Abstract:
An earpiece includes an earpiece housing, a processor disposed within the earpiece, a speaker operatively connected to the processor, a microphone operatively connected the processor, and a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver disposed within the earpiece. A system may includes a first earpiece having a connector with earpiece charging contacts, a charging case for the first earpiece, the charging case having contacts for connecting with the earpiece charging contacts, and a glob&amp; navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver disposed within the charging case.

Description:
PRIORITY STATEMENT 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/307,088, filed on Mar. 11, 2016, and entitled Earpiece with GPS receiver, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to wearable devices. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to ear pieces. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Earpieces have conventionally had extremely limited functionality and use. However, there are numerous problems in extending that use including the lack of space and power considerations. What is needed is an improved earpiece and the ability to track or determine location of a user using an earpiece. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Therefore, it is a primary object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to improve, over the state of the art. 
         [0005]    It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide apparatus, methods and systems which allow earpieces to determine location of a user. 
         [0006]    It is a still further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention use of available Global Navigation Satellite Systems to determine location. 
         [0007]    Another object, feature, or advantage is to determine location of an earpiece in a manner that limits power consumption. 
         [0008]    Yet another object, feature, or advantage is to determine location of an earpiece that allows for thermal management. 
         [0009]    One or more of these and/or other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow. No single embodiment need provide each and every object, feature, or advantage. Different embodiments may have different objects, features, or advantages. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to or by an objects, features, or advantages stated herein. 
         [0010]    According to one aspect, an earpiece is provided. The earpiece includes an earpiece housing, a processor disposed within the earpiece, a speaker operatively connected to the processor, a microphone operatively connected the processor, and a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver disposed within the earpiece. There may also be one or more inertial sensors disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the processor. The at least one inertial sensor may include an accelerometer. The processor may be adapted to determine when the GNSS receiver is not providing current location data and updating a current location of the earpiece based on a last available location from the GNSS receiver and data from the at least one inertial sensor. The earpiece may include a wireless transceiver to communicate a geospatial location determined by the GNSS receiver to another earpiece. The processor may be configured to turn the GNSS receiver off such as in, the course of managing battery life or temperature conditions. The GNSS receiver may be a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. 
         [0011]    According to another aspect, a method of maintaining a current location of an earpiece is provided. The method includes determining a geospatial location using a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver disposed within the earpiece, updating a current location of the earpiece with the geospatial location, and updating the current location of the earpiece with data from one or more inertial sensors disposed within the earpiece. The step of updating the current location of the earpiece with data from the one or more inertial sensors disposed within the earpiece may be performed if the GNSS receiver is unable to determine a geospatial location such as when a satellite lock is not available or if the GNSS receiver is turned off such as to manage battery life or temperature. 
         [0012]    According to another aspect, a system includes a first earpiece having a connector with earpiece charging contacts, a charging case for the first earpiece, the charging case having contacts for connecting with the earpiece charging contacts, and a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver disposed within the charging case. The system may further include a processor disposed within the earpiece and: or an inertial sensor disposed within the earpiece. The system may be configured to convey a geospatial location from the charging case to the processor of the first earpiece. The geospatial location may be conveyed wirelessly from the charging case to the first earpiece. The geospatial location may be conveyed through the connector of the first earpiece. The system may be configured to set a current location using the geospatial location and then update the current location using data from the inertial sensor. The first earpiece may include an ear piece housing, a processor disposed within the earpiece housing, a microphone operatively connected to the processor, and a speaker operatively connected to the processor. The GNSS receiver may be a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. 
