Earpiece tail structure for enhanced in-ear position retention

Abstract

An integrated or detachable tail structure is provided for enhancing retention of an associated earpiece within the ear of a user. In one example, an earpiece comprises a main body and a tail structure. The main body contains one or more electronic components. The tail structure is coupled to the main body, has a semi-circular shape, and when compressed and placed within an outer ear of the user, engages at least three distinct anatomical features of the outer ear, including the antitragus, the antihelix, and the helical crus.

Description

EARPIECE TAIL STRUCTURE FOR ENHANCED IN-EAR POSITION RETENTION CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of US Provisional Application No. 63 / 693,355 filed September 11, 2024, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. BACKGROUND Field

[0002] Various embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to equipment that may be worn in a user’s ear, for example, to deliver audible sound to the user and / or to facilitate monitoring of one or more vital signs (e.g., temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure), oxygen saturation, and the like of the user. In particular, some embodiments relate to an earpiece having an integrated or detachable tail structure that engages a portion of the ear (i.e., the helical crus) that generally remains stable during impact, abrasion, and / or deformation of the ear so as to enhance in-ear retention of the earpiece under extended and / or demanding usage conditions / scenarios. Description of the Related Art

[0003] An earbud is a non-limiting example of a type of earpiece in the form of a small type of headphone worn inside the ear. For example, earbuds are usually held in place by fitting in the cavum concha of the outer ear, and may at least partially insert into the ear canal of the user. Earbuds have many benefits over traditional over-ear headphones, such as improved storage and transportation due to a smaller size, an ability to be worn with hats and other head apparel, and a minimalist look. Typical earbuds comprise a housing which contains the speaker components and wired or wireless connectivity to a media player device (e.g., a smartphone). However, earbuds are generally more susceptible to falling out of the ear of a user due to various factors, including movement, incorrect fit for the ear shape, earwax or sweat buildup, and / or environmental factors. For example, earbuds may be likely to be dislodged or slip outwhen worn over prolonged periods of time or in circumstances in which the ear may be bent, folded, or otherwise jostled and / or in which the ear produces excessive ear wax sweat or sweat. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] In the Figures, similar components and / or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label with a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.

[0005] FIG. 1 depicts a side view of an ear of a user, illustrating how an earpiece may sit within the concha of the outer ear in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates the ear of FIG. 1 in which a comparison is made between previous earpiece shapes and the proposed earpiece shape.

[0007] FIG. 3 illustrates an earpiece in which an antenna associated with a wireless communications transmitter is included within a printed circuit board (PCB) and electronics embedded within a main body of the earpiece in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates an earpiece in which an antenna associated with a wireless communications transmitter of the earpiece is extended into a tail of the earpiece in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 5 illustrates an earpiece in which an antenna associated with a wireless communications transmitter of the earpiece is extended into a tail of the earpiece in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 6 illustrates an earpiece in which an antenna associated with a wireless communications transmitter of the earpiece is extended into a tail of the earpiece in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 7 illustrates an earpiece in which a chip antenna associated with a wireless communications transmitter of the earpiece is embedded within a tail of the earpiece in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 8 illustrates an earpiece in which a chip antenna associated with a wireless communications transmitter of the earpiece extends into a tail of the earpiece in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating components of an exemplary earpiece that may be used as a positional therapy device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG.10 depicts a side view of an ear of a user, illustrating how an earpiece may sit within the concha of the outer ear in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG.11 depicts a side view of an ear of a user, illustrating how an earpiece may sit within the concha of the outer ear in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] An earpiece and integrated or detachable tail structure is described for enhancing retention of the earpiece within the ear of a user. As noted above, earbuds are generally more susceptible to falling out of the ear of a user when worn over prolonged periods of time or in circumstances in which the ear may be susceptible to contact, vibration, bending, folding, heavy motion, or the like. For example, an earpiece in the form of a sleep positional therapy device should remain within the user’s ear throughout the night despite the user rolling from one side to another and associated impact to and / or movement or deformation (e.g., folding, bending, or the like) of the outer ear. As described further below with reference to FIG. 2, existing earpiece or earbud designs (an example of which is referred to below as the “reference ear device” and shown in dark gray) do not engage a portion of the outer ear (e.g., the helical crus) that remains undisturbed (steady) during such impact, movement, and / or deformation. For example, some earbuds with integrated “fins” only engage the tragus, antitragus and / or the antihelix portions (or anatomical structures) of the outer ear. As a result, such an earbud tends to fall out of the user’s ear if there is any impact to or movement, and / or deformation of the outer ear in which the earbud is in use.

[0017] As such embodiments described herein seek to provide additional supporting structure to an earpiece to hold the body (which may also be referred to herein as the “main body”) of the earpiece in place within the outer ear under extended and more demandingconditions / scenarios (e.g., sleeping, surgical sessions, medical procedures, military or police activities, extreme sports, use of head gear or ear covers, and the like) that would otherwise dislodge or cause the earpiece to fall out of the user’s ear. In one embodiment, an earpiece includes additional structure (e.g., in the form of one or more integrated or detachable tails) that engage (e.g., press against, contact, and / or tuck under) at least three anatomical features of the outer ear, including, but not limited to, the antitragus, the antihelix, and the helical crus. For example, the tail(s) may have a semi-circular or a circular arc (e.g., major or minor) shape and be of material having spring-like characteristics. As a result, when the earpiece is in use (e.g., the tail is compressed and the main body is placed within the concha of the user’s ear), the tail(s) engage these three pressure points of the ear as shown and described further below in FIG.1.

[0018] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form. Terminology

[0019] Brief definitions of terms used throughout this application are given below.

[0020] The terms “connected” or “coupled” and related terms are used in an operational sense and are not necessarily limited to a direct connection or coupling. Thus, for example, two devices may be coupled directly, or via one or more intermediary media or devices. As another example, devices may be coupled in such a way that information can be passed there between, while not sharing any physical connection with one another. Based on the disclosure provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate a variety of ways in which connection or coupling exists in accordance with the aforementioned definition.

[0021] If the specification states a component or feature “may”, “can”, “could”, or “might” be included or have a characteristic, that particular component or feature is not required to be included or have the characteristic.

[0022] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0023] The phrases “in an embodiment,” “according to one embodiment,” and the like generally mean the particular feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, and may be included in more than one embodiment of the present disclosure. Importantly, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0024] As used herein, an “earpiece” or “ear device” generally refers to an electronic device that is applied to the ear during use. An earpiece may be a component of (e.g., in wired or wireless communication with) a larger system (e.g., a media playing system, a communication system, a sleep monitoring system, a health monitoring system, a sleep positional therapy system, a hearing aid system, a disease diagnostic system, and the like), for example, including a smartphone, a radio (e.g., as used by emergency responders) or medical monitoring equipment. Non-limiting example uses for an earpiece may include housing of sensors, monitors, speakers, and / or communication devices, for example, in a main body portion of the earpiece. In some examples, the earpiece may be an earbud-like device (or a main body having a shape similar to that of a hearing aid) that can be worn by a user in their ear for medical safety reasons (e.g., to monitor vitals for hospital patients, provide communications to surgeons in surgery, and the like), during sleep (e.g., to monitor sleep position of the user and / or for disease diagnostic purposes, such as at-home sleep testing to facilitate diagnosis of obstructive positional obstructive sleep apnea), for security safety reasons (e.g., for dangerous work positions, such as emergency responders, police officers, special weapons and tactics (SWAT) personnel, military, firefighters, ambulance drivers, pilots, and the like), for competitive athletes involved in high-turbulence, high-movement, and / or high-impact sports (e.g., track sprinters, football quarterbacks, military pilots, swimmers, tennis players, motocross riders, SCUBA diving, gliding, skydiving, and the like). In some examples, the earpiece has one or more integrated or detachable tail structures (tails) that are operable to securely and more robustly retain the body of the earpiece within the user’s ear. In some examples, the tail structures may be part of an adaptor structure (e.g., a jacket or sleeve) having a cavity that receives a main body portion of the earpiece.

[0025] As used herein, a “positional sensor” generally refers to a sensor that may be used to measure or otherwise determine an orientation of a device within which it is embedded in two-dimensional (2D) space (e.g., roll and pitch) or in three-dimensional (3D) space (e.g., roll,pitch, and yaw). Non-limiting examples of a positional sensor include an accelerometer, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and / or any combination thereof.

