Ear-wearable devices for control of other devices and related methods
Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable devices that can be used to control other device and related methods. In a first aspect, an ear-wearable device is included having a control circuit, a wireless communications circuit, a microphone, and a motion sensor. The ear-wearable device is configured to receive an input from a wearer of the ear-wearable device, select a controllable device to be controlled based on factors including at least one of physical proximity between the ear-wearable device and the controllable device and a direction that the head of the wearer is pointing, and issue a control command to the controllable device. Other embodiments are also included herein.
1. An ear-wearable device comprising:
a control circuit;
a wireless communications circuit, wherein the wireless communications circuit is in electronic communication with the control circuit;
a microphone, wherein the microphone is in electronic communication with the control circuit; and
a motion sensor, wherein the motion sensor is in electronic communication with the control circuit;
wherein the ear-wearable device is configured to
receive an input from a wearer of the ear-wearable device;
select a controllable device from a plurality of controllable devices that are not held or worn by the user to be controlled based on factors including at least one of physical proximity between the ear-wearable device and the controllable device and a direction that the head of the wearer is pointing; and
issue a control command to the controllable device.
2. The ear-wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising an electroacoustic transducer, wherein the electroacoustic transducer is in electrical communication with the control circuit.
3. The ear-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the direction that the head of the wearer is pointing is determined based on the orientation of the ear-wearable device.
4. The ear-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the direction that the head of the wearer is pointing is determined based on the position of the ear-wearable device and a second ear-wearable device worn by the wearer.
5. The ear-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the ear-wearable device is configured to send a location request command to one or more controllable devices, the location request command configured to cause the controllable devices to emit a locating signal.
6. The ear-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the ear-wearable device is configured to detect movement of the wearer of the ear-wearable device and include the detected movement as a factor for selection of a controllable device to be controlled.
7. The ear-wearable device of claim 6 , wherein the ear-wearable device is configured to not select a controllable device for control in a geospatial area if the detected movement indicates that the wearer is leaving that geospatial area.
8. The ear-wearable device of claim 6 , wherein the ear-wearable device is configured to select a controllable device for control in a geospatial area if the detected movement indicates that the wearer is entering that geospatial area.
9. The ear-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the ear-wearable device is configured to detect a current time and include the current time as a factor for selection of a controllable device to be controlled.
10. The ear-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the ear-wearable device is configured to record activity of the wearer and derive an activity pattern of the wearer based on the recorded activity.
11. The ear-wearable device of claim 10 , wherein the ear-wearable device is configured to include the derived activity pattern as a factor for selection of a controllable device to be controlled.
12. The ear-wearable device of claim 10 , wherein the activity pattern comprises waking in the night and entering a bathroom.
13. The ear-wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising a magnetometer.
14. The ear-wearable device of claim 13 , wherein the ear-wearable device is configured to determine an orientation of the ear-wearable device utilizing at least one of the motion sensor and the magnetometer.
15. A method of controlling a controllable device comprising:
receiving an input with an ear-wearable device;
selecting the controllable device from a plurality of controllable devices that are not held or worn by the user to be controlled based on factors including at least one of physical proximity between the ear-wearable device and the controllable device and a direction that the head of the wearer is pointing; and
issuing a control command to the controllable device with the ear-wearable device.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining the direction that the head of the wearer is pointing is based on the orientation of the ear-wearable device.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining the direction that the head of the wearer is pointing based on the ear-wearable device and a second ear-wearable device worn by the wearer.
18. A method of controlling a controllable device comprising:
receiving an input with an ear-wearable device;
selecting the controllable device from a plurality of controllable devices that are not held or worn by the user to be controlled based on factors including a physical proximity between the ear-wearable device and the controllable device; and
issuing a control command to the controllable device with the ear-wearable device.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising narrowing a set of possible controllable devices down to a subset based on physical proximity between the ear-wearable device and the set of possible controllable devices.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising selecting at least one controllable device from the subset to issue a control command to based on the received input.