Sony Ericsson patents PORTABLE HANDS-FREE DEVICE WITH SENSOR
Abstract.
A method may include detecting a stimulus based on a sensor of a peripheral device, determining an operative state of a main device, determining whether the operative state of the main device should be adjusted based on the stimulus, and adjusting at least one of the operative state of the main device or the peripheral device if the stimulus indicates a use of the peripheral device by a user.
Description
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BACKGROUND
[0001]With the development of consumer devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), users are afforded an expansive platform to access and exchange information. In turn, our reliance on such devices has comparatively grown in both personal and business settings.
[0002]Given the widespread use of such devices, it is not uncommon for a user to utilize a hands-free device when operating a consumer device. Typically, a hands-free device may include one or more ear-pieces for listening and a mouthpiece/microphone for speaking. While a hands-free device may allow a user to operate a consumer device in a hands-free fashion and provide a semblance of privacy, various situations may arise when the use of a hands-free device can become burdensome for the user. For example, if the consumer device is a mobile phone, and the mobile phone receives an incoming call, a user has to put in one or more earpieces, and locate and press an answer key on the mobile phone. In such situations, a user may be susceptible to missing the incoming call given the multiple steps involved.
SUMMARY
[0003]According to one aspect, a method may include detecting a stimulus based on a sensor of a peripheral device, determining an operative state of a main device, determining whether the operative state of the main device should be adjusted based on the stimulus, and adjusting at least one of the operative state of the main device or the peripheral device if the stimulus indicates a use of the peripheral device by a user.
[0004]Additionally, the detecting may include detecting the stimulus based on at least one of a capacitance, an inductance, a pressure, a temperature, an illumination, a movement, or an acoustical parameter associated with an earpiece of the peripheral device.
[0005]Additionally, the determining the operative state of the main device may include determining whether the main device is receiving a telephone call.
[0006]Additionally, the adjusting may include automatically accepting the telephone call without the main device receiving an accept call input from the user if it is determined that the main device is receiving the telephone call.
[0007]Additionally, the method may include adjusting the operative state of the main device if the stimulus indicates a non-use of the peripheral device by the user.
[0008]Additionally, the adjusting the operative state of the main device if the stimulus indicates a non-use may include preventing sound from emanating from an earpiece of the peripheral device if auditory information is produced by the main device.
[0009]Additionally, the preventing may include preventing sound from emanating from the earpiece by performing at least one of muting the auditory information or pausing an application running on the main device that is producing the auditory information.
[0010]Additionally, the method may include determining an operative state of the peripheral device based on a value associated with the stimulus, where the operative state relates to whether the user has one or more earpieces of the peripheral device positioned in a manner corresponding to the user being able to listen to auditory information.
[0011]According to another aspect, a device may include a memory to store instructions, and a processor to execute the instructions. The processor may execute the instructions to receive a stimulus based on a sensor of a headset, determine at least one of whether one or more earpieces of the headset are positioned in a manner corresponding to a user being able to listen to auditory information or whether one or more microphones of the headset are being used by the user, and adjust the operative state of the device if the stimulus indicates the one or more earpieces are positioned in the manner corresponding to the user being able to listen to auditory information.
[0012]Additionally, the stimulus may include a value and the value of the stimulus may be based on at least one of a capacitance, an inductance, a pressure, a temperature, light, a movement, or an acoustical impedance and phase, and the value of the stimulus may correspond to the one or more earpieces positioned in the manner corresponding to the user being able to listen to auditory information or the one or more earpieces positioned in a manner corresponding to the user not being able to listen to auditory information.
[0013]Additionally, the processor may further execute instructions to receive an incoming telephone call, and where the instructions to adjust may include instructions to automatically accept the incoming telephone call without receiving an accept call input from the user.
[0014]Additionally, the processor may further execute instructions to adjust the operative state of the device if the stimulus indicates the one or more earpieces are not positioned in a manner corresponding to the user being able to listen to auditory information.
