Indirect Bone Conduction Audio in Head-Mounted Displays
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional head-mounted displays (HMDs) using bone-conduction transducers directly attach to the bone, which can be cumbersome and lack privacy, as sound is directly transferred to the inner ear, whereas existing wearable computing systems aim to provide more intuitive and less obtrusive information delivery.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an HMD with a vibration transducer that vibrates the frame of the display instead of directly vibrating the wearer's bone structure, utilizing indirect bone conduction to transfer sound, which also allows for airborne audio transmission, enhancing privacy by keeping the sound perceived via bone conduction while minimizing noise leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bone-conduction transducers directly attach to the bone, then sound is directly transferred to the inner ear, but the device becomes cumbersome and lacks privacy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the HMD frame) between the vibration transducer and the user's bone. Instead of direct attachment, the transducer vibrates the frame, which then transfers vibration to the bone through indirect coupling. This mediator approach simplifies the attachment mechanism while maintaining sound transfer effectiveness and adding privacy benefits.
2Measurement precision
If vibration transducer directly vibrates wearer's bone, then sound is perceived clearly, but noise leaks and privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The HMD frame serves as an intermediary that transfers vibration from the transducer to the bone indirectly. This indirect bone conduction path keeps the sound confined to the user's perception while reducing noise leakage to the external environment, thereby maintaining clarity while improving privacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from direct one-to-one contact (transducer to bone) to a multi-dimensional path where the transducer vibrates the frame structure, which then couples to the bone at multiple points. This dimensional change in the vibration path enhances privacy by distributing the sound transmission through the frame structure rather than direct exposure.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If vibration transducer is located on the side section away from wearer, then privacy is enhanced, but direct bone conduction is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The frame structure acts as a mediator that bridges the gap between the transducer positioned on the side section and the bone. Even though the transducer is located away from direct bone contact, the frame efficiently transmits vibrations to the bone through indirect coupling, maintaining conduction effectiveness while preserving privacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the transducer placement from the bone contact point. The transducer is positioned on the side section of the frame away from the wearer for privacy, while the frame structure itself serves as the transmission medium that delivers vibrations to the bone at a different location, achieving both privacy and effectiveness.
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
This configuration provides a more comfortable and private audio experience by transferring sound through indirect bone conduction and airborne audio, ensuring that the sound is perceived by the wearer without being intelligible to others, while maintaining the convenience of bone-conducted audio.
Implementation Method 1
the vibration transducer is configured such that when the support structure is worn, the vibration transducer vibrates the support structure without directly vibrating a wearer. Further, the support structure is configured such that when worn, the support structure vibrationally couples to a bone structure of the wearer
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary wearable computing systems may include a head-mounted display that is configured to provide indirect bone-conduction audio. For example, an exemplary head-mounted display may include at least one vibration transducer that is configured to vibrate at least a portion of the head-mounted display based on the audio signal. The vibration transducer is configured such that when the head-mounted display is worn, the vibration transducer vibrates the head-mounted display without directly vibrating a wearer. However, the head-mounted display structure vibrationally couples to a bone structure of the wearer, such that vibrations from the vibration transducer may be indirectly transferred to the wearer's bone structure.