EAR JEWELRY WITH INTEGRATED HEADSET (as-amended)

Abstract

The invention relates to a piece of ear jewelry having at least one ear part to be worn on each ear of a user, wherein each ear part has a jewelry body, to be worn in a predetermined wearing position on an outside of the ear, and a retaining device for retaining the jewelry body in the wearing position on the ear, wherein the auditory canal of the ear remains free. The piece of ear jewelry incorporates all of the following electrical components completely and so as to be invisible from the outside: a microphone device, a loudspeaker device and a communication unit for providing a bidirectional, wireless communication link to a portable terminal of the user, in order to use the communication link to transmit a microphone signal from the microphone device to the terminal and to receive a loudspeaker signal for the loudspeaker device from the terminal.

Claims

1. An ear jewelry comprising at least one earpiece each to be worn on one ear of a user, while each earpiece comprises: a jewelry body that is to be worn in a predetermined wearing position on a side of the ear facing away from the head of the user, such that it is visible to an environment; and holding device for holding the jewelry body in the wearing position on an auricle, in particular on an earlobe or on a helix of the ear, wherein in the wearing position the auditory canal of the ear remains unobstructed, wherein in the at least one earpiece the following electrical components are completely integrated and invisible from the outside while in the wearing position: a microphone device for detecting a voice sound which passes from a mouth of the head to the earpiece, a loudspeaker device for emitting a loudspeaker sound from the respective earpiece in the direction of the auditory canal of the respective ear, and a communication unit for providing a bidirectional, wireless communication link to a portable device of the user, wherein the communication unit is adapted to send a microphone signal of the microphone device to the portable device and to receive a loudspeaker signal from the portable device for the loudspeaker device over the communication link, and wherein the loudspeaker device is coupled to the environment via a directivity unit, wherein, in the wearing position, the directivity unit is adapted to direct the loudspeaker sound into a direction towards the auditory canal, so that after exiting the earpiece into the environment the loudspeaker sound has a main propagation direction along which the loudspeaker sound reaches the ear canal or at least passes by the ear canal, wherein the directivity unit comprises a funnel and/or a pipe arranged in the earpiece and/or several through-holes which are arranged in an outer wall of the earpiece and wherein due to the arrangement on the auricle and the emission of the loudspeaker sound in the direction of the auditory canal, an acoustic coupling between an oscillatory air column in the auditory canal and the loudspeaker device is achieved.

2. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein in addition to the auditory canal the incisura intertragica and the cavum conchae inferior also remain free in the wearing position.

3. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the microphone device and the loudspeaker device are integrated into the jewelry body of a common earpiece and the jewelry body is designed as a housing, which provides for the loudspeaker sound at least one outlet opening that, in the wearing position, is facing the auditory canal and at an opposite side an entrance opening for the vocal sound.

4. The ear jewelry according to claim 3, wherein for feedback suppression of a sound portion of the loudspeaker sound which is coming from the loudspeaker device and propagating towards the microphone device, a) the housing has two chambers and the microphone device and the loudspeaker device are arranged in different ones of the chambers, and/or b) a processor unit of the ear jewelry is adapted to attenuate a sound signal of the sound portion detected by the microphone device.

5. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the at least one earpiece as a whole includes at least one operating element for a volume control for adjusting a volume of the loudspeaker sound and/or amplification of the microphone signal in dependence on at least an operating signal, wherein the at least one operating element comprises: at least one sensor that generates the operating signal in response to a sweeping movement of an object on an outer surface of the at least one earpiece; and/or a rotational position sensor which generates upon turning of a portion of the ear jewelry, the operating signal in response to an absolute rotational position in space or in dependence on a relative rotational position of the portion of the ear jewelry with respect to a remainder of the ear jewelry.

6. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the at least one earpiece as a whole includes at least one operating element for a volume control for adjusting a volume of the loudspeaker sound and/or amplification of the microphone signal in dependence on at least an operating signal, wherein the at least one operating element comprises: at least one sensor that generates the operating signal as a function of a tremor of the at least one earpiece.

7. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the at least one earpiece as a whole includes at least one operating element for a volume control for adjusting a volume of the loudspeaker sound and/or amplification of the microphone signal in dependence on at least an operating signal, wherein the at least one operating element comprises: an analysis device which detects at least one predetermined pulse in the microphone signal of the microphone device and subsequently generates the operating signal.

8. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein an energy storage device for operating the electrical components is integrated into the ear jewelry such that, in the wearing position, the energy storage device is arranged either behind the auricle between the auricle and the head of the user or under the auricle, wherein the energy storage device is electrically connected to the electrical components via at least one electrical conducting element and a modulation device that is configured to modulate at least one sensor signal and/or at least one signal of an operating element on an electrical voltage provided in the at least one electrical conducting element.

9. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is provided in the ear jewelry which is designed to detect at least one predetermined movement of the head in space and then generates a predetermined control signal for the electrical components.

10. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein a control circuit of the earpiece is adapted to keep the loudspeaker device and the microphone device de-energized in an idle state and the control circuit is configured to supply power to the loudspeaker device and the microphone device as a function of a wirelessly received wake-up signal of the portable device.

11. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the jewelry body of at least one earpiece includes an externally visible, exchangeable decorative element, which is designed to be non-destructively and reversibly detachable from a remainder of the jewelry body, and/or includes at least one holding element for selectively attaching and/or hanging at least one interchangeable additional decorative element which is facing the environment in the wearing position.

12. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the ear jewelry comprises at least one sensor for detecting body data, in particular a heart rate and a temperature.

13. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the ear jewelry includes a panic control element, which triggers an emergency call when actuated.

14. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the ear jewelry comprises a holding function, which is adapted to hold, in response to a predetermined first operating gesture, incoming speech connections and turn on the speech connection again in response to a predetermined second operating gesture.

15. The ear jewelry according to claim 1, wherein a vibration element is provided which is adapted to generate a vibration signal in response to an activation signal of the portable device upon arrival of a message or call and/or to generate a vibration signal upon pressing the earpiece, in which the vibrating element is arranged, to the head of the user in order to deliver the loudspeaker signal as a structure-borne sound into the head.

Description

[0041] In the following, an implementation example of the invention is described. The figures show:

[0042] FIG. 1 a schematic illustration of a perspective view of a user with an embodiment of the ear jewelry according to the invention and with a mobile device;

[0043] FIG. 2 a schematic illustration of a frontal view of an ear of the user with the ear jewelry of FIG. 1;

[0044] FIG. 3 a schematic illustration of a sectional view of a jewelry body of the ear jewelry of FIG. 1;

[0045] FIG. 4 a schematic illustration of a sectional view of a closing element of the holding device of the earpiece of FIG. 1;

[0046] FIG. 5 a schematic illustration of a sectional view of an ear stud from a holding device of the ear jewelry of FIG. 1;

[0047] FIG. 6 a schematic illustration of an auricle to illustrate the terms of components of the auricle used in this description;

[0048] FIG. 7 a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of the ear jewelry according to the invention;

[0049] FIG. 8 a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of the ear jewelry according to the invention with a signal modulation of a supply voltage;

[0050] FIG. 9 a schematic representation of a further embodiment of the ear jewelry according to the invention with an exchangeable decorative element;

[0051] FIG. 10 a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of the ear jewelry according to the invention with a holding element for fastening and/or attaching an additional decorative element;

[0052] FIG. 11 a schematic representation of a further embodiment of the ear jewelry according to the invention, in which an energy storage device is integrated into the jewelry body;

[0053] FIG. 12 a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of the ear jewelry according to the invention, in which a communication unit is integrated in a holding device of the ear jewelry; and

[0054] FIG. 13 a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of the ear jewelry according to the invention, in which the communication unit is integrated in the holding device of the ear jewelry.

[0055] The exemplary embodiment explained below is a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the exemplary embodiment, the described components of the embodiment each represent individual features of the invention that are to be considered independently of one another, which also develop the invention independently of one another and therefore also individually or in a different combination than the one shown as part of the invention. Furthermore, the described embodiment can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

[0056] In the figures, functionally identical elements are each provided with the same reference numerals.

