User aware audio playing apparatus and method

• US 20070133357A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Korst, Johannes, Pronk, Serverius, Pauws, Steffen
• Granted Patent: US 7,613,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/2
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

An audio player apparatus (1) and method (2). The audio player apparatus comprises input means (10), such as buttons (11, 12, 13, 14) or soft-buttons on a touch screen, for inputting the presence of at least one user at a location of said audio player apparatus. The player apparatus (1) further has input means (20) for preferred audio-preferences. Thus audio being reproduced by said audio player apparatus (1) is adapted to the current audio taste and/or mood of users present at the location of the audio player apparatus (1).

Claims

1. An audio player apparatus (1) comprising input means (10) for inputting the presence of at least one user at a location of said audio player apparatus (1), and input means (20) for audio-preferences, wherein

said means are operatively connected to said audio player apparatus (1), and wherein

audio reproduced by said audio player apparatus (1) is adapted to the audio taste of users present at the location of the audio player apparatus (1), as indicated by said input means (10) for presence of users and/or said input means (20) for audio-preferences.

2. Audio player apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said input means for inputting the presence of at least one user is a set of buttons (11, 12, 13, 14), wherein each button is dedicated to a specific user or group of users.

3. Audio player apparatus (1) according to claim 2, wherein said buttons each having different states.

4. Audio player apparatus (1) according to claim 3, wherein said states comprise

a first state indicating that the specific user is not present,

a second state indicating that the specific user is present and instructing the audio player (1) that audio that the specific user particularly dislikes is not played, and

a third state indicating that the specific user is present and instructing the audio player (1) that audio that the specific user likes is played.

5. Audio player apparatus (1) according to claim 4, wherein the audio player in the second and third state takes into account the preferences of other users that also have indicated their presence by means of the remaining inputting means (10).

6. Audio player apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said input means (20) for audio-preferences indicate a preferred genre/mood of the audio to be reproduced by said audio player (1).

7. Audio player apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said audio-preferences comprise volume, bass, treble preferred by the users present.

8. Audio player apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein a control means (30) adjusts how strictly the player follows the preferences of the different users.

9. Audio player apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the audio player apparatus (1) comprises recommender technology means for selecting songs to be played.

10. Audio player apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said audio player apparatus (1) is comprised in the group of portable audio players, car audio equipment, internet radios, or digital jukebox devices.

11. A method of playing audio based on preferences of at least one user said method comprising:

indicating (100) the presence of a user by input means (10) on an audio player (1), and

indicating (110) a preferred genre/mood of audio to be reproduced by said audio player (1) by input means (20) on said audio player (1),

such that audio reproduced by said audio player (1) is adapted to the audio taste of users present at the location of the audio player (1).

12. A computer-readable medium (3) having embodied thereon a computer program for processing by a computer (200) comprising a code segments for playing audio based on preferences of at least one user, said code segments comprising:

a first code segment (210) enabling at least one user to indicate its presence by input means (10) on an audio player (1), and

a second code segment (220) for enabling at least one user to indicate a preferred genre/mood of audio to be reproduced by said audio player (1) by input means (20) on said audio player (1),

such that audio reproduced by said audio player (1) is adapted to the audio taste of users present at the location of the audio player (1).