Headphone Cup Environmental Regulation via Sensor Feedback

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

During long periods of use, environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity inside headphones increase, leading to discomfort and the need for manual removal and replacement to alleviate these conditions, disrupting the user's immersion in audiovisual media.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating sensors and a processor within the headphones to monitor environmental conditions and activate a cooling mechanism, such as a fan or semiconductor refrigeration chip, to regulate temperature, humidity, and heartrate, ensuring these conditions match set thresholds, thereby maintaining comfort without user intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If headphones are worn for long periods to maintain immersion in audiovisual media, then user immersion is improved, but environmental conditions inside the cups deteriorate (temperature and humidity increase causing discomfort)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser immersionVSAvoidtemperature and humidity inside cups

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The headphones automatically monitor environmental conditions inside the cups using sensors and activate cooling mechanisms when thresholds are exceeded, enabling the device to self-regulate without user intervention. This maintains immersion while preventing discomfort from heat and humidity buildup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors temperature, humidity, and optionally heartrate inside the cups, compares readings to predetermined thresholds, and automatically activates cooling mechanisms when conditions exceed thresholds. This closed-loop feedback system dynamically adjusts cooling to maintain comfortable environmental conditions throughout extended wear.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If manual removal and replacement of headphones is performed to alleviate environmental conditions, then comfort is improved, but user immersion is disrupted and time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomfort adjustmentVSAvoiduser immersion continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The automatic environmental regulation system eliminates the need for manual removal and replacement of headphones. The device self-manages comfort by activating cooling mechanisms when environmental thresholds are exceeded, allowing users to maintain immersion without interruption while still achieving comfort relief.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Object-affected harmful factors

If cooling mechanisms are activated to regulate environmental conditions, then comfort is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental conditions inside cupsVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs semiconductor refrigeration chips or acoustic transducers as cooling mechanisms, replacing traditional mechanical cooling systems. These solid-state or acoustic-based solutions reduce mechanical complexity while effectively regulating environmental conditions inside the cups through thermoelectric or acoustic radiation pressure effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

The solution effectively maintains comfortable environmental conditions inside the headphones, reducing the need for manual adjustment and enhancing user immersion by automatically managing temperature, humidity, and heartrate, ensuring a consistent and enjoyable VR experience.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling mechanism (110) disposed within each of the cups (104)... such that the cooling mechanism exchanges air located inside of the cups (104) with air located external to the cups (104)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

a semiconductor refrigeration chip as a cooling mechanism

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPeltier Effect: Peltier Effect

Implementation Method 3

an acoustic transducer as a cooling mechanism

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic Radiation Pressure: Acoustic Radiation Pressure

Data Source

PatentEP3563588B1Regulating environmental conditions inside cups of headphones

Publication Date: 2022.08.31 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A

AI summary

Headphones include a pair of cups, each housing a speaker to be positioned over an ear of a user, a processor, a cooling mechanism disposed within each of the cups to regulate environmental conditions inside of the cups to match environmental thresholds provided by a virtual reality device displaying a virtual reality environment to the user, a temperature sensor and at least one additional environmental sensor disposed within each of the cups to monitor the environmental conditions inside the cups, the processor to subsequently analyze data associated with the sensors and compare the data to the environmental thresholds and the processor to selectively activate the cooling mechanism based on the comparison.