WO2018021629A2 - Portable audio device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable audio device comprising: a main body; an earbud connected to the main body and mounted to a user's ear; a microphone for collecting external sounds; a sensing unit for collecting status information of the portable audio device; and a control unit for controlling the earbud so as to provide sounds according to sound data, wherein, when status information collected by the sensing unit satisfies a predetermined reference, the control unit activates an external sound awareness (ESA) function that is a function of providing external sounds collected by the microphone through the earbud. The portable audio device can prevent a user who does not hear external sounds from having an accident even when the user is using the portable audio device.

Description

Portable sound equipment

The present invention relates to a portable acoustic apparatus for receiving an acoustic signal from a terminal and transmitting a control signal for controlling the terminal through wireless communication with the terminal.

The sound device refers to a sound device that receives sound signals from a terminal and transmits sound information collected through a microphone to the terminal. Conventionally, a portable audio device is connected to a terminal jack of a terminal using a wired method for receiving an acoustic signal. However, in terms of mobility and ease of use, the demand for portable audio devices in a wireless communication method is increasing.

In order to carry it on the user's body, a portable audio device has been developed in consideration of portability, such as a headphone type that fits into a head shape, a type that is worn on an ear, and a type that is worn on an ear.

Recently, the demand for a portable audio device with a band that can be mounted on the neck so that the user is easy to carry even if the earbuds are not attached to the ear is increasing rapidly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable audio device that can prevent an accident caused by not hearing external sounds while using the portable audio device by adding an ESA function.

main body; An earbud connected to the main body and mounted to a user's ear; A microphone for collecting external sounds; A sensing unit collecting state information of the portable audio device; And a control unit controlling the earbuds to provide a sound based on acoustic data, wherein the control unit controls the earbuds to collect external sounds collected by the microphone through the earbuds when the state information collected by the sensing unit satisfies a predetermined criterion. It provides a portable audio device that activates the External Sound Awareness (ESA) feature.

The earbud is provided with a pair, and the sensing unit is a detachable sensor for detecting whether the earbud is worn on the user's ear, and the control unit is an ESA function when the user wears both of the pair of earbuds. May be activated and the ESA function may be deactivated when at least one side is not worn.

The detachable sensor may be at least one of a switch, a proximity sensor, an illuminance sensor, an IR sensor, or a temperature sensor attached to the earbud.

The controller may activate the ESA function when it is detected that the detachable sensor is worn over a reference time.

The apparatus may further include a wireless communication unit configured to receive the sound data from an external terminal or a base station.

The sensing unit detects whether a call signal is received, and the controller activates the ESA function when a call signal is detected, and deactivates the ESA function when a call ends.

The earbud is provided with a pair, and the control unit, when the ESA function is activated, one earbud provides a sound according to the sound data, the other earbud provides an external sound collected by the microphone can do.

The sensing unit is one of an acceleration sensor for detecting a moving speed of the portable sound device or a location based service (LBS) for detecting a change in position, and when the moving speed of the sound device is higher than a reference speed, the ESA function is activated. If the speed is less than the reference speed, the ESA function can be deactivated.

The sensing unit includes a volume measuring device for sensing the volume of the external sound received from the microphone, and the control unit activates the ESA function when the external sound above the first reference volume is detected by the volume measuring device and the external volume below the reference volume. If sound is detected, the ESA function can be disabled.

The first reference volume may be 50 dB.

When the controller detects the external sound of the second reference volume greater than the first reference volume, the controller may deactivate the ESA function or change the external sound to be smaller and supply the earbud.

The second reference volume may be 110 dB.

If the volume of the external sound measured by the volume measuring device is repeatedly detected a sound of a constant size, the controller may not filter it and provide it to the user.

When the ESA function is activated, the controller may provide the earbud with the external sound collected by the microphone mixed with the sound according to the sound data.

It may further include an amplifier for amplifying the external sound collected by the microphone.

