Listening device with automatic mode change capabilities

1. A device configured to be worn in an ear of a user, the device comprising:

a housing;

a speaker and at least one microphone carried by the housing;

a first sensor configured to produce a first signal indicative of a presence of the user's ear;

a second sensor configured to produce a second signal indicative of a proximity of a hand of the user;

a third sensor configured to produce a third signal indicative of proximity to the user's head;

a processor coupled to the first, second, and third sensors; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including—

changing a power state of the device from a first power state to a second power state in response to the first signal; and

changing an operating mode of the device from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to a change in the second signal.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an input audio signal from the at least one microphone;

detecting an amount of background noise of an environment of the user in an input audio signal received at the at least one microphone; and

applying a filter to the input audio signal to produce a filtered audio signal for output to the speaker,

wherein the filtered audio signal has a reduced amount of background noise compared to the amount of background noise in the input audio signal.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

changing the power state of the device to the first power state in response to a decrease of the first signal to less than the predetermined threshold.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

detecting a presence of an electronic device, and

in response to detecting the presence of the electronic device, automatically changing the operating mode of the device to an electronic device cooperation mode that includes receiving audio signals from the electronic device via a wireless communication link.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

changing the power state of the device from the first power state to the second power state in response to the first signal exceeding a predetermined threshold.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an input audio signal from the at least one microphone;

detecting an amount of background noise of an environment of the user in an input audio signal received at the at least one microphone; and

applying a filter to the input audio signal to produce a filtered audio signal for output to the speaker.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the proximity is detected based on contact between the first sensor and the user.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an input audio signal from the microphone;

detecting an amount of background noise of an environment of the user in an input audio signal received at the microphone; and

applying a filter to the input audio signal to produce a filtered audio signal for output to the speaker;

wherein the receiving, detecting, and applying are performed based at least in part on the production of the third signal.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is a proximity detector that produces the first signal upon contact with the user.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor is further configured to detect a presence of an electronic device, and the memory includes additional instruction to change, in response to detection of the presence of the electronic device, the operating mode of the device.

11. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a third sensor, wherein one of the second sensor or the third sensor is configured to detect a presence of an electronic device, and the memory includes additional instruction to change, in response to detection of the presence of the electronic device, the operating mode of the device.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

changing, in response to a fourth signal from the first sensor, the power state of the device from the second power state to a recharge power state, wherein the fourth signal is indicative of removal from the user's ear.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein in the recharge power state, the processor deactivates or reduces power to one or more components of the device.

14. The device of claim 13 , further comprising one or more of: a Bluetooth transceiver, a telecoil, or other circuitry for direct reception of an audio signal, wherein in the recharge power state, the processor deactivates the Bluetooth transceiver, the telecoil, or the other circuitry.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second signal produced by the second sensor includes data indicative of a transient proximity of a hand of the user.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to change a power state of the device when the third signal is above or below a predetermined threshold.

17. A device configured to be worn in an ear of a user, the device comprising: a housing; a speaker and at least one microphone carried by the housing; a first sensor configured to produce a first signal indicative of a presence of the user's ear; a second sensor configured to produce a second signal indicative of a proximity of a hand of the user; a processor coupled to the first and second sensors; and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including—changing a power state of the device from a first power state to a second power state in response to the first signal; changing an operating mode of the device from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to a change in the second signal; and changing, in response to a third signal from the first sensor, the power state of the device from the second power state to a recharge power state, wherein the third signal is indicative of removal from the user's ear, and a third sensor configured to produce a fourth signal indicative of proximity to the user's head, wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to change a power state of the device to off when the fourth signal is below a predetermined threshold and change a power state of the device to on when the fourth signal is above the predetermined threshold.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an input audio signal from the at least one microphone;

detecting an amount of background noise of an environment of the user in an input audio signal received at the at least one microphone; and

applying a filter to the input audio signal to produce a filtered audio signal for output to the speaker,

wherein the filtered audio signal has a reduced amount of background noise compared to the amount of background noise in the input audio signal.