Open type earphone and wearable device

Abstract

The utility model discloses an open earphone and wearable equipment, and the open earphone comprises an earphone body, an ear hook, a deformation detection sensor, and a processor. Wherein the ear hook is connected with the earphone body; the ear hook comprises a connecting section connected with the earphone body, a free section far away from the earphone body and a middle section, and the middle section is respectively connected with the connecting section and the free section; when the wearing state of the earphone is a worn state, at least part of the earphone body extends into the auricular conchae of the ear; the deformation detection sensor is arranged on the ear hook and is used for detecting a deformation signal generated when the ear hook deforms in the wearing process or after the earphone is worn; and the processor is connected with the deformation detection sensor and is used for receiving the deformation signal and determining the wearing state of the open earphone according to the deformation signal. The open type earphone can clearly receive the voice of the user during the call, so that the call quality of the user is improved, and the user experience is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the field of electronic device technology. More specifically, this disclosure relates to an open-back headset and a wearable device. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous improvement of living standards, various wearable electronic devices are increasingly entering people's daily lives, becoming an indispensable part of their work, study, and leisure. Headphones are a type of wearable electronic device used for playing and receiving sound.

[0003] When a user makes a voice call using headphones, only the primary earpiece supports microphone pickup. However, if a user only wears one earpiece, they may not be wearing the primary earpiece, which will prevent the primary earpiece's microphone from picking up the user's voice during the call.

[0004] One current solution uses a skin detection sensor to determine the fit between the earphone and the user's skin. It then identifies the earphone based on this fit and designates it as the primary earphone, using its microphone to receive the user's voice during calls. However, the accuracy of this solution heavily relies on the fit between the earphone and the skin. Therefore, if the user is wearing an earphone that doesn't fit well, the solution cannot accurately identify it, resulting in a decrease in the quality of voice calls.

[0005] Another current solution determines whether an earbud is inside the charging case. If one earbud is inside, the other is designated as the primary earbud, and its microphone receives the user's voice during calls. However, this method might mistakenly designate an earbud outside the case but not being worn—for example, an earbud placed on a table—as the primary earbud, leading to incorrect identification of the user's worn earbud or the primary earbud, resulting in decreased call quality.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a headset that can accurately identify the headset worn by the user and improve the quality of voice calls. Utility Model Content

[0007] In order to at least address one or more of the technical problems mentioned above, this disclosure proposes a headphone solution in several aspects.

[0008] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides an earphone, comprising: an earphone body, an ear hook, a deformation detection sensor, and a processor; wherein the ear hook is connected to the earphone body; the ear hook includes a connecting section connected to the earphone body, a free section away from the earphone body, and an intermediate section, the intermediate section being connected to the connecting section and the free section respectively; when the open-back earphone is in a worn state, the earphone body at least partially extends into the concha of the ear; the deformation detection sensor is disposed on the ear hook and is used to detect deformation signals generated when the ear hook deforms during or after wearing the open-back earphone; the processor is connected to the deformation detection sensor and is used to receive the deformation signals and determine the wearing state of the open-back earphone based on the deformation signals.

[0009] In some embodiments, when the open-back headphones are worn, the free segment is located behind the ear, the middle segment is located between the upper side of the ear and the head, and at least one of the connecting segment, the free segment, and the middle segment deforms, and the deformation detection sensor is disposed at at least one of the connecting segment, the free segment, and the middle segment.

[0010] In some embodiments, when the intermediate segment deforms, a clamping force is formed between the free segment and the headphone body, so that the open-back headphones are worn on the ears.

[0011] In some embodiments, the deformation detection sensor is a sheet-like pressure sensor disposed on the ear hook. The sheet-like pressure sensor is used to detect the deformation and stretching of the ear hook when the ear hook deforms, and to generate the deformation signal.

[0012] In some embodiments, the open-back headphones further include a magnetic component disposed in the free section or the middle section; the deformation detection sensor includes a Hall sensor disposed in the headphone body for detecting the relative displacement between the magnetic component and the headphone body, so as to convert the relative displacement into the deformation signal.

[0013] In some embodiments, the magnetic element is a battery or a magnet.

[0014] In some embodiments, the open-back headphones further include a first switch connected to the deformation detection sensor, for receiving the deformation signal, and switching the wearing state to a worn state in response to the deformation signal being greater than a preset deformation threshold; and switching the wearing state to an unworn state in response to the deformation signal being less than or equal to the deformation threshold.

[0015] In some embodiments, the open-back headphones include a first sub-earphone, a second sub-earphone, and a second switch, wherein the second switch is connected to the processor, the first sub-earphone, and the second sub-earphone; the second switch is configured to receive a first wearing state of the first sub-earphone and a second wearing state of the second sub-earphone; and in response to the first wearing state being a worn state and the second wearing state being an unworn state, to determine the first sub-earphone as the main earphone.

[0016] In some embodiments, the open-back headphones further include a microphone for receiving sound in response to the first sub-earhook becoming the main earphone.

[0017] In some embodiments, the open-back headphones further include a second sensor for detecting the positional relationship between the open-back headphones and the ear.

[0018] In some embodiments, the second sensor is a capacitive sensor, which is disposed on the inside of the ear hook.

[0019] In some embodiments, when the open-back headphones are worn, the ear hook is in a clip-on form, clipped to the outside of the ear, and the middle section crosses the ear.

[0020] In some embodiments, the deformation detection sensor is disposed on the inner side of the ear hook, and the deformation detection sensor includes a metal wire.

[0021] In some embodiments, the connecting segment 210 is a pivot, with its two ends connected to the headphone body and the middle segment, respectively. The connecting segment is used to cause the middle segment to deflect relative to the headphone body around the pivot.

[0022] In a second aspect, this disclosure provides a wearable device, comprising: a wearable device body, an ear hook, a deformation detection sensor, and a processor; wherein the ear hook is connected to the wearable device body; the ear hook includes a connecting segment connected to the wearable device body, a free segment away from the wearable device body, and an intermediate segment, the intermediate segment being connected to the connecting segment and the free segment respectively; when the wearable device is in a worn state, the wearable device body at least partially extends into the concha cavity of the ear; the deformation detection sensor is disposed on the ear hook and is used to detect deformation signals generated after the ear hook deforms from its initial state during or after wearing the wearable device; the processor is connected to the deformation detection sensor and is used to receive the deformation signals and determine the wearing state of the wearable device based on the deformation signals.

[0023] With the open-back headphones provided above, this embodiment of the disclosure uses a deformation detection sensor included in the open-back headphones to detect the deformation signal generated by the deformation of the ear hook, and then uses a processor included in the open-back headphones to determine whether the open-back headphones are worn on the ears based on the deformation signal. This can accurately determine whether the open-back headphones are worn on the user's ears, thereby improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will become readily apparent upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, several embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not limitation, and like or corresponding reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts, wherein:

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an open-back headphone according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 2a A schematic diagram of the human ear structure is shown;

[0027] Figure 2b A schematic diagram showing the change of clamping force formed by the ear hook in this disclosure over time is shown;

[0028] Figure 3 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of an open-back headphone worn on a human ear model in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0029] Figure 4a A schematic structural diagram of an open-back headphone according to other embodiments of this disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 4b Schematic diagrams of deformation of the open-back headphones in some embodiments disclosed herein;

[0031] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of the cross-section of an ear loop according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown;

[0032] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of an open-back headphone according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown;

[0033] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an open-back headphone worn on a human ear model is shown in some other embodiments of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0035] It should be understood that the terms “comprising” and “including” used in this disclosure and claims indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0036] It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. As used in this disclosure and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this disclosure and claims refers to any combination and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, and includes such combinations.

[0037] As used in this specification and claims, the term "if" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "when," "once," "in response to determination," or "in response to detection." Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "once determined," "in response to determination," "once [described condition or event] is detected," or "in response to detection of [described condition or event]."

[0038] The technical issues are explained in detail below.

[0039] Wearable devices are smart electronic devices that can be worn directly on the human body, such as smart glasses, smartwatches, AR (Augmented Reality) devices, and VR (Virtual Reality) devices. Components in wearable devices that perform specific functions or come into direct contact with the human body are called wearable parts.

[0040] In this field, a sensor is typically incorporated into wearable devices to detect the degree of contact between the device and the skin. This allows for the determination of whether the wearable device is being worn. For example, if headphones are in close contact with the skin, it can be determined that the headphones are being worn.

[0041] However, there are individual differences in the body parts on which users wear smart electronic devices. Therefore, the degree of fit between a user's skin and the wearable device varies. For example, if the wearable device is headphones, different users have different ear sizes, resulting in varying degrees of fit. Furthermore, wearable devices can be worn in multiple ways, and the degree of fit between the user's skin and the device also differs depending on the wearing method. Therefore, the detection methods described above in this art cannot accurately detect whether a user has properly worn the wearable device.

[0042] The specific embodiments disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] In view of this, the present disclosure provides an earphone that uses a deformation detection sensor in the earphone to detect the deformation signal of the ear hook, and then uses a processor in the earphone to determine whether the earphone is being worn on the ear based on the deformation signal. This can accurately identify the earphone being worn on the user's ear and designate it as the main earphone, thereby accurately identifying the main earphone. Moreover, the microphone of the main earphone can clearly receive the user's voice during a call, thereby improving the user's call quality and enhancing the user experience.

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an earphone according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0045] As shown in the figure, the open-back headphones in this solution include a headphone body 100, an ear hook 200, a deformation detection sensor 300, and a processor 400. The ear hook 200 is connected to the headphone body 100 and includes a connecting section 210 connected to the headphone body, a free section 220 away from the headphone body, and an intermediate section 230. The intermediate section 230 is connected to the connecting section 210 and the free section 220, respectively. When the open-back headphones are in the wearing state, the headphone body 100 extends at least partially into the concha of the ear. The deformation detection sensor is disposed on the ear hook 200 and is used to detect the deformation signal generated after the ear hook 200 deforms from its initial state during or after wearing the open-back headphones. The processor 400 is connected to the deformation detection sensor 300 and is used to receive the deformation signal and determine the wearing state of the open-back headphones based on the deformation signal.

[0046] When an open-back headphone is worn, the earpiece itself does not extend deep into the ear canal; instead, it hangs or clips onto the ear and does not fit tightly against the inner surface of the ear canal. Similarly, when an in-ear or semi-in-ear headphone is worn, the sound-producing or sound-receiving components also do not extend deep into the ear canal; instead, they hang or clip onto the ear and do not fit tightly against the inner surface of the ear canal. Therefore, in-ear or semi-in-ear headphones can be designed using the open-back headphone method described in this solution.

