Methods, systems, and media for ambient background noise modification based on mood and/or behavior information

• US 10,425,725 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Goran, Charles, Liu, Eric H C, Brune, Kevin, Valz, Duane Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Yogeshkumar
• Application Number:
  US15/703,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20180007467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/002 Damping circuit arrangements for transducers, e.g. motional feedback circuits

Abstract

Methods, systems, and media for ambient background noise modification are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: identifying at least one noise present in an environment of a user having a user device, an activity the user is currently engaged in, and a physical or emotional state of the user; determining a target ambient noise to be produced in the environment based at least in part on the identified noise, the activity the user is currently engaged in, and the physical or emotional state of the user; identifying at least one device associated with the user device to be used to produce the target ambient noise; determining sound outputs corresponding to each of the one or more identified devices, wherein a combination of the sound outputs produces an approximation of one or more characteristics of the target ambient noise; and causing the one or more identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs.

Claims

1. A method for ambient background noise modification, comprising:

identifying at least one noise present in an environment of a user having a user device;

identifying media content being viewed by the user based on the at least one noise;

determining a target ambient noise to be produced in the environment based on an entity appearing in the media content being viewed by the user, wherein the target ambient noise is selected to complement the media content being viewed by the user and is selected to correspond to a sound associated with the entity appearing in the media content being viewed by the user;

identifying a plurality of devices that are associated with the user device over a local communications network, that are nearby the user device, and that are capable of producing the target ambient noise including the sound associated with the entity appearing in the media content being viewed by the user;

determining sound outputs corresponding to each of the plurality of identified devices, wherein a combination of the sound outputs produces an approximation of one or more characteristics of the target ambient noise; and

causing the plurality of identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs in connection with presentation of the media content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sound outputs corresponding to each of the plurality of identified devices is determined based on device capabilities of each of the plurality of identified devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the device capabilities include audio output capabilities.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a confidence value associated with the target ambient noise that indicates a likelihood that the user will enjoy the target ambient noise, wherein causing the plurality of identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs is in response to determining that the confidence value exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the confidence value is based on prior feedback from the user.

6. A system for ambient background noise modification, the system comprising:

a hardware processor that is programmed to;

identify at least one noise present in an environment of a user having a user device;

identify media content being viewed by the user based on the at least one noise;

determine a target ambient noise to be produced in the environment based on an entity appearing in the media content being viewed by the user, wherein the target ambient noise is selected to complement the media content being viewed by the user and is selected to correspond to a sound associated with the entity appearing in the media content being viewed by the user;

identify a plurality of devices that are associated with the user device over a local communications network, that are nearby the user device, and that are capable of producing the target ambient noise including the sound associated with the entity appearing in the media content being viewed by the user;

determine sound outputs corresponding to each of the plurality of identified devices, wherein a combination of the sound outputs produces an approximation of one or more characteristics of the target ambient noise; and

cause the plurality of identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs in connection with presentation of the media content.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sound outputs corresponding to each of the plurality of identified devices is determined based on device capabilities of each of the plurality of identified devices.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the device capabilities include audio output capabilities.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to determine a confidence value associated with the target ambient noise that indicates a likelihood that the user will enjoy the target ambient noise, wherein causing the plurality of identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs is in response to determining that the confidence value exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the confidence value is based on prior feedback from the user.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions, that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for ambient background noise modification, comprising:

identifying at least one noise present in an environment of a user having a user device;

identifying media content being viewed by the user based on the at least one noise;

determining a target ambient noise to be produced in the environment based on an entity appearing in the media content being viewed by the user, wherein the target ambient noise is selected to complement the media content being viewed by the user and is selected to correspond to a sound associated with the entity appearing in the media content being viewed by the user;

identifying a plurality of devices that are associated with the user device over a local communications network, that are nearby the user device, and that are capable of producing the target ambient noise including the sound associated with the entity appearing in the media content being viewed by the user;

determining sound outputs corresponding to each of the plurality of identified devices, wherein a combination of the sound outputs produces an approximation of one or more characteristics of the target ambient noise; and

causing the plurality of identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs in connection with presentation of the media content.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the sound outputs corresponding to each of the plurality of identified devices is determined based on device capabilities of each of the plurality of identified devices.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the device capabilities include audio output capabilities.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises determining a confidence value associated with the target ambient noise that indicates a likelihood that the user will enjoy the target ambient noise, wherein causing the plurality of identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs is in response to determining that the confidence value exceeds a predetermined threshold.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the confidence value is based on prior feedback from the user.