[0026] As used herein, “sleep position” generally refers to the position of a user of an ear device during a sleep session. In various embodiments described herein, sleep position may refer to an orientation of the user’s head in 2D or 3D space, for example, as determined with reference to a positional sensor of the ear device.

[0027] A “sleep session” generally refers to a time period during which an ear device is actively monitoring and / or logging one or more sleep attributes of a user of the ear device. In some examples described herein, a sleep session may be manually started by a user (e.g., via user input to an application associated with the ear device or via direct input to the ear device) or may be automatically started responsive to one or more predetermined trigger events (e.g., completion of calibration of a pointing angle of the ear device). A sleep session may also be ended manually by the user and / or automatically (e.g., responsive to the ear device being placed in a charging station or dock).

[0028] As used herein, a “sleep respiratory issue” generally refers to a condition in which a sleeper experiences snoring, sleep-disordered breathing, and / or incidents of breathing cessation. These symptoms may be accompanied by, among other things, one or more of headaches (especially when waking up), awakening with a dry mouth, feeling tired or exhausted when waking up, excessive daytime sleepiness, disruptions in brain function (e.g., memory loss, trouble concentrating or difficulty paying attention while awake, and / or other brain-related issues), mood changes (e.g., depression, anxiety, and / or irritability). Non-limiting examples of sleep respiratory issues include snoring, positional snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), positional UARS, sleep apnea (SA), positional SA (PSA), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), positional OSA (POSA), and central sleep apnea (CSA). Example Earpiece Positioned within a User’s Ear

[0029] FIG. 1 depicts a side view of an ear 100 of a user (not shown), illustrating how an earpiece (e.g., ear device 130) may sit within the concha 112 of the outer ear 110 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 shows how the proposed earpiece design engages various anatomical features of the outer ear 110, including the tragus 111, antitragus 113, the antihelix 114, and the helical crus 115. The additional engagement ofthe helical crus 115 provides significant ear position retention under various conditions (e.g., contact, vibration, folding of the outer ear 110, and heavy motion). FIG. 1 also illustrates the outward radial forces (e.g., radial force 120, denoted as small arrows in FIG.1) from the design providing ear position retention. Such retention is further enhanced, for example, when the earpiece is composed of elastomer or foam material in part or in its entirety. FIG. 1 further illustrates that portions of the earpiece are configured to be retained beneath the anatomical pockets of the tragus 111 (see, e.g., tuck under 142) and the helical crus 115 (see, e.g., tuck under 141). Such positioning enhances retention by preventing displacement of the ends during use, thereby reducing the likelihood of loosening or accidental dislodgement of the earpiece. In combination with the outward radial forces, larger surface area, and inherent surface friction of the earpiece, engagement with these anatomical pockets provides substantial resistance to rotational pivoting of the device about all three axes: roll, pitch, and yaw.

[0030] In the context of the present example, a main body enclosure (e.g., main body 131) of the earpiece is located proximate to or within an auditory canal of the user’s ear 100. One or more semi-circular shaped or circular arc shaped tail(s) 132 may be integrated with the main body 131 or removably attached by various means known in the art. For example, the tail(s) 132 may be attached to the main body 131 through a keyed stem (not shown) or hole (not shown) protruding from or set in the main body 131. Alternatively, the tail(s) 132 may be attached to the main body 131 by a sock or sleeve (not shown). It is also contemplated that a separate hollow structure (not shown) may be integrated with the tail(s) 132 and the main body 131 may be inserted into a cavity of the hollow structure.

[0031] In this example, the tail(s) 132 are shown connected to the main body 131, which is positioned in the concha 112 (most often under the tragus 111 and covering the ear canal (not shown)). When compressed and placed within the outer ear 110, the tail(s) 132 extend out and press downward against the antitragus 113, curving back against the antitragus 113, then curve around under and press up against the inside of the antihelix 114, and finally end next to or under the helical crus 115. For example, a distal portion of the tail(s) 132 may extend and tuck under the helical crus 115 as shown by tuck under 141.