[0047] In this design, to prevent the headphones from falling off, the ear hooks need to generate a clamping force when worn, ensuring the headphones are securely held in place on the ear or head, especially the ear. This clamping force requires the ear hooks to deform. Depending on the product design, this deformation can occur in several ways.

[0048] First, during the wearing of the earphones, the user needs to bend the ear hook to a position with relatively large deformation to fit into the ear. After wearing, the deformation of the ear hook will partially return to normal, meaning the deformation of the ear hook will relatively decrease. However, compared to the initial state, the ear hook has still undergone deformation, and the deformation of the ear hook is still not zero. Here, "initial state" refers to the natural state when the wearable device is not worn on the ear and is not subjected to any external force. For example, in the case of earphones, the state corresponding to the earphones inside the earphone case can be called the initial state.

[0049] Second, after the user puts on the headphones, the ear hook forms a stable clamping force and maintains a stable deformation state, that is, the deformation of the ear hook remains unchanged.

[0050] The clamping force generated by the ear hook is related to the deformation of the ear hook. The greater the deformation of the ear hook, the greater the clamping force; conversely, the smaller the deformation of the ear hook, the smaller the clamping force. In this solution, a clamping force sensor can be set up to detect changes in the clamping force generated by the wearable components during the wearing of the wearable device.

[0051] Figure 2b A schematic diagram showing the change of clamping force formed by the ear loops in this disclosure over time is shown.

[0052] The horizontal axis of the graph represents time in seconds, and the vertical axis represents the clamping force exerted by the ear hooks in Newtons. As shown, at time 0 (t=0), the headphones are in their initial state. After time 0, the user begins to wear the headphones in their ear. During this process, the user needs to pry open the ear hooks to deform them. During this process, the relative distance between the two ends of the ear hooks increases, and the clamping force also increases. When the deformation of the ear hooks is at its maximum, the clamping force reaches its maximum value. Next, the user will hook or clip the now-opened ear hooks onto their ear and stop manipulating them. In this situation, the relative distance between the two ends of the ear hooks decreases, and the clamping force decreases until it becomes constant, allowing the headphones to be securely fixed in the ear.

[0053] After the user puts on the headphones, the ear hook will still exert a stable clamping force, and the deformation of the ear hook remains unchanged. Therefore, the clamping force exerted by the ear hook also remains unchanged; the deformation of the ear hook is not zero, and the clamping force exerted by the ear hook is not zero either. Therefore, in this solution, a clamping force threshold f1 can be set. If the clamping force exerted by the ear hook is stable and greater than the clamping force threshold f1 within the first time, it can be determined that the open-back headphones have been worn on the user's ear. In this disclosure, the method of setting the clamping force threshold f1 is not limited in any way.

[0054] It should be noted that, Figure 2b The relationship between the clamping force and time shown in the ear hook diagram is only a schematic diagram, and this disclosure does not make any limitation on the relationship between the clamping force and time shown in the ear hook diagram.

[0055] In the embodiments disclosed herein, the headphone body 100 refers to the device in the headphone used for playing sound. When the headphone is worn in a person's ear, the headphone body 100 is at least partially inserted into the concha of the ear. It should be noted that the headphone can be an open-back headphone, in which case the headphone body 100 does not penetrate deep into the ear canal, but is suspended or clipped to the ear and does not fit tightly against the inner surface of the ear canal.

[0056] In some embodiments, the earphone body 100 has one or more buttons for controlling the earphone. For example, a user can click a button to decrease the volume. The earphone body 100 may also have a Bluetooth module for connecting the earphone to a communication device via the Bluetooth protocol to play sound from the communication device, or to receive sound and transmit it to the communication device. The aforementioned communication device can be a mobile phone or a personal computer, etc.

[0057] In the above scheme, the ear hook 200 refers to an accessory that connects two or more parts of the earphone. The ear hook 200 can be arc-shaped, and one end of the ear hook 200 is connected to the earphone body 100. The deformation detection sensor 300 refers to a sensor used to measure the deformation of an object. Here, the ear hook is divided into three parts: the connecting section 210, the free section 220, and the intermediate section 230. The connecting section 210 refers to the part of the ear hook 200 that connects to the earphone body 100, the free section 220 refers to the other part of the ear hook that is not connected to the earphone body, and the intermediate section 230 refers to the part of the ear hook that connects to both the connecting section and the free section.

[0058] In this design, for the sake of overall integrity and waterproofing, the connecting section 210, the free section 220, and the middle section 230 can be designed as a single unit. "Integrated design" here means treating the connecting section 210, the free section 220, and the middle section 230 as a single unit. Alternatively, the connecting section 210, the free section 220, and the middle section 230 can be used as different parts of the ear hook.

[0059] In some embodiments, the connecting segment 210, the free segment 220, and the intermediate segment 230 can be designed in segments. Here, "segmented design" refers to setting the connecting segment 210, the free segment 220, and the intermediate segment 230 as different components. In this solution, the connecting segment 210 can be configured as a pivot, with its two ends connecting the headphone body 100 and the intermediate segment 230, respectively. Since the connecting segment 210 between the headphone body 100 and the intermediate segment 230 is a pivot, the ear hook and the headphone body can rotate relative to each other, thus changing the relative angle between them. This allows the open-back headphones to better adapt to various ear shapes and sizes.