         [0013]    According to another aspect, a method of maintaining a current location of an earpiece is provided. The method includes determining a geospatial location using a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver disposed within an earpiece charging case, conveying the geospatial location from the earpiece charging case to an earpiece configured to fit within the earpiece charging case for charging, and updating a current location of the earpiece with the geospatial location. The method may further include updating the current location of the earpiece based on movement of the earpiece determined from one or more inertial sensors. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a left earpiece and a right earpiece. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is block diagram illustrating an earpiece with a GNSS receiver. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is another block diagram illustrating an earpiece with a GNSS receiver. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating one method of determining location of an earpiece. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates a pair of earpieces and a charging ease. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates another view of a charging case. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram illustrating a charging case. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating another method of determining; location of an earpiece. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates a set of earpieces  10  including a left earpiece  12 A and a right earpiece  12 B. The left earpiece  12 A has a housing or casing  14 A and the right earpiece  12 B has a housing or casing  14 B. A microphone  70 A is shown on the left earpiece  12 A and a microphone  70 B is shown on the right earpiece  12 B. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates an earpiece  12  which may be a left earpiece or a right earpiece. One or more processors or other intelligent controls  30  are shown disposed within the housing  14  of the earpiece. One or more wireless transceivers  34  are operatively connected to the processors  30 . The wireless transceivers  34  may include a BLUETOOTH transceiver, an ultra-wideband (MB) transceiver, or type of radio transceiver, a near field magnetic induction (NFMI) transceiver, or other type of transceiver. One or more external microphones  70  is operatively connected to the processors  30  as are one or more internal microphones or bone microphones  71 . A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver is also disposed within the housing  14  of the earpiece  12 . The GNSS receiver may be a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver a Globalnaya Navigazionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLOSNASS) receiver or other type of GNSS receiver. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating an earpiece. The earpiece may include one or more sensors  32 . The sensors may include one or more air microphones  70 , one or more bone microphones  71 , and one or more inertial sensors  74 ,  76 . Each of the one or more sensors  32  is operatively connected to an intelligent control system  30 . The intelligent control system 30 may also be operatively connected to a gesture control interface  36  which may include one or more emitters  82  and one or more detectors  84 . The gesture control interface  36  allows a user to interact with the earpiece through gestures or motions which are detected by the gesture control interface and interpreted by the intelligent control system  30 . One or more speakers  72  is operatively connected to the intelligent control system  30 . One or more light emitting diodes  20  are operatively connected to the intelligent control system  30  that may be used to provide visual feedback indicative of earpiece functionality or status. A radio transceiver  34  is shown as well as a second transceiver  35  which may be an NFMI transceiver or other type of transceiver. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates one example of a methodology. In step  200  a determination is made regarding a geospatial location using a GNSS receiver. A geolocation or position is determined in step  200  and in step  202  a current location of the earpiece may be updated with the geospatial location. In step  204  a determination is made as to whether the GNSS receiver is still available. It is contemplated that information from the GNSS receiver may not always be available for a number of reasons. First, in order to extend battery life of the earpiece or to otherwise better manage battery life the earpiece may turn off the GNSS receiver of the earpiece. Thus, when turned off the GNSS is not considered available. There are other instances where the GNSS receiver may also be turned off. For example, if the temperature associated with the earpiece exceeds a threshold the GNSS receiver may be turned off as a part of thermal management is procedures. Regardless of whether the GNSS receiver is off or on it may not always be available to provide position information. For example, if the earpiece is indoors, underground, in an area where there is interference, the signal is being jammed, the GNSS receiver is unable to get a satellite lock and unable to provide position data. In these instances, when the GNSS is not available (for whatever reason(s)), position may be still be determined or tracked. This is performed by using information from one or more inertial sensors providing inertial sensor data. The inertial sensor data may be used to sense or infer movement. The earpiece ma calculate a current location based on changes in position determined from the inertial data. Thus position may be determined even though a geolocation is not available directly from the GNSS receiver. 
         [0026]    Below is one example of pseudo-code which may be used to determine a current location using a GNSS receiver if available and calculate a current location from a last known location and inertial data. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 If GNSS_receiver_available: 
               
