LOW-POWER ENVIRONMENT MONITORING AND ACTIVATION TRIGGERING FOR MOBILE DEVICES THROUGH ULTRASOUND ECHO ANALYSIS
First Claim
1. A method that uses acoustic echo to trigger a device, the method comprising:
- transmitting an acoustic reference signal through a speaker at selected intervals;
receiving an echo of the acoustic reference signal through a microphone;
analyzing the echo of the acoustic reference signal to determine an echo path or an echo energy;
monitoring for changes in the echo path or the echo energy; and
in response to identifying a significant change in the echo path or the echo energy, sending a control signal to trigger the device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed that provide for low-power monitoring of the acoustic echo path around a device to enable device triggering based on activity detection in the environment. An ultrasonic (or more generally an acoustic) reference signal is played through a speaker at well-chosen intervals and its echoes recorded through a microphone. The recorded signal is analyzed to obtain an estimation of the total echo path or echo energy. By monitoring this estimation variation, significant changes in the echo path or echo energy can be identified and used as a trigger. In one embodiment, a hand approaching a phone changes the echo path, activating the phone to a power on mode. In another embodiment, a user using a phone close to the ear changes the echo energy, triggering the phone to select the “ear-fit” mode speaker/microphone.
30 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method that uses acoustic echo to trigger a device, the method comprising:
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transmitting an acoustic reference signal through a speaker at selected intervals; receiving an echo of the acoustic reference signal through a microphone; analyzing the echo of the acoustic reference signal to determine an echo path or an echo energy; monitoring for changes in the echo path or the echo energy; and in response to identifying a significant change in the echo path or the echo energy, sending a control signal to trigger the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus that uses acoustic echo to trigger a device, the apparatus comprising:
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an output configured for transmitting an acoustic reference signal at selected intervals by coupling to a speaker; an input configured for receiving an echo of the acoustic reference signal by coupling to a microphone; and a processor configured for; analyzing the echo of the acoustic reference signal to determine an echo path or an echo energy, monitoring for changes in the echo path or the echo energy, and in response to identifying a significant change in the echo path or the echo energy, sending a control signal to trigger the device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product encoded in a non-transitory computer readable medium for using ultrasonic echo to trigger a device, the computer program product comprising:
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computer code for transmitting an ultrasonic reference signal through a speaker at selected intervals; computer code for receiving an echo of the ultrasonic reference signal through a microphone; computer code for analyzing the echo of the ultrasonic reference signal to determine an echo path or an echo energy; computer code for monitoring for changes in the echo path or the echo energy; and computer code for, in response to identifying a significant change in the echo path or the echo energy, sending a control signal to trigger the device.
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Specification