Wearable Audio Head-Rotation Sensing for Ambient Sound Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable electronic devices fail to adapt sound output based on user head rotation, leading to continuous sound output regardless of the user's orientation, which can be distracting when observing surroundings.
Innovation Solution
A wearable electronic device equipped with sensors to detect head rotation and activate an ambient sound listening function when a specified angle threshold is exceeded, allowing it to output ambient sounds through separate channels while maintaining directional sound positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wearable electronic device continuously outputs sound through the speaker unit, then the user can hear the sound even at a low output, but the continuous sound output becomes distracting when the user needs to observe surroundings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the sound output adaptive rather than static. The device continuously monitors head orientation through sensors and dynamically adjusts sound output based on detected rotation angles. When the user's head is rotated beyond a threshold angle, the system automatically activates ambient sound listening mode, allowing external sounds to be heard while maintaining the ability to receive audio signals, thus eliminating the distracting effect of continuous sound output.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using sensors to detect head orientation and feeding this information back to the control unit. The control unit processes the rotation angle data and adjusts the sound output accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that the sound output is continuously optimized based on the user's actual head position and orientation, preventing distracting sound when the user is observing surroundings.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the wearable electronic device activates ambient sound listening function based on head rotation detection, then the user's situational awareness is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the existing sensors serve multiple functions. The sensors that detect head orientation for spatial audio positioning are also used to trigger the ambient sound listening function. This multi-functionality approach allows the device to gain situational awareness capability without adding dedicated sensors solely for this purpose, thereby reducing the increase in device complexity while still improving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the ambient sound listening function with the existing spatial audio and head tracking systems. The control unit that manages spatial audio processing also handles the logic for activating ambient sound mode based on head rotation detection. By combining these functions into a unified control architecture, the patent avoids creating separate complex subsystems and integrates the new capability into the existing device framework.
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
Enhances user experience by providing ambient sound when the user rotates their head, improving situational awareness without disrupting focused sound output.
Implementation Method 1
identify a first sensing value corresponding to a rotation angle between the first direction and the second direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3
AI summary
According to an embodiment, a wearable electronic device comprises: a memory storing instructions; a communication module; a sensor; a microphone; an output device; and a processor, wherein the instructions may be configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable electronic device to: on the basis of a signal obtained from an electronic device through the communication module, output sound through the output device; while the sound is being output, identify, through the sensor, a first direction of the wearable electronic device worn by the user; when the wearable electronic device is rotated in a second direction, identify a first sensing value corresponding to a rotation angle between the first direction and the second direction; and on the basis of an operation of identifying that the rotation angle indicated by the first sensing value is greater than a first specified value, output, through the output device, ambient sound of the wearable electronic device, which is obtained through the microphone. Various other embodiments are possible.