[0032] Depending on the particular embodiment, the tail(s) (and potential portions of the main body enclosure) may be molded from an elastic material, thereby allowing it to be compressed to create the outward expansion (e.g., in the form of radial force 120 at various locations indicated by arrows) and engagement with the various ear structures. For example,the tail(s) 132 may be formed from various rubber or synthetic rubber materials (e.g., a soft silicone material or solid silicone rubber), memory foam, or the like.

[0033] By engaging with and / or pressing against multiple pressure points of the outer ear 110, more stability and in-ear retention may be achieved under circumstances / scenarios in which the ear may be subjected to environmental conditions (e.g., wind, sweat, rain, friction, etc.), impact and / or deformation. For example, the proposed tail(s) 132 described herein are expected to allow an earpiece to be securely maintained within a user’s ear as they sleep or in other extended and more demanding conditions / scenarios. In one embodiment, in addition to the tail(s) 132 engaging the helical crus 115, the combination of the tail(s) 132 and main body 131 of the earpiece, provide outward pressure under the tragus 111, to the antitragus 113, and antihelix 114, providing extra hold in the outer ear 110 to retain the in-ear position of the earpiece under a variety of conditions.

[0034] While one tail is depicted in various examples, other examples are contemplated in which there might be multiple structures (e.g., integrated or detachable tails or fins) that engage different subsets of one or more anatomical features of the outer ear.

[0035] While in the context of various examples described herein, engagement of the tail(s) with all of the concha, antitragus, antihelix and helical crus are shown and described, in other examples, engagement of at least the helical crus and the concha. In other examples, the tail(s) may engage both the helical crus and the concha as well as one or both of the antitragus and the antihelix. Comparison to Prior Earpiece Shapes

[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates the ear 100 of FIG. 1 in which a comparison is made between previous earpiece shapes and the proposed earpiece shape in terms of engagement with various anatomical features of the outer ear. In this example, a reference ear device 210 (depicted in dark gray) is shown superimposed over ear device 130 (depicted in white), highlighting how the shape of the reference ear device 210 (comprising a reference main body 211 and a fin 212) has reduced traction against the full length of the antihelix 114 and does not engage the pocket of the helical crus 115. That is, while one or more of the tail(s) 132 of the proposed earpiece are inset within the pocket of the helical crus 115 and tuck under the helical crus 115 (e.g., tuck under 141), there is no such engagement in the context of prior earpiece shapes, such as the shape of reference ear device 210.

[0037] According to one embodiment, a single tail shape of the proposed earpiece (e.g., ear device 130) may be designed to support an attachment that can be slipped on or affixed to the tail (e.g., tail(s) 132), for example, to alter the surface of the tail, adjust the size (e.g., length and / or girth) and shape of the tail, and / or increase the retention of the earpiece in the ear. The attachment provides the use of additional surface materials for varying Shore hardness, tactile properties, rigidity, expansion properties, durability, reduced skin contact issues, medical grades of materials and such. These may come in the form of a single material or multiple materials. Examples of these might be different types of silicone, memory foam, cloth, and such. The attachment may also serve the purpose of changing the physical length and / or size of the tail by making it longer and / or thicker across the whole extension, at points, or across the whole tail. The attachment may better fit the size and shape of the anatomies of the ear, increasing earpiece position adherence. Example Wireless Communications Transmitter Antenna Configurations

[0038] FIGs.3-8 illustrates various non-limiting examples of wireless antennas that may be used in the earpiece, including one that that does not extend into the tail of the earpiece, a wire antenna that extends into a portion or the entirety of the tail, a coil antenna (e.g., having a helical or spiral shape), a compact coil antenna, a chip antenna on a long extended flex PCB, and a chip antenna on a short extension of the PCB (flex or solid material). The longer tail shape of this earpiece design provides additional and often required length to fit many of these longer antennas structures.