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a user 10, his head 11 with an ear 12 and a mouth 13. The user 10 may use a portable mobile device 14, for example to receive or set up a telephone connection with an interlocutor (not shown). The mobile device 14 may be, for example, a smartphone or another one of the devices already mentioned. For telephoning, the user 10 does not have to hold the mobile device 14 to his ear 12. Instead, the user 10 may use a headset 15. This headset 15 is provided by an ear jewelry 16 having an earpiece 17 which may be attached to an auricle 18 or (shown in FIG. 1) to an earlobe 19 of the ear 12. In the attached state, the earpiece 17 is in a wearing position T. An ear canal 20 of the ear 12 is left free or freely accessible in the wearing position T, i.e. not covered by the ear jewelry 16, so that the ear jewelry 16 does not reveal itself to be a headset 15. The wearing position T of the earpiece 17 can be achieved in a known manner by designing the jewelry body 23 and the holding device 32. In addition, a user manual that illustrates the wearing position T may be provided.

[0058] From an environment 21, i.e. from an outer side 22 of the ear 12, the earpiece 17 and a jewelry body 23 can be seen as it is typical for every know ear jewelry. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the jewelry body 23 is configured as a pearl or ball. It may also be provided another of the above-mentioned shapes for the earpiece 17.

[0059] For the telephone call, a wireless communication link 24 between the mobile device 14 and the earpiece 17 can be provided. Via the communication link 24 a speaker signal 25 can be transmitted to the earpiece 17 so that the earpiece 17 generates a loudspeaker sound 26 based on the speaker signal 25, which emerges from several outlet openings 27 of the jewelry body 23 into the environment 21 and with a main propagation direction 28 that is directed to the ear canal 20. A speech sound 29 from the mouth 13 of the user 10 can pass through an inlet opening 30 of the earpiece 17 into the earpiece 17 and is converted there into a microphone signal 31, which can be transmitted via the communication link 24 to the mobile device 14.

[0060] FIG. 2 illustrates how the jewelry body 23 can be held by a holding device 32 on, for example, the earlobe 19. The holding device 32 may have an ear stud 33, which may be inserted through an ear hole 34 of the earlobe 19. In particular, the ear stud has a diameter smaller than 4 mm. Thus, a common jewelry ear hole 34 can be used, i.e. no stretched piercing is necessary. On a side 21 facing away from the environment or rear side 35 of the ear 12, the holding device 32 may have a closing element 36, which prevents the ear stud 33 from slipping out of the perforation 34.

[0061] FIG. 3 illustrates a possible embodiment of the jewelry body 23. A housing 23 of the jewelry body 23 may have two chambers 37, 38 which may be separated from one another by a chamber wall 39, so that a passage of sound between the chambers 37, 38 is damped. In the chamber 37, a loudspeaker device 40 can be arranged, through which a loudspeaker can be provided, which converts the loudspeaker signal 25 into the loudspeaker sound 26. In the chamber 38 a microphone device 41 may be provided, by means of which the speech sound 29 can be converted into the microphone signal 31 by means of a microphone. The chamber 37 is fluidically coupled via the outlet openings 27 with the environment 21. The chamber 38 is fluidically coupled via the inlet opening 30 with the environment 21.

[0062] An arrangement of the outlet openings 27 for the loudspeaker sound 26 may be selected such that the sound emerging from the individual outlet openings 27 results in a directivity or beamforming due to an overlay effect in the surroundings 21, by which the main emission direction 28 is directed to the auditory canal 20. The arrangement may, for example be determined by means of a simulation program. This may additionally or alternatively be effected by a pipe 27 or a hose or a funnel, via which the loudspeaker device 40 may be coupled to the outlet openings 27. The outlet openings 27 that are designed in such a manner and/or the pipe 27 represent a directivity unit.

[0063] For operating the speaker device 40 and the microphone device 41, a circuit board 42 may be provided. The circuit board 42 may include a communication unit 43 as a further component, which might be for example a Bluetooth radio module. By means of the communication unit 43, the communication link 24 with the mobile device 14 can be set up.

[0064] Furthermore, a control circuit 44 can be provided, by means of which the loudspeaker device 40 and the microphone device 41 can be operated. For example, an operating element 45 may be provided, by means of which a volume of the loudspeaker device 40 and/or the microphone device 41 can be set by setting a signal gain. The operating element 45 may, for example, be provided in the closing element 36 (see FIG. 2). By the control circuit 44, the speaker device 40 and/or the microphone device 41 may also be switched on and off. The operating element 45 may also have an operating possibility for this purpose, for example a button or a proximity sensor.

[0065] In the case of the jewelry body 23, the housing 23 decorative element can be made removable or replaceable. Thus, a decorative surface of the jewelry body 23 that is visible for the environment 21 can be replaced while maintaining the electrical components. The housing 23 thus represents a decorative element.

[0066] FIG. 4 illustrates the closing element 36 in which an energy storage device 46 may be arranged, for example a battery, in particular a button cell. The energy storage device 46 may be arranged in a housing 47 of the closing element 36. At the ear stud 33, the closing element 36 may be held by a connecting element 48, which may be, for example, a pipe socket that is attached to the ear stud 33.

[0067] FIG. 5 illustrates the ear stud 33, which for example may be designed as a tube. The ear stud represents a connector between the jewelry body 23 and the closing element 36.

[0068] In the ear stud 33, a metal wire or a metal pin 49 can be arranged, by means of which an electric current can be transmitted from the energy storage device 46 to the loudspeaker device 40 and the microphone direction 41. In other words, in particular the circuit board 42 can be supplied with electrical energy from the energy storage recovery 46 via the metal pin 49. By means of a spring 50, which is arranged in the ear stud 33, it can be achieved that the metal pin 49 is pressed with a predetermined minimum contact force against an electrical contact of the energy storage device 46. To close a circuit, the connecting element 48 and the tube of the ear stud 33 may be made of an electrically conductive material, in particular metal.

[0069] Instead of or in addition to the division into the chambers 37, 38 with the partition wall 39, it can be provided that the device 40 and the microphone device 41 are operated alternately and for this purpose an electronic rocker or rocker circuit is provided, which can switch alternatingly between the two devices 40 and 41.

[0070] Due to the circuit board 42, a control via the control circuit 44 can be provided, which switches off the loudspeaker device 40 and the microphone device 41, so that no current flow occurs when no telephone connection is established. It is also preferably provided to switch off the communication connection 24. The switching on of the earpiece 17 can take place via the operating element 45 and/or by a wake-up signal 53 of the mobile device 14, by which the communication unit 43 can be made to set up the communication connection 24 with the mobile device 14.

[0071] The ear jewelry 16 results in significant advantages in terms of function, design and ease of use. Due to the complete integration of the functionalities of a wireless communication device in a piece of jewelry or an ear jewelry 16 not only a natural, directed sound transmission from the earlobe or the ear cup 18 to the auditory canal 20 is achieved, but also a feedback between the speaker device 40 and the microphone device 41 can be avoided. The weight is distributed in front of and behind the ear 12 by balancing the weight of the jewelry body 23 and the closing element 36. As a result, the comfort when wearing the earpiece 17 is ensured while the communication or a telephone conversation is discrete. The design makes it in particular possible to wear the earpiece permanently. To handle phone calls it is no longer necessary to take the mobile device 14 for example out of a bag.

[0072] By keeping the earpiece 17 off while not in use, both battery energy is saved and radiation exposure due to the communications link 24 is reduced. Incoming telephone calls can nevertheless be accepted immediately without the mobile device 14 itself having to be operated or touched. It can thus for example remain comfortably in a bag or purse and the user does not have additional trouble in searching for it.

[0073] The communication link 24 also makes it possible to use as the mobile device 14, for example, a tablet PC or a personal computer (PC).

[0074] In addition or as an alternative to the transmission of a telephone conversation, the ear jewelry 16 can also be used as an audio device.

