Patent Publication Number: US-2022225007-A1

Title: Headphones

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Headphones deliver sound to a user from a source. The sound source can be a computer, a mobile device, a laptop, a wearable, or from a more remote location such as a web server. Some headphones are locally powered through batteries and other headphones use power transmitted to them through a wire. The wire for power may be the same as a wire for sound delivery. Wireless headphones may be battery powered and the batteries may be replaced and in some instances the batteries may be rechargeable either by a wire or wirelessly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Certain examples are described in the following detailed description and in reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an example pair of headphones for authenticating a user. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram for an example system for headphone authentication showing the location of the authenticator. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram for an example pair of headphones for adjusting a number of user specific headphone settings. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram for an example authentication system for headphone authentication showing data flow through an example authentication system. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of an example method for modifying the state of a pair of headphones. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a computer readable medium including instructions for modifying the state of a pair of headphones. 
     
    
    
     The same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and the figures to reference like components and features. Numbers in the 100 series refer to features originally found in  FIG. 1 , numbers in the 200 series refer to features originally found in  FIG. 2 , and so on. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure relates to switching the state of headphones. This can include switching from a locked to an unlocked state, powering on from a powered off state, or adjusting the headphones to specific pre-set settings. The techniques described herein may also enable the headphones to be the point of authentication for game files, character profiles, and other log-ins on devices that are separate from the headphones. 
     In general, the techniques described here refer to headphones with a biometric sensor and the ability to locally authenticate input from a user on the biometric sensor. The biometric sensor may be combined with a power on and off button so that the physical movement of the button turns on the power while, at the same time, gathering biometric input from a user such as a fingerprint. Doing both of these actions at the same time using the same physical component reduces the amount of hardware a user operates while preserving the functionality to both turn off and on a device and confirm a user is authorized. There are many possible variations including using the authentication itself with no physically moving switch in order to power on the headphones for a specific user individually. The authentication may be linked to retrieving specific data for the user such as a game file or a user profile on a device. The biometric sensor may focus on identification instead or in addition to authentication. Identification of a user by biometric input retrieved by the biometric sensor may allow the headphones to adjust to a user specific setting. These settings can be light setting or sound settings, such as adjusting an equalizer to a specific setting pre-set by or for that specific user. Each of these examples are a general illustration and many other possible variations utilizing the disclosed techniques are possible. The following figures and description likewise are simplified. Many components may be omitted to aid in discussion. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an example pair of headphones  100  for authenticating a user. Each headphone  102  in the pair of headphones  100  can be connected by a headphone assembly  104 . In an example the headphone assembly is a physical band that goes over the head of a user. The headphone assembly  104  may go behind the head of the user. Other physical connection styles for the headphone assembly are possible. 
     The pair of headphones  100  include a fingerprint reader  106  located in the headphone assembly  104 . The fingerprint reader  106  may be located in any portion of the headphone assembly  104  including joints or connection pieces to each headphone  102 . In an example, the fingerprint reader  106  may be on the body of the headphone  100 . The fingerprint reader  106  may be based on contact or may be based on imaging or any other fingerprint reading technique. 
     The pair of headphones  100  may include a voice identifier  108 . The voice identifier  108  may be a microphone or other component that detects the soundwaves generated by the user. In an example, the voice identifier  108  may be located in one or both of the pair of headphones  100 . The voice identifier  108  may be located towards the bottom of the headphone  102  in order to be closer to the mouth of a user. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram for an example system for headphone authentication  200  showing the location of a biometric sensor  202  and the authenticator  204 . Like numbered items are as described above with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
     The biometric sensor  202  is located in or on the pair of headphones  100 . The biometric sensor  202  may include a fingerprint reader  106 . The biometric sensor  202  may include the voice identifier  108 . The biometric sensor  202  may measure other types of data from a user. The data received at the biometric sensor may be passed to the authenticator  204  for authentication. The authenticator  204  is located on or in the pair of headphones  100 . The authentication  204  may occur within the pair of headphones  100  without reference to a remote device  206 . As used herein, a remote device  206  is physically distinct from the pair of headphones  100 . As used herein, a remote device  206  may accessible to the pair of headphones  100  via a wireless communication protocol. As used herein, the biometric sensor  202  and the authenticator  204  are both located on or in the pair of headphones  100  and may authenticate a user without use or communication to a remote device  206 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram for an example pair of headphones for adjusting a number of user specific headphone settings  300 . Like numbered items are described with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
     The headphone assembly  104  includes a number of lights  302  that may be illuminated for decorative or visibility reasons. The exact color, brightness, and shape of each of these lights may be adjusted by a user and saved as a lighting profile. In response to a user authorization or identification, the number of lights  302  may adjust themselves from a first state to a second state where the light setting by the user is activated. In an example, the number of lights  302  may react to an incorrect authorization attempt by blinking or changing color to notify the user to try again. In an example, the number of lights  302  may be located in any location on the pair of headphones  100 . In an example, the number of lights  302  may be a single light source with a number of lighting abilities. 