[0015]According to still another aspect, a headset may include one or more earpieces, where each earpiece of the one or more earpieces may include a sensor to detect a capacitance value, and where auditory information may be prevented from emanating from each earpiece if the capacitance value does not correspond to a capacitance value that indicates a user is utilizing a respective earpiece of the one or more earpieces to receive auditory information.
[0016]Additionally, the headset may include one or more microphones.
[0017]Additionally, the one or more microphones may include a plurality of microphones, and the one or more earpieces may include a plurality of earpieces, and each microphone of the plurality of microphones may be associated with one of the plurality of earpieces, and each microphone of the plurality of microphones may be configured to be disabled if the detected capacitance value does not correspond to a threshold value.
[0018]Additionally, the headset may include a wireless headset.
[0019]According to yet another aspect, a computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by at least one processor of a device, the computer-readable medium may include one or more instructions for receiving a stimulus from a peripheral device that includes a sensor, one or more instructions for determining whether the stimulus indicates whether a user is using the peripheral device, and one or more instructions for altering an operation of the device if the stimulus indicates that the user is using the peripheral device.
[0020]Additionally, where the stimulus value relates to at least one of a capacitance, an inductance, a pressure, a temperature, light, a movement, or an acoustical parameter.
[0021]Additionally, the computer-readable medium may include one or more instructions establishing a wireless connection with the peripheral device, whether the peripheral device is a headset, and one or more instructions for altering the operation of the device if the stimulus indicates that the user is not using the headset.
[0022]Additionally, where the stimulus may include a first stimulus value and a second stimulus value, and the computer-readable medium may further include one or more instructions for muting auditory information emanating from a first earpiece of the headset if the first stimulus value indicates that the user does not have the first earpiece contacting the user's ear, and allowing auditory information to emanate from a second earpiece of the headset if the second stimulus value indicates that the user does have the second earpiece contacting the user's ear.
[0023]Additionally, the computer-readable medium may include one or more instructions for pausing a media player of the device if the first stimulus value associated with the first earpiece and the second stimulus value associated with the second earpiece indicate that the user is not using either the first earpiece or the second earpiece.
A method may include detecting a stimulus based on a sensor of a peripheral device, determining an operative state of a main device, determining whether the operative state of the main device should be adjusted based on the stimulus, and adjusting at least one of the operative state of the main device or the peripheral device if the stimulus indicates a use of the peripheral device by a user.
Description
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACKGROUND
[0001]With the development of consumer devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), users are afforded an expansive platform to access and exchange information. In turn, our reliance on such devices has comparatively grown in both personal and business settings.
[0002]Given the widespread use of such devices, it is not uncommon for a user to utilize a hands-free device when operating a consumer device. Typically, a hands-free device may include one or more ear-pieces for listening and a mouthpiece/microphone for speaking. While a hands-free device may allow a user to operate a consumer device in a hands-free fashion and provide a semblance of privacy, various situations may arise when the use of a hands-free device can become burdensome for the user. For example, if the consumer device is a mobile phone, and the mobile phone receives an incoming call, a user has to put in one or more earpieces, and locate and press an answer key on the mobile phone. In such situations, a user may be susceptible to missing the incoming call given the multiple steps involved.
SUMMARY
[0003]According to one aspect, a method may include detecting a stimulus based on a sensor of a peripheral device, determining an operative state of a main device, determining whether the operative state of the main device should be adjusted based on the stimulus, and adjusting at least one of the operative state of the main device or the peripheral device if the stimulus indicates a use of the peripheral device by a user.
[0004]Additionally, the detecting may include detecting the stimulus based on at least one of a capacitance, an inductance, a pressure, a temperature, an illumination, a movement, or an acoustical parameter associated with an earpiece of the peripheral device.
[0005]Additionally, the determining the operative state of the main device may include determining whether the main device is receiving a telephone call.
[0006]Additionally, the adjusting may include automatically accepting the telephone call without the main device receiving an accept call input from the user if it is determined that the main device is receiving the telephone call.
[0007]Additionally, the method may include adjusting the operative state of the main device if the stimulus indicates a non-use of the peripheral device by the user.
[0008]Additionally, the adjusting the operative state of the main device if the stimulus indicates a non-use may include preventing sound from emanating from an earpiece of the peripheral device if auditory information is produced by the main device.
[0009]Additionally, the preventing may include preventing sound from emanating from the earpiece by performing at least one of muting the auditory information or pausing an application running on the main device that is producing the auditory information.
[0010]Additionally, the method may include determining an operative state of the peripheral device based on a value associated with the stimulus, where the operative state relates to whether the user has one or more earpieces of the peripheral device positioned in a manner corresponding to the user being able to listen to auditory information.
[0011]According to another aspect, a device may include a memory to store instructions, and a processor to execute the instructions. The processor may execute the instructions to receive a stimulus based on a sensor of a headset, determine at least one of whether one or more earpieces of the headset are positioned in a manner corresponding to a user being able to listen to auditory information or whether one or more microphones of the headset are being used by the user, and adjust the operative state of the device if the stimulus indicates the one or more earpieces are positioned in the manner corresponding to the user being able to listen to auditory information.
[0012]Additionally, the stimulus may include a value and the value of the stimulus may be based on at least one of a capacitance, an inductance, a pressure, a temperature, light, a movement, or an acoustical impedance and phase, and the value of the stimulus may correspond to the one or more earpieces positioned in the manner corresponding to the user being able to listen to auditory information or the one or more earpieces positioned in a manner corresponding to the user not being able to listen to auditory information.
[0013]Additionally, the processor may further execute instructions to receive an incoming telephone call, and where the instructions to adjust may include instructions to automatically accept the incoming telephone call without receiving an accept call input from the user.
[0014]Additionally, the processor may further execute instructions to adjust the operative state of the device if the stimulus indicates the one or more earpieces are not positioned in a manner corresponding to the user being able to listen to auditory information.
[0015]According to still another aspect, a headset may include one or more earpieces, where each earpiece of the one or more earpieces may include a sensor to detect a capacitance value, and where auditory information may be prevented from emanating from each earpiece if the capacitance value does not correspond to a capacitance value that indicates a user is utilizing a respective earpiece of the one or more earpieces to receive auditory information.
[0016]Additionally, the headset may include one or more microphones.
[0017]Additionally, the one or more microphones may include a plurality of microphones, and the one or more earpieces may include a plurality of earpieces, and each microphone of the plurality of microphones may be associated with one of the plurality of earpieces, and each microphone of the plurality of microphones may be configured to be disabled if the detected capacitance value does not correspond to a threshold value.
[0018]Additionally, the headset may include a wireless headset.
[0019]According to yet another aspect, a computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by at least one processor of a device, the computer-readable medium may include one or more instructions for receiving a stimulus from a peripheral device that includes a sensor, one or more instructions for determining whether the stimulus indicates whether a user is using the peripheral device, and one or more instructions for altering an operation of the device if the stimulus indicates that the user is using the peripheral device.
[0020]Additionally, where the stimulus value relates to at least one of a capacitance, an inductance, a pressure, a temperature, light, a movement, or an acoustical parameter.
[0021]Additionally, the computer-readable medium may include one or more instructions establishing a wireless connection with the peripheral device, whether the peripheral device is a headset, and one or more instructions for altering the operation of the device if the stimulus indicates that the user is not using the headset.
[0022]Additionally, where the stimulus may include a first stimulus value and a second stimulus value, and the computer-readable medium may further include one or more instructions for muting auditory information emanating from a first earpiece of the headset if the first stimulus value indicates that the user does not have the first earpiece contacting the user's ear, and allowing auditory information to emanate from a second earpiece of the headset if the second stimulus value indicates that the user does have the second earpiece contacting the user's ear.
[0023]Additionally, the computer-readable medium may include one or more instructions for pausing a media player of the device if the first stimulus value associated with the first earpiece and the second stimulus value associated with the second earpiece indicate that the user is not using either the first earpiece or the second earpiece.
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