Methods and Devices Responsive to Ambient Audio
First Claim
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1. A method employing a device sized for carrying in a user'"'"'s pocket, the method comprising the acts:
- through a user interface of the device, receiving a user input signaling interest in ambient audio;
capturing the ambient audio with a microphone;
converting the captured ambient audio into digital form;
providing the digital form of the ambient audio to a processor;
receiving data corresponding to the ambient audio back from the processor;
storing the received data in a memory of the device for later transmission in a store-and-forward mode;
at a later time, recalling the received data from the memory of the device, and also recalling first identification information from a memory, the first identification information comprising information identifying a model of the device;
transmitting both the recalled received data and the recalled first identification information to a remote computer;
receiving information relating to the ambient audio in response; and
controlling an operational aspect of the device in accordance with the received information.
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Abstract
A portable device uses a microphone to listen to ambient audio, derives data from captured audio signals, and uses the derived data to request delivery of the audio or related information to the user'"'"'s home or other location. The device is desirably pocket-sized, or suitable for carrying on a key-ring. The device may also detect a watermark signal that is present in the user'"'"'s environment (e.g., played through a public address speaker system) to aid the user in recalling the context from which the audio was requested.
159 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method employing a device sized for carrying in a user'"'"'s pocket, the method comprising the acts:
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through a user interface of the device, receiving a user input signaling interest in ambient audio; capturing the ambient audio with a microphone; converting the captured ambient audio into digital form; providing the digital form of the ambient audio to a processor; receiving data corresponding to the ambient audio back from the processor; storing the received data in a memory of the device for later transmission in a store-and-forward mode; at a later time, recalling the received data from the memory of the device, and also recalling first identification information from a memory, the first identification information comprising information identifying a model of the device; transmitting both the recalled received data and the recalled first identification information to a remote computer; receiving information relating to the ambient audio in response; and controlling an operational aspect of the device in accordance with the received information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A device comprising a housing sized for carrying in a user'"'"'s pocket and including:
- a transducer to receive ambient audio and to output electrical signals corresponding thereto;
a processor coupled to the transducer and adapted to derive an identifier from the electrical signals corresponding to the ambient audio; a memory storing first identification information; and an interface that receives at least some of both the identifier and the first identification information for transmission to a relay station. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 27)
- a transducer to receive ambient audio and to output electrical signals corresponding thereto;
- 18. In a method of steganographically encoding audio with a plural-bit binary watermark payload, an improvement wherein the watermark payload comprises an identifier having a form standardized by a standards body.
- 20. In a method of steganographically decoding a plural-bit binary watermark payload from audio data, an improvement wherein the watermark payload comprises a an identifier having a form standardized by a standards body.
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22. A method comprising:
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receiving data originally transmitted from a portable device, said data corresponding to audible or visual information sensed by a sensor at said device; by reference to said data, making an identification of said sensed information; and transmitting, to a destination device distinct from said portable device, information corresponding to the identified information. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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28. A method comprising the acts:
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sampling content from the user'"'"'s environment, using an audio sensor in a microprocessor-equipped portable first device that is equipped with a wireless interface; wirelessly transmitting data corresponding to the sampled content, together with context information, from the first device; wherein the context information relates to a second microprocessor-equipped portable device equipped with a wireless interface. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method comprising the acts:
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sampling content from the user'"'"'s environment, using an image sensor in a microprocessor-equipped portable first device that is equipped with a wireless interface; wirelessly transmitting data corresponding to the sampled content, together with context information, from the first device; wherein the context information relates to a second microprocessor-equipped portable device equipped with a wireless interface.
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34. A method comprising the acts:
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through use of a portable device equipped with a sensor portion—
the sensor portion including one or more sensors for producing data corresponding to human perceptible stimulus, sampling human perceptible content;processing the sampled content to yield identification information related to the content; processing data from the sensor portion to yield first information, the first information being different than the identification information and being different than the sampled content; and wirelessly transmitting at least the identification information and the first information from the device. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification