AMBIENT SOUND RESPONSIVE MEDIA PLAYER

• US 20070189544A1
• Filed: 04/07/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Outland Research LLC
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Louis
• Application Number:
  US11/697,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20070189544A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/57
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10574 volume or amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/32 the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level

Abstract

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a method of adjusting an output of a media player comprising capturing an ambient audio signal; processing the ambient audio signal to determine whether one or more characteristic forms are present within the ambient audio signal; and reducing an output of a media player from a first volume to a second volume if the one or more characteristic forms are present within the ambient audio signal. The characteristic forms may be, for example, a name or personal identifier of a user of the media player, the voice of a user of the media player, or an alarm or siren.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting an output of a media player comprising:

capturing an ambient audio signal;

processing the ambient audio signal to determine whether one or more characteristic forms are present within the ambient audio signal; and

reducing an output of a media player from a first volume to a second volume if the one or more characteristic forms are present within the ambient audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise a name or personal identifier of a user of the media player.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise the voice of a user of the media player.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise an alarm or siren.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise one or more generic words commonly used to summon attention.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise a common household sound selected from the group consisting of a doorbell ring, a telephone ring and a baby'"'"'s cry.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise the voice of a person other than a user of the media player.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing step further comprises reducing the output of the media player if a volume of the one or more characteristic forms exceeds a volume threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing step further comprises reducing the output of the media player in a manner that is performed gradually over a period of time.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second volume is a fixed percentage of the first volume.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the second volume is based at least in part upon a volume level of the one or more characteristic forms.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second volume is a fixed volume on an absolute volume scale of the media player.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

resuming the output of the media player to the first volume in a manner that is performed gradually over a period of time.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the media player maintains the output at the second volume for a fixed duration.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the media player maintains the output at the second volume until the media player is manually reset to the first volume.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the media player maintains the output at the second volume for a duration dependent upon the one or more characteristic forms.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the media player is manually reset to the first volume by actuating a button on the media player.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing step further comprises reducing the output of the media player upon receiving an electronic alert signal.

19. A method of adjusting an output of a media player comprising:

capturing an ambient audio signal;

processing the ambient audio signal to determine whether one or more characteristic forms are present within the ambient audio signal; and

mixing at least a portion of the ambient audio signal with a first output of a media player to generate a second output of the media player if the one or more characteristic forms are present within the ambient audio signal.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise a name or personal identifier of a user of the media player.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise the voice of a user of the media player.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise an alarm or siren.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise one or more generic words commonly used to summon attention.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise a common household sound selected from the group consisting of a doorbell ring, a telephone ring and a baby'"'"'s cry.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the one or more characteristic forms comprise the voice of a person other than a user of the media player.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the mixing step further comprises mixing the at least a portion of the ambient audio signal with the first output of the media player to generate the second output of the media player if a volume of the one or more characteristic forms exceeds a volume threshold.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein the mixing step further comprises mixing the at least a portion of the ambient audio signal with the first output of the media player to generate the second output of the media player in a manner that is performed gradually over a period of time.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein a first volume of the at least a portion of the ambient audio signal is gradually increased and a second volume of the first output of the media player is gradually decreased.

29. The method of claim 19 wherein a first volume of the at least a portion of the ambient audio signal is substantial relative to a second volume of the first output of the media player, such that the at least a portion of the ambient audio signal is clearly audible.

30. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

resuming the first output of the media player in a manner that is performed gradually over a period of time.

31. The method of claim 19 wherein the media player maintains the second output for a fixed duration following the determination of the one or more characteristic forms.

32. The method of claim 19 wherein the media player maintains the second output until the media player is manually reset to the first output.

33. The method of claim 19 wherein the media player maintains the second output dependent upon a duration of the detected one or more characteristic forms.

34. The method of claim 19 wherein the media player is manually reset to the first output by actuating a button on the media player.

35. The method of claim 19 wherein the mixing step further comprises mixing the at least a portion of the ambient audio signal with the first output of the media player to generate the second output of the media player upon receiving an electronic alert signal over a wireless link.

36. An apparatus for use in a media player comprising:

a microphone; and

one or more processors adapted to;

process an ambient audio signal received by the microphone to determine whether one or more characteristic forms are present within the ambient audio signal, and

adjust an output of a media player if the one or more characteristic forms are present within the ambient audio signal.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the one or more processors are adapted to reduce the output of the media player from a first volume to a second volume.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the one or more characteristic forms are selected from the group consisting of a name or personal identifier of a user of the media player, the voice of a user of the media player, and an alarm or siren.

39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the one or more processors are adapted to mix at least a portion of the ambient audio signal with a first output of the media player to generate a second output of the media player.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the one or more characteristic forms are selected from the group consisting of a name or personal identifier of a user of the media player, the voice of a user of the media player, and an alarm or siren.