     In an example, the pair of headphones  100  includes an equalizer  304  located local to the pair of headphones  100 . The location of the equalizer  304  may also be in a remote device. The equalizer  304  may adjust sound settings for playback to a user. The equalizer may have a number of preset settings saved to correspond to a specific user or a default user. In an example, a pair of headphones may be in a first state with a default equalizer setting and in response to a user interaction with the fingerprint reader  106 , the equalizer  304  may modify the headphones to a second state where the equalizer  304  sets the sound settings to the pre-sets of the user. 
     The fingerprint reader  106  shown in  FIG. 3  is a movable switch that may move within a movement track  306  located on the headphone assembly  104 . In an example, the movement track  306  may be located on a headphone  102  instead of the headphone assembly  104 . In an example, the pair of headphones  102  may be modified from a first state of being powered off to a second state of being powered on in response to a user interaction with the fingerprint reader  106  sliding it to an on position. At the same time, the pair of headphones  100  may also be modified from a first state of locked to a second state of unlocked, in response to a confirmation that the user moving the fingerprint reader  106  is authorized to user the pair of headphones  100 . This authorization is determined locally on the pair of headphones  100  using data from a biometric sensor such as the fingerprint reader  106 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram for an example authentication system for headphone authentication  400  showing data flow through an example authentication system. Like numbered items are as described above with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The authenticator  204  located on the pair of headphones  100  may include user authentication data  402 . The user authentication data  402  may include user voice signature data  404 . The user authentication data  402  may include user fingerprint data  406  also called a match. In an example, a match may be user authentication that includes fingerprint data as well as additional user identifying information such as user specific biometrics. The user voice signature data  404  may be a pre-recording of a user voice sample that is in its original state or modified to include a subset of utterances or information about the voice of the user. 
     The pair of headphones  100  may also include locked users data  408 . This locked user data could be a save file for a video game, a number of passwords, a user profile for an online account, or other type of user specific data. In video games for example, save files or user profiles can be valuable monetarily through the sponsorships and following that particular profile has amassed. In an example, save files or user profiles can be valuable as they are associated with a collection of digital items or currency that are valuable to other players and thus keeping access restricted enables a higher level of security for these items of value. In an example, save files or user profiles can be emotionally valuable and users may store them for particular voice and video playback, the chat or voice logs associated with those profiles, or other meaningful pieces of a digital identity of a user. Locked user data  408  may also be a proof of purchase of the pair of headphones  100  that can be linked back the physical identity of a user rather than the digital identity of the user. In an example, the locked user data  408  may be voice recording files that include voice recordings of the user used to generate a vocal signature. 
     The pair of headphones  100  may wish to access data from a remote device  206 . The pair of headphones may include a communicator module  410  in order to communicate with the remote communicator module  412  of the remote device  206 . The remote device  206  may include remote locked user data  412 . In an example, the pair of headphones may first authenticate the user and then provide an indication to the remote device  206  of the user authorization to access the remote locked user data  414 . This process may include a secure handshake, an exchange of authentication tokens or other means of encrypted exchange of user authorization to access the remote locked user data  414 . 
     In an example, the remote device  206  may be a laptop or a video game system and rather than logging in to the remote device  206  directly, the user may authenticate themselves using the biometric sensor  202  on the pair of headphones  100 . The pair of headphones may then communicate the authorization of the user to access the remote device  206  to the remote device  206 . This reduces the number of logins and may shift a login location to a place closer to the user. In some cases the headphones may not work unless a user has provided biometric input to satisfy the authenticator  204 . In an example where the pair of headphones  100  or the remote device include a number of user profiles, a user identification may be performed where a specific user profile is loaded and enacted based on the user identification. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of an example method for modifying the state of a pair of headphones. The method  500  may be implemented on a number of different systems or devices including those shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 . 
