Portable devices and their operating methods

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a portable device and an operating method thereof. For example, the portable device includes a microphone structure configured to convert a received audio signal into an electronic signal representing the received audio signal, and to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves by emitting ultrasonic waves and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic waves. The portable device also includes a control unit configured to evaluate the reflections of the ultrasonic waves to obtain an evaluation result, and to control the operation of the portable device based on the evaluation result.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a portable device and a method of operating the same. The invention also relates to proximity-based headphone wearing detection using an audio microphone with an ultrasonic transceiver function. Background Technology

[0002] Portable devices can be powered by batteries. Users can turn the device on and off independently of its use; that is, users can turn the device on to use it and turn it off after use. For example, an example device is headphones.

[0003] Requirements have been put forward for longer operating times and / or more comfortable operation of portable devices. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An embodiment provides a portable device including a microphone structure configured to convert received audio signals into electronic signals representing the received audio signals, and to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves by emitting ultrasonic waves and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic waves. The portable device includes a control unit configured to evaluate the reflections of the ultrasonic waves to obtain an evaluation result, and to control the operation of the portable device based on the evaluation result. This allows for ultrasonic wave-based control operation to allow for power saving, such as in a non-use state, thereby enabling extended operation and / or comfortable operation.

[0005] Another embodiment provides a method for operating a portable device. The method includes converting a received audio signal into an electronic signal representing the received audio signal. The method also includes transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves by emitting ultrasonic waves and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic waves. The method includes evaluating the reflections of the ultrasonic waves to obtain an evaluation result. The method further includes controlling the operation of the portable device based on the evaluation result.

[0006] Further embodiments are also described herein. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Embodiments will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0008] Figure 1a A schematic block diagram of a portable device according to one embodiment is shown;

[0009] Figure 1b A schematic block diagram of a portable device is shown, in which ultrasonic waves are reflected at the object.

[0010] Figure 2a A schematic diagram of a portable device for user interaction according to one embodiment is shown;

[0011] Figure 2b A schematic block diagram of a portable device implementing feedforward control according to one embodiment is shown;

[0012] Figure 2c A schematic block diagram of a portion of a portable device according to one embodiment is shown, wherein adaptive control is based on feedback control;

[0013] Figure 3a A schematic block diagram illustrating the operation of an ANC headset according to one embodiment is shown;

[0014] Figure 3b A schematic diagram of yet another method for controlling or operating an ANC headset according to one embodiment is shown;

[0015] Figure 4 A schematic block diagram of a portable device as a mobile phone according to one embodiment is shown;

[0016] Figure 5 A schematic diagram is shown according to one embodiment for providing further details about ultrasound; and

[0017] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of a method for operating a portable device according to one embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The same or equivalent elements, or elements having the same or equivalent functions, are denoted by the same or equivalent reference numerals in the following description, even if they appear in different figures.

[0019] In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide a more thorough explanation of embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form rather than in detail to avoid obscuring embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically stated, features of the different embodiments described below can be combined with each other.

[0020] The embodiments described herein relate to portable devices. Portable devices may refer to devices or structures intended, configured, or manufactured for a user to carry or wear during their operation. Example portable devices are mobile phones, laptops, headphones, music players, etc.

[0021] Such portable devices can be turned on and off by the user, or they can interact with the user in different ways. For example, mobile phones (especially smartphones) can be viewed by the user while typing text messages, and can be held near the ear when using the device as a phone. In the latter case, the screen can be turned off to save battery power and / or to avoid erroneous input by attaching a touchscreen.

[0022] As a further example, headphones can be turned on while being worn and turned off when removed from the head. The same applies to active noise cancellation (ANC) headphones, which involve generating noise suitable for eliminating external noise at the user's ears. The ANC function can be turned on when wearing ANC headphones and turned off when removed from the user's head. Therefore, unnecessary noise emission and / or power consumption can be avoided.

[0023] Figure 1a A schematic block diagram of a portable device 10 according to one embodiment is shown. The portable device 10 may include a microphone structure 12 configured to convert a received audio signal 14 into an electronic signal 16. The electronic signal 16 may represent the received audio signal 14; that is, it may be an electronic version or representation thereof. The audio signal 14 may be an external audio signal to be captured, but it may also be a residual signal to be detected, such as from an ANC headset. That is, the microphone structure 12 may be an error microphone.

