[0001] The present invention generally relates to controlling a speaker, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for controlling a speaker based on a folding angle of glasses.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Next-generation public-safety officers will be provided head-mounted displays (HMDs) will take the shape of eye ware for producing computer-generated information in a smartphone-like hands-free format. For example, a public-safety officer of the future may wear some sort of head-mounted display to display information about a public-safety incident. Along with visual information, audio information may also be provided via at least one speaker incorporated into the HMD.

[0003] As one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, there are times when HMDs are worn off of the head. For example, a person may remove a pair of smart sunglasses when indoors. Because of this, information provided via the HMD may be missed by anyone not currently wearing the HMDs in an appropriate fashion. It would be beneficial to sense whether or not the HMD is being worn by an officer and provide information to the officer accordingly.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawings [0004] The accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention. [0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a various ways a head-mounted display device may be worn by a person.

[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates a head-mounted display. [0007] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a glasses hinge. [0008] FIG. 4 illustrates voltage as it changes with folding angle.

[0009] FIG. 5 illustrates a head-mounted display.

[0010] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a head mounted display device.

[0011] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing operation of the device of FIG. 6. [0012] Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required.

Detailed Description

[0013] In order to address the above, mentioned need, a method and apparatus for controlling a speaker based on a folding angle of a head-mounted display (e.g., glasses) is provided herein. During operation a folding angle of the head-mounted display is determined and speakers are operated in a manner that is dependent upon folding angle of the head-mounted display.

[0014] It should be noted that the problem and solution were given above with regards to a "head-mounted display", however, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other wearable objects may be operated as described above. For example, a folding angle for sunglasses, eye glasses, safety glasses, welders glasses, or any other form of eye ware may be used to operate a speaker as described herein. Because of this, the following description of the present invention will be given using the generic term "glasses". This term is meant to be a generic term that covers any form of head-mounted display or eye ware incorporating speakers. [0015] The above technique for operating a speaker is illustrated in FIG. 1. Consider public-safety officer 101 currently wearing glasses upon their head. When wearing glasses in this manner, the folding angle (i.e. angle between the frame and the temple (arm) of the glasses) is typically greater than 90 degrees. When this is the case, all audio may be played through bone conducting speakers. In a similar manner, when the glasses is worn around the officers neck (as worn by officer 102), the folding angle is typically less than 80 degrees. When this is the case, multiple loud-speakers may be utilized to provide in a stereo sound to the officer. Finally, when folded (as worn by officer 103), a single speaker may be utilized to provide audible sound to the officer. The above is shown in Table 1.

Table 1 : Folding angle and speaker configuration.

[0016] In a similar manner, a volume level of a single speaker may be adjusted. So, for example, when wearing glasses upon a head, all audio may be played below a first volume level. When the glasses are worn around the officers neck (as worn by officer 102), the volume level may be set to a second level, louder than the first volume level. Finally, when folded (as worn by officer 103), a volume level may be set to a third volume level, louder than the second volume level. The above is shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Folding angle and speaker configuration. [0017] FIG. 2 illustrates glasses in accordance with the present invention. As shown, the glasses comprises computer/processor 204, speaker 205, frame front 203, hinge 202, and temple (arm) 201 , and lenses 200. Temple 201 , often called the arm, is a piece of frame that extends over the ear to help hold the glasses in place. When worn, frame front 203 is typically perpendicular to frame arms 201. Computer 204 comprises circuitry such as a digital signal processor (DSP), general purpose microprocessor, a programmable logic device, or application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and is utilized for producing computer-generated information in a smartphone-like hands-free format. The information generated is typically displayed onto lenses 200 and provided as audible information via at least one speaker 205. During operation, computer 204 determines a folding angle (i.e., an angle between an arm 201 and frame front 203), and adjusts a volume, or a speaker configuration as discussed above.