[0060] In this solution, the deformation detection sensor 300 can be disposed on the ear hook 200 to generate a deformation signal when the ear hook deforms during or after the user wears the headphones. Here, "deformation signal" refers to the signal generated when deformation occurs, and the magnitude of the ear hook deformation can be determined through this deformation signal. The deformation detection sensor 300 can be a sensor that reflects changes in force, such as any one or more of a strain gauge, fiber Bragg grating sensor, and Hall sensor. When the deformation detection sensor 300 is a strain gauge, the magnitude of the deformation signal can be expressed as the change in the resistance value of the strain gauge; when the deformation detection sensor 300 is a fiber Bragg grating sensor, the magnitude of the deformation signal can be expressed as the shift in the wavelength of the reflected light; when the deformation detection sensor 300 is a Hall sensor, the magnitude of the deformation signal can be expressed as the change in the Hall voltage.

[0061] In this design, the initial state of the ear hook refers to its natural state when it is not worn on the ear and is not subjected to any external force. For example, the state corresponding to the ear hook located inside the headphone case can be referred to as the initial state.

[0062] When a user wears the headphones, a force is applied to the ear hook, causing the connecting segment 210 and the free segment 220 of the ear hook to move away from each other, thereby increasing the distance between them. Therefore, the ear hook deforms from its initial state during wear. This deformation reduces the curvature of the arc-shaped ear hook, meaning the degree of bending decreases. Then, after the user places the deformed ear hook on their ear, the force applied to the ear hook ceases, shortening the distance between the connecting segment 210 and the free segment 220. This causes a clamping force to form at both ends of the ear hook, clamping the ear. Therefore, the ear hook also deforms after the user wears the headphones, this time increasing the curvature of the arc-shaped ear hook, meaning the degree of bending increases. It should be noted that, generally, the deformation of the ear hook after the user wears the headphones is less than the maximum deformation that occurs during wear.

[0063] In this solution, the processor 400 is connected to the deformation detection sensor 300. When the deformation detection sensor 300 detects a deformation signal generated by the ear hook, it sends the deformation signal to the processor 400. The processor 400 can determine the deformation of the ear hook in the earphone based on the deformation signal and determine the wearing status of the earphone based on the deformation. Those skilled in the art will understand that the processor 400 can be a chip or any kind of circuit, and the processor is not limited in any way.

[0064] It should be noted that the deformation detection sensor 300 and the processor 400 can be placed anywhere within the headphones. Figure 1 The exact locations of the deformation detection sensor 300 and the processor 400 are not shown in the image.

[0065] In this solution, a mapping relationship exists between the deformation signal and the deformation amount. By applying different forces to the earphone, different deformations are caused in the ear hook, and the corresponding deformation signals for each deformation amount are observed, thus establishing the mapping relationship between the deformation signal and the deformation amount. Those skilled in the art will understand that the specific method for determining the mapping relationship between the deformation signal and the deformation amount is not limited in any way.

[0066] As described above, the earphone in this solution uses a deformation detection sensor to detect the deformation signal generated when the ear hook deforms. The processor then determines the deformation amount of the ear hook based on this signal, thus determining whether the earphone is being worn. This solution accurately and quickly identifies the earphone being worn by the user. This earphone is then designated as the primary earphone, ensuring accurate identification. Furthermore, the microphone on the primary earphone clearly receives the user's voice during calls, improving call quality and enhancing the user experience.

[0067] To better understand the disclosed solution, the following section will detail the structure of the human ear and the positional relationship between the various components of the earphone and the human ear when the earphone is worn.

[0068] Specifically, such as Figure 2a As shown in the schematic diagram of the human ear structure, the external visible area of ​​the human ear 600 includes the helix 601, scaphoid 602, cymba conchae 603, cavum conchae 604, antihelix 605, earlobe 606, antitragus 607, intertragic notch 608, tragus 609, crus of helix 610, and triangular fossa 611. In some embodiments, the headphones can be supported by one or more parts of the human ear to achieve stable wearing of the headphones.

[0069] In some embodiments, since the concha 604, antihelix 605, triangular fossa 611 and other parts have a certain depth and volume in three-dimensional space, these three areas can be used to accommodate the headphone body, thereby fulfilling the wearing requirements of the headphone.

[0070] In some of the disclosed solutions, when the open-back headphones are in the worn state, the free segment 220 is located behind the ear, the middle segment 230 is located between the upper part of the ear and the head, and at least one of the connecting segment 210, the free segment 220 and the middle segment 230 is deformed, and the deformation detection sensor 300 is disposed in at least one of the connecting segment 210, the free segment 220 and the middle segment 230.

[0071] In this solution, the wearing status of the headphones refers to the state in which the headphones are worn by the user. The wearing status includes the wearing status and the not wearing status. The wearing status means that the user has put on the headphones, and the not wearing status means that the user has not put on the headphones.

[0072] In this design, the ear clip is an ear-hook type earphone. When the user is wearing the earphone, i.e., in the worn state, the free segment 220 is located behind the ear, for example, behind the earlobe, and the earphone body extends at least partially into the concha of the ear. Furthermore, when the earphone is in the worn state, at least one of the connecting segment 210, the free segment 220, and the intermediate segment 230 in the ear hook will deform. The deformation detection sensor 300 can be disposed in any one or more of the connecting segment 210, the free segment 220, and the intermediate segment 230, and can detect the deformation of any one or more of these segments.

