Wearing state monitoring device and wearing state monitoring method

Abstract

To prevent earphones from falling off when worn by a user.SOLUTION: A wearing state monitoring and a detection device 10 includes a controller having a calculation unit and an input / output unit. The input / output unit includes an acquisition unit 11, and the calculation unit includes a determination unit 12 and a detection unit 13. The acquisition unit 11 acquires a pressure value in an ear canal 41 of a user of an earphone 20 into which an earpiece 24 of a canal-type earphone 20 is inserted. The determination unit 12 determines whether at least one of the amount of decrease and the duration from the start of the decrease in the pressure value acquired by the acquisition unit 11 reaches a corresponding predetermined threshold value. The detection unit 13 outputs a detection signal of an incomplete wearing state of the earphone 20 when the determination unit 12 determines that at least one of the amount of decrease and the duration reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold value. The input / output unit may further include a notification unit 14 that outputs a notification to notify the user of the incomplete wearing state on the basis of the detection signal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an installation state monitoring device and an installation state monitoring method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes an audio device that detects whether an earphone is attached to an ear without providing a special detection means. In this audio device, when the earphone is not attached to the ear, the power supply to the earphone is stopped and sound is not output from the earphone. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-28954 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, in a completely wireless earphone that does not have a cable connecting the left and right earphones, the left and right earphones are independent, so there is a possibility that one earphone may be lost. The audio device of Patent Document 1, which detects whether the earphones are attached to the ears, reduces power consumption when the earphones are not attached, but does not take measures against losing the earphones. The present invention aims to prevent the occurrence of earphones falling off when attached to the ears by the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, a mounting state monitoring device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: A mounting state monitoring device including a controller having a calculation unit and an input / output unit, The input / output unit has an acquisition unit that acquires a pressure value in an ear canal of a user of the earphone into which an earpiece of the canal-type earphone is inserted, The calculation unit is a determination unit that determines whether or not at least one of a decrease amount and a duration from the start of the decrease in the pressure value acquired by the acquisition unit has reached a corresponding predetermined threshold value; a detection unit that outputs a detection signal of an incomplete wearing state of the earphone when at least one of the decrease amount and the duration reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold value in the determination; Equipped with.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a mounting state monitoring method according to one aspect of the present invention includes: A method for monitoring a wearing state by a controller having a calculation unit and an input / output unit, the calculation unit determines whether or not at least one of the amount of decrease and the duration from the start of the decrease in the pressure value in the ear canal of a user of the canal-type earphone in which the earpiece of the canal-type earphone is inserted has reached a corresponding predetermined threshold value; When the determination is that at least one of the amount of decrease and the duration has reached the corresponding predetermined threshold, the input / output unit notifies the user that the earphone is not completely worn. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the earphones from falling off when worn by a user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a mounting state monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a usage pattern of earphones whose wearing state is monitored by the wearing state monitoring device of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a procedure for attaching the earphone of FIG. 2 to a user's ear. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a procedure for fitting the earphone of FIG. 2 to a user's ear. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure of the wearing state monitoring method of this embodiment executed in the wearing state monitoring device of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure of the wearing state monitoring method of this embodiment executed in the wearing state monitoring device of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure of the wearing state monitoring method of this embodiment executed in the wearing state monitoring device of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent parts or components are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings.

[0010] The following embodiments are examples of devices and the like for embodying the technical idea of ​​the present invention. The technical idea of ​​the present invention does not limit the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of each component part to those described below.

[0011] The wearing state monitoring device 10 of this embodiment shown in Fig. 1 monitors the wearing state of the earphones 20 of Fig. 2 by a user. The earphones 20 may be used as a set of two earphones 20. When the two earphones 20 are used as a set, the two earphones 20 can be used as a left earphone 21 and a right earphone 22 to be worn in the left and right ears of the user. As shown in Fig. 3, the earphones 20 are so-called in-ear type earphones, and have a housing 23 and earpieces 24. The housing 23 contains a speaker unit, a pressure sensor, an output unit for a measurement signal of the pressure sensor (none of which are shown), and the like.

[0012] The speaker unit may be configured to include, for example, a diaphragm. The housing 23 has a sound tube portion 25 that guides the sound output from the speaker unit to the outside of the housing 23. An earplug-type earpiece 24 is attached to the tip of the sound tube portion 25. There are two pressure sensors and output portions in one earphone 20. One of the pressure sensors measures the air pressure in the internal space of the housing 23 that communicates with the sound tube portion 25. The other pressure sensor measures the air pressure outside the housing 23. The other pressure sensor can measure the external air pressure outside the housing 23 that is introduced through a pressure equalizing mechanism (not shown) in a measurement space partitioned from the internal space of the housing 23, for example. The two output portions output measurement signals indicating the measurement values ​​of the pressure sensors corresponding to the respective output portions.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 4, the earphone 20 is attached to the ear 40 by inserting the earpiece 24 into the ear canal 41 of the user. When the earphone 20 is attached to the ear 40, a space 50 surrounded by the eardrum 42 and the earpiece 24 is formed in the ear canal 41. The space 50 is blocked from the space outside the ear 40 by the earphone 20. The space 50 communicates with the inside of the housing 23 of the earphone 20 via the sound tube part 25. The housing 23 is closed except for the sound tube part 25. When the earphone 20 is attached to the ear 40, if the ear canal 41 is blocked by the earpiece 24, the volume of the space 50 decreases as the earpiece 24 is inserted deeper into the ear canal 41, and the air pressure inside the ear canal 41 rises above the external air pressure in the space outside the ear 40. A pressure sensor that measures the air pressure in the internal space of the housing 23 and an output section corresponding to this pressure sensor can measure the air pressure in the space 50 of the external auditory canal 41, which is connected to the internal space of the housing 23 via the sound tube section 25, and output a measurement signal indicating the measured value of the measured air pressure.

[0014] The earphones 20 can be used by connecting them to a device that reproduces sound. FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the earphones 20 are used by connecting them to a digital sound source 30. The digital sound source 30 includes, for example, a digital audio player for reproducing music, such as an MP3 player, and a smartphone with a required application program installed. The digital sound source 30 may reproduce digital audio data by either streaming reproduction or download reproduction. The earphones 20 can be connected to the digital sound source 30 by wireless communication according to a standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). When the earphones 20 are connected to the digital sound source 30, the sound reproduced by the digital sound source 30 can be output from a speaker unit of the earphones 20.

[0015] 3 and 4 show a case where the earphones 20 are completely wireless earphones. In a completely wireless earphone, no cable is connected to the earphones 20, and the earphones 20 are structurally independent. In a pair of earphones 20 used as a set, the left earphone 21 and the right earphone 22 in FIG. 2 are independent and not connected by a cable.

[0016] 4, when the earpiece 24 of the earphone 20 attached to the ear 40 begins to fall out of the ear canal 41, the volume of the space 50 increases while being blocked off from the space outside the ear 40, and the air pressure inside the ear canal 41 drops. As the earpiece 24 continues to fall out of the ear canal 41, a gap is created between the ear canal 41 and the earpiece 24, and through this gap the space 50 communicates with the space outside the ear 40, causing the pressure in the space 50 to drop from an air pressure higher than the external air pressure of the space outside the ear 40 to the external air pressure.

[0017] Returning to FIG. 1, the configuration of the wearing state monitoring device 10 of this embodiment will be described. The wearing state monitoring device 10 of this embodiment is provided in the earphones 20. When two earphones 20 are used as a pair, each earphone 20 can be provided with a wearing state monitoring device 10. The wearing state monitoring device 10 has, for example, a general-purpose microcontroller. The microcontroller includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory. The memory includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The microcontroller can virtually construct multiple information processing circuits by, for example, causing the CPU to execute a program stored in the memory.

