Devices with enhanced audio

• US 10,402,151 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pance, Aleksandar, Bilbrey, Brett, Hadley, Darbey E., Johnson, Martin E., Isaac, Ronald Nadim
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Con P
• Application Number:
  US15/592,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20170249122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 381 92, 381 56, 381104, 381107, 381386, 381387, 381388, 381310, 381150, 3482071, 34820799, 348 1404, 348 1412, 348 1416, 348 141, 348 1401, 725 12, 725 10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• 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 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 : for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/13 : Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 : Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/305 : Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for enhancing audio including a computer and an output device. The computer includes a sensor configured to determine a user location relative to the computer. The sensor is also configured to gather environment data corresponding to an environment of the computer. The computer also includes a processor in communication with the sensor and configured to process the user location and the environment data and adjust at least one of an audio output or a video output. The output device is in communication with the processor and is configured to output at least one of the audio output or the video output.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing audio for a portable computing device comprising a plurality of sensors and an output device configured to produce an audio output or a video output, comprising:

determining, using one or more of the plurality of sensors, a user location relative to the portable computing device;

determining, using one or more of the plurality of sensors, environment data corresponding to an environment of the portable computing device, the environment data including a location of the portable computing device and acoustics of the location of the portable computing device, wherein the location of the portable computing device is determined using global positioning information or as a result of signal strength analysis;

adjusting by a processor a first audiovisual setting of a plurality of audio visual settings, based on the determined environment data and based on the determined user location;

determining if a second audiovisual setting of the plurality of audio visual settings is at a predetermined setting for the determined location of the portable computing device; and

if the second audiovisual setting is not at the predetermined setting for the determined location of the portable computing device, adjusting the second audiovisual setting to the predetermined setting based on the determined location of the portable computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors include a first sensor for detecting the user location and a second sensor that gathers the environment data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment data includes one of an estimated size of a space that the portable computing device is located, global positioning data, temperature data, humidity data, reverberant qualities of the location of the portable computing device, or a distance from the portable computing device to an object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of audiovisual settings affect an audio output and a video output.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of audiovisual settings affect only one of an audio output or a video output.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

during video output or audio output in accordance with one or more audio visual settings of the plurality of audiovisual settings, determining, via a motion sensor, whether the user has moved, and in response determining if the one or more audiovisual settings are adequately set for an updated environment or an updated user location; and

further adjusting the one or more audiovisual settings responsive to the updated environment data or the updated user location.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

during video output or audio output in accordance with one or more audio visual settings of the plurality of audiovisual settings, determining via an accelerometer whether the portable computing device is moving, and in response determining if the one or more audiovisual settings are adequately set for an updated environment or an updated user location; and

further adjusting the one or more audiovisual settings responsive to the updated environment data or the updated user location.

8. A system for enhancing audio comprising:

a portable computing device that includes;

a first sensor configured to determine a user location relative to the portable computing device,

a second sensor configured to gather data corresponding to an acoustic quality of an environment of the portable computing device,

a third sensor configured to gather data corresponding to a location of the portable computing device, wherein the data corresponding to the location of the portable computing device includes global positioning information or a result of signal strength analysis, and

a processor in communication with the first, second, and third sensors and configured to process the user location, the data corresponding to the acoustic quality of the environment of the portable computing device, and the data corresponding to the location of the portable computing device, and based on that, adjust an audio output or a video output,

wherein the processor is configured to determine the location of the portable computing device using the global positioning information or the result of signal strength analysis, and

wherein the processor is further configured to determine if an audiovisual setting is at a predetermined setting for the determined location of the portable computing device, and if the audiovisual setting is not at the predetermined setting, the processor adjusts the audiovisual setting to the predetermined setting based on the determined location of the portable computing device; and

an output device in communication with the processor and configured to produce the audio output or the video output.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the data corresponding to an acoustic quality of an environment of the portable computing device includes one of a reverberant quality of, or an approximate dimension of, a space in which the portable computing device is located.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the data corresponding to an acoustic quality of an environment of the portable computing device includes both a reverberant quality and an approximate dimension of a space that the portable computing device is located.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the output device is external to the portable computing device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the audiovisual setting includes one of an audio setting or a video setting.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the output device is a speaker internal to the portable computing device, and the system further comprises a speaker that is external to the portable computing device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor, during audio output or video output in accordance with the audiovisual setting, determines via a motion sensor whether the user has moved, and in response determines if the audiovisual setting is adequately set for an updated environment or an updated user location, and

wherein the processor is to further adjust the audiovisual setting responsive to the updated environment data or the updated user location.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor, during audio output or video output in accordance with the audiovisual setting, determines via an accelerometer whether the portable computing device is moving, and in response determines if the audiovisual setting is adequately set for an updated environment or an updated user location, and

wherein the processor is to further adjust the audiovisual setting responsive to the updated environment data or the updated user location.

16. A system for enhancing audio comprising:

a portable computing device that includes;

a first sensor configured to determine a user location relative to the portable computing device,

a second sensor configured to gather data corresponding to an acoustic quality of an environment of the portable computing device,

a third sensor configured to gather data corresponding to a location of the portable computing device, wherein the data corresponding to the location of the portable computing device includes one of global positioning information or a result of signal strength analysis, and

a processor in communication with the first, second, and third sensors and configured to process the user location, the data corresponding to the acoustic quality of the environment of the portable computing device, and the data corresponding to the location of the portable computing device, and based on that, adjust an audio output or a video output, wherein the processor is further configured to determine if an audiovisual setting is at a predetermined setting for the user location, and if the audiovisual setting is not at the predetermined setting the processor adjusts the audiovisual setting to the predetermined setting based on the user location; and

an internal speaker configured to produce the audio output, wherein the internal speaker is integrated with the portable computing device and in communication with the processor; and

an external speaker that is separate from and in communication with the portable computing device, wherein the processor adjusts the audiovisual setting to the predetermined setting by disabling the internal speaker and enabling the external speaker.

17. A portable computing device, comprising:

a first sensor configured to gather data corresponding to a user location relative to the portable computing device;

a second sensor configured to gather data corresponding to an acoustic quality of an environment of the portable computing device;

a third sensor configured to gather data corresponding to a location of the portable computing device, the data corresponding to the location of the portable computing device includes global positioning information or a result of signal strength analysis;

an internal speaker integrated with the portable computing device and configured to produce an audio output; and

a processor in communication with the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor, and the internal speaker, the processor configured to;

process the user location, the data corresponding to the acoustic quality of the environment of the portable computing device, and the data corresponding to the location of the portable computing device, and based on that, determine one or more audio settings for the portable computing device, and

determine if an audio setting is at a predetermined setting for the user location, and if the audio setting is not at the predetermined setting for the user location, the processor adjusts the audio setting to the predetermined setting based on the user location by disabling the internal speaker and enabling an external speaker that is separate from and in communication with the portable computing device.