[0073] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of headphones being worn on a human ear model in some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0074] As shown in the figure, in the disclosed solution, the headphone body can be located in at least one of the following regions: concha 604, antihelix 605, and triangular fossa 611.

[0075] It should be noted that, generally speaking, when the headphones are worn, the deformation of the middle section 230 is greater than the deformation of the free section 220 and the deformation of the connecting section 210. In some embodiments, the deformation detection sensor 300 can detect a range of deformations. If the deformation of the surface of the object on which the deformation detection sensor 300 is located is too large, it may cause the deformation detection sensor 300 to receive excessive force, thereby damaging the deformation detection sensor 300. Preferably, the deformation detection sensor 300 is disposed on any one or both of the connecting section 210 and the free section 220.

[0076] In some of the schemes disclosed herein, when the intermediate segment 230 deforms, a clamping force is formed between the free segment 220 and the headphone body 100, so that the open-back headphones are worn on the ears.

[0077] In some embodiments disclosed herein, when the earphone is in the worn state, the middle segment 230 deforms. At this time, the arc-shaped middle segment 230 tends to have a greater curvature, i.e., a greater degree of bending. This creates a clamping force between the free segments 220 connected to both ends of the middle segment 230 and the earphone body 100, thereby making the earphone more stably worn on the ear. For example, the clamping force can range from 0.3N to 1N.

[0078] In some embodiments disclosed herein, the deformation detection sensor is a sheet-like pressure sensor disposed on the ear hook. The sheet-like pressure sensor is used to detect the deformation and stretching of the ear hook when the ear hook deforms, and to generate a deformation signal.

[0079] The aforementioned "sheet pressure sensor" is a sensor that converts pressure changes into electrical signals. It typically has a thin, sheet-like structure for easy integration and installation. In this solution, the sheet pressure sensor has a thin, sheet-like structure and is mounted on the ear hook. When the ear hook deforms and stretches, the sheet pressure sensor also deforms, generating internal pressure. This internal pressure generated by deformation is converted into an electrical signal, which is then used as the aforementioned deformation signal. Therefore, the sheet pressure sensor can convert the deformation of the ear hook into a deformation signal.

[0080] Figure 4a A schematic structural diagram of the headphones according to other embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0081] As shown in the figure, the earphone also includes a magnetic component 500 disposed in the free section 220; the deformation detection sensor 300 includes a Hall sensor 310, which is disposed in the earphone body 100 and is used to detect the relative displacement between the magnetic component 500 and the earphone body 100, so as to convert the relative displacement into a deformation signal.

[0082] In this design, the Hall sensor 310 refers to a component based on the Hall effect, capable of measuring magnetic field strength and converting it into an electrical signal output. The magnetic component 500 refers to an item capable of generating a magnetic field or utilizing a magnetic field to perform a specific function; it can be made of materials such as oxides or alloys. The magnetic component 500 is used to generate the magnetic field. The Hall sensor 310 is located on the earphone body 100, and the magnetic component 500 is located on the free segment 220. Therefore, the Hall sensor 310 and the magnetic component 500 are located at opposite ends of the ear hook, with a certain distance between them. The Hall sensor 310 can detect the magnetic field strength of the magnetic component 500 at different distances from itself.

[0083] When the distance between the Hall sensor 310 and the magnetic component 500 changes, the Hall sensor 310 can detect the change in magnetic field strength, thereby detecting the relative displacement between the Hall sensor 310 and the magnetic component 500. In this solution, the relative displacement is used as the aforementioned deformation signal. The magnitude of the ear hook deformation can be determined based on the relative displacement, and the magnitude of the ear hook deformation can be used to determine whether the earphone is worn on the ear, i.e., the earphone wearing state.

[0084] Figure 4b A schematic diagram illustrating the deformation of the open-back headphones in some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0085] As shown in the figure, when wearing the open-back headphones disclosed herein, the connecting segment 210, the free segment 220, and the intermediate segment 230 deform in the directions indicated by the corresponding arrows at various positions. Generally speaking, the deformation of the free segment 220 gradually decreases during the wearing of the open-back headphones.

[0086] In other embodiments, the wear status of the headphones can also be determined based on the magnitude of the relative displacement.

[0087] In some of the embodiments disclosed herein, the magnetic component is either a battery or a magnet. The magnetic component can also be any object possessing magnetism; for example, it can be a magnetized metal casing or an iron block.

[0088] Specifically, in this design, the outer shell of the free segment 220 can be made of magnetized metal.

[0089] In some of the solutions disclosed herein, the open-back headphones also include a first switching switch, which is connected to a deformation detection sensor 300 for receiving deformation signals and switching the wearing state to a worn state in response to the deformation signal being greater than a preset deformation threshold; and switching the wearing state to an unworn state in response to the deformation signal being less than or equal to the deformation threshold.