[0039] FIG.3 illustrates an earpiece 330 (which may be analogous to ear device 130) in which an antenna (not shown) associated with a wireless communications transmitter (not shown) is included within a printed circuit board (PCB) and electronics 350 embedded within a main body 331 (which may be analogous to main body 131) of the earpiece 330 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] In other examples, the antenna associated with the wireless communications transmitter is extended or integrated into the tail (e.g., tail(s) 332, which may be analogous to tails 132) providing one or both of rigidity for the tail and wireless communication for the electronics contained within the ear device. The extension of the tail away from the ear device and away from the center of the ear provides for more efficient and / or longer-range communication. Non-limiting examples of an antenna extend or integrated into the tail mayinclude a length of wire, a rigid or flex PCB trace, additional integrated components (e.g., a ceramic "chip" antenna), or a more complex structure (e.g., a spring / coil, loop-back, or helical antenna). Multiple antennas or multi-frequency antennas may also be used in such examples. As described further below with reference to FIGs 4-8, the antenna may either be embedded (as part of the electronics) or external to the electronics embedded within the main body of the earpiece.

[0041] FIG.4 illustrates an earpiece 430 (which may be analogous to ear device 130) in which an antenna 460 associated with a wireless communications transmitter (not shown) of the earpiece 430 is extended into a tail (e.g., tail(s) 432) of the earpiece 430 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the earpiece 430 is shown including a main body 431, which may be analogous to main body 131 and that may house or otherwise contain PCB and electronics 450 (e.g., including the wireless communications transmitter). The earpiece 430 also includes one or more tail(s) 432, which may have embedded therein an antenna 460. Depending on the particular implementation, the antenna 460 may extend from a proximal end of the tail(s) 432 to a distal end or may extend only into a portion of the tail(s) 432.

[0042] FIG.5 illustrates an earpiece 530 (which may be analogous to ear device 130) in which an antenna 560 associated with a wireless communications transmitter (not shown) of the earpiece 530 is extended into a tail (e.g., tail(s) 532) of the earpiece 530 in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the earpiece 530 is shown including a main body 531, which may be analogous to main body 131 and that may house or otherwise contain PCB and electronics 550 (e.g., including the wireless communications transmitter). The earpiece 530 also includes one or more tail(s) 532, which may have embedded therein a coil antenna 560, having a helical or spiral shape. Depending on the particular implementation, the antenna 560 may extend from a proximal end of the tail(s) 532 to a distal end or may extend only into a portion of the tail(s) 532.

[0043] FIG.6 illustrates an earpiece 630 (which may be analogous to ear device 130) in which an antenna 660 associated with a wireless communications transmitter (not shown) of the earpiece 630 is extended into a tail (e.g., tail(s) 632) of the earpiece 630 in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the earpiece 630 is shown including a main body 631, which may be analogous to main body 131 and that may house or otherwise contain PCB and electronics 650 (e.g., including the wireless communications transmitter). The earpiece 630 also includes one or more tail(s) 632, which may have embeddedtherein a compact coil antenna 660, having a helical or spiral shaped portion 661 and a non- helical / non-spiral shaped portion 662. Depending on the particular implementation, the antenna 660 may be compact (as shown) or extend further into the tail(s) 632.

[0044] FIG.7 illustrates an earpiece 730 (which may be analogous to ear device 130) in which a chip antenna (e.g., chip antenna 771) associated with a wireless communications transmitter (which may be partially or entirely incorporated on the chip antenna 771) of the earpiece 730 is embedded within a tail (e.g., tail(s) 732) of the earpiece 730 in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the earpiece 730 is shown including a main body 731, which may be analogous to main body 131 and that may house or otherwise contain PCB and electronics 750 (e.g., including some portion, all, or no portion of the wireless communications transmitter). The earpiece 730 also includes one or more tail(s) 732, which may have embedded therein the chip antenna on a flexible PCB 770, which is coupled to and extends from the PCB and electronics 750. Depending on the particular implementation, the chip antenna may extend into a portion of the tail(s) 732 (as shown) or may extend closer to the distal end of the tail(s) 732.

[0045] FIG.8 illustrates an earpiece 830 in which a chip antenna (e.g., chip antenna 871) associated with a wireless communications transmitter (which may be partially or entirely incorporated on the chip antenna) of the earpiece 830 extends into a tail (e.g., tail(s) 832) of the earpiece 830 in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the earpiece 830 is shown including a main body 831, which may be analogous to main body 131 and that may house or otherwise contain PCB and electronics 850 (e.g., including some portion, all, or no portion of the wireless communications transmitter). The earpiece 830 also includes one or more tail(s) 832 into which an extended PCB (flex or solid) may protrude and having mounted thereon the chip antenna. The extended PCB 870 may represent a subset or some portion of the PCB and electronics 850 that are extended into the tail(s) 832 to facilitate more efficient and / or longer-range wireless communications. Example Earpiece Architecture and Electronic Components

