IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,153,687
Granted Patent B1
US 11,153,687 · App. 16/550,139 · Granted Oct 19, 2021

Wireless headphone interactions

Inventors: David Chance Graham (Campbell, CA); Patrick L. Coffman (San Francisco, CA); Thomas S. Hulbert (Cupertino, CA); Cyrus Daniel Irani (Los Altos, CA); Daniel Max Strongwater (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04R5/04G06F3/017G06F9/542G10L21/0208H04R3/04H04R5/033
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,153,687
App. No.
16/550,139
Granted
Oct 19, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to user interfaces for electronic audio devices. In some examples, the operating mode of the device changes to various states of sound transparency.

Claims (58)

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an audio output mechanism;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

determining a context of the electronic device based on ambient sound of the electronic device; and

in response to determining the context of the electronic device:

in accordance with a determination that the context of the electronic device is a first context, operating the electronic device in a first state of ambient sound transparency, wherein the first context includes the ambient sound indicating a person talking to a user of the electronic device and including a name that indicates the user; and

in accordance with a determination that the context of the electronic device is a second context, different than the first context, operating the electronic device in a second state of ambient sound transparency, different than the first state of ambient sound transparency.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is configured to operate in a plurality of states, each state corresponding to an ambient sound transparency level and an ambient sound cancellation level, the plurality of states having a state corresponding to a state of maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency and a state corresponding to a state of minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency, and wherein the electronic device includes a control for changing the state of the electronic device between the plurality of states.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of states includes a state corresponding to a state of minimum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the context of the electronic device is determined at least in part based on content playing on the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first context includes a phone call playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first context includes music playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

7. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first context includes a notification playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

8. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first context includes no content playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first context includes the ambient sound indicating a dangerous situation, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the context of the electronic device is determined at least in part based on a location of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first context includes movement of the electronic device exceeding a threshold speed, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the state of ambient sound transparency in which the electronic device is operated passively passes ambient sound through the electronic device, actively cancels ambient sound, or actively amplifies ambient sound.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with an audio output mechanism, the one or more programs including instructions for:

determining a context of the electronic device based on ambient sound of the electronic device; and

in response to determining the context of the electronic device:

in accordance with a determination that the context of the electronic device is a first context, operating the electronic device in a first state of ambient sound transparency, wherein the first context includes the ambient sound indicating a person talking to a user of the electronic device and including a name that indicates the user; and

in accordance with a determination that the context of the electronic device is a second context, different than the first context, operating the electronic device in a second state of ambient sound transparency, different than the first state of ambient sound transparency.

16. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device having an audio output mechanism;

determining a context of the electronic device based on ambient sound of the electronic device; and

in response to determining the context of the electronic device:

in accordance with a determination that the context of the electronic device is a first context, operating the electronic device in a first state of ambient sound transparency, wherein the first context includes the ambient sound indicating a person talking to a user of the electronic device and including a name that indicates the user; and

in accordance with a determination that the context of the electronic device is a second context, different than the first context, operating the electronic device in a second state of ambient sound transparency, different than the first state of ambient sound transparency.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the electronic device is configured to operate in a plurality of states, each state corresponding to an ambient sound transparency level and an ambient sound cancellation level, the plurality of states having a state corresponding to a state of maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency and a state corresponding to a state of minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency, and wherein the electronic device includes a control for changing the state of the electronic device between the plurality of states.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of states includes a state corresponding to a state of minimum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the context of the electronic device is determined at least in part based on content playing on the electronic device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the first context includes a phone call playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the first context includes music playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the first context includes a notification playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the first context includes no content playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first context includes the ambient sound indicating a dangerous situation, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the context of the electronic device is determined at least in part based on a location of the electronic device.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first context includes movement of the electronic device exceeding a threshold speed, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the state of ambient sound transparency in which the electronic device is operated passively passes ambient sound through the electronic device, actively cancels ambient sound, or actively amplifies ambient sound.

30. The method of claim 16 , wherein the electronic device is configured to operate in a plurality of states, each state corresponding to an ambient sound transparency level and an ambient sound cancellation level, the plurality of states having a state corresponding to a state of maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency and a state corresponding to a state of minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency, and wherein the electronic device includes a control for changing the state of the electronic device between the plurality of states.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of states includes a state corresponding to a state of minimum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

32. The method of claim 16 , wherein the context of the electronic device is determined at least in part based on content playing on the electronic device.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the first context includes a phone call playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

34. The method of claim 32 , wherein the first context includes music playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

35. The method of claim 32 , wherein the first context includes a notification playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to maximum ambient sound cancellation and minimum ambient sound transparency.

36. The method of claim 32 , wherein the first context includes no content playing on the electronic device, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

37. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first context includes the ambient sound indicating a dangerous situation, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

38. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

39. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

40. The method of claim 16 , wherein the context of the electronic device is determined at least in part based on a location of the electronic device.

41. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first context includes movement of the electronic device exceeding a threshold speed, and the first state of ambient sound transparency corresponds to minimum ambient sound cancellation and maximum ambient sound transparency.

42. The method of claim 16 , wherein the state of ambient sound transparency in which the electronic device is operated passively passes ambient sound through the electronic device, actively cancels ambient sound, or actively amplifies ambient sound.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 13, 2020
From: GRAHAM, DAVID CHANCE; COFFMAN, PATRICK L.; HULBERT, THOMAS S.; IRANI, CYRUS DANIEL; STRONGWATER, DANIEL MAX
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 052113/0582 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62722751 · Aug 24, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 1,088,010