Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

• US 10,726,825 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shibuya, Hirohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Kenny H
• Application Number:
  US15/753,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20180240453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17821 characterised by the analysis of the input signals only
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17823 Reference signals, e.g. ambient acoustic environment
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/1783 handling or detecting of non-standard events or conditions, e.g. changing operating modes under specific operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17837 by retaining part of the ambient acoustic environment, e.g. speech or alarm signals that the user needs to hear
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17873 using a reference signal without an error signal, e.g. pure feedforward
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17881 the reference signal being an acoustic signal, e.g. recorded with a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17885 additionally using a desired external signal, e.g. pass-through audio such as music or speech
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program, which make it possible for a user to listen to an audio signal more appropriately are provided. An information processing apparatus, including: behavior recognition unit configured to recognize behavior of a user on a basis of sensing information of at least one of the user and an environment; a processing controller configured to control, on a basis of the recognized behavior of the user, signal processing with respect to at least one of an audio signal listened to by the user, a noise reduction signal, and an external sound monitor signal; and a signal processing unit configured to execute the signal processing.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to measure sensing information of a user and ambient noise of an environment;

a processor configured to perform instructions to;

use a machine learning algorithm to process the sensing information and the ambient noise to determine a behavior of the user, wherein the machine learning algorithm uses a history of position information of the user to detect at least one pattern of the user;

control on a basis of the determined behavior of the user, signal processing with respect to an audio signal listened to by the user and an external sound monitor signal, wherein the external sound monitor signal includes a collected external sound;

execute the signal processing on the audio signal listened; and

output the audio signal to at least one speaker.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

the processor is configured to perform instructions to;

generate a noise reduction signal.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the noise reduction signal is a signal that reduces noise included in the collected external sound.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform instructions to:

control acoustic processing to be performed on the audio signal.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform instructions to:

control amplification processing on the audio signal.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing with respect to the external sound monitor signal allows the user to hear at least a portion of the collected external sound.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a content storage system configured to store the sensing information.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the behavior comprises walking, and the processor is configured to perform instructions to:

control generation of the external sound monitor signal in which strength of a low frequency band of the collected external sound is reduced.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the behavior comprises movement, and the processor is configured to perform instructions to:

control generation of the noise reduction signal on a basis of movement speed of the user.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to perform instructions to:

control, on the basis of the movement speed of the user, at least one of a frequency band and strength of noise reduced using the noise reduction signal.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control performed on the basis of the determined behavior of the user is settable by the user.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform instructions to:

further determine the behavior of the user based on a current time and/or a current position of the user.

13. An information processing method, comprising:

recognizing a behavior of a user on a basis of sensing information of the user and ambient noise of an environment;

using a machine learning algorithm to process the sensing information, wherein the machine learning algorithm uses a history of position information of the user to detect at least one pattern of the user;

controlling on a basis of the recognized behavior of the user, signal processing with respect to an audio signal listened to by the user and an external sound monitor signal, wherein the external monitor signal includes a collected external sound;

executing the signal processing on the audio signal; and

outputting the audio signal.

14. The information processing method of claim 13, wherein the behavior of the user is further determined based on a current time and/or a current position of the user.

15. A computing apparatus comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media;

a processing system operatively coupled with the one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media that when read and executed by the processing system, direct the processing system to at least;

recognize a behavior of a user on a basis of sensing information of the user and ambient noise of an environment;

use a machine learning algorithm to process the sensing information, wherein the machine learning algorithm uses a history of position information of the user to detect at least one pattern of the user;

control on a basis of the recognized behavior of the user, signal processing with respect to an audio signal listened to by the user and an external sound monitor signal, wherein the external monitor signal includes a collected external sound;

execute the signal processing; and

output the audio signal.

16. The computing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising the program instructions that when read and executed by the processing system, direct the processing system to at least:

further determine the behavior of the user based on a current time and/or a current position of the user.