The wearable part may have a smooth surface by coating at least a part of the surface of the part contacting the user's body when the user wears it.

According to another aspect of the invention, determining whether the earbuds are worn both; Collecting state information of the portable acoustic apparatus collected by the sensing unit; Determining whether the state information satisfies a reference range; Collecting external sounds from the microphone; And an external sound awareness (ESA) function that provides external sounds collected from the microphone through the earbuds when the earbuds are worn on both sides and the state information collected by the sensing unit satisfies the reference range. It provides a portable sound device control method comprising the step of activating.

The state information is whether the portable audio device receives a call signal,

Activating the ESA function may activate the ESA function when receiving the call signal.

The state information is a moving speed of the portable sound device, and activating the ESA function may activate the ESA function when the moving speed is greater than or equal to a reference speed.

The status information is the volume of the external sound collected by the microphone, and activating the ESA function may include the volume of the external sound collected by the microphone as a first reference volume and a second reference volume greater than the first reference volume. Comparing; Deactivating an ESA function when the volume of the collected external sound is equal to or less than the first reference volume; Activating an ESA function when the volume of the collected external sound is greater than the first reference volume or less than the second reference volume; And deactivating an ESA function or activating an ESA function while reducing the external sound when the volume of the collected external sound is equal to or greater than the second reference volume.

The portable acoustic apparatus of the present invention can add an ESA function to prevent an accident caused by not listening to external sound while using the portable acoustic apparatus.

ESA function is not ON / OFF by user manually, but it is automatically turned ON / OFF according to the use environment.

It does not provide noise to the user due to friction between the main body and the user's body, thereby preventing the sound quality of the portable acoustic apparatus due to ESA function activation.

Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. However, various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art, and therefore, specific embodiments, such as the detailed description and the preferred embodiments of the present invention, should be understood as given by way of example only.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a portable acoustic apparatus of the present invention.

2 is a perspective view of one side of the portable audio device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view showing an earbud wearing aspect of the portable acoustic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a view showing an aspect of use of the portable acoustic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is an exemplary table showing the correlation between the volume and the surrounding environment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an aspect of use of a portable acoustic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a table showing whether the ESA operation of the portable acoustic device of the present invention.

8 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a control method of a portable acoustic device of the present invention.

9 is a view showing another embodiment of a control method of a portable acoustic device of the present invention.

10 is a flowchart according to whether or not the ESA of the portable audio device of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the same or similar components will be given the same reference numerals regardless of the reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted. The suffixes "module" and "unit" for components used in the following description are given or used in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles from each other. In addition, in describing the embodiments disclosed herein, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related known technology may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the accompanying drawings are intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, but are not limited to the technical spirit disclosed herein by the accompanying drawings, all changes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should be understood to include equivalents and substitutes.

Terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it may be directly connected to or connected to that other component, but it may be understood that other components may be present in between. Should be. On the other hand, when a component is said to be "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there is no other component in between.

Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In this application, the terms "comprises" or "having" are intended to indicate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, and one or more other features. It is to be understood that the present invention does not exclude the possibility of the presence or the addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, components, or a combination thereof.

1 is a block diagram of a portable audio device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the portable audio device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The portable acoustic device 200 of the present invention has a main body composed of an elastic band 210 and a housing 220 as a basic structure, and includes a control unit 280, a wireless communication unit 285, and sound inside the housing 220. The output unit 240, the microphone 260, the user input unit 270, the sensing unit 275 and the power supply unit 290 are mounted.

The elastic band 210 is bent in a C-shaped curve and has elasticity, and when a force is applied, the curvature of the C-shaped curve is changed within a predetermined range, and when the force is removed, the elastic band 210 is returned to its original shape. The housing 220 is coupled to both ends of the elastic band 210 and positioned at both ends of the C-shaped curve of the portable sound device 200. Various components such as a printed circuit board 281, a wireless communication unit 285, and a battery 291 are inserted into and out of the inside.

