CONTEXTUAL POWER SAVING IN BLUETOOTH AUDIO

• US 20140170979A1
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: SAMANTA SINGHAR, Anil Ranjan Roy
• Application Number:
  US13/717,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20140170979A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/60 for measuring the quality of voice signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of reducing power consumption in a wireless headset paired to a mobile device is disclosed. The mobile device receives a first audio signal via a microphone on the mobile device, and determines an audio quality of the first audio signal. In response thereto, the mobile device may selectively deactivate a microphone on the headset to reduce its power consumption. For some embodiments, the audio quality may be determined, in part, upon a distance between the mobile device and the headset. For other embodiments, the audio quality may be determined, in part, upon a comparison between audio signals received by the mobile device microphone and the headset microphone.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

establishing a connection with a wireless headset;

receiving, via a microphone of the mobile device, a first audio signal from a user;

determining an audio quality of the first audio signal; and

deactivating a microphone of the wireless headset if the audio quality is greater than a first threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deactivating the device microphone if the audio quality is not greater than the first threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the audio quality comprises:

receiving, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

comparing the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

determining a degree of similarity between the first audio signal and the second audio signal in response to the comparing.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the headset microphone is deactivated if the degree of similarity is greater than a second threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the audio quality comprises:

estimating a distance between the wireless headset and the mobile device; and

deriving an estimate of the audio quality in response to the distance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a privacy level of the user by analyzing the first audio signal; and

deactivating the headset microphone if the privacy level is greater than a second threshold value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the privacy level indicates an amount of background noise detected in the first audio signal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the privacy level further comprises:

receiving, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

comparing the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

determining a degree of similarity between the first audio signal and the second audio signal in response to the comparing.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

preventing a hand-off of audio signals to an external audio system if the privacy level is not greater than the second threshold value.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

analyzing the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

filtering a background noise component from the second audio signal in response to the analyzing.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

detecting a packet loss period in a link transmitting the second audio signal; and

transmitting one or more packet loss concealment (PLC) frames to another user during the packet loss period.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating the one or more PLC frames in response to the first audio signal received by the device microphone.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting comprises:

inserting the one or more PLC frames into the second audio signal.

14. A computer-readable storage medium containing program instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the mobile device to:

establish a connection with a wireless headset;

receive, via a microphone of the mobile device, a first audio signal from a user;

determine an audio quality of the first audio signal; and

deactivate a microphone of the wireless headset if the audio quality is greater than a first threshold value.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein execution of the program instructions further causes the mobile device to:

deactivate the device microphone if the audio quality is not greater than the first threshold value.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein execution of the program instructions to determine the audio quality causes the mobile device to:

receive, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

compare the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

determine a degree of similarity between the first audio signal and the second audio signal in response to the compare.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the processor is to deactivate the headset microphone if the degree of similarity is greater than a second threshold value.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein execution of the program instructions to determine the audio quality causes the mobile device to:

estimate a distance between the wireless headset and the mobile device; and

derive an estimate of the audio quality in response to the distance.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein execution of the program instructions further causes the mobile device to:

determine a privacy level of the user by analyzing the first audio signal; and

deactivate the headset microphone if the privacy level is greater than a second threshold value.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the privacy level indicates an amount of background noise detected in the first audio signal.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein execution of the program instructions to determine the audio quality causes the mobile device to:

receive, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

compare the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

determine a degree of similarity between the first audio signal and the second audio signal in response to the compare.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein execution of the program instructions further causes the mobile device to:

prevent a hand-off of audio signals to an external audio system if the privacy level is not greater than the second threshold value.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein execution of the program instructions further causes the mobile device to:

receive, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

analyze the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

filter a background noise component from the second audio signal in response to the analyzing.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein execution of the program instructions further causes the mobile device to:

receive, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

detect a packet loss period in the second audio signal; and

transmit one or more packet loss concealment (PLC) frames to another user during the packet loss period.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein execution of the program instructions further causes the mobile device to:

generate the one or more PLC frames in response to the first audio signal received by the device microphone.

26. A mobile device, comprising:

a microphone to receive a first audio signal from a user; and

a processor to;

establish a connection with a wireless headset;

determine an audio quality of the first audio signal; and

deactivate a microphone of the wireless headset if the audio quality is greater than a first threshold value.

27. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein the processor is to further:

deactivate the device microphone if the audio quality is not greater than the first threshold value.

28. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein the processor is to determine the audio quality by:

receiving, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

comparing the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

determining a degree of similarity between the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

29. The mobile device of claim 28, wherein the headset microphone is deactivated if the degree of similarity is greater than a second threshold value.

30. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein the processor is to further:

determine a privacy level of the user by analyzing the first audio signal; and

deactivate the headset microphone if the privacy level is greater than a second threshold value.

31. The mobile device of claim 30, wherein the privacy level indicates an amount of background noise detected in the first audio signal.

32. The mobile device of claim 30, wherein the processor is to further:

prevent a hand-off of audio signals to an external audio system if the privacy level is not greater than the second threshold value.

33. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein the processor is to further:

receive, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

analyze the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

filter a background noise component from the first audio signal in response to the analyzing.

34. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein the processor is to further:

receive, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

detect a packet loss period in the second audio signal; and

transmit one or more packet loss concealment (PLC) frames to another user during the packet loss period.

35. A mobile device, comprising:

means for establishing a connection with a wireless headset;

means for receiving, via a microphone of the mobile device, a first audio signal from a user;

means for determining an audio quality of the first audio signal; and

means for deactivating a microphone of the wireless headset if the audio quality is greater than a first threshold value.

36. The mobile device of claim 35, further comprising:

means for deactivating the device microphone if the audio quality is not greater than the first threshold value.

37. The mobile device of claim 35, further comprising:

means for determining a privacy level of the user by analyzing the first audio signal; and

means for deactivating the headset microphone if the privacy level is greater than a second threshold value.

38. The mobile device of claim 37, further comprising:

means for preventing a hand-off of audio signals to an external audio system if the privacy level is not greater than the second threshold value.

39. The mobile device of claim 35, further comprising:

means for receiving, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

means for analyzing the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

means for filtering a background noise component from the first audio signal in response to the analyzing.

40. The mobile device of claim 35, further comprising:

means for receiving, via the headset microphone, a second audio signal from the user;

means for detecting a packet loss period in the second audio signal; and

means for transmitting one or more packet loss concealment (PLC) frames to another user during the packet loss period.