Granted Patent B2

US 12,425,757 · App. 18/159,348 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Inventors: Youngsang Jang (Suwon-si, KR); Yongseok Bang (Suwon-si, KR)

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

H04R1/1016H04R1/1083H04R5/033H04R2420/07H04R2430/01H04R2460/01

Abstract

Claims (50)

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing formed so as to be worn in at least a part of a user's body;

at least one microphone;

a speaker;

at least one sensor;

memory, comprising one or more storage media, storing instructions; and

at least one processor,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:

identify a state of the electronic device stably worn in at least the part of the user's body using at least one of the at least one microphone, the speaker, or the at least one sensor, wherein the state includes a first wearing state and a second wearing state in which the electronic device is stably worn in the at least the part of the user's body,

deactivate an active noise canceling (ANC) function or increase a volume of a sound output via the speaker in comparison to the second wearing state based on identifying that the state of the electronic device is the first wearing state, and

activate the active noise canceling (ANC) function or decrease the volume of the sound output via the speaker in comparison to the first wearing state based on identifying that the state of the electronic device is the second wearing state,

wherein the electronic device includes an audio output device worn on the user's ear,

wherein, in the first wearing state, the electronic device is inserted relatively less deeply into the user's ear than in the second wearing state and operates as an open-type audio output device, and

wherein, in the second wearing state, the electronic device is inserted relatively deeper into the user's ear than in the first wearing state and operates as a kernel-type audio output device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:

output a signal having a frequency lower than a specified frequency toward the user's body via the speaker,

receive the signal having the frequency lower than the specified frequency reflected from the user's body via the at least one microphone, and

identify the worn state based on the reflected signal received via the at least one microphone.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to output the signal having the frequency lower than the specified frequency via the speaker when a change in a value sensed using the at least one sensor is equal to or higher than a specified value.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one microphone includes a first microphone and a second microphone disposed to be spaced apart from each other at a specified spacing, and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to identify the worn state based on a difference between a volume of an external sound received via the first microphone and a volume of the external sound received via the second microphone.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one sensor includes a proximity sensor or a contact sensor, and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to identify the state using the proximity sensor or the contact sensor.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 ,

wherein at least a portion of the housing includes an outwardly protruding coupling structure,

wherein the electronic device further includes a fixing member detachable from the coupling structure, and

wherein the fixing member is constructed to maintain the state of the electronic device worn in at least the part of the user's body.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the fixing member includes a space defined such that at least the portion of the fixing member is able to be deformed with elasticity.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to adjust characteristics of a sound output via the speaker based on the state.

9. A method of operating an electronic device including a housing formed so as to be worn in at least a part of a user's body, at least one microphone, a speaker, and at least one sensor, the method comprising:

identifying a state of the electronic device worn in at least the part of the user's body using at least one of the at least one microphone, the speaker, or the at least one sensor, wherein the state includes a first wearing state and a second wearing state in which the electronic device is stably worn in the at least the part of the user's body;

based on identifying that the state of the electronic device is the first wearing state, deactivating an active noise canceling (ANC) function or increasing a volume of a sound output via the speaker in comparison to the second wearing state; and

based on identifying that the state of the electronic device is the second wearing state, activating the active noise canceling (ANC) function or decreasing the volume of the sound output via the speaker in comparison to the first wearing state,

wherein the electronic device includes an audio output device worn on the user's ear,

wherein, in the first wearing state, the electronic device is inserted relatively less deeply into the user's ear than in the second wearing state and operates as an open-type audio output device, and

wherein, in the second wearing state, the electronic device is inserted relatively deeper into the user's ear than in the first wearing state and operates as a kernel-type audio output device.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

adjusting characteristics of a sound output via the speaker based on the state.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the identifying of the worn state includes:

outputting a signal having a frequency lower than a specified frequency toward the user's body via the speaker;

receiving the signal having the frequency lower than the specified frequency reflected from the user's body via the at least one microphone; and

identifying the worn state based on the reflected signal received via the at least one microphone.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

outputting the signal having the frequency lower than the specified frequency via the speaker when a change in a value sensed using the at least one sensor is equal to or higher than a specified value.

13. The method of claim 9 ,

wherein the at least one microphone includes a first microphone and a second microphone disposed to be spaced apart from each other at a specified spacing, and

wherein the identifying of the worn state includes identifying the state based on a difference between a volume of an external sound received via the first microphone and a volume of the external sound received via the second microphone.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the identifying of the worn state includes identifying the state based on a distance between the electronic device and at least the part of the user's body measured using the at least one sensor.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (36)