US 12,039,223 B2
Head-mountable information processing apparatus
Sadao Tsuruga, Kyoto (JP); Yasunobu Hashimoto, Kyoto (JP); Kazuhiko Yoshizawa, Kyoto (JP); and Yoshinori Okada, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to MAXELL, LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Appl. No. 17/436,395
Filed by MAXELL, LTD., Kyoto (JP)
PCT Filed Mar. 4, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/008457
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 3, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/178961, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0066733 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 3/16 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/021 (2006.01); A61B 5/024 (2006.01); G01C 17/28 (2006.01); G01P 3/00 (2006.01); G06F 3/01 (2006.01); G10L 15/22 (2006.01); G10L 25/51 (2013.01); H04R 1/10 (2006.01); H04R 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/165 (2013.01) [A61B 5/021 (2013.01); A61B 5/02438 (2013.01); A61B 5/6803 (2013.01); G06F 3/012 (2013.01); G06F 3/013 (2013.01); G10L 15/22 (2013.01); G10L 25/51 (2013.01); H04R 1/1008 (2013.01); H04R 1/1041 (2013.01); H04R 3/00 (2013.01); G01C 17/28 (2013.01); G01P 3/00 (2013.01); G10L 2015/223 (2013.01); H04R 2430/01 (2013.01); H04R 2499/15 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
6. A head-mountable information processing apparatus worn on a user's head and having a function for viewing images or hearing audio, the head-mountable information processing apparatus comprising:
an audio input interface worn in the vicinity of the user's ear, and being configured to collect ambient sound that occurs outside the head-mountable information processing apparatus and enters the ear, and convert the ambient sound into an input audio signal;
an audio output interface configured to generate an output audio signal, convert the generated output audio signal into an audio for output, and emit the audio for output toward the user,
a display configured to display predetermined information to the user, and
a controller configured to control an operation of the head-mountable information processing apparatus,
wherein the controller is configured to:
based on a volume level of the input audio signal from the audio input interface and a volume level of the output audio signal from the audio output interface, determine whether a state in which the ambient sound is preventing the audio for output from being heard is occurring,
upon determining that a state in which the ambient sound is not preventing the audio for output from being heard is occurring, cause the audio output interface to perform sound emission,
upon determining that the state in which the ambient sound is preventing the audio for output from being heard is occurring, instruct the audio output interface to interrupt sound emission, and use the display to issue an instruction to the user to cover their ears.