Methods, apparatus and systems for audio playback

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods, apparatus and systems for audio playback via a personal audio device following a biometric process. A personal audio device may be used to obtain ear model data for authenticating a user via an ear biometric authentication system. Owing to that successful authentication, the electronic device is informed of the person who is listening to audio playback from the device. Thus the device can implement one or more playback settings which are specific to that authorised user.

1 . A method in an electronic system, the electronic system comprising a personal audio device for playback into a user's ear, and an authentication system for authentication of the user, using the personal audio device, based on a measured response of the user's ear to an acoustic stimulus, the method comprising:
 subsequent to successful authentication of the user with the authentication system based on the measured response, implementing one or more playback settings, specific to the authenticated user, for playback to the authenticated user via the personal audio device.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 attempting to authenticate the user using the authentication system, based on the measured response.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of attempting to authenticate the user is carried out responsive to detection of an event requiring playback to the user. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of attempting to authenticate the user is carried out upon application of the personal audio device to the user's ear. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of implementing one or more playback settings specific to the authenticated user is carried out responsive to detection of an event requiring playback to the user 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of implementing one or more playback settings specific to the authenticated user is carried out responsive to successful authentication of the user using the authentication system. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more user-specific playback settings are implemented responsive to a determination that the personal audio device remains continuously applied to the user's ear following the successful authentication of the user. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein successful authentication comprises successful authentication with the authentication system and at least one additional authentication mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one additional authentication mechanism comprises one or more of: pin authentication; passphrase or password authentication; and voice authentication. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more playback settings comprise one or more of: audio equalization settings; audible secure messages; secure phone calls; audible notifications; audible translation; text-to-speech output; voice assistant privacy modes. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the acoustic stimulus comprises an audio playback signal. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the audio playback signal comprises music. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the personal audio device comprises a microphone for the detection of the measured response, and wherein the microphone is further utilized as part of an active noise cancellation system. 
     
     
         14 . A method in an electronic system, the electronic system comprising a personal audio device for playback of audio signals to a user, the personal audio device comprising first and second loudspeakers for separate playback of audio signals to each of the user's ears, wherein the audio signals comprise a left channel for playback to the user's left ear and a right channel for playback to the user's right ear, the method comprising:
 generating an acoustic stimulus using the first loudspeaker;   measuring a response of one of the user's ears to the acoustic stimulus;   identifying the one of the user's ears as the user's left or right ear; and   outputting the left or right channel to the first loudspeaker in accordance with the identification of the one of the user's ears.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 outputting the other of the left and right channels to the second loudspeaker.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 generating a second acoustic stimulus using the second loudspeaker;   measuring a response of one of the user's ears to the acoustic stimulus generated by the second loudspeaker; and   identifying the one of the user's ears as the user's left or right ear.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the method is performed responsive to a determination that the personal audio device is in proximity to an ear. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for providing audio playback to a user, the apparatus comprising:
 an ear biometric module configured to obtain ear biometric data for the user, and authenticating the user based on the ear biometric data; and   a control module configured to, subsequent to successful authentication of the user with the ear biometric module, implement one or more playback settings, specific to the authenticated user, for playback to the authenticated user.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the ear biometric module is configured to extract, as the ear biometric data, one or more features from a measured response of the user's ear to an acoustic stimulus. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the biometric circuitry is configured to extract one or more features from the measured response based on the acoustic stimulus.