IP Library Granted Patent US 10,659,907
Granted Patent B2
US 10,659,907 · App. 15/890,232 · Granted May 19, 2020

System for distraction avoidance via soundscaping and headset coordination

Inventors: Philip Sherburne (Morgan Hill, CA); Beau Wilder (Santa Cruz, CA)
Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
H04S7/304H04R5/033H04R5/04H04S7/308
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 10,659,907
App. No.
15/890,232
Granted
May 19, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system can include a headset and a host device for use in a soundscape environment in which audio tracks are played. Logic in communication with an audio driver on the headset causes an audio sample to be played, and coordinated with the soundscape audio track being played in the soundscape environment. Memory can store one or more audio samples having audio content coordinated with corresponding one or more audio tracks of the soundscape environment. A Don/Doff sensor generates a Don signal indicating that an individual has put on the headset.

Claims (32)

1. An apparatus for use in a soundscape environment in which audio tracks are played, comprising:

a headset including a speaker and an audio driver coupled to the speaker; and

logic in communication with the audio driver to access metadata related to a soundscape environment for the headset, to use the metadata to identify an audio track currently being played in the soundscape environment, and to cause the identified audio track to be played using the speaker on the headset.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , including a sensor on the headset which generates a Don signal when the headset is placed on a user's head, and the logic causes the indicated audio sequence to be played in response to the Don signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , including logic to determine location of the headset, and to use the location to identify the metadata associated with the soundscape environment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , including memory on the headset storing one or more audio samples having audio content coordinated with one or more corresponding audio tracks of soundscape environment, and wherein the logic to identify the audio track selects an audio sample from the one or more audio samples in the memory for the track.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the headset includes logic to communicate with a host device, and the host device includes said logic to identify the audio track.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the headset includes logic to communicate with a host device, and to play audio signals received from the host device, and including logic to cause the playing of the identified audio track to pause and resume in response to messages from the host device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the headset includes logic to communicate with a host device including a telephone, and to play audio signals received from the host device, and including logic to cause the playing of the identified audio track to pause and resume in response to messages from the host device related to an active call on the telephone.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , the logic in response to the Don signal to cause volume of the audio sequence to transition from an initial volume to a target volume.

9. An apparatus for use in a soundscape environment in which audio tracks are played, comprising:

a headset including a speaker and an audio driver coupled to the speaker; and

logic to communicate with a server which controls audio tracks played in the soundscape environment to identify an audio track currently being played in the soundscape environment, to cause the identified audio track to be played using the speaker on the headset, and to change the audio track in response to a change indicated by the communications with the server.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the logic to communicate with the server communicates via a host device in communication with the server.

11. A method for operating a headset including a speaker and an audio driver coupled to the speaker in coordination with a soundscape environment; comprising:

identifying an audio track currently being played in a soundscape environment based on metadata related to a soundscape environment for the headset; and

causing the identified audio track to be played using the speaker on the headset.

12. The method of claim 11 , including

generating a Don signal when the headset is placed on a user's head, and causing the identified audio track to be played in response to the Don signal.

13. The method of claim 11 , including storing one or more audio samples having audio content coordinated with one or more corresponding audio tracks of a soundscape environment.

14. The method of claim 11 , including logic to determine location of the headset, and to use the location to identify the soundscape environment.

15. The method of claim 11 , including communicating with a server which controls the audio tracks played in the soundscape environment, and changing the audio track being played in the headset in response to a change indicated by the communications with the server.

16. The method of claim 11 , communicating between the headset and a host device, the host device in communication with a server, the server controlling the audio tracks played in the soundscape environment, and including changing the audio track being played in the headset in response to a change in the audio tracks played in the soundscape environment indicated by communications from the host device.

17. The method of claim 11 , including storing in memory one or more audio samples having audio content coordinated with one or more corresponding audio tracks of soundscape environment, and said identifying an audio track includes selecting an audio sample from the one or more audio samples in the memory for the audio sequence.

18. The method of claim 11 , including communicating between the headset and a host device, and playing audio signals received from the host device, and causing the playing of the identified audio track to pause and resume in response to messages from the host device.

19. The method of claim 11 , including communicating between the headset and a host device including a telephone, and causing the identified audio track to pause and resume in response to messages from the host device related to an active call on the telephone.

20. The method of claim 12 , including causing in response to the Don signal volume of the audio track to transition from an initial volume to a target volume.

21. A headset for use in a soundscape environment in which audio tracks are played, comprising:

a speaker and an audio driver coupled to the speaker;

memory storing one or more audio samples having audio content coordinated with one or more corresponding audio tracks of the soundscape environment;

a sensor which generates a Don signal when the headset is placed on a user's head; and

logic in communication with the audio driver to cause an audio sample of the one or more audio samples stored in the memory to be played using the speaker on the headset, including a first mode in response to the Don signal in which volume of the audio sample transitions from an initial volume to a volume coordinated with an audio track being played in the soundscape environment, and a second mode in which the volume of the audio sample remains coordinated with the audio track being played in the soundscape environment.

Assignments (4)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2023
From: PLANTRONICS, INC.
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 065549/0065 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Aug 30, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: PLANTRONICS, INC.; POLYCOM, INC.
Reel/Frame 061356/0366 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 5, 2018
From: PLANTRONICS, INC.; POLYCOM, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 046491/0915 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2018
From: SHERBURNE, PHILIP; WILDER, BEAU
To: PLANTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 044848/0007 →