[0024] In addition to converting the audio signal 14 into an electronic signal 16, the microphone structure 12 can also be configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves 18. Since the processing of the audio signal 14 can be limited to the audio range (e.g., between 20 Hz and 20 kHz), the conversion of the audio signal 14 and the transmission and reception of the ultrasonic waves 18 can be performed simultaneously, or they can be performed sequentially.

[0025] The ultrasonic wave transmission and reception 18 may include emitting ultrasonic waves 18 and receiving reflections 18' of the ultrasonic waves 18. Reflections 18' may be received with a specific time delay relative to the emission time of the ultrasonic waves 18, wherein the time delay may be based on the distance between the microphone structure 12 and an object providing a reflective surface or body for reflecting the ultrasonic waves 18, thereby generating reflection 18'. Therefore, the reception of reflection 18' may be optional, as it may be based on the presence of an object. In the absence of an object, the reflection may remain absent. The absence of an object may be equal to or equivalent to a distance from the object exceeding a threshold. This exceeding may result in an amplitude and / or time delay, which may be considered too low or too long to be processed or measured.

[0026] Portable device 10 may include a control unit 22 configured to evaluate reflection 18' to obtain an evaluation result 24. Control unit 22 may be configured to control the operation of portable device 10 based on the evaluation result 24. For example, control unit 22 may output or provide control signals to adapt, activate, or deactivate functions of portable device 10, such as turning components of portable device 10 on or off, or otherwise switching or changing functions. Control unit 22 may include a processor, microcontroller, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. Although described as a separate component, control unit 22 may also be integrated into microphone structure 12.

[0027] The control unit 22 can receive a signal 28 from the microphone structure 12, which contains information about the received reflection 18'. The signal 28 may also include information about the ultrasonic wave 18 emitted by the microphone structure 12, for example, to allow the control unit 22 to determine the time of flight. Alternatively, the control unit 22 may already have access to this information, for example, when controlling the microphone structure 12.

[0028] According to one embodiment, signals 16 and 28 may be the same signal, and the control unit 22 may separate or distinguish between the two signals, for example, in response to a frequency range of signal 14 that differs from the frequency range of ultrasound 18. Alternatively, information relating to reflection 18' may be directed to the control unit 22 as a separate signal.

[0029] Control unit 22 may be configured to control microphone structure 12 to emit ultrasonic waves 18. For example, control unit 22 may provide microphone structure 12 with a control signal 22a containing such information. Microphone structure 12 may be configured to operate within at least two different frequency ranges. For example, the first frequency range is the audio range, such as the range of frequencies perceptible to humans, such as between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. Separately from the second frequency range, the ultrasonic frequency range of ultrasonic waves 18 may be arranged. For example, the ultrasonic frequency range may be within a frequency range of at least 40 kHz and at most 120 kHz, a frequency range of at least 60 kHz and at most 100 kHz, or a frequency range of at least 70 kHz and at most 90 kHz, such as 80 kHz.

[0030] A frequency gap can be set between the audio range and the ultrasonic range. Although the audio signal 14 can also include portions outside the audio range, for example, the microphone structure 12 can be configured to generate the electronic signal 16 so that it only includes portions within the audio range. The microphone structure 12 may include evaluation circuitry, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), microcontroller, or field-programmable gate array (FPGA) for converting the audio signal 14 into the electronic signal 16. For example, the evaluation circuitry may be part of the control unit 22, or may form a common component with the control unit 22.

[0031] The microphone structure 12 may include a microelectromechanical system (MEMS). For example, the membrane structure and / or one or more backplane structures of the microphone structure 12 may include semiconductor materials, such as gallium arsenide or silicon. This MEMS microphone structure can operate over a wide frequency range, including both audio and ultrasonic frequencies.

[0032] By using control signal 26, the operation of portable device 10 can be controlled at least in part based on reflection 18'. This allows for the distinction between situations where ultrasonic waves 18 remain unreflected (e.g., when no reflection 18' is received or its amplitude is below a predetermined threshold) and situations where reflection 18' is received or at least reaches the predetermined threshold. This allows for automatic control of portable device 10.

