Patent ID: 7978091

Claim:
A method for operating a earpiece device, comprising: converting a vibration energy associated with a touching of the earpiece into an electric signal by way of piezoelectric transduction; from the electric signal, adjusting an energy and range of a projected touchless sensing field in air above a surface of the earpiece; in the touchless sensing field, detecting a pause of a finger at an approximately center location by way of a timer and threshold; based to the center location, adjusting a strength and range of the touchless sensing field upon detection of the pause; responsive to the adjusting, initiating three-dimensional (3D) touchless sensing to acquire control of the earpiece via touchless finger movements; determining a presence of finger within the touchless sensing field of the device; tracking a touchless movement of the finger in air within the touchless sensing field; adjusting a touchless control in accordance with the touchless movement.