Metronome for competitive gaming headset

• US 10,561,942 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Daniel, Alvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Seng Heng
• Application Number:
  US15/595,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20180326304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/22 Games, e.g. card games
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

A system, method, and processor-readable storage medium for providing metronome signals are disclosed. An example method includes receiving at least one metronome timing profile, obtaining an audio stream of a computer game, receiving a player instruction or software instruction, and generating, based on the player or software instruction, metronome signals according to the at least one metronome timing profile. The metronome signals and the audio stream can be combined and output simultaneously. The players can also provide settings for the metronome signals such as a selection of a sound or a frequency. The players can also create and edit metronome timing profiles. The metronome timing profiles can be also shared among players.

Claims

1. A method for providing metronome signals during game play of a computer game, the method comprising:

receiving or maintaining, by a computing device, at least one metronome timing profile;

obtaining, by the computing device, an audio stream of a computer game;

causing, by the computing device, output of the audio stream of the computer game to at least one loudspeaker of the computing device or headphones;

receiving, by the computing device, a player instruction or a software instruction; and

based on the player instruction or the software instruction, generating, by the computing device, metronome signals according to the at least one metronome timing profile, wherein the metronome signals are audio signals integrated with the audio stream and caused to be output simultaneously to a player such that the player is aided in hearing both the metronome signals and the audio stream using the at least one loudspeaker;

wherein at least two of the metronome signals are repeated while the player continues to play the computer game.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the computing device, one or more settings for the metronome signals, wherein the metronome signals are caused, by the computing device, to be output through the headphones according to the at least one metronome timing profile and the one or more settings.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more settings include a sound selection of the metronome signals.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more settings include a frequency of generating the metronome signals.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more settings include an instruction concerning recurrence of metronome signals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one metronome timing profile is configured to cause generating the metronome signals repeatedly with a predetermined frequency.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined frequency is within a range of about 1 second to about 3,600 seconds.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined frequency is automatically selected based on a game level or a player skill level.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined frequency includes at least a first duty cycle and a second duty cycle, wherein a frequency of the first duty cycle differs from a frequency of the second duty cycle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sharing, by the computing device, the at least one metronome timing profile with another computing device based on a player input by the computing device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the computing device, a graphical user interface to enable the player to create and update the at least one metronome timing profile, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to enable the player to activate and deactivate the generating of the metronome signals.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is integrated into the headphones.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device includes a game console or mobile device.

14. A system for providing metronome signals during game play of a computer game, the system comprising:

at least one processor and a memory storing processor-executable codes, wherein the at least one processor is configured to implement the following operations upon executing the processor-executable codes;

receiving or maintaining at least one metronome timing profile;

obtaining an audio stream of a computer game;

causing output of the audio stream of the computer game to at least one loudspeaker of a computing device or headphones;

receiving a player instruction or a software instruction; and

based on the player instruction or the software instruction, generating metronome signals according to the at least one metronome timing profile, wherein the metronome signals are audio signals integrated with the audio stream and caused to be output simultaneously to a player such that the player is aided in hearing both the metronome signals and the audio stream using the at least one loudspeaker;

wherein at least two of the metronome signals are repeated while the player continues to play the computer game.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to implement the following operation upon executing the processor-executable codes:

obtaining one or more settings for the metronome signals, wherein the metronome signals are caused, by the computing device, to be output through headphones according to the at least one metronome timing profile and the one or more settings, and wherein the one or more settings include a sound selection of the metronome signals and a frequency of generating the metronome signals.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to implement the following operation upon executing the processor-executable codes:

sharing the at least one metronome timing profile with another computing device based on a player input by the computing device.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to implement the following operation upon executing the processor-executable codes:

providing a graphical user interface to enable the player to create and update the at least one metronome timing profile, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to enable the player to activate and deactivate the generating of the metronome signals.

18. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method for providing metronome signals during game play of a computer game, the method comprising:

receiving or maintaining, by a computing device, at least one metronome timing profile;

obtaining, by the computing device, an audio stream of a computer game;

causing, by the computing device, output of the audio stream of the computer game to at least one loudspeaker of the computing device or headphones;

receiving, by the computing device, a player instruction or a software instruction; and

based on the player instruction or the software instruction, generating, by the computing device, metronome signals according to the at least one metronome timing profile, wherein the metronome signals are audio signals integrated with the audio stream and caused to be output simultaneously to a player such that the player is aided in hearing both the metronome signals and the audio stream using the at least one loudspeaker;

wherein at least two of the metronome signals are repeated while the player continues to play the computer game.