Surface Headphone

Yesterday, a report revealed that Microsoft is planning to launch Surface-branded Earbuds to compete with Apple in the wireless earbuds market. Today, we spotted a new patent application from Microsoft detailing a pair of wireless earbuds with advanced technologies, including the ability to detect temperature.

First spotted by us, the patent titled “Wearable audio accessories for computing devices” was filed by Microsoft in December 2017 and published by USPTO on April 16, 2019.

The patented smart Earbuds comes with a temperature sensor that allows it to determine the weather. After determining the weather, the Earbuds could show a notification on the connected devices to notify users when they are close to a water fountain or drinks machine so that they re-hydrate.

Microsoft Earbuds patent
Image Courtesy: USPTO

There is another sensor which is designed to detect whether the wearable device is being worn or not. Assumingly, the music will stop playing when earbuds are away from the ears.

“Such a sensor (or sensor arrangement) may be used to provide a further power control technique by switching on the continuous audio processing when the wearable speech interface device is attached to something and switching it off when the wearable speech interface device is not attached to anything,” the patent explains.

“Using proximity detection, the sensor is arranged to detect whether there is something between the two parts (e.g. clothing or another object). Such a sensor (or sensor arrangement) may be used to provide a further power control technique by switching on the continuous audio processing when the wearable speech interface device is attached to something and switching it off when the wearable speech interface device is not attached to anything.,” Microsoft explains.

Earbuds structure patent
Image Courtesy: USPTO

The device could provide notifications to the user about their “upcoming appointments in their calendar, email or text messages received, etc”.

About The Author

Mayank Parmar

Mayank Parmar is an entrepreneur who founded Windows Latest. He is the Editor-in-Chief and has written on various topics in his seven years of career, but he is mostly known for his well-researched work on Microsoft's Windows. His articles and research works have been referred to by CNN, Business Insiders, Forbes, Fortune, CBS Interactive, Microsoft and many others over the years.