INDIVIDUALIZED TAB AUDIO CONTROLS

• US 20110113337A1
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Kan, Jitkoff, John Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 8,499,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/727
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

According to one general aspect, a method may include detecting an audio signal configured to be played from a local loudspeaker. The method may also include determining which of one or more applications is included with the audio signal, wherein the determined application includes one or more tabs. The method may include determining which tab of the one or more tabs of the determined application is included with the audio signal. The method may comprise providing a graphical user interface (GUI) included with a handle of the determined tab, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to facilitate the manipulation of the audio signal by a user. The method may include manipulating the audio signal, based upon a command generated by the graphical user interface in response to a user interaction.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a processor of one or more computing devices, an audio signal to be played from a local loudspeaker;

determining, by a processor of the one or more computing devices, which tab of a plurality of tabs included with an application is included with the audio signal;

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) included with a handle of the determined tab, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to facilitate the manipulation of the audio signal by a user; and

manipulating the audio signal, based upon a command generated based on a user'"'"'s interaction with the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein manipulating the audio signal includes muting the audio signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the GUI includes providing an indication on a label handle of the determined tab that the determined tab is included with the audio signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the GUI includes providing a GUI included with a thumbnail handle of a tab.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the command generated based on a user'"'"'s interaction with the graphical user interface includes a command selected form the following group consisting of:

decreasing the volume of the audio signal;

increasing the volume of the audio signal;

muting the volume of the audio signal; and

pausing the audio signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the tab includes:

determining that a plug-in is included with the application; and

determining which tab of the application is included with the plug-in.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plug-in is included with a plurality of tabs, and

wherein determining the tab includes receiving an indication from the plug-in as to which tab is included with the audio signal.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the determined tab to an expandable tab;

and

wherein providing the GUI included with a handle of the determined tab includes;

when the expandable tab is closed, providing a GUI included with an expandable handle of the expandable tab, and

when the expandable tab is opened, providing a GUI included with the label handle of the expandable tab.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining which of a plurality of elements, included by the determined tab, is included with the audio signal, and

converting the determined element to an expandable tab; and

wherein providing the GUI included with a handle of the determined tab includes;

when the expandable tab is closed, providing a GUI included with the expandable handle of the expandable tab, and

when the expandable tab is opened, providing a GUI included with the label handle of the determined tab.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a global audio manager configured to detect an audio signal configured to be played from a local loudspeaker;

an audio controller configured to determine which tab of a plurality of tabs included with an application is included with the audio signal; and

an audio user interface (UI) generator configured to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) included with a handle of the determined tab, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to facilitate the manipulation of the audio signal by a user; and

wherein the audio controller is further configured to manipulate the audio signal, based upon a command generated based on a user'"'"'s interaction with the graphical user interface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the audio controller is configured to mute the audio signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the audio user interface (UI) generator is configured to provide an indication on a label handle of the determined tab that the determined tab is included with the audio signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the audio user interface (UI) generator is configured to provide a GUI included with a thumbnail handle of a tab.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, the command generated based on a user'"'"'s interaction with the graphical user interface includes a command selected form the following group consisting of:

decreasing the volume of the audio signal;

increasing the volume of the audio signal;

muting the volume of the audio signal; and

pausing the audio signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, the audio controller is configured to:

determine that a plug-in is included with the application; and

determine which tab of the application is included with the plug-in.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plug-in is included with a plurality of tabs, and

wherein the audio controller is configured to receive an indication from the plug-in as to which tab is included with the audio signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an tab manager configured to convert the determined tab to an expandable tab;

and

wherein the audio user interface (UI) generator is configured to;

when the expandable tab is closed, provide a GUI included with an expandable handle of the expandable tab, and

when the expandable tab is opened, provide a GUI included with the label handle of the expandable tab.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the audio controller is configured to determine which of a plurality of elements, included by the determined tab, is included with the audio signal;

further comprising an tab manager configured to convert the determined element to an expandable tab; and

wherein the audio user interface (UI) generator is configured to;

when the expandable tab is closed, provide a GUI included with an expandable handle of the expandable tab, and

when the expandable tab is opened, provide a GUI included with the label handle of the determined tab.

19. A tangibly embodied computer-readable medium including executable code of a machine-executable program which, when executed, is configured to cause an audio processing apparatus to manipulating an audio signal by:

detecting, by a processor of one or more computing devices, an audio signal to be played from a local loudspeaker;

determining, by a processor of the one or more computing devices, which tab of a plurality of tabs included with an application is included with the audio signal;

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) included with a handle of the determined tab, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to facilitate the manipulation of the audio signal by a user; and

manipulating the audio signal, based upon a command generated based on a user'"'"'s interaction with the graphical user interface.

20. The tangibly embodied computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the executable code, when executed, is configured to cause the audio processing apparatus to:

provide the GUI by providing a GUI selected form the following group consisting of;

an indication on a label handle of the determined tab, a GUI included with a thumbnail handle of the determined tab;

convert the determined tab to an expandable tab;

provide a GUI included with an expandable handle of the expandable tab.