[0018] The multiple information processing circuits can constitute an input / output unit and a calculation unit of a microcontroller. The input / output unit can constitute an acquisition unit 11 and a notification unit 14 of the wearing state monitoring device 10, which will be described later, and the calculation unit can constitute a determination unit 12 and a detection unit 13 of the wearing state monitoring device 10, which will be described later. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the multiple information processing circuits built in the microcontroller are realized by software. Of course, it is also possible to prepare dedicated hardware for executing each information processing of each unit 11 to 14, which will be described later, to configure the information processing circuit. In addition, the multiple information processing circuits may be configured by individual hardware. The dedicated hardware includes devices such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) arranged to execute the functions of each unit 11 to 14, and conventional circuit components.

[0019] The acquisition unit 11 acquires the measurement signals output by the air pressure measurement result output units 28 and 29 of the ear canal pressure sensor 26 and the external air pressure sensor 27, respectively, as pressure values ​​measured by the ear canal pressure sensor 26 and the external air pressure sensor 27. The ear canal pressure sensor 26 and the external air pressure sensor 27 correspond to the two pressure sensors of the earphone 20, and the air pressure measurement result output units 28 and 29 correspond to the two output units of the earphone 20. The air pressure measurement result output unit 28 outputs a measurement signal indicating the air pressure in the internal space of the housing 23 measured by the ear canal pressure sensor 26. This measurement signal indicates a pressure value measured in the space 50 of the ear canal 41 that communicates with the internal space of the housing 23 via the sound tube unit 25. The air pressure measurement result output unit 29 outputs a measurement signal indicating the external air pressure outside the housing 23 measured by the external air pressure sensor 27. This measurement signal indicates a pressure value measured of the external air pressure outside the earphone 20.

[0020] The ear canal pressure sensor 26 and the external air pressure sensor 27 intermittently and repeatedly measure the respective air pressures. The measurement signals intermittently output by the air pressure measurement result output units 28, 29 are stored in chronological order in the memory unit 15 of the wearing state monitoring device 10. The memory unit 15 can be configured by, for example, a memory of a microcontroller of the wearing state monitoring device 10.

[0021] The determination unit 12 determines whether or not the earpiece 24 of the earphone 20 is about to fall off the ear canal 41 and the earphone 20 is in an imperfectly fitted state, based on at least the pressure values ​​in the space 50 of the ear canal 41 measured by the ear canal pressure sensor 26, which are stored in chronological order in the memory unit 15. The details of the determination of the imperfectly fitted state of the earphone 20 by the determination unit 12 will be described later.

[0022] When the determination unit 12 determines that the earphones 20 are in an incompletely worn state, the detection unit 13 outputs a detection signal of the incompletely worn state of the earphones 20. When the detection unit 13 outputs a detection signal of the incompletely worn state of the earphones 20, the notification unit 14 performs notification output to notify the user that the earphones 20 are in an incompletely worn state. The notification unit 14 can perform the notification output of the incompletely worn state by using, for example, the output device 60. The output device 60 can be configured by, for example, a speaker unit of the earphones 20. When the output device 60 is a speaker unit, the notification output can be performed by sound.

[0023] Next, an example of the processing procedure of the wearing state monitoring method of this embodiment executed in the wearing state monitoring device 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 5, the acquisition unit 11 acquires a measurement signal indicating the pressure value of the outside air pressure measured by the outside air pressure sensor 27 from the air pressure measurement result output unit 29 as information on the air pressure outside the ear canal (step S1). The acquisition unit 11 stores the acquired information on the air pressure outside the ear canal in the storage unit 15 (step S2). The acquisition unit 11 acquires a measurement signal indicating the pressure value in the space 50 of the ear canal 41 measured by the ear canal pressure sensor 26 from the air pressure measurement result output unit 28 as information on the air pressure inside the ear canal (step S3). The acquisition unit 11 stores the acquired information on the air pressure inside the ear canal in the storage unit 15 (step S4).

[0024] The procedures of steps S1 and S2 related to the air pressure outside the ear canal and steps S3 and S4 related to the air pressure inside the external atmosphere may be performed in sequence or in parallel. If they are performed in sequence, either procedure may be performed first.

[0025] Next, the determination unit 12 compares the air pressure outside the ear canal with the air pressure inside the ear canal at the latest same time or the most recent time acquired by the acquisition unit 11. Through this comparison, the determination unit 12 checks whether the earphone 20 is attached to the ear 40 by comparing the air pressure outside the ear canal with the air pressure outside the ear canal and checking whether the air pressure inside the ear canal has increased (step S5). If the air pressure inside the ear canal is not higher than the air pressure outside the ear canal (NO in step S5), the process proceeds to step S7 described below. If the air pressure inside the ear canal has increased above the air pressure outside the ear canal (YES in step S5), the process proceeds to step S7 after setting a timer (step S6).

[0026] The timer counts down the remaining time of a certain period for monitoring whether the earphone 20 is falling out of the ear canal 41. The timer can be configured by an information processing circuit virtually constructed in the microcontroller of the wearing state monitoring device 10. In this embodiment, the certain period corresponds to a predetermined threshold value.

[0027] In step S7, the determination unit 12 checks whether the air pressure in the ear canal has dropped. If the air pressure in the ear canal has not dropped (NO in step S7), the process returns to step S1. If the air pressure in the ear canal has dropped (YES in step S7), the process proceeds to step S8.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 6, in step S8, the determination unit 12 compares the air pressure inside the ear canal with the air pressure outside the ear canal. The determination unit 12 checks whether there is an air pressure difference between the air pressure inside the ear canal and the air pressure outside the ear canal (step S9). If there is an air pressure difference between the two (YES in step S9), the process proceeds to step S10, which will be described later. If there is no air pressure difference between the two (NO in step S9), the process proceeds to step S13, which will be described later.

[0029] In step S9, the determination unit 12 may determine that there is no air pressure difference between the two, even if there is a difference in air pressure between the two, as long as the difference in air pressure between the air pressure inside the ear canal and the air pressure outside the ear canal is sufficient to be considered to be substantially the same air pressure. In this case, instead of checking whether there is a difference in air pressure between the air pressure inside the ear canal and the air pressure outside the ear canal in step S9, the determination unit 12 may check, for example, whether the air pressure difference between the air pressure inside the ear canal and the air pressure outside the ear canal has decreased to a predetermined pressure or less. If there is an air pressure difference between the two that exceeds the predetermined pressure, the determination unit 12 determines that there is an air pressure difference between the two (YES in step S9) and proceeds to step S10. If the air pressure difference between the two has decreased to a predetermined pressure or less, the determination unit 12 determines that there is no air pressure difference between the two (NO in step S9) and proceeds to step S13.

[0030] In step S10, the determination unit 12 checks whether the air pressure in the ear canal is lower than the previous air pressure in the ear canal acquired in step S3 of FIG. 5 and stored in the memory unit 15 in step S4, and whether the decrease in the air pressure in the ear canal continues. If the air pressure in the ear canal is the same as the previous one or higher than the previous one (NO in step S10), the process returns to step S1. If the air pressure in the ear canal is lower than the previous one (YES in step S10), the determination unit 12 checks whether the decrease in the air pressure in the ear canal has reached a corresponding predetermined threshold value (step S11). When the earphone 20 attached to the ear 40 is about to fall off from the ear 40, the earpiece 24 starts to come out of the ear canal 41, creating a gap between the ear canal 41 and the earpiece 24, and air escapes from this gap, reducing the air pressure in the ear canal. The predetermined threshold value corresponding to the amount of decrease in air pressure in the ear canal confirmed by the determination unit 12 is a threshold value that is set in order to detect an incomplete wearing state of the earphone 20 in the ear 40 using the amount of decrease in air pressure in the ear canal as a guide. The value of the predetermined threshold value corresponding to the amount of decrease in air pressure in the ear canal can be determined, for example, by experiment.

