Controlling audio players using environmental audio analysis

• US 20100332003A1
• Filed: 06/26/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yaguez, Gustavo D. Domingo
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product containing instructions for analyzing audio input to a receiver coupled to an audio player to identify an audio event as one of a plurality of pre-determined audio event types. In response to identifying the audio event, the audio player is caused to adjust an audio output. Adjusting the audio output may include causing the audio player to pause playing audio output or to lower the volume of the audio output. The audio input to the receiver may be recorded. In response to identifying the audio event, the audio player may be caused to replay a recorded portion of the audio input. The recorded portion of the audio input may include a portion recorded prior to identifying the audio event.

Claims

1. A method performed by an audio environment manager executed by a processor, the method comprising:

analyzing audio input to a receiver coupled to an audio player to identify an audio event as one of a plurality of pre-determined audio event types; and

causing the audio player to adjust an audio output in response to identifying the audio event.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

recording the audio input to the receiver; and

causing the audio player to replay a recorded portion of the audio input, wherein the replay of the recorded portion is performed in response to identifying the audio event.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein

the causing the audio player to adjust the audio output comprises causing the audio player to pause playing a first audio output during the replay of the recorded portion of the audio input.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein

the causing the audio player to adjust the audio output comprises causing the audio player to lower a volume of a first audio output during the replay of the recorded portion of the audio input.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein

the recorded portion of the audio input comprises a preceding portion, and

the preceding portion was recorded prior to identifying the audio event.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein

the analyzing the audio input to identify the audio event comprises recognizing a word as one of a plurality of pre-determined words.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein

the analyzing the audio input to identify the audio event comprises recognizing a voice as one of a plurality of pre-determined voices.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein

the analyzing the audio input to identify the audio event comprises recognizing a sound as one of a plurality of pre-determined sounds.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein

the receiver is coupled to the audio player via a wireless network connection.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein

analyzing the audio input to the receiver to identify the audio event comprises using triangulation to determine proximity of a source of the audio input to the audio player.

11. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory comprising instructions for an audio environment manager, wherein the audio environment manager is configured to perform operations comprising;

analyzing audio input to a receiver coupled to an audio player to identify an audio event as one of a plurality of pre-determined audio event types; and

causing the audio player to adjust an audio output in response to identifying the audio event.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further configured to perform operations comprising:

recording the audio input to the receiver; and

causing the audio player to replay a recorded portion of the audio input, wherein the replay of the recorded portion is performed in response to identifying the audio event.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein

the causing the audio player to adjust the audio output comprises causing the audio player to pause playing a first audio output during the replay of the recorded portion of the audio input.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein

the causing the audio player to adjust the audio output comprises causing the audio player to lower a volume of a first audio output during the replay of the recorded portion of the audio input.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein

the recorded portion of the audio input comprises a preceding portion, and the preceding portion was recorded prior to identifying the audio event.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein

the analyzing the audio input to identify the audio event comprises recognizing a word as one of a plurality of pre-determined words.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein

the analyzing the audio input to identify the audio event comprises recognizing a voice as one of a plurality of pre-determined voices.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein

the analyzing the audio input to identify the audio event comprises recognizing a sound as one of a plurality of pre-determined sounds.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein

the receiver is coupled to the audio player via a wireless network connection.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein

analyzing the audio input to the receiver to identify the audio event comprises using triangulation to determine proximity of a source of the audio input to the system.

21. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

instructions in the computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions, when executed in a processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations comprising;

analyzing audio input to a receiver coupled to an audio player to identify an audio event as one of a plurality of pre-determined audio event types; and

causing the audio player to adjust an audio output in response to identifying the audio event.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further configured to perform operations comprising:

recording the audio input to the receiver; and

causing the audio player to replay a recorded portion of the audio input, wherein the replay of the recorded portion is performed in response to identifying the audio event.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein

the causing the audio player to adjust the audio output comprises causing the audio player to pause playing a first audio output during the replay of the recorded portion of the audio input.

24. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein

the causing the audio player to adjust the audio output comprises causing the audio player to lower a volume of a first audio output during the replay of the recorded portion of the audio input.

25. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein

the recorded portion of the audio input comprises a preceding portion, and

the preceding portion was recorded prior to identifying the audio event.

26. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein

the analyzing the audio input to identify the audio event comprises recognizing a word as one of a plurality of pre-determined words.

27. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein

the analyzing the audio input to identify the audio event comprises recognizing a voice as one of a plurality of pre-determined voices.

28. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein

the analyzing the audio input to identify the audio event comprises recognizing a sound as one of a plurality of pre-determined sounds.

29. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein

the receiver is coupled to the audio player via a wireless network connection.

30. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein

analyzing the audio input to the receiver to identify the audio event comprises using triangulation to determine proximity of a source of the audio input to the audio player.