Patent Publication Number: US-2018039086-A1

Title: Head-mounted electronic device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is a Section 371 U.S. National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/CN2015/075918, filed on Apr. 3, 2015, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and published as WO 2016/155019 A1, on Oct. 6, 2016, not in English. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a technology of automatic control, and particularly to a head-mounted electronic device having a function of automatic control. 
     BACKGROUND 
     At present, a wearable electronic device becomes more and more popular because of its great visual experience effect. The wearable electronic device usually includes a video part and an audio part. In order to achieve a great audio effect, some wearable electronic devices adopt a head-mounted headphone. In this case, the video part is rotatably connected to the head-mounted headphone. When the wearable electronic device is not in use, the video part is rotated to a position where the video part is substantially coincided with the head-mounted headphone for a convenient storage. When the wearable electronic device is needed to be used, the video part is rotated to a position defining an included angle of substantially 90 degrees between the video part and the head-mounted headphone. Accordingly, when the wearable electronic device is put on, the video part is located in front of eyes. 
     When the user wears the wearable video device to view video and needs to take off the wearable video device midway, the user usually needs to pause the video play manually at first and then to take off the wearable video device, so as to prevent a playback of some video content in subsequent. However, this process is pretty cumbersome. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a head-mounted electronic device with automatic control. 
     The head-mounted electronic device includes: a U-shaped head-mounted headphone; a U-shaped display component rotatably connected to the headphone; a sensor component disposed to the headphone and configured to sense a using state of the headphone; and a control means electrically connected to the sensor component and configured to control the display component and/or the headphone to make a response when the sensor component senses that the headphone is switched between a wearing state and a non-wearing state. 
     With the technical solution in the present disclosure, the video play may be stopped without any other operations in the process that the user takes off the head-mounted electronic device, so it is very convenient for the user to use and a user experience is improved greatly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following accompanying drawings are used for illustrating various embodiments of the present disclosure in detail in combination with specific embodiments. It should be understood that various elements illustrated in the accompanying drawings do not represent actual sizes and scale relations, and the accompanying drawings are only schematic views intended for clear illustration. Thus, the accompanying drawings should not be construed to limit the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a head-mounted electronic device provided in a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the head-mounted electronic device in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partially exploded view of the head-mounted electronic device in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a head-mounted electronic device provided in a second embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial section view of the head-mounted electronic device in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a head-mounted electronic device provided in a third embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a head-mounted electronic device provided in a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is section view of an elastic headband of the head-mounted electronic device in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a section view of an elastic headband of a head-mounted electronic device provided in a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure more definite and clear, the present disclosure is further illustrated in detail in combination with a plurality of embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that, the specific embodiments described herein are only used for explaining the present disclosure and not for limiting the present disclosure. In addition, the presentation doesn&#39;t represent actual scale relations among various elements, but is only intended for schematic illustration. 
     In combination with  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , which are a schematic view, a block diagram and a partially exploded view of a head-mounted electronic device  5  provided in a first embodiment of the present disclosure, the head-mounted electronic device  5  is a head-mounted displayer in the embodiment, and includes a head-mounted headphone  10 , a display component  20 , a sensor component  31  and a control means  40 . 
     The head-mounted headphone  10  includes an elastic headband  11 , two sound generators  12  and an audio circuit  13 . The elastic headband  11  is U-shaped and configured to be deformed to provide a stress which presses the sound generator against ears of the user when the user wears the headphone  10 . Each of the two sound generators  12  includes a moving piece  14 , a loudspeaker (not illustrated in the drawings), a sounding surface  15  and an earmuff  16 . The moving piece  14  includes an annular wall  17  and an engaging portion  18  extending outwards from the annular wall  17 . The loudspeaker is disposed in a space surrounded by the annular wall  17 , and the sounding surface  15  is located at a side of the loudspeaker in which sound is emitted, that is the sound is emitted from the sounding surface  15 . The earmuff  16  is fixed to the sounding surface  15 . The engaging portion  18  is moveably connected to the elastic headband  11 , so that the sound generator  12  may move with respect to the elastic headband  11 , and thus it is convenient to adjust the sound generator  12  to positions suitable for different users to wear the head-mounted electronic device  5 . 