The elastic band 210 and the housing 220 may be assembled by connecting separate independent structures, and the elastic band 210 may be formed of a single member by dual injection of the flexible material into a rigid material and the housing 220. It may be.

The portable audio device 200 may be worn on a user's neck and carried. In particular, the portable acoustic device 200 of the present invention may be configured to make the inner diameter of the main body smaller to be in close contact with the user's neck. The close contact with the user's neck can reduce the shaking when walking or running, and can prevent the main body of the portable audio device from hitting the collarbone or leaving the neck.

The elastic band 210 may include a displacement sensor that detects a change in curvature so that the user opens the end of the portable sound device 200 when worn. In this case, since the curvature of the elastic band 210 is gently changed, it is determined that the user intends to use the portable sound device 200, and the power of the portable sound device 200 may be turned on or synchronized with an external terminal.

In order to more accurately determine whether the user is worn or carried out while carrying, the curvature after the curvature of the elastic band 210 is greatly changed in the displacement sensor may be considered together. If the curvature of the elastic band 210 is significantly changed to the first size, and then the curvature is fixed to a curvature of the second size that is gentler than the state where the portable sound device 200 is mounted, the user of the portable sound device 200 It can be judged that it is worn on.

In addition to the displacement sensor, the user has a sensor such as a temperature sensor, an optical sensor, or a heart rate sensor on a wearing surface that contacts the neck when the user wears the temperature, and the brightness is dark, and when the heart rate is detected, the user judges that the user wears it. Then, the portable audio device 200 may be turned on, or the wireless communication unit 285 may be activated to synchronize with an external terminal.

Alternatively, the switch is provided in a physical manner so that when the user wears it, the protruding switch is pressed to generate an ON signal, and when the ON state of the switch is maintained for a predetermined time, the power of the portable audio device 200 is turned on or synchronized with an external terminal. can do. The sensor and the switch may be provided with a plurality of values to combine the plurality of values to determine the correct fit.

The housing 220 may be provided in pairs at both ends of the elastic band 210, and various components are mounted in the internal space. A microphone, a user input unit 270, an interface unit, and the like are provided at an outer side of the housing, and an acoustic cable protrudes outward to be connected to the earbuds 241.

The earbuds 241 may further include an earbud seating portion 225 on which the earbuds 241 are mounted, and the earbuds 241 may be attached to and fixed to each other.

The housing 220 uses a rigid member to protect internal components, and may be formed by injecting a synthetic resin, or may be formed of a metal such as stainless steel (STS), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), or the like. have.

The sound output unit 240 is a device for outputting sound according to a sound signal, and may include a speaker mounted in the housing, and the earbuds 241 may be located outside the housing, but may be connected to the housing through an acoustic cable. have.

The earbud 241 is a device that transmits sound by being inserted into a user's ear, and the speaker is a device that transmits sound in a state spaced apart from the ear without being inserted into the user's ear. The volume of the sound output from the earbuds 241 is smaller than the sound output from the speaker. The earbud 241 is detachable from the main body and can be inserted into the user's ear, and the speaker is located inside the main body. The speaker may be located in the body portion rather than the elastic band 210 portion to be located directly below the user's ear.

The wireless communication unit 285 receives data from another mobile device or a base station such as an external terminal or wirelessly transmits a command received through a user input unit to another mobile device. The wireless communication unit 285 uses a short range wireless communication method to transmit and receive a signal to and from a portable device located in a short distance, and the short range wireless communication includes Bluetooth ™, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and Infrared Data Association; Near field communication using at least one of IrDA (UlB), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, Near Field Communication (NFC), Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Wi-Fi Direct, and Wireless Universal Serial Bus (Wireless USB) technologies Can support

If another portable electronic device capable of performing short-range wireless communication is located within a communication range, once registered, the portable device can be automatically connected once detected.

