Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and apparatuses for the transmission of audio information from a bone-conduction headset to a user. The bone-conduction headset may be mounted on a glasses-style support structure. The bone-conduction transducer may be mounted near where the glasses-style support structure approach a wearer's ears. In one embodiment, an apparatus has a bone-conduction transducer with a diaphragm configured to vibrate based on a magnetic field. The magnetic field being based off an applied electric field. The apparatus may also have an anvil coupled to the diaphragm. The anvil may be configured to conduct the vibration from the bone-conduction transducer. Additionally, the anvil may be coupled to a metallic component. The metallic component may be configured to couple to a magnetic field created by the bone-conduction transducer.

Abstract: A wearable audio component includes a first cable and an audio source in electrical communication with the first cable. A housing defines an interior and an exterior, the audio source being contained within the interior thereof. The exterior includes an ear engaging surface, an outer surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the front and outer surfaces. The peripheral surface includes a channel open along a length to surrounding portions of the peripheral surface and having a depth to extend partially between the front and outer surfaces. A portion of the channel is covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel. The cable is connected with the housing at a first location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member and is captured in so as to extend through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith.

Abstract: Example methods and systems use multiple sensors to determine whether a speaker is speaking. Audio data in an audio-channel speech band detected by a microphone can be received. Vibration data in a vibration-channel speech band representative of vibrations detected by a sensor other than the microphone can be received. The microphone and the sensor can be associated with a head-mountable device (HMD). It is determined whether the audio data is causally related to the vibration data. If the audio data and the vibration data are causally related, an indication can be generated that the audio data contains HMD-wearer speech. Causally related audio and vibration data can be used to increase accuracy of text transcription of the HMD-wearer speech. If the audio data and the vibration data are not causally related, an indication can be generated that the audio data does not contain HMD-wearer speech.

Abstract: Example embodiments may relate to methods and systems for adapting an array of piezoelectric transducers, placed on a head-mounted device (HMD), to different head sizes. For example, an HMD (e.g., a wearable computer) may include an array of transducers that are configured to operate as bone conduction transducers (BCTs), and alternatively as pressure sensors. In particular, methods and systems may be implemented to determine a respective power level for each vibration transducer in the array based at least in part on a determined mechanical load on each transducer in the array. Once the respective power level for each vibration transducer is determined, the system may cause each vibration transducer in the array to operate at the determined respective power level.

Abstract: Example methods and systems use multiple sensors to determine whether a speaker is speaking. Audio data in an audio-channel speech band detected by a microphone can be received. Vibration data in a vibration-channel speech band representative of vibrations detected by a sensor other than the microphone can be received. The microphone and the sensor can be associated with a head-mountable device (HMD). It is determined whether the audio data is causally related to the vibration data. If the audio data and the vibration data are causally related, an indication can be generated that the audio data contains HMD-wearer speech. Causally related audio and vibration data can be used to increase accuracy of text transcription of the HMD-wearer speech. If the audio data and the vibration data are not causally related, an indication can be generated that the audio data does not contain HMD-wearer speech.

Abstract: This disclosure related to an audio unit of a head-mounted apparatus. The head mounted device includes a support structure with at least one side section with least one audio unit. The audio unit is transmits a first signal and a second signal. Either the first signal or the second signal is directed toward an ear of the wearer of the apparatus. The first signal may be an in-phase audio signal and the second signal maybe an out-of-phase audio signal with a 180 degree phase difference. Alternatively, both the first signal and the second signal are in-phase audio signals. The audio unit may operate in one of two modes. The first mode includes the first signal being an in-phase audio signal and the second signal being an out-of-phase audio signal. The second mode includes both the first signal and the second signal being in-phase audio signals.

