Dynamic muting audio transducer control for wearable personal communication nodes

• US 10,667,874 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orion Labs
• Original Assignee: Orion Labs, Inc. (Vontas)
• Inventors: Robbins, Jesse, Albrecht, Greg, Juhlin, Ellen, Wood, Roger, Girling, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US16/152,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20190105114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/506 using a parallelogram linkage, e.g. panthograph
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/74 Manipulators with manual electric input means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets

Abstract

Systems, methods, software and apparatus that enable dynamic audio transducer control include obtaining attribute information relating to multiple communication nodes that are communication node group members. A group management system or other computing system receives attribute information from two or more of the communication nodes and determines settings for one or more audio transducers (e.g., speakers and microphones) in the group'"'"'s communication nodes based on the attribute information. An audio transducer command is transmitted to or imposed on one or more of the nodes. Attribute information can include node attributes and/or changes to attributes. Audio transducer commands transmitted or otherwise imposed on nodes can include muting and unmuting commands, as well as setting volume levels and other audio settings associated with a node'"'"'s operation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

managing a first communication node from a plurality of communication nodes, including;

receiving, at the first communication nodes from a second communication node from the plurality of communication nodes, attribute information indicating a location of the second communication node;

determining, at the first communication node, audio transducer settings to apply at the first communication node based on the received attribute information; and

implementing, at the first communication node, the audio transducer settings.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the attribute information includes changes in the location of the second communication node.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second communication nodes comprises a computing system executing a communication software application.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second communication nodes comprises a wireless intermediate communication device linked to an end user device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the end user device comprises a wearable personal communication device wirelessly linked to the intermediate communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

implementing the audio transducer includes executing at least one of the following;

a muting command;

an unmuting command; and

a speaker volume level command.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the attribute information includes information about environmental noise levels.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending, from the first communication node to the second communication node, an audio transducer command to modify an audio transducer setting of the second communication node.

9. A first wearable personal communication node comprising:

a computer readable storage media; and

processing instructions stored on the computer readable storage media that, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to;

receive attribute information of a second wearable personal communication node, the attribute information indicating a location of the second wearable personal communication node;

determine, at the first wearable personal communication node, audio transducer settings to apply at the first wearable personal communication node based on the received attribute information; and

implementing, at the first wearable personal communication node, the audio transducer settings.

10. The first wearable personal communication node of claim 9 wherein the attribute information dynamic changes in the location of the second wearable personal communication node.

11. The first wearable personal communication node of claim 9 further comprises:

a wireless intermediate communication device configured to connect to a communication network; and

a wearable end user device configured to wirelessly connect to the wireless intermediate communication device, and including an audio transducer for two-way communication with other communication nodes via the communication network by way of the wireless intermediate communication device.

12. The first wearable personal communication node of claim 9 wherein implementing the audio transducer setting includes executing at least one of the following:

a muting command;

an unmuting command; and

a speaker volume level command.

13. The first wearable personal communication node of claim 9 wherein the processing instructions, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to:

send, from the first wearable personal communication node to the second wearable personal communication node, an audio transducer command to modify an audio transducer setting of the second wearable personal communication node.

14. The first wearable personal communication node of claim 9 wherein the processing instructions, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to:

send, from the first wearable personal communication node to the second wearable personal communication node, second attribute information indicating a location of the first wearable personal communication node.

15. A data storage device storing program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to operate a first communication node, including:

receive attribute information of a second communication node, the attribute information indicating a location of the second communication node;

determine, at the first communication node, audio transducer settings to apply at the first communication node based on the received attribute information; and

implementing the audio transducer settings at the first communication node.

16. The data storage device of claim 15 wherein the first communication node comprises:

a wireless intermediate communication device linked to an end user device; and

the end user device, including a wearable communication device wirelessly linked to the intermediate communication device.

17. The data storage device of claim 15 wherein implementing the audio transducer setting includes executing at least one of the following:

a muting command;

an unmuting command; and

a speaker volume level command.

18. The data storage device of claim 15 wherein the attribute information further includes at least one of the following:

identifying whether a headphone or earpiece jack is in use;

and

environmental noise levels.

19. The data storage device of claim 15 further comprising the program instructions that, when executed, cause the computing system to:

send, from the first communication node to the second communication node, an audio transducer command to modify an audio transducer setting of the second communication node.

20. The data storage device of claim 15 further comprising the program instructions that, when executed, cause the computing system to:

send, from the first communication node to the second communication node, second attribute information indicating a location of the first communication node.