In-Ear Utility Device Having Sensors

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a wireless in-ear utility device that rests in the user's ear canal near the user's eardrum. The in-ear utility device may be configured in a variety of ways, including, but in no way limited to a smart in-ear utility device, a flexible personal sound amplification product, a personal music player, a “walkie-talkie” and the like.

1 . A wireless in-ear utility device, comprising:
 a body having at least a portion shaped to fit into a user's ear canal, the body having a distal end configured to reside in the user's ear canal at a distance from 7 to 12 millimeters away from the user's ear drum;   an accelerometer located in the body, the accelerometer configured to measure movements of the user's head position;   a data storage component having an alertness application; and   a processor configured to execute the alertness application, receive measurements of the user's head position from the accelerometer and determine if the user is inattentive based on repeated motions of the user's head position indicative of inattentiveness using the alertness application.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless in-ear utility device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a speaker located at a distal end of the body, wherein if the processor determines that the user is inattentive, the processor retrieves from the data storage component an audio warning file and directs playing of the audio warning file through the speaker.   
     
     
         3 . The wireless in-ear utility device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a communications module fitted into the body and configured for wireless communications with at least one external device, wherein the processor provides data from the accelerometer related to movements of the user's head position to the at least one external device via the wireless communications module.   
     
     
         4 . The wireless in-ear utility device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a communications module fitted into the body and configured for wireless communications with at least one external device, wherein the processor provides an indication of user inattentiveness to the at least one external device via the wireless communications module, 
 wherein the at least one external device comprises equipment operated by the user, wherein if the equipment receives the indication of user inattentiveness, then another processor in the equipment engages a safety program for the equipment. 
 
     
     
         5 . The wireless in-ear utility device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor configured to measure a physical property associated with an environment of the in-ear utility device, wherein the sensor is configured as at least one of a thermometer, a heart rate monitor, a VO2 Max monitor, a pulse oximetry monitor, a respiratory rate monitor, a respiratory monitor, an oxygen consumption monitor, a cardiac efficiency monitor, a heart rate variability monitor, a metabolic rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, an EEG data monitor, a galvanic skin response monitor, an EKG/ECG monitor, a blood analyte monitor, an ambient temperature monitor, a humidity monitor, a motion detector, a GPS locator, a pressure sensor, an altitude sensor, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer, wherein the sensor is configured to send physical property measurements to the processor.   
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The wireless in-ear utility device of  claim 1  wherein the data storage component has stored music audio data, the wireless in-ear utility device further comprising:
 a speaker located at the distal end of the body, 
 wherein if the processor determines that the user is inattentive, then the processor operates the speaker and the data storage component as a music player that retrieves stored music audio data and plays it to the user. 
 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The wireless in-ear utility device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a speaker located at a distal end of the body; and   a sensor configured to measure a data element, wherein the sensor and the processor are configured to operate as a measurement device that provides one of an alarm, a stop watch, a calendar, and a notification function, wherein if the data element exceeds a predetermined threshold, the processor sends a sound notification to the speaker.   
     
     
         10 . The wireless in-ear utility device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pulse sensor located in the body, the pulse sensor configured to measure the user's pulse, wherein the alertness application executed by the processor also considers the user's pulse in determining the user's inattentiveness.   
     
     
         11 . A method for operating a wireless in-ear utility device, comprising:
 measuring movements of a user's head position by an accelerometer located in a body of the in-ear wireless device, wherein the body has at least a portion shaped to fit into a user's ear canal, the body having a distal end configured to reside in the user's ear canal at a distance from 7 to 12 millimeters away from the user's ear drum;   receiving measurements of the user's head position from the accelerometer by a processor located in the body;   determining if the user is inattentive by the processor by executing a alertness application stored in a data storage component in the body that analyzes measurements of the repeated motions of the user's head position to determine user inattentiveness.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 accessing a warning audio file stored in the data storage component by the processor if the processor determines that the user is inattentive; and   playing the warning audio file through a speaker located at the distal end of the body.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 sending the accelerometer data related to movements of the user's head position and user pulse rate data to at least one external device by a wireless communications module fitted into the body if the processor determines that the user is inattentive.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 transmitting an indication of user inattentiveness to at least one external device from the processor via a communications module fitted into the body and configured for wireless communications with the at least one external device,   wherein the at least one external device comprises equipment operated by the user, wherein if the equipment receives an indication of user inattentiveness, then another processor in the equipment engages a safety program for the equipment.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 detecting physical property data by a sensor configured to measure a physical property associated with an environment of the in-ear utility device, wherein the sensor is configured to operate as at least one of a thermometer, a heart rate monitor, a VO2 Max monitor, a pulse oximetry monitor, a respiratory rate monitor, a respiratory monitor, an oxygen consumption monitor, a cardiac efficiency monitor, a heart rate variability monitor, a metabolic rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, an EEG data monitor, a galvanic skin response monitor, an EKG/ECG monitor, a blood analyte monitor, an ambient temperature monitor, a humidity monitor, a motion detector, a GPS locator, a pressure sensor, an altitude sensor, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer; and   sending the physical property data measured by the sensor to the processor.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data storage component has stored music audio data, the method further comprising:
 retrieving stored music audio data from the data storage component by the processor if the processor determines that the user is inattentive; and   playing the stored music audio data through a speaker located at the distal end of the body.   
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 measuring a data element by a sensor;   sending the measured data element to the processor;   providing one of an alarm, a stop watch, a calendar, and a notification function by the processor using the measured data element, the processor configured to determine if the measured data exceeds a predetermined threshold; and   sending a sound notification by the processor to the speaker when the measured data exceeds the predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 measuring the user's pulse using a pulse sensor located in the body, wherein the alertness application executed by the processor considers the user's pulse in determining the user's inattentiveness.   
     
     
         21 . The wireless in-ear utility device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor located in the body that measures biometric data related to the user and provides the biometric data to the processor, wherein the alertness application in the processor uses the biometric data in determining user inattentiveness.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 measuring biometric data related to the user by a sensor located in the body and providing the biometric data to the processor, wherein the alertness application in the processor uses the biometric data in determining user inattentiveness.   
     
     
         23 . The wireless in-ear utility device of  claim 4  wherein the equipment is a motorized vehicle. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the equipment is a motorized vehicle.