[0031] If the amount of decrease in the air pressure in the ear canal reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold (YES in step S11), the process proceeds to step S13 described later. If the amount of decrease in the air pressure in the ear canal does not reach the corresponding predetermined threshold (NO in step S11), the determination unit 12 checks whether the duration of decrease in the air pressure in the ear canal reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold (step S12). While the earphone 20 attached to the ear 40 is about to fall off from the ear 40, the state in which air escapes from the gap between the ear canal 41 and the earpiece 24 continues, and the air pressure in the ear canal continues to decrease. The predetermined threshold corresponding to the duration of decrease in the air pressure in the ear canal checked by the determination unit 12 is a threshold set to detect the incomplete attachment state of the earphone 20 attached to the ear 40 using the duration of decrease in the air pressure in the ear canal as a guide. The value of the predetermined threshold corresponding to the duration of decrease in the air pressure in the ear canal can be determined, for example, by experiment. If the duration of decrease in the air pressure in the ear canal does not reach the corresponding predetermined threshold (NO in step S12), the process returns to step S1. When the duration of the decrease in air pressure in the ear canal reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold value (YES in step S12), the process proceeds to step S13.

[0032] In step S13, the detection unit 13 outputs a detection signal that the earphones 20 are not completely fitted, and the notification unit 14 uses the output device 60 to output a notification to notify the user that the earphones 20 are not completely fitted. After outputting the notification, the process returns to step S1. In this embodiment, since the output device 60 is configured with the speaker unit of the earphones 20, the notification unit 14 superimposes, for example, a voice message or notification sound that notifies the user of the not completely fitted state on the audio signal from the digital sound source 30 and outputs the superimposed sound from the output device 60.

[0033] In this embodiment, when the air pressure in the space 50 of the ear canal 41, which has increased more than the outside air pressure due to the insertion of the earpiece 24 of the earphone 20, decreases and the amount of decrease from the start of the decrease reaches a corresponding predetermined threshold, the detection unit 13 outputs a detection signal of the incompletely fitted state of the earphone 20. In this embodiment, the detection unit 13 also outputs a detection signal of the incompletely fitted state of the earphone 20 when the duration of the decrease from the start of the decrease in the air pressure in the space 50 reaches a corresponding predetermined threshold. When the earphone 20 becomes incompletely fitted and is about to fall off the ear 40, a gap is formed between the ear canal 41 and the earpiece 24, and the pressure in the space 50 of the ear canal 41 decreases. Therefore, when the pressure in the space 50 of the ear canal 41 decreases by a certain amount or for a certain period of time, the detection unit 13 can detect an incompletely fitted state of the earphone 20 in which the earpiece 24 is about to fall off the ear canal 41. Furthermore, because the notification unit 14 uses the output device 60 to output a notification based on the detection signal output by the detection unit 13, it is possible to notify the user of an incompletely fitted state of the earphone 20 at the stage at which the incompletely fitted state of the earphone 20 is detected. This makes it possible to prevent the earphone 20 that the user has fitted in the ear 40 from completely falling off from the ear 40. By preventing the earphone 20 from falling off, it is also possible to prevent the earphone 20 from being lost.

[0034] In this embodiment, when the air pressure in the space 50 of the ear canal 41, which has increased more than the external air pressure, decreases, even if the duration of the decrease from the start of the decrease has not reached the corresponding predetermined threshold, when the amount of decrease from the start of the decrease reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold. Even if the amount of decrease from the start of the decrease in the air pressure in the space 50 has not reached the corresponding predetermined threshold, when the duration of the decrease from the start of the decrease reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold, the detection unit 13 still outputs a detection signal of the incomplete wearing state of the earphone 20. When at least one of the amount of decrease and the duration from the start of the decrease in the pressure value of the space 50, which has increased more than the external air pressure, reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold, the detection unit 13 outputs a detection signal, so that the incomplete wearing state of the earphone 20 can be detected more quickly. In addition, the notification unit 14 uses the output device 60 to perform notification output based on the detection signal output by the detection unit 13, so that the incomplete wearing state of the earphone 20 can be notified to the user more quickly.

[0035] When two earphones 20 are used as a pair, the procedures in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are performed by the wearing state monitoring device 10 of each earphone 20. When the detection unit 13 outputs a detection signal indicating an incomplete wearing state in one of the two earphones 20, the notification unit 14 may output a notification using the output device 60 of the other earphone 20. When the detection unit 13 outputs a detection signal in one earphone 20, the notification unit 14 may wirelessly transmit a notification signal to the other earphone 20 and output a notification using the output device 60 of the other earphone 20. The wireless communication between the two earphones 20 may be performed directly between the two earphones 20, or may be performed via a digital sound source 30, for example.

[0036] When the notification unit 14 causes one earphone 20 to output a notification based on the detection signal output by the detection unit 13 of the other earphone 20, the notification output of the earphone 20 in which an imperfectly fitted state is detected is performed by the other earphone 20 in which an imperfectly fitted state is not detected. In this case, the output device 60 of the earphone 20 in a relatively good fitting state can be used to notify the user of the imperfectly fitted state of the earphone 20.

[0037] When two earphones 20 are used as a pair, the determination unit 12 may check whether the two earphones 20 have reached the same state within a predetermined time interval, as shown in FIG. 7, before performing step S13 in FIG. 6 (step S13-1). The same state here refers to a state in which at least one of the amount of decrease and duration from the start of the decrease in the pressure value of the space 50, which has increased from the outside air pressure, reaches a corresponding predetermined threshold, and refers to a state in which the determination is YES in step S11 or step S12 in FIG. 6. Therefore, the same state within a predetermined time interval means the following. In other words, the time from when the amount of decrease or duration from the start of the decrease in the pressure value of the space 50 reaches a corresponding predetermined threshold in one of the two left and right earphones 20 until the same element reaches the same threshold in the other earphone 20 is within a predetermined time. In this case, the determination unit 12 checks whether the two earphones 20 simultaneously, or the two earphones 20 within a predetermined time interval, have reached a state in which the procedure in step S13 in FIG. 6 is executed.

[0038] 6 at the same time or within a predetermined time interval (YES in step S13-1), the process returns to step S1. If the two earphones 20 are not in a state in which the procedure of step S13 in Fig. 6 is to be executed at the same time or within a predetermined time interval (NO in step S13-1), the process proceeds to step S13-2, and the procedure of step S13 in Fig. 6 is executed.

[0039] For example, if the user removes the two earphones 20 used as the left earphone 21 and the right earphone 22 from the left and right earphones 40 simultaneously or successively, the determination in step S13-1 in FIG. 7 is YES. In this case, it can be considered that the user intentionally removed both earphones 20 (21, 22) from the wearing state, and that the earphones are not in an incomplete wearing state. Therefore, when the determination in step S13-1 is YES, the determination unit 12 stops the execution of the procedure in step S13 in FIG. 6. This stops the output of the detection signal by the detection unit 13 and the execution of the notification output by the notification unit 14. In this case, it is possible to prevent the removal of the earphones 20 from the left and right ears 40 by the user from being erroneously determined to be an incomplete wearing state.

[0040] In the embodiment described above, the output device 60 is configured as the speaker unit of the earphone 20, but the output device 60 may be configured as an element of the earphone 20 other than the speaker unit. For example, if the earphone 20 has a built-in vibrator, the vibrator may be used as the output device 60, and the notification output of the improper wearing state may be performed by vibration.

[0041] In the embodiment described above, the output device 60 is present in the earphones 20, but the output device 60 may be present in a device other than the earphones 20. For example, if the digital sound source 30 has a built-in display or vibrator, the display or vibrator may be the output device 60, and the notification unit 14 may be provided in the digital sound source 30. In this case, a program stored in the memory of a general-purpose microcontroller included in the digital sound source 30 is executed by the CPU of the microcontroller, and multiple information processing circuits are virtually constructed in the microcontroller. The notification unit 14 can be configured in, for example, an input / output unit of an input / output unit and a calculation unit of a microcontroller composed of multiple information circuits.

