Systems and methods for sequencing audio communications

• US 10,001,966 B1
• Filed: 01/20/2016
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: McGaughy, Ellen L., Reddy, Bandi B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Islam, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US15/002,336
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

An audio sequencing device includes an input circuit, a prioritizing circuit, a playback circuit, and an output circuit. The input circuit is receives a first audio signal from a first audio source and a second audio signal from a second audio source. The prioritizing circuit assigns a first priority to the first audio signal and a second priority to the second audio signal. The playback circuit sequences at least one of the audio signals based on at least one of an order of receiving the audio signals and the assigned priorities. The output circuit transmits the audio signals to a user device one at a time based on the sequence and the assigned priorities of the audio signals.

Claims

1. An audio sequencing device, comprising:

an input circuit configured to receive a plurality of audio signals, including a first audio signal from a first audio source and a second audio signal from a second audio source, the input circuit configured to determine an order in which the plurality of audio signals are received;

a prioritizing circuit configured to assign a first priority to the first audio signal and a second priority to the second audio signal in response to at least a portion of the first audio signal overlapping at least a portion of the second audio signal;

a playback circuit configured to sequence at least one of the audio signals of the plurality of audio signals based on the order and the assigned priorities;

an output circuit configured to transmit the audio signals to a user device one at a time based on the sequence, the order, and the assigned priorities of the audio signals;

a memory configured to store the sequenced audio signals; and

a notification device configured to provide a notification to the user device indicating that at least one stored audio signal is available for playback while at least one of the audio signals is being transmitted to the user device, the notification based on at least one of the at least one stored audio signal available for playback and at least one audio source associated with the at least one stored audio signal available for playback.

2. The audio sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the playback circuit is further configured to sequence the audio signals based on which audio signal is assigned a higher priority by comparing the first priority and the second priority, and wherein the output circuit is further configured to first transmit the audio signal comprising the higher priority to the user device before transmitting the audio signal comprising a lower priority.

3. The audio sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises at least one of a textual notification, a visual notification, and a tactile notification.

4. The audio sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the prioritizing circuit is further configured to assign the first and second priority based on at least one of a characteristic of at least one of the audio sources and a characteristic of at least one of the audio signals.

5. The audio sequencing device of claim 4, wherein the characteristic of the at least one of the audio sources comprises a type of person, device, or station associated with the audio source, and wherein the type of person, device, or station comprises at least one of a pilot, a co-pilot, a navigator, a flight cabin crew member, an air traffic control facility, an air traffic controller, an EICAS, a satellite communications system, an airline or company operations base, and another aircraft.

6. The audio sequencing device of claim 4, wherein the characteristic of the audio signals comprises at least one of a content, a duration, a rate of consecutive communications from a same audio source, and a loudness of the audio signals.

7. The audio sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the prioritizing circuit is further configured to assign the first priority and the second priority based on a phase of flight of an aircraft, and wherein the phase of flight of the aircraft comprises at least one of a takeoff phase, a cruising phase, and a landing phase.

8. The audio sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the input circuit is further configured to receive a third audio signal from a third audio source, and wherein the prioritizing circuit is further configured to assign a third priority to the third audio signal and to reassign priorities to each of the first audio signal and the second audio signal based on the third audio signal.

9. The audio sequencing device of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store the sequenced audio signals, wherein the playback circuit is further configured to sequence the audio signals based on which audio signal is assigned a higher priority by comparing the first priority and the second priority, wherein the output circuit is further configured to transmit the audio signal comprising the higher priority to the user device, and wherein the output circuit is further configured to store the audio signal comprising a lower priority and the audio signal comprising the higher priority to the memory.

10. A method of sequencing audio communication signals, the method comprising:

receiving, by an input circuit of a communications sequencing device, a plurality of audio signals, including a first audio signal from a first audio source and a second audio signal from a second audio source;

assigning, by a prioritizing circuit of the communications sequencing device, a first priority to the first audio signal and a second priority to the second audio signal in response to at least a portion of the first audio signal overlapping at least a portion of the second audio signal;

sequencing, by a playback circuit of the communications sequencing device, at least one of the audio signals of the plurality of audio signals based on an order of receiving the audio signals and the assigned priorities;

outputting, by an output circuit of the communications sequencing device, the audio signals to a user device one at a time based on the sequence and the assigned priorities of the audio signals; and

providing, by a notification device, a notification to the user device indicating that at least one stored audio signal is available for playback while the audio signals are being output to the user device, the notification based on at least one of the audio signals being output to the user device and an audio source associated with at least one of the audio signals being output to the user device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein sequencing the audio signals is based on comparing, by the playback circuit, the first priority and the second priority to determine which audio signal is assigned a higher priority.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein outputting the audio signals to the user device comprises providing the audio signal comprising the higher priority to the user device before providing the audio signal comprising a lower priority to the user device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing the audio signal comprising a lower priority and the audio signal comprising the higher priority to the memory, and wherein outputting the audio signals to the user device comprises providing the audio signal comprising the higher priority to the user device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the notification is at least one of a textual notification, a visual notification, and a tactile notification.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein assigning the first and second priority is based on at least one of a characteristic of at least one of the audio sources and a characteristic of at least one of the audio signals, wherein the characteristic of the at least one of the audio sources comprises a type of person, device, or station associated with the audio source, and wherein the characteristic of the audio signals comprises at least one of a content, a communication channel frequency, a duration, a rate of consecutive communications from a same audio source, and a loudness of the audio signals.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein assigning the first priority and the second priority is based on a phase of flight of an aircraft, and wherein the phase of flight of the aircraft comprises at least one of a takeoff phase, a cruising phase, and a landing phase.

17. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of audio communication devices configured to simultaneously transmit a plurality of audio signals; and

at least one processor communicably coupled with the plurality of audio communication devices and a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code for causing the at least one processor to;

simultaneously receive an audio signal from each audio communication device of the plurality of audio communication devices;

assign a priority to each audio signal based on a characteristic of at least one of a plurality of audio sources and a characteristic of at least one of the audio signals, wherein the priority is assigned in response to at least a portion of a first audio signal of the plurality of audio signals overlapping at least a portion of a second audio signal of the plurality of audio signals;

sequence at least one of the audio signals for playback based on at least one of an order of receiving the audio signals and the assigned priorities;

output the audio signals to a user device one at a time based on the sequence and the assigned priorities of the audio signals; and

produce a notification indicating that the first audio signal is not being output to the user device while the second audio signal is being output to the user device, the notification based on at least one of the first audio signal and an audio source associated with the first audio signal.

18. The communications system of claim 17, wherein the characteristic of the audio sources comprises a type of person, device, or station associated with the audio source, and wherein the type of person, device, or station comprises at least one of a pilot, a co-pilot, a navigator, a flight cabin crew member, an air traffic control facility, an air traffic controller, an EICAS, a satellite communications system, an airline or company operations base, and another aircraft.

19. The communications system of claim 17, wherein the characteristic of the audio signals comprises at least one of a content, a duration, a rate of consecutive communications from a same audio source, and a loudness of the audio signals.

20. The communications system of claim 17, wherein the processor-executable code further causes the at least one processor to receive an additional audio signal from an additional communications device, and reassign the priority of each of the plurality of audio signals based on receiving the additional audio signal.