TOF Earphone Positioning for Precise Ear Canal Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

The wearing position of VR/AR devices is often inaccurate, making it difficult for users to achieve the best acoustic system design and listening experience.

Innovation Solution

Equipping earphones with a TOF sensor to acquire ear position information, determining the center point of the ear canal, and outputting an adjustment vector to manually align the earphone center with the ear canal center.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual adjustment of VR/AR device wearing position is performed, then user can attempt to achieve better acoustic experience, but it is difficult to adjust to the exact position and accuracy cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveearphone position accuracyVSAvoidmanual adjustment difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with an optical measurement system. A TOF sensor captures three-dimensional position information of the ear canal, and a processor automatically calculates the optimal earphone position, eliminating the need for imprecise manual adjustment while ensuring high positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a digital copy of the ear canal's three-dimensional structure by capturing position information with a TOF sensor. This digital model is then used to calculate the precise center point and optimal earphone placement, avoiding the need for physical trial-and-error adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If TOF sensor is added to earphone for automatic positioning, then position accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveear canal position detection accuracyVSAvoidearphone structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The TOF sensor in the earphone serves multiple functions: it detects the position of the ear canal, measures the distance to the ear, and provides data for calculating optimal placement. This multi-functionality justifies the added component while reducing overall system complexity compared to dedicated separate measurement devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Ensures accurate wearing position of the headset, providing the best listening experience by aligning the earphone center with the ear canal center.

Implementation Method 1

acquiring position information of an ear using the TOF sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTime of flight: Time of Flight

Data Source

PatentUS12356133B2Earphone position adjustment method and apparatus, and equipment and storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.07.08 GOERTEK INC

AI summary

A method and device for adjusting a position of an earphone, equipment and storage medium are disclosed. The earphone is provided with a TOF sensor. The method comprises: acquiring position information of an ear using the TOF sensor, wherein the position information of the ear includes positions of points describing the ear in morphology; determining a position of a center point of an ear canal of the ear according to the position information of the ear; acquiring a position of a center point of the earphone; and outputting an adjustment vector of the position of the earphone according to the position of the center point of the ear canal and the position of the center point of the earphone.