Abstract: Apparatuses that provide a bone-conduction speaker arranged to be located behind the ear are described herein. An exemplary apparatus may include: (a) a glasses-style support structure comprising a front section and at least one side section; (b) at least one bone-conduction speaker; and (c) a member having a proximate end and a distal end, wherein the proximate end is attached to the at least one side section, and wherein the at least one bone-conduction speaker is attached to the member at or near the distal end; wherein the member is arranged on the at least one side section such that when the glasses-style support structure is worn the member: (a) extends to the anterior of the at least one side section and (b) locates the bone-conduction speaker posterior to an ear.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a bone-conduction transducer array configured to provide spatial audio are described, in which the bone-conduction transducer array may be coupled to a head-mountable device so as to provide sound, for example, to a wearer of the head-mountable device. Audio information and a vibration transducer from an array of vibration transducers coupled to the head-mountable computing device may be caused to vibrate based at least in part on the audio signal so as to transmit a sound. Information indicating a movement of the wearable computing device toward a given direction may be received. One or more parameters associated with causing the at least one vibration transducer to emulate the sound from the given direction may then be determined, wherein the one or more parameters are representative of a correlation between the audio information and the information indicating the movement.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are described herein related to implementing stereo audio using bone conduction transducers (BCTs). A wearable computing device can receive audio signals effective to cause the wearable computing device to provide stereo sound to a first ear and a second ear opposite the first ear. The wearable computing device can also apply a transform to the audio signals so as to determine other audio signals that are out of phase with the audio signals and effective to substantially cancel crosstalk signals resulting from the audio signals, where the transform may be based on one or more wearer-specific parameters. The wearable computing device may then cause two BCTs to vibrate substantially simultaneous to each other so as to provide the stereo sound to the first ear and the second ear and substantially cancel the crosstalk signals.

Abstract: Example methods and devices are provided related to bone conduction. A bone conducting transceiver (BCT) is provided. The BCT includes a metal spring, an anvil, a base, and at least one sensor. The metal spring has two ends. The anvil is mounted on an upper surface of the metal spring and is configured to move in conjunction with the metal spring based on an input signal. The base contacts a lower surface of the metal spring and supports at least one end of the two ends of the metal spring. The at least one sensor is configured to generate data regarding at least one characteristic of the BCT.

Abstract: A wearable audio component includes a first cable and an audio source in electrical communication with the first cable. A housing defines an interior and an exterior, the audio source being contained within the interior thereof. The exterior includes an ear engaging surface, an outer surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the front and outer surfaces. The peripheral surface includes a channel open along a length to surrounding portions of the peripheral surface and having a depth to extend partially between the front and outer surfaces. A portion of the channel is covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel. The cable is connected with the housing at a first location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member and is captured in so as to extend through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a head-mountable support structure, a transducer array coupled to the support structure, and a processor configured to control the transducer array to radiate ultrasonic waves toward an ear of a user of the head-mountable support structure. The ultrasonic waves are audible.

Abstract: A thin film bone-conduction transducer for a head-mountable device is provided. In one example, the head-mountable device may include a head-mountable display that is configured to provide bone-conduction audio using one or more bone-conduction transducers. The head-mountable display may include at least one thin film piezoelectric vibration transducer that is configured to vibrate at least a portion of the head-mountable display based on the audio signal. The vibration transducer may be at least partially enclosed in, fully enclosed between, or a portion of an outer surface of the frame of the head-mountable display such that when the head-mountable display is worn, the head-mountable display contacts one or more surfaces of the wearer's head and provides information indicative of the audio signal to the wearer via vibration of a bone structure of the wearer.

Abstract: Apparatuses that provide a bone-conduction speaker arranged to be located behind the ear are described herein. An exemplary apparatus may include: (a) a glasses-style support structure comprising a front section and at least one side section; (b) at least one bone-conduction speaker; and (c) a member having a proximate end and a distal end, wherein the proximate end is attached to the at least one side section, and wherein the at least one bone-conduction speaker is attached to the member at or near the distal end; wherein the member is arranged on the at least one side section such that when the glasses-style support structure is worn the member: (a) extends to the anterior of the at least one side section and (b) locates the bone-conduction speaker posterior to an ear.