Alternatively, in order to transmit and receive signals from a base station, technical standards or communication methods for mobile communication are used. For example, Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), Code Division Multi Access (CDMA), Code Division Multi Access 2000 (CDMA2000), Enhanced Voice-Data Optimized or Enhanced Voice-Data Only (WCDMA), Wideband Base station, external on a mobile communication network established according to CDMA), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) Send and receive wireless signals with at least one of the terminal and the server.

The wireless signal may include various types of data according to transmission and reception of a voice call signal, a video call call signal, or a text / multimedia message.

The microphone 260 processes external sound signals into electrical voice data. The processed voice data is transmitted to an external terminal or an external server through the wireless communication unit 285. The microphone 260 may implement various noise removing algorithms for removing noise generated in the process of receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 270 is an input unit for the user to control the portable audio device 200, and may include, for example, a call button 272, a button 273 for adjusting the volume, a power button 271, and the like. The user input unit 270 may receive a user's command by using a slide type touch method, etc., in addition to the pressing method, and the portable audio device mainly uses a physical button type because the user does not directly see and operate.

In addition, the user input unit 270 may also include a voice recognition sensor that does not have a keypad as in a conventional mobile terminal, and thus extracts a command by analyzing a sound input through a microphone to input a detailed command. .

The sensing unit 275 is a device that recognizes the state of the portable audio device 200 itself and the surroundings, and a detachable sensor 276 that detects whether or not the earbud is worn by the user, and the illumination intensity of sensing the surrounding brightness. Sensors, gyro sensors and acceleration sensors for detecting the tilt and position of the portable audio device, earbuds (241) (ear bud) may include an earbud switch for detecting whether the earbud holder (225) is located. have.

Although the sensing unit 275 may directly sense the external environment, the portable sound device 200 may be based on information collected by another input device or the sensing unit 275 indirectly. This includes devices that determine the state of the situation or the surroundings. For example, it may include both a volume measuring device for detecting the volume of the external sound detected through the microphone, a device for detecting whether a call signal is received through the wireless communication unit.

A touch sensor for detecting a touch input or a sensor for detecting a user input, such as the aforementioned voice recognition sensor, may function as the sensing unit 275 and the user input unit 270.

The controller 280 controls the sound output unit 240 to output sound based on the data received from the wireless communication unit, and controls the portable electronic device according to a command input through the user input unit, or the portable electronic device. And transmits the signal to other portable electronic devices connected to it.

The controller 280 may be implemented in the form of various ICs mounted on the main board mounted inside the housing 220, and may include a sound input through a microphone, a user command input through a user input unit, etc. in addition to the sound output unit. The portable sound output unit may be controlled based on data sensed by various sensors.

The controller 280 may control the wireless communication unit to be automatically connected to the external terminal sensed by the short range wireless communication unit, and may automatically connect when the other portable electronic device is a pre-certified device.

The power supply unit 290 receives power from an external power source and an internal power source under the control of the controller 280 to supply power to each component included in the portable sound device 200.

As the multimedia functions of the mobile terminal have been expanded, various types of portable audio devices 200 have emerged as the demand for the portable audio device 200 increases to listen to the sounds provided by the mobile terminal without affecting the surroundings. In particular, the portable audio device 200 of the wireless type has an increased usability.

However, as the use of the portable audio device 200 expands, the ratio of using the portable audio device 200 as well as indoors and outdoors and on the move is increasing. In the case of the open earphone, the earbuds 241 are not completely in close contact with the ears, but external sounds may be introduced to some extent. However, since the earbuds 241 are easily separated from the ears, the kernel type earbuds 241 in close contact with the ears are generally used. The kernel-type earbud 241 has an ear cap including a material such as a deformable silicone or urethane, and the ear cap is deformed according to the shape of the user's ear and is closely attached to the ear to prevent the inflow of external sound and the earbud from the ear. Prevent deviations.

