Earpiece Tap Detection Using Acoustic Signal Processing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Earpieces face limitations in efficiently receiving user input, often relying on touch sensors or manual buttons, which can lead to false positive indications and are not user-friendly.
Innovation Solution
An earpiece design that utilizes microphones to detect acoustic events, such as taps, processed by a digital signal processor to interpret user input, allowing for wireless communication of commands without the need for touch sensors or buttons, using a combination of near field magnetic induction and radio transceivers to facilitate communication between earpieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If touch sensors or manual buttons are used for user input, then user input can be received, but false positive indications occur and user-friendliness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical touch sensors and buttons with an acoustic detection system using microphones and digital signal processing. The system detects tap gestures by analyzing acoustic signals in the frequency range of 200-2000 Hz, substituting mechanical contact-based input with acoustic wave-based detection, thereby eliminating false positives while maintaining ease of use
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic waves as an intermediary medium between the user's tap gesture and the device's input recognition. Instead of direct mechanical contact or electrical touch sensing, the tap gesture generates acoustic waves that are captured by microphones and processed to recognize user intent, serving as a reliable intermediary that eliminates false positive indications
2Reliability
If microphones and digital signal processing are used to detect taps, then false positives are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the microphones serve multiple functions: they act as both audio input devices for music playback control and as gesture detection sensors for tap recognition. The same hardware components are reused for different purposes through software-based signal processing, avoiding the need for separate gesture sensors and reducing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the existing audio processing system to serve the additional function of gesture detection. The digital signal processor, already present for audio processing, is configured to also analyze acoustic signals for tap detection, allowing the system to self-extend its functionality without requiring additional dedicated hardware components
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and user-friendly manual input reception with reduced false positives, allowing for intuitive control of functions like volume adjustment and music playback, and seamless communication between earpieces.
Implementation Method 1
at least one microphone operatively connected to the processor, wherein the earpiece is configured to receive audio from the at least one microphone
Implementation Method 2
The wireless transceiver may include a near field magnetic induction transceiver (NFMI)
Data Source
AI summary
An earpiece comprises an earpiece housing, a digital signal processor disposed within the ear piece housing, and at least one microphone operatively connected to the digital signal processor. The earpiece is configured to receive audio from the at least one microphone and process the audio with the digital signal processor to determine if a user has performed a tap on the earpiece. The earpiece may further include a wireless transceiver disposed within the ear piece wherein the earpiece is configured to communicate data indicative of occurrence of the tap using the wireless transceiver.