[0046] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating components of an exemplary earpiece 900 that may be used as a positional therapy device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Notably, components of the earpiece 900 (which may be analogous to ear device 130 depicted in FIG. 1 are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no wayshould example earpiece 900 limit the scope of the present disclosure. In the context of the present example, earpiece 900 is shown including an external connector 905, a temperature sensor 910, a microphone 915, a positional sensor 920, a main memory (e.g., a random access memory (RAM) 925 or other dynamic storage device), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) peripheral 930, a pulse density modulation (PDM) peripheral 935, flash storage 940, a processing resource (e.g., a processor or microcontroller 945, a central processing unit (CPU), or other hardware logic circuitry), a bus controller 950, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) peripheral, a pulse width modulation (PWM) peripheral 960, a rechargeable battery 965, and a speaker (receiver) 975.

[0047] The components of the earpiece 900 on the left-hand side may represent components for receiving inputs directly or indirectly from a human user of the earpiece 900. For example, the external connector 905 may represent an electrical connector (e.g., in the form of external contact pads) to which one or more of the optional external sensors may be coupled to the earpiece 900. The temperature sensor 910 may measure the body temperature of the user of the earpiece 900. The microphone 915 may be used to receive environmental sounds or sounds (e.g., breathing sounds, heart sounds, gasping, snoring, etc.) made by the user.

[0048] The positional sensor 920 may be used to determine a sleep position of the user, for example, representing an orientation of the user’s head in three-dimensional (3D) space. Interrupts (e.g., representing the detection of movement of the user, or input taps from the user) and other state information (e.g., X, Y, and Z angles / vectors) measured by the positional sensor may be communicated to the processor via a bus (e.g., an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus or a serial peripheral interface (SPI) bus) managed by the bus controller 950. As those skilled in the art will appreciate a number of different types of sensors may be used for this purpose including one or more of an accelerometer, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a gyroscope, and a magnetometer or some combination of the foregoing. In one example, the orientation may be represented in the form of one or more of roll (rotation about a front-to-back axis, for example, the Y axis), pitch (rotation about a side-to-side axis, for example, the Z axis), and yaw (rotation about the vertical axis, for example, the X axis).

[0049] The main memory may be used for storing instructions (e.g., microcode) to be executed by the processor 945. Main memory may also be used for variables, stack data, cached registers, communication buffers, or temporarily storing information (e.g., time-series data and / or configuration parameters) while such information is incrementally persisted to flash storage 940.

[0050] The ADC peripheral may be used to convert analog signals received through analog sensors (e.g., an external sensor coupled to the external connector 905, the temperature sensor 910, and / or an analog microphone) to a digital form so that it can be read and processed by the processor 945.

[0051] The PDM peripheral 935 may be used to convert amplitude values of an encoded analog signal to a digital bitstream (a stream of decimated samples) so that it can be read and processed by the processor.

[0052] Flash storage 940 (or some other form of nonvolatile memory) may be used to maintain the integrity of stored data (e.g., time-series data and / or configuration parameters), for example, until such data may be persisted to the cloud (e.g., a cloud service) via a wireless connection with a portable computing device (e.g., a smartphone) provided by the wireless transmitter 970. For example, in one embodiment, the wireless transmitter 970 may be deactivated while being worn by the user during a sleep session and then data stored or logged during a sleep session may be transferred to the cloud upon completion of the sleep session.

[0053] The processing resource (e.g., processor 945) is generally responsible for receiving data from various sources (e.g., the ADC peripheral 930, the PDM peripheral 935, and the bus controller 950), processing and / or organizing the data, making decisions based on the data, managing one or more state machines, and storing results of the processing and / or organization of the data to RAM 925 and / or flash storage 940 as appropriate. The processing resource may be represented in a number of different forms of electronic circuitry, for example, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, one or more CPU cores, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and the like. Non-limiting examples of processors / microcontrollers that are suitable for embedded systems requiring high performance and low power consumption include RISC-V-based processors / microcontrollers and ARM processors / microcontrollers.