[0075] FIG. 6 shows the auricle 18 without the ear jewelry 16. The auricle 18 is the outer ear of the user 10. Shown are the following elements: [0076] 19 earlobes [0077] 51 cavum conchae inferior [0078] 52 icisura intertragica [0079] 53 helix [0080] 54 anti helix [0081] 55 tragus [0082] 56 cavum conchae superior [0083] 57 fossa triangularis [0084] 58 upper antihelix root [0085] 59 lower antihelix root

[0086] FIG. 7 shows an earpiece 17 in which an operating element 45, for example a switch, is provided in the holding device 32, for example on the closing element. The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 includes a holding device 32 which is designed as a so-called clip, therefore ear stud are not generally necessary. The operating element 45 can, for example, modulate an electrical voltage during operation, which is transmitted by a cable or in general an electrical conducting element in a connecting element 60, namely from the energy storage device 46 in the closing element 36 to the circuit board 42 in the jewelry body 23.

[0087] Furthermore, independently of each embodiment, an actuator or vibration element 61 can be provided, which can generate a vibration signal 62 for a structure-borne sound transmission into the head 11 of the user 10. The vibration element 61 can be activated, for example, as a function of a sensor signal of a sensor 63. The sensor 63 may be, for example, a proximity sensor or a pressure sensor or a photo sensor.

[0088] FIG. 8 shows an earpiece 17 in which a charging contact 64 for the energy storage device 46 is provided in the closing element 36. By means of a joint 65, the closing element 36 can be designed to be foldable with respect to the connection element 60, so that the closing element 36 is not only used for clipping the earring, but can also for example be unfolded or folded for insertion into a charger.

[0089] FIG. 9 illustrates an earpiece 17 in which the jewelry body 23 has a removable or exchangeable decorative element 66. The outlet openings 27 for the loudspeaker sound and the inlet opening 30 for microphone device can also be provided in the decorative element 66. The decorative element 66 may be configured, for example, as a decorative cap. By means of a fastening mechanism 67, the decorative element 66 can be held, for example, on the holding device 32. The attachment mechanism may be, for example, a screw mechanism or a snap mechanism.

[0090] FIG. 10 shows an earpiece 17 in which an additional holding element 68 is provided. The holding element 68 can for example be designed as a hook. An exchangeable decorative element 69 can be attached to the holding element 68. For example, a hanger can be attached to the retaining element 68 as a decorative element 69. For example the microphone device 41 (shown in the Fig.) can be integrated into the additional decorative element 69. Thereby, a distance between the speaker device 40 and the microphone device 41 can be increased.

[0091] FIG. 11 shows an earpiece 17, wherein the energy storage device 46 may be integrated into the jewelry body 23. A perspective view 70 illustrates one possible shape of the jewelry body 23.

[0092] FIG. 12 shows an earpiece 17, in which the circuit board 42 with the Bluetooth radio module, an antenna and possible sensors in the closing element 36 is integrated together with an energy storage device 46.

[0093] FIG. 13 shows an earpiece 17, in which the circuit board 42 with the Bluetooth radio module is arranged in the connection element 60 of the holding device 32 between the jewelry body 23 and the closing element 36 with the energy storage device 46. By means of a hinge 71, the connection element 60 can be arranged pivotable relatively to the jewelry body 23. A counterpart 72 to the connector 60 may be provided as ear stud for the ear hole 34. FIG. 13 also shows a side view and a front view 73 of a possible shape of the connection element 60. The arrangement of the circuit board 42 in the closing element 36 (see FIG. 12) or in the connection element 60 (see FIG. 13) has the advantage that the ornamental body 23 can for example also have through holes 74.

[0094] The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 assume that the circuit board 42 is not arranged in the jewelry body 23. If at least one sensor for detecting a control gesture or operating action is provided on the circuit board 42, the at least one sensor in these embodiments can be integrated as a sensor 75 in the jewelry body 23. As a result, the at least one sensor remains accessible or approachable from the environment 21.

[0095] Overall, the examples show how the function of an inconspicuous so-called headset with speaker and microphone can be provided by the invention, in form of a jewelry worn on the ear.