Open ear audio device with bone conduction speaker

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for an open ear audio device outputting audio using an external audio speaker, bone conduction speaker, or both an external audio speaker and bone conduction speaker. In an aspect, sound is output using either the audio speaker or the bone conduction speaker based on the type of sound. Audio the user desires to keep private are configured to be output using the bone conduction speaker. In an aspect, the audio device simultaneously outputs a first sound using the audio speaker and a second sound using the bone conduction speaker. The user receives both streams of audio and selects which sound to focus on. In an aspect, the audio device determines how to output audio based on the SPL of the user's environment.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A wearable acoustic device comprising:
 an external speaker; 
 a bone conduction transducer; and 
 at least one processor coupled to the external speaker and the bone conduction transducer configured to: 
 detect a sound to be output by the acoustic device; 
 determine based on a type or level of the sound whether to operate in a first public mode or a second private mode, wherein in the first public mode the sound is output by the acoustic device via the external speaker, and in the second private mode the sound is output by the acoustic device via the bone conduction transducer, wherein:
 a user of the wearable acoustic device configures sound to be output in the first public mode or the second private mode based, at least, in part, on the type of the sound, 
 the sound is output in the second private mode when a sound pressure level (SPL) of an external sound exceeds a configurable SPL threshold amount, and 
 the type of the sound comprises any combination of: a voice phone call from a user's personal device, music, podcast, alert from an application running on the user's personal device, alarm, output from a virtual personal assistant, and informational audio; and 
 
 output the sound via based on the determination. 
 
     
     
       2. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 1 , wherein the bone conduction transducer contacts a temple region of the user wearing the acoustic device. 
     
     
       3. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 1 , wherein the bone conduction transducer contacts an area behind an ear of the user wearing the acoustic device. 
     
     
       4. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 1 , wherein the bone conduction transducer contacts skin covering the skull of the user wearing the acoustic device. 
     
     
       5. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sound comprises the voice phone call; and 
 the at least one processor is configured to determine to operate in the second private mode, wherein the voice phone call is output by the bone conduction transducer and is not output by the external speaker. 
 
     
     
       6. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sound comprises informational audio; and 
 the at least one processor is configured to determine to operate in the second private mode, wherein the informational audio is output by the bone conduction transducer and is not output by the external speaker. 
 
     
     
       7. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sound comprises music output; and 
 the at least one processor is configured to determine to operate in the first public mode, wherein the music is output by the external speaker and is not output by the bone conduction transducer. 
 
     
     
       8. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 1 , wherein the sound is further configured to be output in the first public mode or the second private mode based on the user's environment. 
     
     
       9. A wearable acoustic device comprising:
 an external speaker;   a bone conduction transducer; and   at least one processor coupled to the external speaker and the bone conduction transducer configured to:   output audio via the external speaker;   receive an audio input relating to a point of interest in a vicinity of a user wearing the acoustic device; and   simultaneously output the audio via the external speaker and the audio input via the bone conduction transducer.   
     
     
       10. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the audio output via the external speaker comprises music; and   the audio input relating to a point of interest comprises directions guiding a user of the wearable acoustic device to a physical location.   
     
     
       11. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 10 , wherein the wearable acoustic device comprises one of: around-the-ear headphones, around-the-neck headphones, acoustic eye-glasses, or a protective hard hat. 
     
     
       12. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 9 , wherein the bone conduction transducer contacts skin of a user wearing the acoustic device. 
     
     
       13. A wearable acoustic device comprising:
 an external speaker; 
 a bone conduction transducer; 
 a microphone; and 
 at least one processor coupled to the external speaker and the bone conduction transducer, the at least one processor configured to: 
 output audio via the external speaker and the bone conduction transducer; 
 detect, via the microphone, a sound pressure level (SPL) of an external sound exceeds a configurable SPL threshold amount; 
 in response to the detected SPL of the external sound exceeding the configurable SPL threshold amount, output the audio via the bone conduction transducer, wherein outputting the audio via the bone conduction transducer comprises increasing an intensity of the audio signal output by the bone conduction transducer to be greater than the SPL of the external sound by a configurable amount. 
 
     
     
       14. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 13 , wherein in response to the detected SPL of the external sound exceeding the configurable SPL threshold amount, the at least one processor is further configured to:
 cause the external speaker to enter a power-saving state. 
 
     
     
       15. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 13 , wherein in response to the detected SPL of the external sound exceeding the configurable SPL threshold amount, the at least one processor is further configured to:
 stop outputting the audio via the external speaker. 
 
     
     
       16. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 13 , wherein in response to the detected SPL of the external sound exceeding the configurable SPL threshold amount, the at least one processor is configured to:
 output via the external speaker and the bone conduction transducer a warning message to alert a user of the wearable acoustic device. 
 
     
     
       17. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
 detect, via the microphone, a second SPL of the external sound is less than or equal to the configurable SPL threshold amount; and 
 in response to the second SPL, output the audio signal via the external speaker. 
 
     
     
       18. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 17 , wherein in response to the second SPL, the at least one processor is further configured to:
 stop outputting the audio via the bone conduction transducer. 
 
     
     
       19. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 13 , wherein the wearable acoustic device comprises a protective hard hat. 
     
     
       20. The wearable acoustic device of  claim 13 , wherein the bone conduction transducer contacts skin of a user wearing the wearable acoustic device.