     The display component  20  includes a U-shaped display member  21  configured for displaying an image to be viewed by the user, two connecting pieces  22  located at two opposite end parts of the display member  21  and a video circuit  23 . The video circuit  23  is accommodated in the display member  21 , an optical unit (not illustrated in the drawings) in cooperation with the video circuit  23  is accommodated in middle of the display member  21 , and the video circuit  23  has a micro display unit and a matched control circuit. An image displayed by the micro display unit is projected to user&#39;s eyes in an optical path defined by the optical unit, so that the user can view an enlarged virtual image. A working principle of the display component  20  is familiar to those skilled in the related art, and thus will not be repeated in the present specification. The connecting piece  22  has an annular shape, and the annular wall  17  of the headphone  10  can just be partially accommodated in the connecting piece  22 , so that the annular wall  17  may rotate in the connecting piece  22 . 
     The sensor component  31  is disposed to the headphone  10  and configured for sensing a using state of the headphone. In the embodiment, the sensor component  31  includes a pressure sensor disposed to the headphone  10 . In the embodiment, the pressure sensor is disposed to the sounding surface  15  of the sound generator  12 , specifically an area of the sounding surface  15  covered by the earmuff  16  or a part of the earmuff  16 , so as to sense a pressure applied to the headphone  10  when the user puts on the headphone  10 . A predetermined range of pressure, for example being larger than a certain pressure value, may be defined in advance. When the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensor is in the predetermined range, the headphone is judged to be in a wearing state, otherwise to be in a non-wearing state. Certainly, the pressure sensor is not limited to one as in the embodiment, and a plurality of pressure sensors may be provided, or each of the sound generators may be provided with the pressure sensor. In addition, the pressure sensor may also be disposed to a portion of the elastic headband  11  apt to contact the user&#39;s head, for example a middle portion of an inward surface of the elastic headband  11 , which can also implement a same function. 
     The control means  40  is electrically connected to the sensor component  31  and configured to control the display component  20  to respond when the sensor component  31  senses that the headphone  10  is switched between the wearing state and the non-wearing state. Certainly, the control means  40  may further control the headphone  10  to respond. Specifically, the control means  40  is further electrically connected to the audio circuit  13  and the video circuit  23 , and is disposed in the display component  20  or the headphone  10 , which may be determined according to an accommodating space defined by a specific structure. In the embodiment, when the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensor is larger than a pressure value A, i.e. in the above predetermined range, the headphone is in the wearing state; when the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensor is smaller than the pressure value A or a pressure value B (B is smaller than A), i.e. in a range corresponding to the non-wearing state, the headphone is in the non-wearing state. The control means  40  controls the display component  20  in a video-play-paused state to play video, when the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor changing from the range corresponding to the non-wearing state into the predetermined range of the wearing state. Certainly, the control means  40  can further control the headphone  10  to play the sound. 
     In the use process, after putting on the headphone  10 , the user can rotate the display component  20  to a position where the display component  20  has an included angle of substantial 90 degrees with the headphone  10 . At this moment, the display component  20  is located in front close to the user&#39;s eyes, so that the user may view the images. After the headphone  10  is put on, because of an elastic force of the elastic headband  11 , the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensor is larger than a predetermined value, i.e. in the predetermined range, and thus the headphone  10  is judged to be in the wearing state by the control means  40 . In the process of using some functions of the head-mounted electronic device  5 , for example playing the video, if the user has other matters to deal with and needs to take off the electronic device  5  and pause playing the video, the user may only need to take off the head-mounted electronic device  5 . At this moment, as the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensor is almost zero, i.e. outside of the predetermined range, the control means  40  judges that the headphone is in the non-wearing state and controls the video circuit  23  and the audio circuit  13  to stop working, thus pausing the play of video and audio. As the video play can be stopped without any other operations during the user taking off the head-mounted electronic device  5 , it is very convenient for the user to use and the user experience is greatly improved. It should be pointed out that, pausing of the video play of the display component  20  may indicate that the image is shown, but in a still state, or no image is shown, i.e. a blank screen, or the blank screen occurs automatically after the still image is shown for a period of time. All of the methods above can realize the purpose of pausing the video play. 
     Preferably, the headphone is judged to be in the wearing state when the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensor is in the predetermined range and the pressure value stays in the predetermined range over a first preset time, so that it is possible to identify that the headphone is in the wearing state more accurately. 