However, if the external sound is completely cut off, there is a problem that the accident occurs due to the hearing of the horn of the bicycle or the vehicle. If the cognitive distance of the bicycle horn is 1 when the sound device is not used, the risk of an accident is high because the sound is reduced by 1/2 to 1/3 when the sound device is used.

Since there is a need for a user to reduce an accident occurring during the use of the portable audio device 200, in each country, the portable audio device 200 for blocking external sound is restricted by law. In addition, when making a call in a state where no external sound is heard, the user cannot hear his / her voice, and there is a problem of generating noise in the vicinity.

In order to solve the above problem, the controller 280 of the present invention may perform an external sound awareness (ESA) function. ESA is a technology that collects external sounds through the microphone 260 and provides the user with the earbuds 241. The ESA is a function that can hear external sounds even though the earbuds 241 are worn.

However, when the user manually activates the ESA function, there is a problem in that the user does not use the actual function, and the control unit 280 of the present invention senses collecting the state information of the portable sound device 200. The controller 280 may determine whether to activate the ESA function based on the data collected by the unit 275.

3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the ESA function of the present invention. The ESA automatic control module of the controller 280 determines whether to execute the ESA based on the information collected by the sensing unit 275. The sensing unit 275 measures a volume of sound collected by the detachable sensor that determines whether the earbuds 241 are worn on the ear, a speed sensor that detects a moving speed of the portable audio device 200, and the microphone 260. It may include a volume measurement device, a call signal detection sensor for detecting the call, etc. Specific operations of each sensor will be described later.

Based on the data collected by the sensing unit 275, the ESA automatic control module provides the external sound collected by the microphone 260 through the earbuds 241 together with the sound according to the acoustic data when the predetermined criteria are met (dotted line). See flow). The sound data may be collected through a wireless communication unit 285 such as Bluetooth, and may be sound data stored in a wired or storage unit. At this time, the audio is mixed with the external sound and the sound according to the sound data is provided to the user.

The sound and the external sound according to the sound data can be mixed as they are, or any one side can be amplified or reduced to be appropriately blended. Experimentally, when the sound according to the acoustic data was amplified by the amplifier only 20dB with the sound collected from the microphone 260, the earbuds 241 one side was removed and provided with a sound similar to the one heard only one side. However, this may vary depending on the performance of the microphone 260 and the recording volume of the sound data.

Based on the data collected by the sensing unit 275, if the ESA automatic control module does not meet a predetermined criterion, the ESA function is deactivated to provide only the sound according to the acoustic data to the earbuds 241 (see solid line flow).

When the ESA is activated, the external sound is transmitted to the user, so that the sound of the body touching the user's body or clothes is also collected by the microphone 260. Such noise reduces the sound quality of the portable acoustic device 200, and smoothly processes the surface of the housing 220 to prevent friction sound from coming into contact with the user's body.

In order to express a matte material, the exterior of the housing 220 is deliberately corroded or a pattern is expressed on the mold itself to produce a rough surface. However, the housing 220 of the present embodiment smoothly produces a surface to minimize friction noise. . Ultraviolet coating (UV coating) may be used to form a smooth surface.

Ultraviolet coating is a method of coating a coating material by using a coating cured by UV irradiation in a short time, and the surface is smooth and glossy, and has a higher chemical resistance and corrosion resistance than urethane coating.

4 is a diagram illustrating an aspect of wearing the earbuds 241 of the portable acoustic apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ESA is a function required when the user uses the portable acoustic apparatus 200, that is, when the user listens to music or makes a phone call while wearing the earbud 241 on his ear, as shown in FIG. 4A, the earbud 241. Do not drive without wearing).

Since the user's ears are a pair, the user does not need to be worn on both ears, but when the user wears only one ear as shown in (b) of FIG. 4, the ESA function does not need to be activated.