[0033] Figure 1b A schematic block diagram of a portable device 10 is shown, wherein reflection 18' is obtained in response to the reflection of ultrasonic waves 18 at an object 32. For example, object 32 may be associated with a user. For example, object 32 may be the user's head or a portion thereof (e.g., an ear, etc.). Although some embodiments described herein involve the identification or classification of object 32, embodiments may simply detect reflection 18', which implicitly requires object 32 to reflect ultrasonic waves 18.

[0034] The object 32 can move 34 in any direction in space. Through continuous evaluation of the reflection 18', the control unit 22 can also determine or detect the speed and / or position and / or direction of the object 32's movement 34. The control unit 22 can be configured to determine the approach of the object 32 towards the microphone structure 12. The control unit 22 can be configured to control the portable device 10 based on this. For example, the portable device 10 is headphones. The control unit can be configured to prepare for acoustic shock when the headphones are placed on the user's head. For example, this might mean deactivation to control lower sound pressure levels of the speaker or ignoring updates to the adaptive controller of the active noise cancellation system. In other words, since distance information can be more than just a simple on / off indication, it can also be self-converted. For example, this can be used for so-called proximity information that prepares the system for a pressure shock. The microphone, which has an ultrasonic transceiver function, can output dedicated proximity data, or the proximity data can be calculated based on audio signals in a standard audio processing path.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the portable device 10 may be a wearable device. The control unit 22 may be configured to provide wear detection in order to control the operation of the portable device 10. Referring again to the example of headphones, wear detection may be performed to detect whether a user is wearing or removing the headphones. Next, during the evaluation of reflection 18', the presence of an object 32 adjacent to the portable device 10 may be detected. Alternatively or additionally, the absence of object 32 may be detected. If presence is detected, the function of the portable device may be switched or controlled to a first mode. Based on the detection of the absence of an object, the function may be controlled to a different second mode. When referring to headphones, for example, the first mode may be active or on, i.e., the function may be activated. The second mode may be deactivated. That is, the controller may turn on the headphones when it is detected that they have been worn and / or deactivate them when it is detected that they have been removed.

[0036] When the portable device 10 is an example of a mobile phone, the first mode may be an inactive or disabled screen, taking into account at least touch sensitivity and / or display functionality. The second mode may be an active display mode.

[0037] Ultrasonic waves not only allow for the detection of the presence or absence of object 32, but also for the detection of the structure of object 32. For example, control unit 22 may be configured to at least determine the topology or surface profile of the surface 32A of object 32 facing microphone structure 12. For example, object 32 may be a user's ear. Control unit 22 may be configured to determine the topology of the ear that reflects ultrasonic waves 18. Control unit 22 may determine the position of the earphone relative to the left and / or right ear on the user's head based on the topology. For example, microphone structure 12 emitting ultrasonic waves 18 may be located in one or both earpieces of the earphone, allowing control unit 22 to determine the two orientations of the earphone placed on the head. For example, this can be used to adjust the left / right channels of the generated audio signal.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the control unit 22 may be configured to classify or identify objects, for example, by determining a topology and distinguishing the determined topology from other topologies and / or by associating the determined topology with known topologies. For example, the topology of an ear may be associated with a user and / or user settings, such as preferred sound pressure level, loudness, or other settings of the portable device 10 (which may also include settings of other subsystems, such as radio stations, playlists to be played, etc.).

[0039] For example, control unit 22 can use machine learning to analyze echoes (i.e., reflections 18') to determine one of multiple wearing scenarios (e.g., left / right detection) or to extract an acoustic fingerprint of object 12 (e.g., ear). For example, acoustic fingerprints can be learned separately for device 10 and control unit 22 by calibrating the device for one or more parameters (e.g., frequency variations, etc.) of reflections 18' caused by object 12.

