Audio Feedback

• US 20130300590A1
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Dietz, Paul Henry, Lutz, Moshe R.
• Application Number:
  US13/525,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300590A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Audio feedback techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a signal is received from a pressure sensitive key of an input device and audio feedback is determined, from the signal, which is to be output as corresponding to the pressure sensitive key. The determined audio feedback is then caused to be output.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a signal from a pressure sensitive key of an input device;

determining audio feedback, from the signal, that is to be output as corresponding to the pressure sensitive key; and

causing output of the determined audio feedback.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the input device includes a plurality of said pressure sensitive keys and the determining is performed such that audio feedback that is determined as corresponding to a first said key is different than audio feedback that is determined as corresponding to a second said key.

3. A method as described in claim 2, wherein the first said key corresponds to a letter or number and the second said key does not.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the determining is based at least in part on an amount of pressure indicated by the signal to select a volume or timbre for the audio feedback.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the causing of the output of the determined audio feedback is performed such that sound of the determined audio feedback appears to originate from a location of the pressure sensitive key on the input device to a user that pressed the pressure sensitive key.

6. A method as described in claim 5, wherein the causing takes into account a likely position of the user with respect to the pressure sensitive key.

7. A method as described in claim 6, wherein the likely position of the user is detected dynamically using one or more sensors.

8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the determining is performed such that audio feedback is based at least in part on which part of the pressure sensitive key is pressed.

9. A method as described in claim 8, wherein audio feedback that is determined for a press that is proximal to a center of the pressure sensitive key is different than audio feedback that is determined for a press that is proximal to an edge of the pressure sensitive key.

10. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the determining is based at least in part on an environment in which the input device is located.

11. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the determining is based on a detected ambient noise level in the environment.

12. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the determining is based at least in part on characteristics of an application that is executed on a computing device that is communicatively coupled to the input device.

13. A system comprising one or more modules implemented at least partially in hardware and configured to cause output of audio feedback that is determined based on a location at which a key of a keyboard is pressed.

14. A system as described in claim 13, wherein the keyboard is a pressure sensitive keyboard.

15. A system as described in claim 13, wherein the one or more modules are configured to determine audio feedback for a press at a first location of the key that is different than audio feedback that is determined for a press at a second location of the key that is different than the first location of the key.

16. A system as described in claim 13, wherein the one or more modules are configured to further provide audio feedback that is indicative of location of one or more fingers of a user'"'"'s hand on a home row of a keyboard that includes a plurality of said keys.

17. A keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, each configured to be selected using one or more fingers of a user'"'"'s hand and to cause output of audio feedback responsive to the selection, the output of the audio feedback configured to appear to the user as originating from a location of a respective said key.

18. A keyboard as described in claim 17, wherein the output of the audio feedback is performed using a plurality of audio output devices that are not positioned at the location of the respective said key.

19. A keyboard as described in claim 17, wherein the output of the audio feedback is caused to be performed by a computing device that is communicatively coupled to the keyboard.

20. A keyboard as described in claim 17, wherein the output of the audio feedback is modeled according to a head transfer function.