Audio status information for a portable electronic device

• US 20070079027A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Marriott, Greg, Hodge, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

Improved techniques for providing status information associated with an electronic device to its user in an audible manner are disclosed. The status information can pertain to one or more conditions of the electronic device. The conditions can vary depending on the nature of the electronic device. As an example, where the electronic device is battery powered, one condition of the electronic device that can be monitored is a battery charge level.

Claims

1. A method for providing an indication of battery status to a user of a portable audio output device having a battery, said method comprising:

(a) monitoring a battery charge level;

(b) obtaining an audio snippet based on the battery charge level; and

(c) outputting the audio snippet for the user.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable audio output device has a speaker, and

wherein said outputting (c) outputs the audio snippet via the speaker.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable audio output device has a speaker jack and at least one external speaker operatively connectable to the speaker jack, and

wherein said outputting (c) outputs the audio snippet to the at least one external speaker via the speaker jack.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio snippet is mixed with other audio output being provided by the portable audio output device.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the other audio output pertains to a song being played by the portable audio output device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio snippet is a sequence of distinct tones or notes.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the sequence of distinct tones or notes follow a scale.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the scale is a rising scale.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio snippet is a spoken voice.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said outputting (c) comprises:

(c1) outputting a first tone or note representing a full charge status; and

(c2) subsequently outputting a series of tones or notes starting from very low charge status and proceeding to subsequent tones so long as the battery charge level is more than the charge level represented by the tone or note.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio snippet is symbolic of the battery charge level.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said outputting (c) comprises:

(c1) determining whether the audio snippet should be output based on the battery charge level; and

(c2) outputting the audio snippet when said determining (c1) determines that the audio snippet should be output.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said outputting (c) outputs the audio snippet in response to a user request for the battery status.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the user request is via a switch associated with the portable audio output device.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the switch is a battery status button provided on the portable audio output device.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

(d) outputting a visual indication of the battery charge level.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said outputting (d) of the visual indication is performed concurrently with the outputting (c) of the audio snippet.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the visual indication is provided in a blinking or pulsing manner such that it is substantially synchronized with audio characteristics of the audio snippet.

19. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the portable audio output device includes a visual status indicator, and

wherein said outputting (d) produces the visual indication of the battery charge level using the visual indicator.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the visual indicator includes at least one Light-Emitting Diode (LED).

21. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said obtaining (b) comprises:

(b1) determining an appropriate audio snippet based on the battery charge level; and

(b2) retrieving the appropriate audio snippet.

22. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said outputting (c) comprises:

(c1) determining whether to a preference setting enables audio battery status; and

(c2) outputting the audio snippet for the user only if the preference setting enables audio battery status.

23. A portable media device, comprising:

an audio output device;

an electronic device used by said portable media player;

a device status monitor that monitors a device status of said electronic device; and

a device status manager operatively connected to said device status monitor, said device status monitor determines when the device status of said electronic device is to be output to said audio output device.

24. A portable media device as recited in claim 23, wherein said portable media device comprises

a first memory device for storing a plurality of device status effects.

25. A portable media device as recited in claim 24, wherein said portable media device comprises a processor for processing the at least one of the device status effects to produce audio status data for said audio output device, thereby outputting the device status in an audible manner.

26. A portable media device as recited in claim 25, wherein said device status manager is integral with or performed by said processor.

27. A portable media device as recited in claim 25, wherein said processor implements an audio processing system when producing the audio status data.

28. A portable media device as recited in claim 27, wherein said portable media device further stores media items in the first memory device or a second memory device, and

wherein said audio processing system further processes at least one of the media items to produce output media data for said audio output device.

29. A portable media device as recited in claim 28, wherein said audio processing system concurrently outputs the audio status data and the output media data to the audio output device.

30. A portable media device as recited in claim 29, wherein said audio output device is a speaker.

31. A portable media device as recited in claim 29, wherein said audio output device is a headphone or at least one earphone.

32. A graphical user interface for a media device adapted to provide auditory device status feedback, said graphical user interface comprises:

a list of device status feedback options; and

a visual indicator that indicates a selected one of the device status feedback options,

wherein the media device provides auditory device status feedback in accordance with the selected one of the device status feedback options.

33. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 32, wherein at least one of the device status feedback options designates auditory feedback to be provided via a headphone or an earphone operatively connected to the media device.

34. A computer readable medium including at least computer program code for providing an indication of device status to a user of a portable audio output device having an internal device, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for monitoring a device status of the internal device;

computer program code for obtaining an audio snippet based on the device status; and

computer program code for outputting the audio snippet for the user.

35. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the internal device is a battery, and wherein the device status being monitored is a battery charge level.