[0042] The notification unit 14 of the digital sound source 30 can receive the detection signal output by the detection unit 13 of the earphones 20 by using wireless communication that connects the earphones 20 and the digital sound source 30. The notification unit 14 can output a notification of an improper wearing state by executing notification output based on the received detection signal, for example, by displaying a message on the display of the digital sound source 30 or by vibrating a vibrator of the digital sound source 30.

[0043] When the notification unit 14 is provided in the digital sound source 30, the wearing state monitoring device 10 may be configured by the acquisition unit 11, the determination unit 12, and the detection unit 13 provided in the earphone 20, excluding the notification unit 14.

[0044] The wearing state monitoring device 10 may be provided in the digital sound source 30. In this case, the acquisition unit 11 of the digital sound source 30 can acquire the measurement signals output by the air pressure measurement result output units 28 and 29 of the ear canal pressure sensor 26 and the external air pressure sensor 27 of the earphone 20, respectively, by using wireless communication connecting the earphone 20 and the digital sound source 30. In addition, when the wearing state monitoring device 10 is provided in the digital sound source 30, the wearing state monitoring device 10 may or may not have a notification unit 14. When the wearing state monitoring device 10 of the digital sound source 30 has the notification unit 14, the notification unit 14 can output a notification of an incomplete wearing state, for example, by using the display or vibrator of the digital sound source 30 as the output device 60. When the wearing state monitoring device 10 of the digital sound source 30 does not have the notification unit 14, the detection signal of the detection unit 13 of the digital sound source 30 can be transmitted to the notification unit 14 of the earphone 20 by using wireless communication, for example. The notification unit 14 can output a notification based on the received detection signal, for example, by outputting a sound from a speaker unit or by vibration using a vibrator.

[0045] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the embodiment can be modified or changed based on the above disclosure. All the components of the above embodiment and all the features described in the claims may be individually extracted and combined as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10. Wearing status monitoring device 11 Acquisition Department 12 Judgment section 13 Detection section 14. Notification Department 20. Earphones 24 Earpiece 30 Digital Sound Source 41 External auditory canal 60 Output Devices

Claims

1. A mounting state monitoring device including a controller having a calculation unit and an input / output unit, The input / output unit has an acquisition unit that acquires a pressure value in an ear canal of a user of the earphone into which an earpiece of the canal-type earphone is inserted, The calculation unit is a determination unit that determines whether or not at least one of a decrease amount and a duration from the start of the decrease in the pressure value acquired by the acquisition unit has reached a corresponding predetermined threshold value; a detection unit that outputs a detection signal of an incomplete wearing state of the earphone when at least one of the decrease amount and the duration reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold value in the determination; Equipped with Wearing status monitoring device.

2. The wearing state monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the left and right pressure values ​​in the left and right ear canals of the user into which the earpieces of the left and right earphones are respectively inserted, the determination unit performs the determination on the left and right pressure values, respectively, and the detection unit outputs the detection signal separately for the left and right earphones based on the determination performed on the left and right pressure values, respectively.

3. The wearing state monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the determination unit further determines whether a differential pressure between the pressure value acquired by the acquisition unit and the external air pressure outside the earphone has decreased to or below a predetermined pressure, and the detection unit outputs the detection signal when, in the determination, the differential pressure has decreased to or below the predetermined pressure.

4. 4. The wearing state monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the input / output unit further comprises a notification unit that outputs a notification to notify the user of the incomplete wearing state based on the detection signal.

5. A method for monitoring a wearing state by a controller having a calculation unit and an input / output unit, the calculation unit determines whether or not at least one of the amount of decrease and the duration from the start of the decrease in the pressure value in the ear canal of a user of the canal-type earphone in which the earpiece of the canal-type earphone is inserted has reached a corresponding predetermined threshold value; When at least one of the decrease amount and the duration time reaches the corresponding predetermined threshold in the determination, the input / output unit notifies the user that the earphone is not completely worn. Method for monitoring wearing status.

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