     At block  502 , the method  500  includes detecting a user interaction on a biometric sensor located on a headphone assembly physically connecting a pair of headphones in a first state. At block  504 , the method  500  includes identifying, with the local authenticator located in the pair of headphones, a user that is authorized in response to a comparison of the user interaction on the biometric sensor with a user profile stored and accessed in the pair of headphones. In an example, the biometric sensor is at least one of a fingerprint or a microphone coupled to a voice recognition module local to the pair of headphones with no voice data for an initial authentication is sent to a remote device from the pair of headphones. In an example, the local authenticator comprises voice recognition that reverts the pair of headphones from a second state to a first state in response to detecting a voice that does not belong to the user at the biometric sensor. 
     At block  506 , the method  500  includes switching the pair of headphones to a second state in response to the local authenticator indicating the user is authorized. In an example, in response to the user providing authentication, the local authenticator provides a token that both identifies the user providing the authentication and provides credentials authenticating the user to a remote system connected to the pair of headphones. In an example, the local authenticator unlocks at least one of a game save file belonging to the user or a video game character profile belonging to the user in response to the user providing authentication to the pair of headphones by interacting with the biometric sensor. In an example, the second state corresponds to a sound output equalizer setting matching a previous sound output equalizer setting made by the user. 
     In an example, the first state is a power off state and the second state is a power on state. One specific implementation includes the biometric sensor as both a physically movable power switch and a fingerprint reader. In this example, the pair of headphones is powered on in response to the user moving the biometric sensor into an on position. Further, in this example the biometric sensor detects a user fingerprint for authentication. 
     In an example, a plurality of lights physically mounted on at least one of the pair of headphones or the headphone assembly. In this example, the first state is a first lighting configuration and the second state is a second lighting configuration. In an example, the local authenticator located in the pair of headphones is to switch the headphones to a third state corresponding to information from a second user in response to the second user providing authentication to the pair of headphones by interacting with the biometric sensor. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a computer readable medium  600  including instructions for modifying the state of a pair of headphones. A processor  602  may be used to execute instructions provided to it over a bus  604  from the computer readable medium  600 . 
     The computer readable medium  600  may include a user interaction detector  606 . In an example, the user interaction detector  606  detects a user interaction on a biometric sensor located on a headphone assembly physically connecting a pair of headphones in a first state. The computer readable medium  600  may also include a user identifier  608 . In an example, the user identifier  608  identifies with the local authenticator located in the pair of headphones that a user is authorized in response to a comparison of the user interaction on the biometric sensor with a user profile stored and accessed in the pair of headphones. In an example, the biometric sensor is at least one of a fingerprint or a microphone coupled to a voice recognition module local to the pair of headphones with no voice data for an initial authentication is sent to a remote device from the pair of headphones. In an example, the local authenticator comprises voice recognition that reverts the pair of headphones from a second state to a first state in response to detecting a voice that does not belong to the user at the biometric sensor. 
     The computer readable medium  600  may include a headphone state switcher  610 . In an example, the headphone state switcher  610  switches the pair of headphones to a second state in response to the local authenticator indicating the user is authorized. In an example, in response to the user providing authentication, the local authenticator provides a token that both identifies the user providing the authentication and provides credentials authenticating the user to a remote system connected to the pair of headphones. In an example, the local authenticator unlocks at least one of a game save file belonging to the user or a video game character profile belonging to the user in response to the user providing authentication to the pair of headphones by interacting with the biometric sensor. In an example, the second state corresponds to a sound output equalizer setting matching a previous sound output equalizer setting made by the user. 
     In an example, the first state is a power off state and the second state is a power on state. One specific implementation includes the biometric sensor as both a physically movable power switch and a fingerprint reader. In this example, the pair of headphones is powered on in response to the user moving the biometric sensor into an on position. Further, in this example the biometric sensor detects a user fingerprint for authentication. 
     In an example, a plurality of lights physically mounted on at least one of the pair of headphones or the headphone assembly. In this example, the first state is a first lighting configuration and the second state is a second lighting configuration. In an example, the local authenticator located in the pair of headphones is to switch the headphones to a third state corresponding to information from a second user in response to the second user providing authentication to the pair of headphones by interacting with the biometric sensor.