[0090] In this scheme, the deformation signal is positively correlated with the deformation of the ear hook. A larger deformation of the ear hook results in a larger deformation signal; conversely, a smaller deformation of the ear hook results in a smaller deformation signal. The aforementioned "deformation threshold" is a critical value used to determine whether the earphone has been worn. If the deformation signal is greater than the threshold value, it means that the ear hook deformation corresponding to the deformation signal is large, indicating that the earphone has been worn. If the deformation signal is less than or equal to the threshold value, it means that the ear hook deformation corresponding to the deformation signal is small, indicating that the earphone has not been worn.

[0091] It should be noted that the above deformation threshold can be set according to different ear hooks or earphone wearing methods. Those skilled in the art will understand that the value of the deformation threshold and the specific setting method are not subject to any limitations.

[0092] The first switch here can be any type of circuit. The first switch receives the deformation signal sent by the deformation detection sensor 300. When the deformation signal received by the first switch is greater than the deformation threshold, it means that the earphone has been worn, and the wearing status of the earphone is changed to the worn state in a timely manner; when the deformation signal received by the first switch is less than or equal to the deformation threshold, it means that the earphone has not been worn, and the wearing status of the earphone is changed to the unworn state in a timely manner.

[0093] In some embodiments disclosed herein, if the headphones are placed vertically when not being worn, such that the free segment 220 and the headphone body 100 are not on the same horizontal plane (e.g., the free segment 220 is below the headphone body 100, or the headphone body 100 is below the free segment 220), gravity may cause the lower free segment or headphone body to sag, resulting in slight deformation of the ear hook. In some embodiments, accidentally touching the headphones when they are not being worn may also cause slight deformation of the ear hook.

[0094] To avoid incorrectly identifying headphones as being worn based on deformation signals generated when the ear hooks deform, this solution sets a deformation threshold. The first switching switch compares the deformation signal with the deformation threshold, effectively filtering out the deformation generated by the ear hooks and thus preventing the incorrect identification of headphones that have not yet been worn as being worn.

[0095] The above-described embodiment allows the first switching switch to determine whether the deformation signal is greater than the deformation threshold. This avoids the situation where the deformation signal generated by the ear hook deformation due to gravity or accidental touch is incorrectly identified as the earphone being worn when the earphone is not yet worn, thereby improving the accuracy of identifying whether the earphone is being worn.

[0096] In some embodiments, the open-back headphones include a first sub-earphone, a second sub-earphone, and a second switch. The second switch is connected to the processor 400, the first sub-earphone, and the second sub-earphone. The second switch is used to receive a first wearing state of the first sub-earphone and a second wearing state of the second sub-earphone; and in response to the first wearing state being a worn state and the second wearing state being an unworn state, to determine the first sub-earphone as the main earphone.

[0097] In this design, the headset consists of two sub-earbuds, referred to here as the first sub-earbud and the second sub-earbud. The first and second sub-earbuds communicate via Bluetooth to send and receive each other's wearing status. A processor 400 is connected to both the first and second sub-earbuds and receives a first deformation signal from the first sub-earbud and a second deformation signal from the second sub-earbud. The headset has two deformation detection sensors, one on the first sub-earbud and one on the second sub-earbud. The first deformation signal refers to the deformation signal generated by the deformation detection sensor when the ear hook of the first sub-earbud deforms, and the second deformation signal refers to the deformation signal generated by the deformation detection sensor when the ear hook of the second sub-earbud deforms.

[0098] In this scheme, the second switch is connected to the processor and is used to receive the wearing status of the first sub-earthphone and the second sub-earthphone sent by the processor. For ease of description, the "wearing status of the first sub-earthphone" is referred to as the first wearing status, and the "wearing status of the second sub-earthphone" is referred to as the second wearing status.

[0099] In this solution, if the first wearing state is "worn" and the second wearing state is "not worn," it means the user is wearing the first sub-earhook, and in this case, the first sub-earhook is designated as the main earphone. Similarly, if the second wearing state is "worn" and the first wearing state is "not worn," it means the user is wearing the second sub-earhook, and in this case, the second sub-earhook is designated as the main earphone.

[0100] In some embodiments, the headset may also include other sub-earphones, such as a third sub-earphone and a fourth sub-earphone. It should be noted that the headset may have one or more sub-earphones, and the number of sub-earphones is not limited in any way.

[0101] In some of the schemes disclosed herein, the open-back headphones also include a microphone for receiving sound in response to the first sub-earhook becoming the main earphone.

[0102] In this solution, each sub-earphone has a microphone, which can be a recording device, such as a microphone. This microphone can be located on the ear hook 200 and / or the earphone body 100. Preferably, the microphone can be located on the free section 220. If the first sub-earphone is the main earphone, its microphone is activated, and the user's voice during a call is received through this microphone. If the first sub-earphone is not the main earphone, its microphone is deactivated to stop receiving sound. This avoids receiving background noise when the earphone is not being worn, thus improving call quality. Furthermore, the microphone can be deactivated when the earphone is not in use, reducing power consumption without affecting the user experience.

[0103] In some of the disclosed solutions, the open-back headphones also include a second sensor for detecting the positional relationship between the headphones and the ear. The second sensor refers to another sensor besides the aforementioned deformation detection sensor, and can be any one of a capacitive sensor, a skin contact sensor, and an infrared sensor. A capacitive sensor is a capacitor used to detect the positional relationship between the headphones and the ear. A skin contact sensor detects the degree of contact between the headphones and the user's skin; a higher degree of contact indicates a closer distance between the headphones and the ear. An infrared sensor measures the distance between the headphones and the ear using infrared light, thereby determining the positional relationship between them.

[0104] The second sensor is connected to the processor 400, which also receives the positional relationship between the earphone and the ear from the second sensor. If the earphone is close to the ear and the deformation signal is greater than a preset deformation threshold, it indicates that the user is wearing the earphone, and therefore the processor 400 can determine that the earphone is being worn. If the earphone is far from the ear and the deformation signal is less than or equal to the preset deformation threshold, it indicates that the user is not wearing the earphone, and therefore the processor 400 can determine that the earphone is not being worn.

[0105] By using a deformation detection sensor and a second sensor, the system can comprehensively determine whether a user is wearing the headphones based on the deformation of the ear hook and the positional relationship between the headphones and the ear. This avoids the situation where unworn headphones are mistakenly identified as worn due to accidental touches, thus accurately determining whether a user is wearing the headphones.

[0106] In some of the schemes disclosed herein, the second sensor is a capacitive sensor, which is disposed on the inside of the ear hook.

[0107] In this design, the capacitive sensor is located inside the ear hook. It detects whether the wearer's ear is in contact with or near the earphone, thus determining whether the earphone is being worn. Specifically, the capacitive sensor can detect whether the skin is in contact with the sensor or changes in the distance between the skin and the sensor, thereby determining the wearing status of the earphone.

[0108] Since the human body is conductive, the ear and the capacitive sensor can form a capacitive structure. For ease of description, this "capacitive structure formed by the ear and the capacitive sensor" is called the "ear capacitance," and the corresponding capacitance value is called the "ear capacitance value." When the distance between the ear and the capacitive sensor changes, this ear capacitance value also changes. Therefore, in this solution, the change in distance between the ear and the sensor can be converted into a change in capacitance value using the capacitive sensor, thus enabling the detection of the distance change between the ear and the sensor through the capacitance value.

[0109] When a user puts on or takes off the headphones, the capacitive sensor can trigger the headphones' start or pause playback function. For example, if the capacitive sensor detects a change in the capacitance value of the human ear when the user removes the headphones, it can automatically pause audio or enter standby or power-saving mode.

[0110] As demonstrated by the aforementioned solution, the capacitive sensor does not require direct contact with the skin. Therefore, users will not experience discomfort when wearing these open-back headphones for extended periods, making them more suitable for prolonged wear. Furthermore, capacitive sensors are well-suited for low-power devices such as headphones, continuously monitoring wearing status without consuming excessive power. In addition, capacitive sensors can quickly detect changes in wearing status and respond promptly to user actions. Capacitive sensors can also be used for secondary touch operations, providing a more precise control experience.

[0111] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of the cross-section of an ear hook according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. As shown, in this design, the ear hook is filled with silicone, and the aforementioned capacitive sensor is located within the ear hook. The capacitive sensor includes at least one of copper wire or titanium wire. As described above, the copper wire can be used as one plate of the capacitor, and the human body as the other plate. The cable is used to transmit audio signals. A shielding layer is provided on the cable to wrap around it, thus avoiding external signal interference and improving the accuracy of audio transmission.

[0112] In some of the solutions disclosed herein, the headphone case is a box for storing headphones, and the headphone case includes an internal and external detection device for detecting whether the headphones are inside the headphone case.

[0113] In the above solution, the earphone case is used in conjunction with the aforementioned earphones to store them. An internal / external detection device detects whether the earphones are inside the case. If the earphones are inside the case, it indicates that the user is not wearing them, and the earphones are in an unworn state. If the earphones are not inside the case, the user may or may not be wearing them and may have placed them in another location, such as a table. In this case, the aforementioned deformation detection sensor and processor determine the earphones' wearing status.

[0114] As previously described, in some embodiments, the earphones include one or more sub-earphones, and the earphone case has one or more recesses for receiving the one or more sub-earphones. The earphone case includes an inside / outside detection device, which may be located in each recess, for detecting whether a sub-earphone is inside the earphone case.

[0115] In other embodiments, the earphone case has a lid that can be opened or closed. The internal and external detection device 910 can determine whether the earphone is inside the earphone case by whether the lid is open. If the lid is open, it is determined that the earphone is inside the earphone case, that is, the earphone is not being worn. If the lid is closed, it is determined that the earphone is not inside the earphone case.

[0116] In some of the disclosed solutions, when the open-back headphones are worn, the ear hooks are in a clip-on state, with the ear hooks clipped to the outside of the ear and the middle section crossing the ear.

[0117] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of an earphone according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0118] As shown in the figure, in this design, the earphone is a clip-on earphone, comprising an earphone body 100, an ear hook 200, a deformation detection sensor 300, and a processor 400. The ear hook includes a connecting section 210 connecting to the earphone body 100, a free section 220 away from the earphone body, and an intermediate section 230, which is connected to both the connecting section 210 and the free section 220. The deformation detection sensor 300 and the processor 400 can be positioned anywhere within the earphone. Figure 6 The exact locations of the deformation detection sensor 300 and the processor 400 are not shown in the image.

[0119] Specifically, such as Figure 7 In some embodiments disclosed herein, a schematic diagram of the earphone worn on a human ear model is shown. If a user wears the earphone, the ear hook extends from the concha of the ear to the back of the ear or between the back of the ear and the head, and the middle section of the ear hook crosses the auricle of the ear. As can be seen from the above description, the earphone has different shapes, and different shapes correspond to different wearing methods. Users can choose how to wear the earphone, enriching their wearing options.

