TECHNIQUES FOR PERSONALIZING AUDIO LEVELS

• US 20150086021A1
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hardacker, Robert, Richman, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,961,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/301 the gain being continuously variable
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2400/13 Use or details of compression drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

Techniques for personalizing audio levels, in accordance with embodiments of the present technology, provide different audio volumes to different locations in a room allowing for two of more users to enjoy the same audio content at different volumes. Differential level and delay compensation filtering based on a position of each of a plurality of speakers, the location of each user and the preferred relative audio volume of each user are utilized to produce different effective audio levels in localized regions of a room.

Claims

1. A method of personalizing audio levels comprising:

prompting at least one user to speak;

receiving user voice signals emitted in response to the prompt;

based on the user voice signals, determining an actual location of the at least one user; and

outputting a localized audio volume proximate to the at least one user based upon the actual location.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein outputting a localized audio volume proximate the user comprises psychoacoustic modulating audio to produce an audio volume proximate the user based upon the location.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein outputting a localized audio volume proximate the user comprises applying differential level and delay compensation filtering to audio based on a position of each of a plurality of audio speakers and the actual location of the user.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command to adjust audio level; and

adjusting the localized audio volume proximate the user based on the actual location in response to the command to adjust the audio level.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the command comprises an audio command received from a user.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining the location of each of plural users; and

determining a relative audio volume preference of each of the plural users.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein determining the location of each of plural users comprises:

receiving sound from each user;

determining time delay between the sound received from each user at a plurality of microphones; and

triangulating a position of each user from the time delay between sound received from each user at the plurality of microphones.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein determining the location of each of plural users comprises:

outputting sound from each of a plurality of speakers;

determining time delay between the sound received from each speaker at a microphone proximate each user; and

triangulating a position of each user from the lime delay between sound received from each speaker at the microphone.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein determining the relative audio volume preference of each user comprises:

determining a preferred audio level of each user; and

determining a difference between the preferred audio level of each user.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein determining the relative audio volume preference for each user comprises;

determining a preferred audio level for each user for each of a plurality of audio levels; and

determining a difference between the preferred audio level of each user for each of the plurality of audio levels.

11. The method according to claim 6, further comprising storing the location and relative audio volume preference of each user.

12. Device comprising;

computer memory that is not a transitory wave and that includes instructions executable by a processor to configure the processor for;

receiving from a remote controller (RC) information derived first and second radio frequency (RF) or infrared (IR) signals at respective first and second antennas, the first and second signals being generated responsive to manipulation of at least one input element on the RC;

using the information derived from the first and second signals received at the respective first and second antennas to determine a location of a user; and

outputting a control signal representing a localized audio volume proximate the user based upon the location.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein outputting a control signal representing a localized audio volume proximate the user comprises psychoacoustic modulating audio to produce an audio volume proximate the user based upon the location.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor configure the processor for:

determining a relative audio volume preference of each of plural users.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor configure the processor for:

receiving a command to adjust audio level; and

adjusting a respective localized audio volume proximate each of plural users based on respective locations of the users and respective preferred relative audio volume of the users in response to the command to adjust the audio level.

16. The device according to claim 12, wherein a respective relative audio volume preference of each of plural users is fixed for each of a plurality of audio levels.

17. The device according to claim 46, wherein a respective relative audio volume preference of each of plural users is specified by a response curve.

18. A system for personalizing audio levels comprising:

at least one computer memory; and

at least one processor configured for accessing instructions on the memory to;

receive audio and a location and a relative audio volume preference of each of plural users;

cause a plurality of speakers to output a localized audio volume proximate each user based upon the location and relative audio volume preference of each user, the location of each user being input by at least one user to a graphical user interface (GUI) presented by the system to enable the at least one user to select a geometric aspect of a room, and a region corresponding to a location in the room of each user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

adjusting the localized audio volume proximate each user in response to an adjusted audio level of the source based at least in part on a signal from a remote control

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

convert an audible input from a microphone to a command to adjust an audio level of the source; and

adjust the localized audio volume proximate each user in response to the audible input from the user.