When worn on both ears as shown in (c) of FIG. 4, the ESA function needs to be activated because external sounds cannot be heard. That is, the user activates the ESA function only when the user wears all of the earbuds 241, and both earbuds 241 are inserted into the user's ears by using the detachable sensor 276 provided in the earbuds 241. It can be detected.

As a specific example of the detachable sensor 276, when a user presses a switch attached to the earbud 241, the user senses wearing, and uses the sensor using light such as a proximity sensor, an illuminance sensor, and an IR sensor. Can be worn or not. Alternatively, when a temperature of a human body temperature and a similar range is detected using a temperature sensor, it may be detected as worn. Combination of two or more of the sensor types may be detected whether or not worn.

The detachable sensor 276 can operate the sensor even if the user does not wear it, for example, when the hand is held, and the control unit 280 can activate the ESA function only when it is detected that the user wears the reference time or longer. .

In the case of receiving a call indoors, while both ears are wearing the earbuds 241, the external sound is not heard, and the call is received loudly, and one earbud 241 is often removed. Accordingly, the controller 280 may activate the ESA function when detecting that the call signal is being received (in a call), and deactivate the ESA function when the call ends. The call may be detected based on whether or not a call signal is received, or when the user speaks through a microphone to detect that the call is in progress.

As one earbud 241 is actually subtracted, the earbud 241 on one side may provide an acoustic signal received by the wireless communication unit 285, and the other earbud 241 may provide external sound.

5 is a view showing an aspect of use of the portable acoustic apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) shows a case of using indoors, (b) shows a case of using outside. have. The situation where you need to hear outside sounds is when you are in a noisy situation, so the ESA function needs to be deactivated in quiet rooms and activated in noisy outdoors.

Whether it is indoors or outdoors may be determined based on the volume of external sound collected through the microphone 260. If an external sound of a predetermined size or more is detected, it is determined that the user is outdoors and the ESA function can be activated. That is, the sensing unit 275 may be a volume measuring device for sensing the volume of the external sound collected by the microphone 260.

6 is an exemplary table showing a correlation between the volume and the surrounding environment, in which the external sound of 50 dB or less is detected in a quiet room. If the 50dB is set as the first reference volume, the ESA function may be activated when the external sound above the first reference volume is detected, and the ESA function may be deactivated when the external sound below the first reference volume is detected. The first reference volume may be larger or smaller than 50 dB.

Referring to FIG. 6, the car horn sound is 110 dB, but too loud sound, such as a takeoff and landing sound of a fighter larger than this, may turn off the ESA function to protect the ear. When the external sound of the second reference volume or more (eg, 110 dB or more, which is louder than the horn sound) is detected, the ESA function may be deactivated. This may set the second reference volume as an additional reference to protect the ear of the user.

Even when the sound is equal to or greater than the first reference volume, when a sound having a similar size is detected for a predetermined time or more, the ESA function may be deactivated and the external sound may be provided to the user through the earbuds 241 when the sound is received. Similarly loud sounds that occur continuously are mostly noises that do not require attention, so that the sound quality is improved while preventing the risk of an accident. The third reference volume may be, for example, a volume corresponding to a horn noise of a vehicle warning a danger (more than 100 dB).

7 is a view showing an aspect of use of the portable acoustic device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, because when the user rides or rides a bicycle, the user should hear the horn sound of the vehicle even if the external sound is small. You need to activate the ESA function. Therefore, the speed above walking speed is set to the reference speed (for example, 10 km / h), and when the speed above the reference speed is detected, the ESA function is activated.

The speed of the portable acoustic apparatus 200 may use one of an acceleration sensor or a location based service (LBS) that detects a moving speed. The former is a sensor provided in the portable audio device 200 itself, but the location-based service can detect the speed by calculating a change in position through a wireless communication method connected to a base station or a GPS.