[0040] Alternatively or additionally, besides machine learning, directional characteristics can be implemented in the device 10, for example, by arranging the transceiver or microphone structure 12 at a tilted position relative to the object 12. Thus, different wearing scenarios can result in different reflections 18'. For example, in a first scenario, the sound signal 18 can enter the ear, which can act as a sound parabolic mirror and cause a reflection 18' with a high amplitude (i.e., a loud signal), while in different scenarios (different ears), the tilt direction can point to different parts of the object 12 (e.g., the head), resulting in different (e.g., lower) amplitudes. Therefore, the control unit 22 can perform differential processing based on the amplitude.

[0041] Alternatively or additionally, the control unit 22 may determine whether the detected object 32 is an ear or a different object. For example, the control unit 22 may control the headphones to activate when the presence of an ear is detected, but may keep the headphones off if the object 32 is not an ear, allowing the headphones to remain deactivated when placed on a stand. For example, ear detection and / or user determination may be performed on ANC headphones and / or other headphones (e.g., headphones for playing music or voice).

[0042] For example, when the position of the headphones relative to the left and / or right ear is detected, the control unit 22 can control the operation of the headphones to switch between the left and right channels to be reproduced or output by the headphones.

[0043] Control unit 22 is optionally or additionally configured to obtain a pattern of an object (e.g., an earcup applied to headphones) from reflected ultrasonic waves 18'. Control unit 22 may determine at least one operating parameter of the headphones associated with the pattern and to control the headphones according to the operating parameter. For example, the headphones may determine whether the ears are small or large and may determine whether to provide a signal with high or low (loud or silent) amplitude and / or an ANC channel model that can adapt to changes in the shape or volume of the ears.

[0044] Control unit 22 is alternatively or additionally configured to obtain a pattern or topology of an object (e.g., an earcup applied to headphones) from reflected ultrasonic waves 18'. Control unit 22 may determine at least one operating parameter of the headphones associated with this pattern and is used to control the headphones based on this operating parameter. For example, the headphones may determine whether the ears are small or large and may determine whether to provide a signal with high or low (loud or silent) amplitude and / or an ANC channel model adaptable to changes in the shape or volume of the ears. According to one embodiment, the shape of the ears may be associated with a specific profile, possibly specific to an individual user. This profile may include user-specific settings, such as minimum or maximum amplitude or level of sound pressure to be emitted, frequency response, loudness, etc.

[0045] Figure 2aA schematic diagram of a portable device 20 interacting with a user 36 according to one embodiment is shown. For example, the portable device 20 is implemented as an ANC headset with a microphone 38 configured to detect or capture external noise 42, i.e., the corresponding audio signal. The portable device 20 includes a speaker 44 controlled to output so-called anti-noise relative to the external noise 42 in order to at least partially cancel the external noise 42. The portable device 20 includes a microphone structure 12 configured to emit ultrasonic waves 18 and receive reflections 18'. The microphone structure 12 can be cooperatively used as an error microphone for the ANC headset. Detection of the object 32 (i.e., the user 36) can be performed simultaneously, i.e., concurrently or sequentially. That is, the control unit 22 can be configured to operate the microphone structure 12 to convert the received audio signal and to simultaneously or sequentially transmit and receive ultrasonic waves 18.

[0046] Control unit 22 can be configured to evaluate reflection 18' in order to detect the presence of user 36 adjacent to portable device 20. Based on the presence, control unit 22 can activate active noise cancellation. Based on the detection of absence, control unit can optionally or additionally deactivate active noise cancellation.

[0047] In ultrasonic transceiver mode, the microphone's audio performance may be briefly interrupted. Embodiments address preventing negative impacts or audible effects on proper processing operations. From a system architecture perspective, an error microphone may be a preferred structural element because it is used, for example, in feedforward topologies to update adaptive algorithms, where short signal discontinuities do not impair or are easily accounted for. In hybrid ANC topologies, intelligent switching or transition methods can be applied to mask audio interruptions during transceiver operation.

[0048] Figure 2b A schematic block diagram of a portable device 20 implemented using feedforward control is shown. The feedforward control of the ANC headset may include an error determiner 46a (e.g., a least mean square (LMS) block) for determining the error between the predicted signal 48 and the error signal 52 obtained from the microphone structure 12, to implement an adaptive algorithm using an adaptive filter 54 denoted by W(z). Thus, the path 56 through the ANC headset can be modified, corrected, or reduced for noise based on an estimate 56' of the path 56 denoted by S(z).