[0120] In some of the schemes disclosed herein, the deformation detection sensor includes a metal wire and is disposed on the inside of the ear loop.

[0121] In the above scheme, when the ear hook deforms, the deformation of the ear hook is transmitted to the metal wire, so that the metal wire also deforms, thereby generating a deformation signal.

[0122] This disclosure also provides a wearable device, which includes a wearable device body, an ear hook, a deformation detection sensor, and a processor. In this solution, the ear hook, deformation detection sensor, and processor are the same as those in the aforementioned open-back headphones, and will not be described in detail here.

[0123] The wearable device disclosed herein can detect deformation signals generated by deformation of wearable components through deformation detection sensors. The processor can then use the deformation signals to determine whether the wearable device is being worn on the ear, thus accurately identifying wearable devices worn on the user's ear.

[0124] While numerous embodiments of this disclosure have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Many modifications, alterations, and alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intent of this disclosure. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of this disclosure described herein may be employed in the practice of this disclosure. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of this disclosure and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. An open-back headphone, characterized in that, include: Earphone body, ear hooks, deformation detection sensor and processor; The ear hook is connected to the headphone body; The ear hook includes a connecting section connected to the headphone body, a free section away from the headphone body, and an intermediate section, wherein the intermediate section is connected to the connecting section and the free section respectively; When the open-back headphones are in the wearing state, the headphone body extends at least partially into the concha of the ear. The deformation detection sensor is disposed on the ear hook and is used to detect the deformation signal generated when the ear hook deforms from its initial state during or after wearing the open-back headphones. The processor is connected to the deformation detection sensor and is used to receive the deformation signal and determine the wearing status of the open-back headphones based on the deformation signal.

2. The open-back headphone according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the open-back headphones are in the worn state, the free segment is located behind the ear, the middle segment is located between the upper part of the ear and the head, and at least one of the connecting segment, the free segment and the middle segment is deformed, and the deformation detection sensor is disposed at at least one of the connecting segment, the free segment and the middle segment.

3. The open-back headphone according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the middle section deforms, a clamping force is formed between the free section and the headphone body, so that the open-back headphones are worn on the ears.

4. The open-back headphone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deformation detection sensor is a sheet-like pressure sensor, which is disposed on the ear hook. The sheet-like pressure sensor is used to detect the deformation and stretching of the ear hook when the ear hook is deformed, and to generate the deformation signal.

5. The open-back headphone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The open-back headphones also include magnetic components disposed in the free section or the middle section; The deformation detection sensor includes a Hall sensor, which is disposed on the earphone body and is used to detect the relative displacement between the magnetic component and the earphone body, so as to convert the relative displacement into the deformation signal.

6. The open-back headphone according to claim 5, characterized in that, The magnetic component is a battery or a magnet.

7. The open-back headphone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The open-back headphones also include a first switch, which is connected to the deformation detection sensor and is used to receive the deformation signal and, in response to the deformation signal being greater than a preset deformation threshold, switch the wearing state to the worn state. In response to the deformation signal being less than or equal to the deformation threshold, the wearing state is switched to an unwearing state.

8. The open-back headphone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The open-back earphone includes a first sub-earphone, a second sub-earphone, and a second switch, wherein the second switch is connected to the processor, the first sub-earphone, and the second sub-earphone; A second switch is used to receive the first wearing state of the first sub-earhound and the second wearing state of the second sub-earhound; and In response to the first wearing state being a worn state and the second wearing state being a non-worn state, the first sub-earphone is determined to be the main earphone.

9. The open-back headphone according to claim 8, characterized in that, The open-back headphones also include a microphone for receiving sound in response to the first sub-earhook becoming the main earphone.

10. The open-back headphone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The open-back headphones also include a second sensor for detecting the positional relationship between the open-back headphones and the ear.

11. The open-back headphone according to claim 10, characterized in that, The second sensor is a capacitive sensor, which is located inside the ear hook.

12. The open-back headphone according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the open-back headphones are worn, the ear hooks are in a clip-on position, clipping onto the outside of the ear, with the middle section crossing over the ear.

13. The open-back headphone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deformation detection sensor is disposed on the inner side of the ear hook, and the deformation detection sensor includes a metal wire.

14. The open-back headphone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting segment (210) is a rotating shaft, and the two ends of the connecting segment are respectively connected to the headphone body and the middle segment. The connecting segment is used to cause the middle segment to deflect relative to the headphone body around the rotating shaft.

15. A wearable device, characterized in that, include: Wearable device body, ear hook, deformation detection sensor and processor; The ear hook is connected to the wearable device body; The ear hook includes a connecting section connected to the wearable device body, a free section away from the wearable device body, and an intermediate section, wherein the intermediate section is connected to the connecting section and the free section respectively; When the wearable device is in the wearing state, the main body of the wearable device extends at least partially into the concha of the ear; The deformation detection sensor is disposed on the ear hook and is used to detect the deformation signal generated when the ear hook deforms from its initial state during or after wearing the wearable device. The processor is connected to the deformation detection sensor and is used to receive the deformation signal and determine the wearing status of the wearable device based on the deformation signal.

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