Volume control of ear devices

1. A method comprising:

determining, with at least one processor of an ear device, a reference attitude of the ear device based on sensor data collected by motion sensors of the ear device;

storing, with the at least one processor, the reference attitude;

receiving, with at least one processor, a first user input indicating a user request for a volume control mode of the ear device;

receiving, with the at least one processor, a rotation input;

determining, with the at least one processor, an amount of volume level increase or decrease based on attitude change relative to the reference attitude due to the rotation input;

adjusting, with the at least one processor, a volume level of the ear device in accordance with the volume level increase or decrease, wherein the volume level increases or decreases by an incremental amount as a function of incremental angle displacement resulting from the rotation input; and

receiving, with the at least one processor, second user input indicating a second user request to release the volume control mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user input is a press and hold input.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second user input is a press and hold release input.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein after receiving the first user input, the ear device plays a tone or message through a loudspeaker indicating that the ear device has been transitioned into a volume control mode.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotation input is a rotation of the ear device relative to a head of a user who is wearing the ear device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotation input is a rotation of the ear device together with a head of a user who is wearing the ear device as a single unit.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rotation input is due to nodding of the user's head.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rotation input is due to rotation of the user's head about an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to a top of the user's head.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining an amount of volume level increase or decrease based on attitude change relative to the reference attitude, further comprises:

applying a logarithmic volume scaling function to the attitude change, such that volume increases or decreases exponentially with attitude change.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first or second inputs are a touch input or gesture.

11. An ear device comprising:

a housing configured to be worn on or over a user's outer ear or in the user's ear canal;

included in the housing:

a loudspeaker;

at least one inertial sensor;

an input device; and

at least one processor;

memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

determining a reference attitude of the ear device based on sensor data collected by the at least one inertial sensor;

storing, in the memory, the reference attitude;

receiving, with the input device, a first user input indicating a user request for a volume control mode of the ear device;

receiving, with the at least one inertial sensor, a rotation input;

determining an amount of volume level increase or decrease based on attitude change relative to the reference attitude due to the rotation input;

adjusting a volume level of the ear device in accordance with the volume level increase or decrease, wherein the volume level increases or decreases by an incremental amount as a function of incremental angle displacement resulting from the rotation input; and

receiving second user input indicating a second user request to release the volume control mode.

12. The ear device of claim 11 , wherein the first user input is a press and hold input.

13. The ear device of claim 11 , wherein the second user input is a press and hold release input.

14. The ear device of claim 11 , wherein after receiving the first user input, the ear device plays a tone or message through a loudspeaker indicating that the ear device has been transitioned into a volume control mode.

15. The ear device of claim 11 , wherein the rotation input is a rotation of the ear device relative to a head of a user who is wearing the ear device.

16. The ear device of claim 11 , wherein the rotation input is a rotation of the ear device together with a head of a user who is wearing the ear device as a single unit.

17. The ear device of claim 16 , wherein the rotation input is due to nodding of the user's head.

18. The ear device of claim 16 , wherein the rotation input is due to rotation of the user's head about an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to a top of the user's head.

19. The ear device of claim 11 , wherein determining an amount of volume level increase or decrease based on attitude change relative to the reference attitude further comprises:

applying a logarithmic volume scaling function to the attitude change, such that volume increases or decreases exponentially with attitude change.

20. The ear device of claim 11 , wherein the first or second inputs are a touch input or gesture.