[0054] The DAC peripheral 955 may be used to convert digital signals received from the processor 945 to analog, for example, to provide audible notifications to the user. Alternatively, or additionally the PWM peripheral 960 may be driven by the processing resource to convert a digital bitstream to analog (e.g., amplitude values of an analog signal) to provide such audible notifications.

[0055] The wireless transmitter 970 may be used to exchange wireless communications between the earpiece 900 and a portable computing device or a mobile device (e.g., asmartphone). In various examples, the wireless communications may make use of one or more of short-range wireless communications technologies (e.g., Bluetooth low energy (BLE)) and longer-range wireless communications technologies (e.g., IEEE 802.11x or Wi-Fi), for example, that are capable of providing wireless high-speed Internet access. According to one embodiment, the wireless transmitter 970 represents an IEEE 802.11x compliant or Wi-Fi compliant transmitter (potentially including an integrated (on-board) antenna) to which an external or extended antenna may be added as described herein. According to one embodiment, the wireless transmitter 970 represents a BLE transmitter (potentially including an integrated (on-board) antenna) to which an external or extended antenna may be added as described herein that may be used, for example, to, among other things, send data captured / logged by the earpiece 900 to the portable computing device or the mobile device for review and / or for further processing. According to one embodiment, file transfer from the earpiece 900 to the portable computing device or the mobile device may be performed via BLE, universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) over BLE, or Zmodem over BLE. Wireless communication may also be used to receive configurations, notification recordings, and sounds for use by the earpiece 900, for example, to alert the user when they are sleeping in an undesirable position (e.g., within one or more configured positional sleep therapy alert zones).

[0056] The speaker 975 may be used to provide an audible alert to the user, for example, indicating the user is in an undesirable sleep position or to otherwise prompt the user to alter their sleep position. In one embodiment, when the user is wearing the earpiece 900, the speaker 975 is located proximate to (e.g., within about 0 to 5 millimeters) or within an auditory canal of the user’s ear. In this manner, the audible notifications intended for the user will not be heard by a sleep partner of the user.

[0057] The earpiece 900 is also shown including rechargeable battery 965. According to one embodiment, charging of the rechargeable battery 965 may be commenced responsive to detection of the earpiece 900 having been placed within a dock (not shown). In alternative embodiment, the ear device 900 may make use of disposable (or single-use) batteries.

[0058] While in the context of the present example, various examples of internal sensors (e.g., temperature sensor 910, microphone 915, and positional sensor 920) are shown, it is to be appreciated some examples may include more or fewer internal sensors or one or more external sensors (e.g., external sensor(s) 120) may be used in place of one or more of the internal sensors or in addition to the internal sensors. For example, sensors for monitoring one or more vital signs (e.g., body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure)and / or blood oxygen saturation may be incorporated within or otherwise connected to or associated with the earpiece 900. In one embodiment, the ear device may include or be configured to be coupled (e.g., via external connector 905) to an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). Alternative Embodiments

[0059] FIG. 10 depicts a side view of an ear 100 of a user, illustrating how an earpiece (e.g., ear device 1030) may sit within the concha 112 of the outer ear 110 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the earpiece is shown including a main body 1030, which may be analogous to main body 131 and one or more tail(s) 1032, which engage the concha 112, the antihelix 114, and the helical crus 115, but avoids contact with the antitragus 113.

[0060] FIG. 11 depicts a side view of an ear 100 of a user, illustrating how an earpiece (e.g., ear device 1130) may sit within the concha 112 of the outer ear 110 in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the earpiece is shown including a main body 1130, which may be analogous to main body 131 and one or more tail(s) 1132, which engage the concha 112 and the helical crus 115, but avoids contact with the antitragus 113 and the antihelix 114. This may be performed by using a helical crus clip that clips onto the cartilage ledge between the concha 112 and the helical crus 115, with the tails 1132 extending behind the helical crus 115.

[0061] All examples and illustrative references are non-limiting and should not be used to limit the applicability of the proposed approach to specific implementations and examples described herein and their equivalents. For simplicity, reference numbers may be repeated between various examples. This repetition is for clarity only and does not dictate a relationship between the respective examples. Finally, in view of this disclosure, particular features described in relation to one aspect or example may be applied to other disclosed aspects or examples of the disclosure, even though not specifically shown in the drawings or described in the text.