8 is a table showing whether the ESA operation of the portable sound device 200 of the present invention. As described above, the controller 280 may determine whether to activate the ESA according to whether the external sound collected through the microphone 260 is loud, whether the earphone is worn or is in a call.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 8, when the earphone is not worn, the ESA is deactivated regardless of the loudness of the earphone, and the non-wearing includes wearing only one side. That is, the ESA function is activated only when the earbuds 241 are worn on both sides.

If the external sound flowing through the microphone 260 is less than or equal to the first reference volume (for example, 50 dB or less), since the room is indoors, there is no risk and the ESA function is deactivated (situation of FIG. 6A). However, when detecting that the user moves above the walking speed (above the reference speed), the user must detect the external sound such as the car horn by determining that it is outside, and activate the ESA function (the situation of FIG. 7).

When the earbuds 241 are worn on both sides, when a call signal is received and a call is made, the ESA function is activated to prevent the user from making a loud voice. This is to activate whether indoors or outdoors, and to prevent the user from making a loud noise by making a voice call.

However, if the external sound is greater than or equal to the second reference volume (eg, 110 dB or more), the ESA function is deactivated to prevent damage to the user's ears. For example, noise such as the sound of a fighter flying.

8 (b) does not completely disable the ESA function when the external sound is greater than or equal to the second reference volume, and reduces the external sound to provide the user to prevent damage to the user's ears.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a control method of the portable acoustic apparatus 200 according to the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the controller 280 determines whether the ESA function is turned on or off according to each situation. Is a diagram showing the flow of.

First, it is determined whether the earbuds 241 are wearing both (S10). If both sides are not worn, the ESA function is unnecessary, so it is deactivated (S70). When both of the earbuds 241 are worn, when the call signal is being received (in a call) (S20), the ESA function is activated.

If the call speed is greater than the reference speed by comparing the moving speed of the portable audio device 200 with the reference speed (S30), the user determines that the user is external, and activates the ESA function.

Even when the reference speed is less than room temperature, the external sound collected by the microphone 260 is less than the first reference volume, so the ESA function is unnecessary, but if the first reference volume is higher than the ESA function (S40). However, when the external sound is greater than the second reference volume, the ESA function is deactivated to protect the user's ear (S50 and S70).

Even if the ESA is activated because it is larger than the first reference volume and less than the second reference volume, the sound that is continuously detected repeatedly is not filtered and provided to the user, but only the sound of another size suddenly detected, such as a car horn, is provided according to the acoustic data. External beeps can be heard while maintaining the sound quality.

Alternatively, the external sound having a smaller size than the sound for warning the user, such as the horn of a bicycle or the horn of a car, may not be provided to the user by filtering, but may provide only a predetermined sound or more. In other words, this method is to set the magnitude of the first reference volume higher, or to activate the ESA function, but to set the third reference volume between the first reference volume and the second reference volume to filter external sounds below the third reference volume. Can be implemented.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a control method of the portable acoustic apparatus 200 according to the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 8B, the controller 280 determines whether the ESA function is turned on or off according to each situation. Is a diagram showing the flow of.

The above situation is similar, but if the external sound is louder than the second reference volume, the ESA function is not completely deactivated, but the external sound is reduced and provided to the user to prevent damage to the ear due to loud sound (S80, S85). ).

As described above, the portable sound device 200 of the present invention may add an ESA function to prevent an accident caused by not hearing external sounds while using the portable sound device 200.

ESA function has the advantage that usability is improved by ON / OFF automatically according to the usage environment rather than manual ON / OFF by user. In addition, the user may not provide noise due to friction between the main body and the user's body, so that the sound quality of the portable acoustic apparatus 200 is not degraded.

