We’re not sure how this is going to leverage RIM as it moves forward but having extra patents sure sounds like something positive. The latest, comes directly from the USPTO. In short, it deals with automatic volume control based on your ear placement. Think walking and talking, driving and talking, and sudden movements where your device is pulled away from your ear. They’re calling it “Adjusting Acoustic Speaker Output” so if you’re interested, continue reading.
A degree of seal of an ear about a speaker port may be estimated by detecting touch contact between the ear and at least one touch sensor in fixed relation to the speaker port. The degree of seal is estimated based on the detected touch contact. Based upon the estimated degree of seal, the acoustic output of the speaker may be adjusted. The adjustment may compensate for perceived changes to the quality of the acoustic output resulting from the degree of seal. The at least one touch sensor may be a plurality of touch sensors spaced around the speaker port. Each sensor may have a truncated wedge shape, with a narrow end closest to the speaker port. Upon receipt of user input indicative of a high degree of ear seal, a sample of the sensor(s) may be taken and stored for using during future estimation of the degree of seal.
Again, we’re not too sure how RIM will market this and use it to its advantage but having extra patents under the belt can only be a good thing.
Via Engadget
Source: USPTO