[0018] Hinge 202 is coupled to the frame arm and the frame front, such that the frame arm and the frame front meet at hinge 202 and form an angle that is adjustable. In one embodiment of the present invention hinge 202 comprises a potentiometer, and is utilized to output a voltage that is dependent upon folding angle. More particularly, hinge 202 comprises a variable resistor with a third adjustable terminal. The potential at a contact point can be used to determine a folding angle. This is illustrated in FIG. 3. [0019] FIG. 3 shows a top-down view of frame front 203 and an arm 201. A voltage (Vin) is applied at point 301 by computer 204. A contact point 302 is used as an adjustable terminal. As the frames open and close, the angle between the arm 201 and the frame front 203 increases and decreases. This causes contact point 302 to rotate. The voltage at the contact point (Vout) changes as the angle increases and decreases. The voltage at contact point 302 is directly proportional to folding angle. This is illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0020] As described, the device shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 5 comprises frame arm 201 , frame front 203, hinge 202 coupled to frame arm 201 and frame front 203, such that frame arm 201 and frame front 203 meet at hinge 202 and form an angle that is adjustable. At least a first speaker 205 is provided and circuitry 204 is also provided that is capable of determining the angle and operating the first speaker in a manner that changes based on the angle. [0021] Lenses 200 are provided that are coupled to the frame front. As discussed above, hinge 202 may act as a potentiometer in order to determine a folding angle. In other words, circuitry 204 determines the angle by determining a voltage from the potentiometer. As discussed above, circuitry 204 operates the first speaker by turning the first speaker on or off and/or by adjusting a volume level of the first speaker.

[0022] A second speaker may be provided with circuitry 204 operating both the first and the second speaker in a manner that is based on the folding angle.

[0023] With the above in mind, the first speaker may be turned on when the angle is greater than a first threshold, and the second speaker may be turned on when the angle is between the first threshold and a second threshold.

[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates glasses having multiple speakers 205. Speakers 205 may comprise standard loud speaker, bone conducting speakers, or any type of device capable of generating a perceived sound. Computer 204 is coupled to speakers 205, and control the operation of speakers as described above. [0025] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a head mounted display device. As shown hinge 202 outputs voltage (Vout) to computer 204. Alternatively hinge 202 may output Vout to an analog to digital converter (not shown) and computer 204 may receive a digital representation of Vout. Regardless of whether Vout is received by computer 204 in an analog or a digital manner, computer 204 adjusts the configuration of speakers 205 based on Vout (as shown in Tables 1 and 2). More specifically, a first speaker may be operated when a first voltage is detected, and a second speaker may be operated when a second voltage is detected.

[0026] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing operation of the device of FIG. 6. The logic flow begins at step 701 where computer 204 determines a frame folding angle for a pair of glasses. At step 703 computer controls at least one speaker based on the frame folding angle for the pair of glasses.

[0027] As discussed above, the frame folding angle preferably comprises an angle between a frame arm of the glasses and a frame front of the glasses. The step of determining an angle between a frame arm of the glasses and a frame front of the glasses is accomplished by determining a characteristic of a hinge that exists between the frame arm and the frame front. The hinge may act as a potentiometer. [0028] In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings.

[0029] Those skilled in the art will further recognize that references to specific implementation embodiments such as "circuitry" may equally be accomplished via either on general purpose computing apparatus (e.g., CPU) or specialized processing apparatus (e.g., DSP) executing software instructions stored in non-transitory computer-readable memory. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. [0030] The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.

[0031] Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "has", "having," "includes", "including," "contains", "containing" or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by "comprises ...a", "has ...a", "includes ...a", "contains ...a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms "a" and "an" are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms "substantially", "essentially", "approximately", "about" or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term "coupled" as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is "configured" in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.

[0032] It will be appreciated that some embodiments may be comprised of one or more generic or specialized processors (or "processing devices") such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the method and/or apparatus described herein. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used. [0033] Moreover, an embodiment can be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a Flash memory. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation. [0034] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.