     In other embodiments, the control means  40  may also control the display component  20  to respond when the sensor component  31  senses that a relative position between the headphone  10  and the display component  20  is in a predetermined range, i.e., the display component  20  in the video-play-paused state plays video when the headphone  10  is switched from the non-wearing state to the wearing state. Preferably, for the display component  20  in the video-play-paused state, when the headphone  10  is switched from the non-wearing state to the wearing state and the wearing state lasts over a second preset time, the control means  40  controls the display component  20  to play video and/or the headphone  10  to output audio. Such design reserves a certain adjustment time for the user before playing video and/or audio, after the user puts on the head-mounted electronic device  5 , which is beneficial for the user to view the video in a better state. Certainly, the function described in this paragraph and the preceding functions can be superposed in one same head-mounted electronic device  5 . 
     In combination with  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , which are a schematic view and a partial section view of a head-mounted electronic device  6  provided in a second embodiment of the present disclosure, the second embodiment mainly differs from the first embodiment in a sensor component  32 . The sensor component  32  includes a first metal piece  32   a  and a second metal piece  32   b , and at least a part of the earmuff  16  is located between the first metal piece  32   a  and the second metal piece  32   b . In the embodiment, the first metal piece  32   a  may be attached to an outside coating of the earmuff  16 , for example an inner side of leather, and the second metal piece  32   b  may be attached to the sounding surface. In this case, a part of filler (for example foam materials) of the earmuff  16  is erected between the first metal piece  32   a  and the second metal piece  32   b , and hence the sensor component  32  is configured as a capacitor. When the user puts on the headphone  10 , a distance between the first metal piece  32   a  and the second metal piece  32   b  changes, so a capacitance of the sensor component  32  changes. Accordingly, a change state of the capacitance reflects that whether the user wears the headphone  10  or not. Other working principles are similar to those of the first embodiment, and will not be repeated herein. 
     In combination with  FIG. 6 , which is a schematic view of a head-mounted electronic device  7  provided in a third embodiment of the present disclosure, the third embodiment mainly differs from the first embodiment in a sensor component  33 . The sensor component  33  includes a capacitive touch screen disposed to the earmuff  16 . For example, the capacitive touch screen is disposed to an outer surface of the earmuff  16  directly facing the user, i.e., the capacitive touch screen contacts the skin of the user directly for sensing. Or, the capacitive touch screen is disposed to an inner side of the outside coating of the earmuff  16 , i.e., the capacitive touch screen contacts the skin of the user indirectly for sensing. It may be understood that a position of the capacitive touch screen is not limited, as long as the capacitive touch screen may sense the contact with the user. Certainly, the capacitive touch screen may also be disposed to the sounding surface  15 . In the third embodiment, it is possible to know whether the headphone is in the wearing state by using the capacitive touch screen to sense its contact with the skin of the user. In the present disclosure, the sensed contact with the skin of the user includes the above direct contact and the above indirect contact. Other principles are similar to those of the first embodiment, and will not be repeated herein. 
     In combination with  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , which are a schematic view of a head-mounted electronic device provided in a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure and a section view of an elastic headband of the head-mounted electronic device, the fourth embodiment mainly differs from the first embodiment in a sensor component  34 . The sensor component  34  is an angle sensor disposed to the elastic headband  11 , and includes a fixed portion  34   a  fixed to the elastic headband and two movable portions  34   b  located at two sides of the fixed portion  34   a . The movable portion  34   b  keeps abutting against the elastic headband  11 . Accordingly, when the elastic headband is deformed at a position of the angle sensor, the angle sensor may sense such deformation. In the embodiment, two angle sensors are respectively provided at two sides of the middle of the elastic headband  11  where the deformation extent is relatively large, so as to sense the angel change accurately. It should be understood that, the number and the positions of the angle sensors are not limited to the above manner. For example, one angel sensor may be provided at the middle of the elastic headband  11 . As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , in the fifth embodiment, the angle sensor senses whether the elastic headband  11  is expanded when the user puts on the headphone by sensing the deformation of the elastic headband  11 , so as to determine whether the headphone is in the wearing state. The other working principles are similar to those of the first embodiment, and will not be repeated herein. 
     Certainly, in the various embodiments described above, specific solutions in different embodiments can be used in combination with one another. For example, the pressure sensor is used in conjunction with the touch screen, thus achieving a more accurate judgment. In addition, it should be noted that, the above head-mounted electronic device is not limited to playing the video, but may also be another head-mounted electronic device, such as a head-mounted game device, a head-mounted navigation device and the like. All of the head-mounted electronic devices having content of the present disclosure can realize the above convenient function of automatic control. 
     The above descriptions are only preferable embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Any modifications, equal alternatives, and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure should be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure.