IP Library Granted Patent US 12,732,733
Granted Patent B2
US 12,732,733 · App. 18/712,527 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Method and system of static charge variation sensing based human jaw motion detection for user voice

Inventors: Fang Liu (Palo Alto, CA); Trausti Thormundsson (Irvine, CA); Yuan Jen Chang (Mountain View, CA); Nicholas Jordan Sanders (Saratoga, CA); Kari Antero Pulli (Belmont, CA); Kuan-Lin Chen (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: Google LLC
H04R1/1041G10K11/17821H04R1/1025H04R1/1083
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,732,733
App. No.
18/712,527
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method using a charge collection antenna in a wearable device to collect charge variation based on a user's jawbone and muscle motion. The collected charge variation may be used to determine an on-body status of the wearable device. For example, in wireless earbuds, information acquired from a charge collection antenna may be used to determine whether the earbud is worn in-ear by the user. The collected charge variation may also be used to detect jaw motion by the user.

Claims (60)

1 . A method for determining a state of a wearable electronic device using one or more metal components of the wearable electronic device as an antenna, the method comprising:

receiving, by the one or more metal components of the wearable electronic device, charge variation data;

determining, by one or more processors, whether the received charge variation data exceeds a predetermined threshold;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the wearable electronic device is being worn by a user when the received charge variation data exceeds the predetermined threshold;

detecting, with the one or more processors, peaks in the received charge variation data when the device is determined to be worn by the user;

determining, with the one or more processors based on the detected peaks, whether a jaw of the user is moving; and

operating the wearable electronic device in an active mode when it is determined that the wearable electronic device is being worn by the user; or

operating the wearable electronic device in a listening mode when it is determined that the jaw of the user is moving.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing the received charge variation data, wherein the determining whether the received charge variation data exceeds the predetermined threshold comprises comparing the processed charge variation data to the predetermined threshold.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the processing of the received charge variation data comprises at least one of amplifying the received charge variation data or filtering the received charge variation data.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein in the listening mode the wearable electronic device performs at least one of an audio noise cancellation or listening for a voice input from the user.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, with the one or more processors, whether the wearable electronic device is connected to a charger;

operating the wearable electronic device in a standby mode when the wearable electronic device is not connected to the charger, the standby mode being a low power mode; and

operating the wearable electronic device in a charging mode when the wearable electronic device is connected to the charger, wherein in the charging mode the wearable electronic device receives a charge through a charging pad of the wearable electronic device.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the charging pad functions as the antenna when the wearable electronic device is not connected to the charger.

7 . A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

one or more metal components integrated with, housed by, or coupled to the housing, the one or more metal components configured to function as one or more antennas;

one or more processors in communication with the one or more metal components, the one or more processors configured to:

receive charge variation data from the one or more antennas;

determine whether the received charge variation data exceeds a predetermined threshold;

determine that the wearable electronic device is being worn by a user when the received charge variation data exceeds the predetermined threshold;

detect peaks in the received charge variation data when the device is determined to be worn by the user;

determine, based on the detected peaks, whether a jaw of the user is moving; and

operate the wearable electronic device in an active mode when it is determined that the wearable electronic device is being worn by the user; or

operating the wearable electronic device in a listening mode when it is determined that the jaw of the user is moving.

8 . The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising circuitry in communication with the one or more antennas, the circuitry configured for processing the received charge variation data.

9 . The wearable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the circuitry comprises at least one of an amplifier, a filter, or a digital signal processor.

10 . The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein in the listening mode the wearable electronic device performs at least one of an audio noise cancellation or a listening for voice input from the user.

11 . The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the metal components comprises a charging pad, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine whether the wearable electronic device is connected to the charger;

operate the wearable electronic device in a standby mode when the wearable electronic device is not connected to the charger, the standby mode being a low power mode; and

operate the wearable electronic device in a charging mode when the wearable electronic device is connected to the charger, wherein in the charging mode the wearable electronic device receives a charge through the charging pad of the wearable electronic device.

12 . The wearable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the charging pad functions as the antenna when the wearable electronic device is not connected to the charger.

13 . The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the wearable electronic device is an earbud.

14 . The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine whether the wearable electronic device is connected to a charger;

operate the wearable electronic device in a standby mode when the wearable electronic device is not connected to the charger, the standby mode being a low power mode; and

operate the wearable electronic device in a charging mode when the wearable electronic device is connected to the charger, wherein in the charging mode the wearable electronic device receives a charge through a charging pad of the wearable electronic device.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors for performing a method of determining a state of a wearable electronic device using one or more metal components of the wearable electronic device as an antenna, the method comprising:

receiving charge variation data;

determining whether the received charge variation data exceeds a predetermined threshold;

determining that the wearable electronic device is being worn by a user when the received charge variation data exceeds the predetermined threshold;

detect peaks in the received charge variation data when the device is determined to be worn by the user;

determine, based on the detected peaks, whether a jaw of the user is moving; and

operating the wearable electronic device in an active mode when it is determined that the wearable electronic device is being worn by the user; or

operating the wearable electronic device in a listening mode when it is determined that the jaw of the user is moving.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising circuitry in communication with the one or more antennas, the circuitry configured for processing the received charge variation data.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein in the listening mode the wearable electronic device performs at least one of an audio noise cancellation or a listening for voice input from the user.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the instructions further cause the one or more processors to process the received charge variation data; and

the determining whether the received charge variation data exceeds the predetermined threshold comprises comparing the processed charge variation data to the predetermined threshold.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the processing of the received charge variation data comprises at least one of:

amplifying the received charge variation data; or

filtering the received charge variation data.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine whether the wearable electronic device is connected to a charger;

operate the wearable electronic device in a standby mode when the wearable electronic device is not connected to the charger, the standby mode being a low power mode; and

operate the wearable electronic device in a charging mode when the wearable electronic device is connected to the charger, wherein in the charging mode the wearable electronic device receives a charge through a charging pad of the wearable electronic device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2024
From: LIU, FANG; THORMUNDSSON, TRAUSTI; CHANG, YUAN JEN; SANDERS, NICHOLAS JORDAN; PULLI, KARI ANTERO; CHEN, KUAN-LIN
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 067495/0017 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250008252A1 · Jan 2, 2025
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