[0049] Figure 2c A schematic block diagram of a portion of a portable device 20 is shown, wherein adaptive control is based on feedback control. The first portion 46 can be implemented based on... Figure 2aThe feedforward control structure, combined with the second part 58 to achieve feedback, allows this structure to also be referred to as a hybrid ANC topology. The output of the microphone structure 12 (i.e., the detected error signal) can be used to feed another error determiner 46b to adjust the adaptive filter 62.

[0050] like Figure 2c The hybrid ANC system shown can be understood as a combination of feedforward and feedback topologies. For example, a feedforward topology can provide greater benefit to broadband noise compared to narrowband noise. For instance, in a feedforward topology, signal loss and phase shift due to the reduced low-frequency response of the reference microphone can limit attenuation performance at low frequencies. In this case, a feedback topology can be used. For instance, in a feedback topology, the measured residual signal can be used to estimate the reference signal. Therefore, feedforward attenuates the main noise associated with the reference signal, while feedback cancels out the noise multiplied by the residual e(n) and the filter output y(n), expressed as The noise component reconstructed by the quadratic path estimation 56'. The output of the microphone structure 12 (thereby the detected error signal e(n)) can be fed to the error determiner 46b to adjust the adaptive filter 62, and it can be used to generate a reference signal. The estimate is used as the input to the adaptive filter 62.

[0051] In other words, ANC headphones can use such as Figure 2c The dual-microphone setup is shown. One microphone 38 captures ambient noise outside the earcups, while the second microphone 12 is used to tune the algorithm using error signals from inside the earcups.

[0052] By simultaneously using microphone structure 12 as an error microphone and evaluation Figure 2a The structure of the reflection 18' shown can be controlled by 22 based on Figure 2b The reflected reflection 18' skips the updates of adaptive filters 54 and / or 62. That is, the reflected reflection 18' is an artificially generated error that causes errors in adaptive filters 54 and / or 62 when considered during updates. For example, the control unit may pause or cancel updates during the time interval when the reflected reflection 18' is received and / or shortly after the ultrasonic wave 18 is emitted. Alternatively or additionally, separation may be performed within the frequency range so that only the frequency range of the audio signal is considered.

[0053] That is, the portable device, as headphones, may include an active noise cancelling unit configured to perform active noise cancellation based on an adaptive controller, wherein the adaptive controller is configured to continuously perform adaptive control of the active noise cancelling unit based on the received audio signal. The adaptive controller is configured to pause adaptation during the time interval between transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. Alternatively, the adaptive controller may be configured to perform adaptation unaffected by ultrasonic waves 18.

[0054] in other words, Figure 2c A schematic block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a portable device 20 with a hybrid ANC topology is shown.

[0055] Figure 3a A schematic block diagram of the operation of an ANC headset according to one embodiment is shown. During a first operation mode 64, ANC can be performed. During a second operation mode 66, object detection can be performed, i.e., determining whether an object (e.g., a head) is near the headset. During object detection 66, ANC 64 can be paused, or alternatively, it can continue, for example, without adjusting the ANC parameters.

[0056] Figure 3b A schematic diagram of another method for controlling or operating an ANC headset is shown. In a first operating mode 64, the controller is adaptive, while in a different operating mode 64', as described in conjunction with operating mode 66, object detection is performed. In operation 64', ANC is performed or continues, but without adaptation of the controller or adaptive filter.

[0057] In other words, wear detection can be a feature in active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones. To avoid disturbing the environment, especially in wireless applications, and to prevent unnecessary power consumption, it is valuable to mute the audio and disable the power-intensive processing in the ANC headphones when the user removes them. A common scenario is that the user removes the headphones and forgets to manually stop the audio and / or turn them off. The headphones will continue to operate, propagating sound into the environment until the battery is depleted. This can be prevented by automatically turning off the headphones. Compared to error-prone electromechanical on / off switching, this embodiment provides reliable detection.