               
                   
                   current_loc = Get_geoloc( ) 
               
               
                   
                       current_loc_time = Get_time( ) 
               
               
                   
                 else: 
               
               
                   
                   current_loc = calculate_loc (current_loc, 
               
               
                   
                 current_loc_time) 
               
               
                   
                   current_loc_time = Get_time( ) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0027]    It is contemplated, however, that this methodology may be implemented in any number of ways in order to reduce the processing resources used. For example, position may only be updated when the amount of change in position as determined by the inertial sensor exceeds a particular threshold. Similarly, if the inertial sensors determine that there is very little change in position then the earpiece may turn off or power down, or change modes of power consumption for the GNSS receiver in order to conserve resources. For example the pseudo-code below illustrates one way of powering down the GNSS if the earpiece is not moving or has entered a power saving mode. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 If not_moving or power_save_Mode: 
               
               
                   
                    PowerdownGNSS( ) 
               
               
                   
                    GNSS_receiver_available = 0 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0028]    It is contemplated, however, that the methodology may be implemented in any number of ways in addition to that which is shown and described herein. 
         [0029]    Instead of or in addition to having a GNSS receiver in one or more earpieces, the one, or more earpieces may have a charging case associated with them.  FIG. 5  illustrates one example of a charging case  502  with a case housing  503 . A first earpiece area  504  and a second earpiece area  506  are shown for receiving earpieces  12 A,  12 B, respectively. The earpieces  12 A,  12 B are matingly connected or otherwise come in contact with contacts  508 ,  506 . Thus, for example the contacts  510  of earpiece  12 A come into contact with the contacts  508  of the charging case  502 . When earpieces  12 A,  12 B are received in the earpiece areas  504 ,  506 , the connections are made to allow for charging of the earpieces  12 A,  12 B as well as data communication directly from the charging case  502  the earpieces  12 A,  12 B.  FIG. 6  illustrates another view of the charging case  502  to show the contacts  508  of the charging case  502  at a different angle. The contacts may take on multiple forms shapes, sizes, connectors, or materials. 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment of a charging case  502 . The charging case  502  may include a GNSS receiver  220 , an intelligent control  222  operatively connected to the GNSS receiver  220 , one or more earpiece connectors  508  for coming, in contact with the earpiece and operatively connected to the intelligent control  222 , a wireless transceiver  224  operatively to the intelligent control  222 , a battery  226  disposed within the housing of the charger  502  and an interface/connector  228  which may be a USB type interface to allow the charger  502  to be charged. The wireless transceiver  224  may receive position information determined by the GNSS receiver  220  and wirelessly communicate the position information to one or more earpieces when the one or more earpieces are not connected. The GNSS receiver  220  may also communicate position information to one or more earpieces when the earpieces are connected to the charging case. 
         [0031]    It is contemplated that in many applications the earpieces are not located far from the charging case such as when a person is using the earpieces at home, at work, at the gym, or while travelling. In addition, the charging case may be plugged-in and charged more regularly and the battery  226  may have greater capacity than any batteries in the earpieces. Thus, it may be advantageous in certain implementations to place the GNSS receiver  220  in the charging case  502 . Thus, the earpieces still have access to GNSS position data and can use that data as an approximate position of the earpieces or calculate position based on a combination of last GNSS position and movement of the earpieces as determined by inertial sensors of the earpieces as previously discussed. 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  illustrates one example of a method. In step  300  a geospatial location is determined using a GNSS receiver. In step  302  the geospatial location is conveyed from the case to the earpiece. This can be through an electrical connection such as when the earpiece is present within the case or can through wireless communication. Alternatively, the geospatial location may be conveyed wirelessly. Next in step  304 , the current location of the earpiece may updated with the geospatial location. Then in step  306  a determination is made as to whether the GNSS receiver is available. This means that there is a connection with the case (either wired or wireless) and that the GNSS receiver is receiving location information. If it is not, then in step  312  the current location of the earpieces may be modified using inertial sensor data from one or more sensors of the earpiece. If it is, then in step  308  a geospatial location may be determined using the GNSS receiver and the current location of the earpiece may be updated with the geospatial location. 
         [0033]    Thus, an earpiece with a GNSS receiver or which uses a GNSS receiver in its case has been shown and described. The present invention contemplates numerous variations, options, and alternatives including the location of the GNSS receiver, the type of GNSS receiver, the specific algorithms used, the type of materials, and tools used to implement the invention, the number and type of sensors present, the number and type of transceivers present, and any number of other variations.