ), comprises a contact sensor configured to pick up sounds from inside the body of the user when the user wears the ear worn device ( 1 ), particularly when the first module ( 10 ) is inserted at least partially into the ear canal ( 2 a ) of the user.
9 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the second module ( 20 ) comprises at least one second ambient microphone ( 25 ) forming a microphone array with the first ambient microphone ( 12 ) of the first module ( 10 ) to achieve directional listening.
10 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the second module ( 20 ) comprises a movement and/or acceleration sensor ( 22 ), particularly an inertial measurement unit, wherein particularly the movement and/or acceleration sensor ( 22 ) is comprised in the at least one electronic component ( 21 ).
11 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the second module ( 20 ) comprises a communication device, particularly comprising a radio antenna, more particularly a radio antenna configured to receive and/or transmit signals at a frequency between 2,402 GHz and 2,480 GHz, wherein particularly the communication device is comprised in the at least one electronic component ( 21 ).
12 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the second module ( 20 ) comprises a signal processing device ( 24 ) configured to process signals obtained from the at least one microphone ( 12 , 13 , 25 ), particularly the first ambient microphone ( 12 ), the second ambient microphone ( 25 ) and/or the in-ear microphone ( 13 ), wherein particularly the ear worn device ( 1 ) is configured to play back the processed signals to the loudspeaker ( 11 ) of the first module ( 10 ), wherein particularly the signal processing device ( 24 ) is comprised in the at least one electronic component ( 21 ).
13 . The ear worn device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one electronic component ( 21 ) is operatively coupled to the loudspeaker ( 11 ) and/or the at least one microphone ( 12 , 13 ) of the first module ( 10 ) by an electric connection ( 15 ).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is the U.S. National Stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2021/062229 filed May 7, 2021, which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 20205999.4 filed Nov. 5, 2020, and European Patent Application No. 20173494.4 filed May 7, 2020. The invention relates to an ear worn device, particularly a wireless headphone or a hearing aid. To selectively play back ambient sound into the ear (referred to as transparency mode in case of wireless headphones), ear worn devices comprising ambient microphones and signal processing means configured to process ambient sounds are known from the prior art. Furthermore, hearing aids according to the prior art amplify environmental sounds and play those sounds back to users with impaired hearing. However, in both described cases, the played-back sounds are often perceived as unnatural, which is in part due to the inability to reproduce the natural filtering properties of the human ear. Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide an ear worn device with improved filtering abilities to achieve a more natural perception of ambient sounds. This objective is attained, and embodiments of the invention are specified, by the subject matter of the claims and are described hereafter. A first aspect of the invention relates to an ear worn device, particularly a wireless headphone or a hearing aid, comprising a first module (herein also referred to as “transducer bundle”) configured to be inserted at least partially into an ear canal of a user. The first module comprises a loudspeaker configured to emit sound into the ear canal of the user, particularly when the first module is inserted into the ear canal. The first module further comprises at least one microphone, particularly comprising a first ambient microphone, configured to pick up sound. The ear worn device further comprises a second module (herein also referred to as “main electronics bundle”), wherein the second module is configured to be arranged outside of the concha cava adjacent to the ear canal of the user when the first module is inserted into the ear canal. The second module comprises at least one electronic component which is operatively coupled to the loudspeaker and/or the at least one microphone of the first module. The ear worn device, particularly the first module, more particularly the at least one microphone, comprises a first ambient microphone, wherein the first ambient microphone is configured to be arranged behind the tragus of the ear of the user adjacent to the ear canal when the first module is inserted at least partially into the ear canal, such that the concha cava of the ear of the user remains unobstructed. The first ambient microphone faces away from the ear canal of the user when the first module is inserted at least partially into the ear canal. Environmental sounds may be picked up by the first ambient microphone very close to the natural location where sound filtered by the outer ear enters the ear canal. In this manner, the environmental sounds can be picked up in a sound quality which is very similar to natural perception without headphones or hearing aids. In addition, the first ambient microphone may be used to pick up the user's own voice, e.g. for voice calls or for talking to an automatic voice assistant. The invention differs from current ear worn devices in that the electronics are split into two parts, a first module and a second module. The main transducers (e.g., loudspeakers, microphones and some sensors, such as optical sensors configured to measure the heart rate or the blood oxygen saturation of the wearer) are housed inside the ear canal and, in particular, the rest of the electronics are housed outside of the ear. This enables a novel feature that may be referred to as ‘natural transparency’ in case of wireless headphones. Because this configuration allows the ambient microphone to be placed at the entrance to the ear canal (behind the tragus), and the concha cava to remain unobstructed, sounds picked up from the environment benefit from the natural filtering of the ear's anatomy. This natural filtering, when paired with relevant signal processing algorithms, allows the user to maintain spatial awareness when wearing the ear worn device (both in case of wireless headphones and hearing aids). The system (ear worn device) according to the invention comprises two main parts: The transducer bundle or first module sits at least partly inside the wearer's ear canal. In particular, it should be small enough to fit into the majority of adult ear canals so that the outermost part sits behind the tragus. The main electronics bundle or second module sits outside of the user's ear (e.g. in front of the ear or behind the ear), particularly housed in an ergonomically designed enclosure, e.g. an injection moulded plastic case with some silicone coverings. The main electronics bundle is electrically connected to t