SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OUTPUT OF MULTIPLE AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICES

• US 20160212535A1
• Filed: 01/21/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Matthew David, Le Nerriec, Johan, Menter, Judah John, Tai, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,578,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

Multiple audio output devices are individually triggered to generate an acoustic identification signal. A controller device can perform a comparison of the acoustic identification signal from each of the multiple audio output devices. The output from one or multiple audio output devices is controlled based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for providing audio output, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:

triggering each of multiple audio output devices to generate an acoustic identification signal;

performing a comparison of the acoustic identification signal from each of the multiple audio output devices; and

controlling an output from one or more of the multiple audio output devices based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, from the comparison, a relative location of a user with respect to each of the multiple audio output devices;

and wherein controlling the output is based on the relative location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the output includes calibrating the output from the multiple audio output devices for the relative location of the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein calibrating the output includes controlling one or more of the multiple audio output devices in generating an audio transmission, corresponding to a segment of an audio content, in accordance with a timing parameter, the timing parameter for each of the one or more of the multiple audio output devices being selected so that the audio transmission from each of the one or more audio output devices arrives at the location of the user at approximately the same time.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein calibrating the output includes adjusting an output volume of at least one of the multiple audio output devices based on the location of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustic identification signal is in an audible range for human hearing.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the acoustic identification signal encodes an identifier corresponding to a particular audio output device of the multiple audio output devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustic identification signal is in an inaudible range for human hearing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the acoustic identification signal from each of the multiple audio output devices includes comparing an arrival time of an audio transmission from each of the multiple audio output devices.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

using a difference in the arrival time of one or more of the audio transmissions to approximate a relative location of a user with respect to each of the multiple audio output devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed on a mobile computing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed on a combination of a mobile computing device and an audio output device that operates as a leader of the multiple audio output devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein controlling the output includes selectively activating individual audio output devices based on a relative location of a user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the comparison is performed on a mobile computing device, and controlling the output is performed on a leader device of the multiple audio output devices.

15. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

a network interface;

wherein the one or more processors use the network interface to communicate with at least a first audio output device of a set of multiple audio output devices, in order to;

trigger each of multiple audio output devices to generate an acoustic identification signal;

perform a comparison of the acoustic identification signal from each of the multiple audio output devices; and

control an output from one or more of the multiple audio output devices in the set based on the comparison.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors:

determine, from the comparison, a relative location of a user with respect to each of the multiple audio output devices; and

control the output is based on the relative location.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors control the output by calibrating the output from the multiple audio output devices of the set for the relative location of the user.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors calibrate the output by controlling one or more of the multiple audio output devices in generating an audio transmission, corresponding to a segment of an audio content, in accordance with a timing parameter, the one or more processors selecting timing parameter for each of the one or more audio output devices so that the audio transmission from each of the multiple audio output devices arrives at the location of the user at approximately the same time.

19. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors calibrate the output by adjusting an output volume of at least one of the audio output devices in the set of multiple audio output devices based on the relative location of the user.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations that include:

triggering each of multiple audio output devices to generate an acoustic identification signal;

performing a comparison of the acoustic identification signal from each of the multiple audio output devices; and

controlling an output from one or more of the multiple audio output devices based on the comparison.