[0062] The foregoing outlines features of several examples so that those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifyingother processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and / or achieving the same advantages of the examples introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An earpiece comprising: a main body including one or more electronic components; and a tail structure coupled to the main body, wherein the tail structure, when compressed and placed within an outer ear of a user, engages at least three distinct anatomical features of the outer ear, including the antitragus, the antihelix, and the helical crus.

2. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein compression of the tail structure creates an outward radial force causing the tail structure to press against the antihelix and the antitragus.

3. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein creation of the outward radial force further causes the tail structure to one or both of (i) tuck under a tragus of the outer ear and (ii) press against the tragus.

4. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein engagement between the tail structure and the helical crus includes one or both of (i) a portion of the tail structure being tucked under or extending under the helical crus and (ii) the tail structure contacting or pressing into the helical crus.

5. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic components includes a speaker.

6. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the tail structure is detachable.

7. The earpiece of claim 6, wherein the tail structure is part of a jacket or sleeve that serves as a receptacle into which the main body is inserted.

8. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the main body and the tail structure are a single, integrated component.

9. The earpiece of claim 2, wherein the tail structure is made of a rubber material or a foam material.

10. The earpiece of claim 2, wherein the outward radial force is created at least in part by an elasticity property of the tail structure that exhibits elastic deformation.

11. The earpiece of claim 2, wherein the outward radial force is created at least in part by a stiffener incorporated within the tail structure, wherein the stiffener exhibits elastic deformation.

12. The earpiece of claim 11, wherein the stiffener is made of spring steel.

13. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic components include a wireless communications transmitter.

14. The earpiece of claim 13, wherein the wireless communications transmitter comprises a short-range wireless communications transmitter.

15. The earpiece of claim 14, wherein the short-range wireless communications transmitter comprises a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) transmitter.

16. The earpiece of claim 14, wherein the tail structure includes an antenna associated with the short-range wireless communications transmitter.

17. The earpiece of claim 16, wherein the antenna extends from a proximal end of the tail structure to a distal end of the tail structure.

18. The earpiece of claim 16, wherein the antenna extends partially into the tail structure from a proximal end of the tail structure.

19. The earpiece of claim 16, wherein the antennal includes at least a portion thereof having a spiral or helical shape.

20. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic components include one or more sensors and wherein the earpiece is for use in connection with diagnosing or monitoring a sleep respiratory issue during a sleep session of the user.

21. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the earpiece is for use: during engagement in a sporting activity by the user; or by the user when performing their duties as an emergency responder or military personnel.

22. An earpiece comprising: a main body including a wireless communications transmitter; and a tail structure coupled to the main body, wherein the tail structure: is made of an elastic material; has embedded therein an antenna associated with the wireless communications transmitter; when compressed and placed within an outer ear of a user, creates an outward radial force; and engages at least three distinct anatomical features of the outer ear, including the antitragus, the antihelix, and the helical crus.

23. The earpiece of claim 22, wherein the main body and the tail structure are a single, integrated component.

24. The earpiece of claim 22, wherein the elastic material comprises silicone.

25. The earpiece of claim 24, wherein the outward radial force is created at least in part by an elasticity property of the tail structure that exhibits elastic deformation.

26. The earpiece of claim 22, wherein the outward radial force is created at least in part by rigidity or elasticity of a material from which the antenna is made.

27. The earpiece of claim 26, wherein the material from which the antenna is made comprises spring steel.

28. The earpiece of claim 22, wherein the wireless communications transmitter comprises a short-range wireless communication transmitter.

29. The earpiece of claim 22, further including an attachment to the tail structure to one or more of: alter a surface of the tail structure, adjust a size of the tail structure, adjust a shape of the tail structure, and increase retention of the earpiece in the outer ear.

30. An earpiece comprising: a main body including one or more electronic components; and a tail structure coupled to the main body, wherein the tail structure, when compressed and placed within an outer ear of a user, engages at least two distinct anatomical features of the outer ear, including the concha and the helical crus.

31. The earpiece of claim 30, wherein the tail structure avoids contact with one or both of the antihelix and the antitragus.

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