The above detailed description should not be construed as limiting in all respects but should be considered as illustrative. The scope of the invention should be determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes within the equivalent scope of the invention are included in the scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

In a portable audio device that provides sound, main body; An earbud connected to the main body and mounted to a user's ear; A microphone for collecting external sounds; A sensing unit collecting state information of the portable audio device; And A control unit for controlling the earbuds to provide sound according to sound data, And the controller activates an external sound awareness (ESA) function that provides external sound collected from the microphone through the earbuds when the state information collected by the sensing unit satisfies a predetermined criterion. The method of claim 1, The sensing unit includes a volume measuring device for detecting the volume of the external sound received from the microphone, The controller may activate the ESA function when an external sound of a first reference volume or more is detected by the volume measuring device, and deactivate the ESA function when an external sound below a reference volume is detected. The method of claim 2, And the first reference volume is 50 dB. The method of claim 2, The control unit, when detecting the external sound of the second reference volume greater than the first reference volume, the portable acoustic device, characterized in that to deactivate the ESA function or to reduce the external sound to supply to the earbuds. The method of claim 4, wherein And the second reference volume is 110 dB. The method of claim 2, The controller is a portable acoustic device, characterized in that if the volume of the external sound measured by the volume measuring device is repeatedly detected a sound of a predetermined size, it is not filtered and provided to the user. The method of claim 1, The earbud has a pair, The sensing unit includes a detachable sensor for detecting whether the earbud is worn on the user's ear, The controller may be configured to activate an ESA function when all of the pair of earbuds are worn on a user's ear, and deactivate the ESA function when at least one side is not worn. The method of claim 7, wherein The detachable sensor, And at least one of a switch, a proximity sensor, an illumination sensor, an IR sensor, and a temperature sensor attached to the earbud. The method of claim 7, wherein The controller is a portable sound device, characterized in that for activating the ESA function when it is detected that the wearable sensor for more than a reference time. The method of claim 1, And a wireless communication unit for receiving the sound data from an external terminal or a base station. The method of claim 1, The sensing unit detects whether or not to receive a call signal, The controller activates the ESA function when a call signal is detected, and deactivates the ESA function when a call ends. The method of claim 1, The earbud has a pair, The controller, if the ESA function is activated, One earbud provides a sound according to the sound data, The other earbud portable audio device, characterized in that to provide the external sound collected by the microphone. The method of claim 1, The sensing unit, It is one of an acceleration sensor for detecting a moving speed of the portable sound device or a location-based service (LBS) for detecting a change in location, The portable acoustic device, characterized in that to activate the ESA function if the moving speed of the sound device is more than the reference speed, and to deactivate the ESA function if it is less than the reference speed. The method of claim 1, The control unit if the ESA function is activated Portable sound device, characterized in that for mixing the external sound collected by the microphone to the sound according to the sound data provided to the earbud. The method of claim 1, The portable audio device, characterized in that it further comprises an amplifier for amplifying the external sound collected by the microphone. The method of claim 1, Portable wearable device, characterized in that the user has a smooth surface by coating at least a portion of the portion of the contact with the user's body when the user wears. Collecting state information of the portable acoustic apparatus collected by the sensing unit; Determining whether both earbuds are worn; If the earbuds are worn on both sides and the state information collected by the sensing unit satisfies the reference range, an external sound awareness (ESA) function is provided to provide external sounds collected through the earbuds through the earbuds. A portable sound device control method comprising the step of. The method of claim 18, The state information is whether the portable audio device receives a call signal, The activating the ESA function may include activating the ESA function when receiving the call signal. The method of claim 17, The state information is a moving speed of the portable acoustic device, And activating the ESA function, activating the ESA function when the moving speed is greater than or equal to the reference speed. The method of claim 17, The state information is the volume of the external sound collected by the microphone, Activating the ESA function Comparing the volume of the external sound collected by the microphone with a first reference volume and a second reference volume greater than the first reference volume; Deactivating an ESA function when the collected volume is less than the first reference volume; Activating an ESA function when the collected volume is less than the first reference volume or less than the second reference volume; And And if the collected volume is greater than or equal to the second reference volume, deactivating an ESA function or activating an ESA function, but reducing the external sound and providing the same to a user.

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