IP Library Granted Patent US 10,142,722
Granted Patent B2
US 10,142,722 · App. 15/312,591 · Granted Nov 27, 2018

Aural measurements from earphone output speakers

Inventors: Edmund Ben-Ami (Beer-Shiva, IL); Noam Petrank (Tel Aviv-Yafo, IL)
Assignee: Bugatone Ltd.
H04R1/1091H04R3/04
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,142,722
App. No.
15/312,591
Granted
Nov 27, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of using an earphone output speaker as a microphone for a phone call between two and/or more participants, or for measuring biometric data of a user. The method may comprise playing a received signal to an electro-acoustic output transducer of an earphone. The method may comprise instructing an audio processing circuit of a local client terminal to record an audio signal from the same electro-acoustic output transducer. The method may comprise calculating a voice signal and/or a biometric measurement based on a function combining the recorded audio signal, the received signal, and filtration coefficients, using a processing unit of the local client terminal. The method may comprise sending the voice signal and/or a biometric measurement through an output interface of the local client terminal.

Claims (34)

1. A method of presenting a temperature, comprising:

playing an output audio signal to an electro-acoustic transducer;

instructing an audio processing integrated circuit of a client terminal to record an acoustic audio signal that includes the output audio signal that was played by the electro-acoustic transducer, using same said electro-acoustic transducer;

calculating a plurality of temperatures based on a function combining said acoustic audio signal, the output audio signal, and filtration coefficients; and

presenting at least one of said plurality of temperatures.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electro-acoustic transducer is a microphone.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electro-acoustic transducer is an output speaker of an earphone.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electro-acoustic transducer is an external speaker connected to an earphone, and said plurality of temperatures comprises ambient and inner ear temperatures.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electro-acoustic transducer is an internal speaker of a client terminal, and said plurality of temperatures comprises ambient and device temperatures.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electro-acoustic transducer is located inside an ear canal of a target user during recording of said acoustic audio signal and one of said plurality of temperatures is an inner ear temperature correlated with a body temperature of said target user.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of temperatures is presented to a user through a user interface.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of temperatures is presented to a remote device through an output interface.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform actions, the actions comprising:

playing an output audio signal to an electro-acoustic transducer;

instructing an audio processing integrated circuit of a client terminal to record an acoustic audio signal that includes the output signal that was played by the electro-acoustic transducer, using same said electro-acoustic transducer;

calculating a plurality of temperatures based on a function combining said acoustic audio signal, the output audio signal, and filtration coefficients; and

presenting at least one of said plurality of temperatures.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein said electro-acoustic transducer is an external speaker connected to an earphone, and said plurality of temperatures comprises ambient and inner ear temperatures.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein said electro-acoustic transducer is an internal speaker of a client terminal, and said plurality of temperatures comprises ambient and device temperatures.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein said electro-acoustic transducer is located inside an ear canal of a target user during recording of said acoustic audio signal and one of said plurality of temperatures is an inner ear temperature correlated with a body temperature of said target user.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said plurality of temperatures is presented to a user through a user interface.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said plurality of temperatures is presented to a remote device through an output interface.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the plurality of temperatures based on the function combining said acoustic audio signal, the output audio signal, and filtration coefficients includes determining a difference between the output audio signal and the acoustic audio signal to calculate the plurality of temperatures.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the plurality of temperatures based on the function combining said acoustic audio signal, the output audio signal, and filtration coefficients includes determining a frequency response between the output audio signal and the acoustic audio signal to calculate the plurality of temperatures.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filtration coefficients represent a frequency response of the electro-acoustic transducer.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electro-acoustic transducer is simultaneously connected to an input mixer and an output mixer of an audio processing integrated circuit during the playing of the output audio signal and a recording of the acoustic audio signal.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of temperatures are temperatures of a surrounding environment of the transducer.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of temperatures are temperatures of an inner ear of a user.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein calculating the plurality of temperatures based on the function combining said acoustic audio signal, the output audio signal, and filtration coefficients includes determining a difference between the output audio signal and the acoustic audio signal to calculate the plurality of temperatures.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein calculating the plurality of temperatures based on the function combining said acoustic audio signal, the output audio signal, and filtration coefficients includes determining a frequency response between the output audio signal and the acoustic audio signal to calculate the plurality of temperatures.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the filtration coefficients represent a frequency response of the electro-acoustic transducer.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the electro-acoustic transducer is simultaneously connected to an input mixer and an output mixer of an audio processing integrated circuit during the playing of the output audio signal and a recording of the acoustic audio signal.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of temperatures are temperatures of a surrounding environment of the transducer.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of temperatures are temperatures of an inner ear of a user.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2021
From: BUGATONE LTD.
To: MOBILE PHYSICS LTD.
Reel/Frame 055316/0196 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2017
From: BEN-AMI, EDMUND; PETRANK, NOAM
To: BUGATONE LTD.
Reel/Frame 041068/0657 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62000626 · May 20, 2014
Related Publication 20170094401A1 · Mar 30, 2017