Method and apparatus for media property or characteristic control in a media system

• US 10,244,093 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhao, Liang, Fu, Yu-Ling, Li, Qiu-Ling
• Primary Examiner(s): Shen, Qun
• Application Number:
  US15/852,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20180124226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

A method including: transmitting, by a control device, a first portion of content comprising a first portion of a signal corresponding to a multimedia presentation characteristic of a peripheral device; receiving, when an adjustment of the signal is below an adjustment threshold, a first instance of an input indicating a request to change the multimedia presentation characteristic; in response to receiving the first instance of the input, adjusting a second portion of the signal and transmitting a second portion of the content comprising the adjusted second portion of the signal; receiving, when the adjustment of the signal is at or above the adjustment threshold, a second instance of the input; and transmitting, in response to receiving the second instance of the input, a communication signal to the peripheral device to adjust a peripheral device control of an output of the multimedia presentation characteristic.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a control device, a voice input indicating a request to adjust a multimedia presentation characteristic;

determining, by the control device, an output control of a peripheral device external to the control device, the output control configured to adjust an output of the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device;

determining, by the control device and based on the received voice input and the output control, an amount to adjust the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device; and

in response to determining that the amount to adjust a content signal corresponding to the multimedia presentation characteristic is at or above an adjustment threshold of the output of the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device, transmitting, by the control device, at least one signal to the peripheral device, the at least one signal configured to adjust the output of the multimedia presentation characteristic by the amount at the peripheral device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the control device, prior to receiving the voice input and to the peripheral device, the content signal corresponding to the multimedia presentation characteristic of the peripheral device; and

in response to determining that the amount to adjust the content signal is at or above the adjustment threshold of the output of the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device;

adjusting, by the control device, the content signal; and

transmitting, by the control device, the adjusted content signal to the peripheral device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia presentation characteristic comprises at least one of a volume, an audio level, a balance, a fade, a brightness, a contrast, a sharpness, a hue, a color, a tint, a bass level, or a treble level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a portable electronic device, the peripheral device comprises a speaker, and the output control comprises a volume control.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the control device, a second output control of a second peripheral device external to the control device, the second output control configured to adjust a second output of a second multimedia presentation characteristic at the second peripheral device;

determining, by the control device and based on the voice input, a second amount to adjust the second multimedia presentation characteristic at the second peripheral device; and

transmitting, by the control device, a second signal to the second peripheral device, the second signal configured to adjust the second output of the second multimedia presentation characteristic by the second amount at the second peripheral device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second multimedia presentation characteristic comprises at least one of a volume, an audio level, a brightness, a hue, a color, a tint, a bass level, or a treble level.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the multimedia presentation characteristic and the second multimedia presentation characteristic are a same type of multimedia presentation characteristic.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

one or more computer-readable storage media comprising instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a control device, a voice input indicating a request to adjust a multimedia presentation characteristic;

determining, by the control device, an output control of a peripheral device external to the control device, the output control configured to adjust an output of the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device;

determining, by the control device and based on the received voice input and the output control, an amount to adjust the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device; and

in response to determining that the amount to adjust a content signal corresponding to the multimedia presentation characteristic is at or above an adjustment threshold of the output of the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device, transmitting, by the control device, at least one signal to the peripheral device, the at least one signal configured to adjust the output of the multimedia presentation characteristic by the amount at the peripheral device.

9. The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

transmitting, by the control device, prior to receiving the voice input and to the peripheral device, the content signal corresponding to the multimedia presentation characteristic of the peripheral device; and

in response to determining that the amount to adjust the content signal is at or above the adjustment threshold of the output of the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device;

adjusting, by the control device, the content signal; and

transmitting, by the control device, the adjusted content signal to the peripheral device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the multimedia presentation characteristic comprises at least one of a volume, an audio level, a balance, a fade, a brightness, a contrast, a sharpness, a hue, a color, a tint, a bass level, or a treble level.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the control device comprises a portable electronic device, the peripheral device comprises a speaker, and the output control comprises a volume control.

12. The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

determining, by the control device, a second output control of a second peripheral device external to the control device, the second output control configured to adjust a second output of a second multimedia presentation characteristic at the second peripheral device;

determining, by the control device and based on the voice input, a second amount to adjust the second multimedia presentation characteristic at the second peripheral device; and

transmitting, by the control device, a second signal to the second peripheral device, the second signal configured to adjust the second output of the second multimedia presentation characteristic by the second amount at the second peripheral device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second multimedia presentation characteristic comprises at least one of a volume, an audio level, a brightness, a hue, a color, a tint, a bass level, or a treble level.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the multimedia presentation characteristic and the second multimedia presentation characteristic are a same type of multimedia presentation characteristic.

15. A control device comprising:

a voice input device;

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media comprising instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive, at the control device, a voice input at the voice input device, the voice input indicating a request to adjust a multimedia presentation characteristic;

determine, by the control device, an output control of a peripheral device external to the control device, the output control configured to adjust an output of the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device;

determine, by the control device and based on the received voice input and the control output, an amount to adjust the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device; and

in response to determining that the amount to adjust a content signal corresponding to the multimedia presentation characteristic is at or above an adjustment threshold of the output of the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device, transmit, by the control device, at least one signal to the peripheral device, the at least one signal configured to adjust the output of the multimedia presentation characteristic by the amount at the peripheral device.

16. The control device of claim 15, the instructions further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

transmit, by the control device, prior to receipt of the voice input and to the peripheral device, the content signal corresponding to the multimedia presentation characteristic of the peripheral device; and

in response to determining that the amount to adjust the content signal is at or above the adjustment threshold of the output of the multimedia presentation characteristic at the peripheral device;

adjust, by the control device, the content signal; and

transmit, by the control device, the adjusted content signal to the peripheral device.

17. The control device of claim 15, wherein the multimedia presentation characteristic comprises at least one of a volume, an audio level, a balance, a fade, a brightness, a contrast, a sharpness, a hue, a color, a tint, a bass level, or a treble level.

18. The control device of claim 15, wherein the control device comprises a portable electronic device, the peripheral device comprises a speaker, and the output control comprises a volume control.

19. The control device of claim 15, the instructions further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

determine, by the control device, a second output control of a second peripheral device external to the control device, the second output control configured to adjust a second output of a second multimedia presentation characteristic at the second peripheral device;

determine, by the control device and based on the voice input, a second amount to adjust the second multimedia presentation characteristic at the second peripheral device; and

transmit, by the control device, a second signal to the second peripheral device, the second signal configured to adjust the second output of the second multimedia presentation characteristic by the second amount at the second peripheral device.

20. The control device of claim 19, wherein the multimedia presentation characteristic and the second multimedia presentation characteristic are a same type of multimedia presentation characteristic.