ACCESSORY DEVICE THAT PROVIDES SENSOR INPUT TO A MEDIA DEVICE

• US 20160123758A1
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Benzaia, Thomas P., Naidu, Lakshminarashimhan, Ku, Bernard S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,826,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/11 Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field H04S2420/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/304 For headphones

Abstract

In some cases, a method may include receiving information at a media device that is associated with movement of an accessory device. The accessory device is communicatively coupled to the media device via a media interface of the media device (e.g., a mini-phone jack of the media device). The method includes determining, at the media device, whether the accessory device satisfies accessory device orientation criteria based on the information. In response to determining that the accessory device does not satisfy the accessory device orientation criteria, the method includes generating a signal. The signal may be communicated from the media device to the accessory device via the media interface. In some cases, the signal may include accessory device re-orientation information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a media device, information associated with movement of an accessory device that is communicatively coupled to the media device via a media interface of the media device;

determining, at the media device, whether the accessory device satisfies accessory device orientation criteria based on the information; and

in response to determining that the accessory device does not satisfy the accessory device orientation criteria, generating a signal to be communicated from the media device to the accessory device via the media interface, wherein the signal includes accessory device re-orientation information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessory device includes an audio headset device, and wherein the media device identifies a head movement based on information received from the audio headset device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information includes:

first image data captured by a first camera disposed within a first earpiece of the audio headset device; and

second image data captured by the first camera disposed within the first earpiece.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the media device identifies the head movement by determining that a reference object that appears in the first image data does not appear in the second image data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the media device identifies the head movement by comparing a first position of a reference object in the first image data to a second position of the reference object in the second image data.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the media device identifies the head movement by determining that a reference object that does not appear in the first image data appears in the second image data.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal includes an audio signal that identifies a second head movement to effect a re-orientation of the audio headset device such that the accessory device orientation criteria is satisfied.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the audio signal includes at least one of:

instructions to look right;

or instructions to look left.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in response to determining that the audio headset device satisfies the accessory device orientation criteria, generating a second audio signal to be communicated from the media device to the audio headset device via the media interface,

wherein the second audio signal includes a confirmation that a user'"'"'s head is correctly positioned for receiving directions to a particular location.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the media device identifies a hand movement based on the first image data captured by the first camera disposed within the first earpiece and the second image data captured by the first camera disposed within the first earpiece.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the media device identifies the hand movement by comparing a first position of the hand in the first image data to a second position of the hand in the second image data.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the media device identifies a leg movement based on the first image data captured by the first camera disposed within the first earpiece and the second image data captured by the first camera disposed within the first earpiece.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the media device identifies the leg movement by comparing a first position of the leg in the first image data to a second position of the leg in the second image data.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the information further includes:

third image data captured by a second camera disposed within a second earpiece of the audio headset device to be combined with the first image data captured by the first camera to generate a first composite image; and

fourth image data captured by the second camera disposed within the second earpiece to be combined with the second image data captured by the first camera to generate a second composite image.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the media device identifies the head movement, a hand movement, or a leg movement based on the first composite image and the second composite image.

16. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving information associated with movement of an accessory device via a media interface;

determining whether the accessory device satisfies accessory device orientation criteria based on the information; and

in res onse to determining that the accessor device does not satisf the accessor device orientation criteria, generating a signal to be communicated to the accessory device via the media interface, wherein the signal includes accessory device re-orientation information.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the accessory device includes an audio headset device, wherein the information includes first image data captured by a first camera disposed within a first earpiece of the audio headset device and second image data captured by the first camera disposed within the first earpiece, and wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the movement based on the first image data and the second image data;

receiving third image data captured by a second camera disposed within a second earpiece of the audio headset device;

generating a first composite image based on the first image data captured by the first camera and the third image data captured by the second camera;

receiving fourth image data captured by the second camera disposed within the second earpiece;

generating a second composite image based on the second image data captured by the first camera and the fourth image data captured by the second camera; and

identifying the movement based on the first composite image and the second composite image.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the movement includes a head movement, a hand movement, a leg movement, or a combination thereof.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including;

receiving information associated with movement of an accessory device via a media interface;

determining whether the accessory device satisfies accessory device orientation criteria based on the information; and

in response to determining that the accessory device does not satisfy the accessory device orientation criteria, generating a signal to be communicated to the accessory device via the media interface, wherein the signal includes accessory device re-orientation information.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the signal includes updated navigation directions to a particular location.