[0058] Figure 4A schematic block diagram of a portable device 40 according to one embodiment is shown. For example, the portable device 40 is a mobile phone. Although the explanation given herein relates to smartphones (where antennas, etc., may be arranged within a housing 68 and may have a relatively large display 72), the embodiments also relate to other types of mobile phones, including personal digital assistants (PDAs) with telephone functionality or desktop computers, etc. The portable device 40 includes a microphone structure 12, which may be arranged, for example, near a speaker for telephone use, behind the display 72, or in any other location. For example, the microphone structure 12 is arranged to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves in the direction along which an intended object 32 (e.g., a user's head) is directed.

[0059] The reflection 18' of the ultrasonic wave 18 can be used to detect the presence of a corresponding object adjacent to the portable device 40. Based on this, the function of the portable device 40 can be adjusted. For example, the display 72 can be deactivated based on a determined presence. Alternatively or additionally, the display 72 can be activated based on a determined absence.

[0060] Figure 5 A schematic diagram is shown that provides further details relating to the microphone structure 12, for example, which is part of a portable device 10, for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves 18.

[0061] The horizontal axis represents the time axis t, while the vertical axis represents the amplitude A of the control mechanism used for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves (especially for transmitting ultrasonic waves). Time t and amplitude A are qualitative in nature only. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, the same amplitude and / or time shown may refer to different amplitudes and / or times, and vice versa.

[0062] To transmit and receive ultrasonic waves 18, microphone structure 12 can be controlled to emit multiple pulses 741-743. Although three pulses 741-743 are shown, any other suitable number can be emitted, such as at least one pulse, at least two pulses, at least three pulses, at least five pulses, or at least ten pulses, or more or fewer. For example, microphone structure 12 is controlled to output five pulses during evaluation intervals 761, 762, 763, and / or 764. The time difference Δt between single pulses 741 and 742 can be related to the frequency of the acquired ultrasonic waves (e.g., at least 40 kHz and up to 120 kHz, such as 80 kHz).

[0063] Pulse 74 iThe repetition rate (1 / Δt) of i(1, ...) and the number of pulses to be emitted can be related to the duration of measurement intervals 761, 762, 763 and / or 764 or further measurement intervals. An embodiment provides a measurement interval 76 having a duration of at most 1 ms, at most 0.2 ms, or at least 0.07 ms. For example, the number of five pulses emitted at a frequency of 80 kHz can result in a duration of approximately 0.0625 ms. Another time of measurement interval 761 can be used to evaluate reflection 18'. Therefore, the duration of measurement intervals 761-764 can be the expected maximum range of ultrasound waves traveling toward / from the object. For example, if reflection 18' arrives after measurement interval 761, this signal can be ignored.

[0064] The control unit can be configured to control the microphone structure to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves and to evaluate the reflection of ultrasonic waves during multiple measurement intervals 761-764 with repetition rates of at least 10 / s, at least 15 / s, and at least 20 / s.

[0065] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of a method for operating a portable device according to one embodiment is shown. Method 600 includes step 610, where a received audio signal is converted into an electronic signal representing the received audio signal. Step 620 includes transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves by emitting ultrasonic waves and by receiving reflections of the ultrasonic waves. Step 630 includes evaluating the reflections of the ultrasonic waves to obtain an evaluation result. Step 640 includes controlling the operation of the portable device based on the evaluation result.

[0066] Optionally, for example, in response to a controlled operation, step 610 may be performed after step 640.

[0067] That is, the evaluation results can be used to turn portable devices on and / or off and / or to adjust other parameters.

[0068] Optionally, the method may include steps relating to determining the topology of an object (e.g., earmuffs). The method may include determining at least one operational parameter related to a previously stored user profile (user identifier, i.e., an earmuff profile that can be associated with a specific user) and / or to the determined profile (user classification, such as small / large earmuffs, left / right earmuffs); and controlling a portable device based on the operational parameter. For example, the portable device described herein may be used to perform these steps.

[0069] For portable structures, wear detection functionality can be added without altering the hardware layout, i.e., the structure can be used collaboratively. Furthermore, ANC topologies can also be used by employing an audio microphone with an ultrasonic transceiver. In addition to its standard microphone operating mode, this microphone with an ultrasonic transceiver can also be used as a proximity sensor. By measuring the time between the emitted and reflected received ultrasonic signals, a proximity sensor can be calculated, for example... Figure 2a The distance between the objects shown. By utilizing proximity information, audio signals can be correctly enabled / disabled, and preprocessing can be better controlled when the user puts on / takes off headphones. Simply keeping the microphone with ultrasonic transceiver functionality on disables all other power-intensive operations, thus significantly reducing overall power consumption compared to standard on operation.

[0070] Furthermore, ultrasonic reflections from the ear can be used to identify a specific user's ear. Through this identification, the headphones can be activated only for a specific user and / or a specific user profile that can be activated (including acoustic characteristics such as maximum level, frequency response, loudness, etc.). Additionally, it can be used to identify the left and right ears for automatic left / right channel switching. Therefore, directional wearing awareness may be unnecessary. This function can be enabled using machine learning techniques.

[0071] Therefore, the embodiments relate to proximity-based wear detection of ANC headphones using an audio microphone with ultrasonic receiver functionality.

[0072] Although some aspects are described in the context of an apparatus, it is clear that these aspects also represent a description of the corresponding method, where a block or device corresponds to a method step or a feature of a method step. Similarly, aspects described in the context of a method step also represent a description of a corresponding block, item, or feature of the corresponding apparatus.

[0073] Depending on specific implementation requirements, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in hardware or software. This implementation may be carried out using a digital storage medium (e.g., floppy disk, DVD, CD, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or flash memory) storing electronically readable control signals that cooperate (or are capable of cooperating with) a programmable computer system to execute the corresponding methods.

[0074] Some embodiments of the invention include a data carrier having electronically readable control signals, which is capable of cooperating with a programmable computer system to perform one of the methods described herein.

[0075] Generally, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as a computer program product having program code that, when run on a computer, operates to perform a method. For example, the program code may be stored on a machine-readable medium.

[0076] Other embodiments include a computer program stored on a machine-readable medium for performing one of the methods described herein.

[0077] In other words, one embodiment of the method of the present invention is that when a computer program is run on a computer, the computer program has program code for performing one of the methods described herein.

[0078] Therefore, another embodiment of the method of the present invention is a data carrier (or digital storage medium or computer-readable medium) having a computer program recorded thereon for performing one of the methods described herein.

[0079] Therefore, another embodiment of the method of the present invention thus represents a data stream or signal sequence for performing one of the methods described herein. For example, the data stream or signal sequence may be configured to be transmitted via a data communication connection (e.g., via the Internet).

[0080] Another embodiment includes a processing device, such as a computer or programmable logic device, configured or adapted to perform one of the methods described herein.

[0081] Another embodiment includes a computer having a computer program installed thereon for performing one of the methods described herein.

[0082] In some embodiments, a programmable logic device (e.g., a field-programmable gate array) may be used to perform some or all of the functions of the methods described herein. In some embodiments, the field-programmable gate array may cooperate with a microprocessor to perform one of the methods described herein. Generally, these methods are preferably performed by any hardware device.

[0083] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. It should be understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and details described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope is to be limited only by the scope of the forthcoming patent claims, and not by the specific details presented in the description and explanation of the embodiments herein.

Claims

1. A portable device, comprising: A microphone (12) is configured to operate within a human-perceptible audio range and a separate ultrasonic frequency range, the ultrasonic frequency range being separate from the audio range. The microphone is configured to convert a received audio signal (14) into an electronic signal (16) representing the received audio signal (14), and to transmit and receive the ultrasonic wave (18) by emitting an ultrasonic wave (18) and by receiving a reflection (18') of the ultrasonic wave. A control unit (22) is configured to evaluate the reflection (18') of the ultrasonic wave to obtain an evaluation result (24), and to control the operation of the portable device based on the evaluation result (24). The portable device is an earphone, and the control unit (22) is configured to: Determine the topology of the ear that reflects the ultrasonic waves (18) and determine at least one position of the earphone relative to the left and / or right ear of the head, and adjust the operation of the earphone based on the position; and / or The system determines the approach of an object (32) to the microphone (12) and controls the headphones based on this operation, and prepares for acoustic impact when the headphones are worn on the head. In order to prepare for acoustic impact when the headphones are worn on the head, the control unit is configured to: deactivate; control the lower sound pressure level of the speaker; and ignore updates to the adaptive controller of the active noise cancellation system.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the microphone is a microphone structure.

3. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic impact is related to a wearing condition in which the headphones are worn on the user's head, such that the portable device is prepared for a pressure impact.

4. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the microphone comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), wherein one or more backplane structures and / or membranes of the microphone comprise semiconductor materials, wherein the membrane structure is capable of operating within a frequency range including the audio range and the ultrasonic frequency range.

5. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the portable device is a wearable device, wherein the control unit (22) is configured to provide wear detection in order to control the operation of the portable device, wherein the microphone is used in conjunction with the wear detection and serves as an audio microphone.

6. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (22) is configured to evaluate the reflection (18') of the ultrasonic wave to detect the presence of an object (32) adjacent to the portable device, and to control the function of the portable device to a first mode to control the operation of the portable device; and / or The device is used to evaluate the reflection (18') of the ultrasonic waves in order to detect the absence of an object (32) adjacent to the portable device, and to control the function of the portable device to a second mode in order to control the operation of the portable device.

7. The portable device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the portable device is an earphone with active noise cancellation; wherein the microphone (12) is an error microphone; wherein the control unit (22) is configured to evaluate the reflection (18') of the ultrasonic waves in order to detect the presence of an object (32) adjacent to the portable device, and to activate the active noise cancellation function based on the presence; and / or The reflection (18') of the ultrasonic wave is used to evaluate the absence of an object (32) adjacent to the portable device, and to disable the active noise cancellation function based on the absence of the object.

8. The portable device of claim 7, wherein the earphones include an active noise cancelling device configured to perform active noise cancellation based on an adaptive controller (54, 62), the adaptive controller being configured to continuously adapt the control of the active noise cancelling device based on the received audio signal; The adaptive controllers (54, 62) are configured to pause the adaptation during the time interval (76) of transmitting and receiving the ultrasonic waves (18); or The adaptive controllers (54, 62) are configured to perform the adaptation unaffected by the ultrasonic waves (18).

9. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the control unit (22) is configured to obtain a pattern of earcups applied to the headphones from the reflection (18') of the ultrasonic waves, and to determine at least one operating parameter of the headphones associated with the pattern and to control the headphones according to the operating parameter.

10. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the control unit (22) is configured to control the microphone (12) to transmit the ultrasonic waves (18) at a frequency of at least 40 kHz and at most 120 kHz.

11. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the control unit (22) is configured to control the microphone (12) to transmit and receive the ultrasonic wave (18), and to evaluate the reflection (18') of the ultrasonic wave during a measurement interval (76) having a duration of at most 1 ms.

12. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the control unit (22) is configured to control the microphone (12) to transmit and receive the ultrasonic waves (18), and to evaluate the reflections (18') of the ultrasonic waves during a plurality of measurement intervals (761-764) having a repetition rate of at least 10 / s.

13. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to operate the microphone, the microphone being used to convert the received audio signal (14) and to simultaneously or sequentially transmit and receive the ultrasonic wave (18).

14. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the microphone is a MEMS microphone.

15. A method (600) for operating a portable device, said portable device being headphones, the method comprising: The received audio signal (14) is converted (610) into an electronic signal (16) representing the received audio signal (14) using a microphone, the microphone being capable of operating within a range of human-perceptible audio and a separate range of ultrasonic frequencies, the ultrasonic frequency range being separate from the audio range; The microphone is used to transmit and receive (620) the ultrasonic waves by emitting ultrasonic waves and by receiving the reflections of the ultrasonic waves. The reflection of the ultrasound wave (630) is evaluated in order to obtain an evaluation result; The operation of the portable device is controlled (640) based on the evaluation results; Determine the topology of the ear that reflects the ultrasonic waves (18) and determine at least one position of the earphone relative to the left and / or right ear of the head, and adjust the operation of the earphone based on the position; and / or The approach of an object (32) toward the microphone (12) is determined, and the operation is used to control the headphones and to prepare an acoustic impact when the headphones are worn on the head, such that when the headphones are worn on the head, at least one of the following is performed: deactivation; control of the lower sound pressure level of the speaker; and ignoring updates of the adaptive controller of the active noise cancellation system.

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