SMART AUDIO ROUTING MANAGEMENT

• US 20160378426A1
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Davis, Darren Ray, Bellet, Vincent, Stauber, William Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,652,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Examples described herein automatically route audio signals associated with applications to appropriate audio endpoints when a computing device is operating in a disjoint mode. Smart audio routing management of audio signals is based on content output destinations for applications associated with the audio signals. Smart audio routing management enables computing devices operating in a disjoint mode to receive audio signals relevant to application content rendered or displayed over multiple devices, and correctly route individual audio signals to audio endpoints that correspond to a location where associated application content is displayed.

Claims

1. A system for audio routing comprising:

a computing device configured to stream content to an auxiliary device;

an audio routing component coupled to the primary device and configured to;

receive a plurality of audio signals associated with a plurality of applications implemented on the primary device;

obtain application state data for the plurality of applications;

determine a content output destination associated with an individual application based at least in part on the obtained application state data, the content output destination corresponding to at least one of the computing device or the auxiliary device;

identify an audio endpoint associated with the determined content output destination for the individual application; and

route an individual audio signal associated with the individual application to the identified audio endpoint.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the content output destination comprises at least one of a display location or an audio output location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio routing component is further configured to:

determine a content output destination associated with another application;

identify an audio endpoint corresponding to the content output destination associated with the other application; and

route another audio signal associated with the other application to the identified audio endpoint corresponding to the content output destination associated with the other application.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a user interface component implemented on the primary device and configured to stream a user interface of the computing device to a display of the auxiliary device.

5. A mobile device for audio routing comprising:

a user interface component configured to project application-rendered content to an auxiliary device; and

an audio routing component configured to;

receive an audio signal associated with an application implemented on the mobile device;

obtain state date for the application;

determine a viewing location associated with application-rendered content of the application, the viewing location corresponding to a display associated with at least one of the mobile device or the auxiliary device;

identify an audio endpoint associated with the determined viewing location; and

route the audio signal to the identified audio endpoint.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the audio routing component is further configured to:

receive another audio signal associated with another application implemented on the mobile device;

obtain state date for the other application;

determine another viewing location associated with the other application;

identify an audio endpoint associated with the determined other viewing location for the other application; and

route the other audio signal to the identified audio endpoint for the other application.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the audio routing component receives the audio signal and the other audio signal concurrently.

8. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the audio routing component receives a plurality of audio signals associated with a plurality of applications implemented on the mobile device and routes the plurality of audio signals to individual audio endpoints based on viewing locations associated with application-rendered content for the plurality of applications.

9. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the mobile device is further configured to establish a connection with the auxiliary device, and wherein the user interface component is further configured to:

stream a user interface of the mobile device to a display of the auxiliary device.

10. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the audio routing component is further configured to:

receive a plurality of audio signals associated with a plurality of applications; and

determine which audio endpoints to route the plurality of audio signals to based on a policy.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the audio routing component determines the audio endpoints to route the plurality of audio signals to based on a policy, including to:

identify an audio signal from the plurality of audio signals that is associated with an individual application having a current viewing location corresponding to a display of the auxiliary device;

route the identified audio signal to an audio endpoint associated with the auxiliary device; and

route the remaining audio signals from the plurality of audio signals to the mobile device based at least in part on state data obtained for the individual application.

12. A method for audio routing comprising:

receiving, by an audio routing component, an audio signal associated with an application executed by a core device;

identifying a viewing location associated with the application, the viewing location corresponding to an auxiliary device;

determining whether the auxiliary device is audio capable;

responsive to a determination that the auxiliary device is audio capable, identifying an audio endpoint associated with the auxiliary device; and

routing the audio signal to the identified audio endpoint of the auxiliary device based at least in part on state data obtained for the application.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the auxiliary device is not audio capable, routing the audio signal to an audio endpoint of the core device.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving another audio signal associated with another application executed by the core device;

determining whether application-rendered content for the application associated with the viewing location corresponding to the auxiliary device is in full-screen mode;

responsive to a determination that the application-rendered content for the application is in full-screen mode, routing the other audio signal associated with the other application to an audio endpoint of the core device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the application-rendered content for the application is not in the full-screen mode, routing the other audio signal associated with the other application to the identified audio endpoint of the auxiliary device.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

establishing, by the core device, a connection with the auxiliary device; and

streaming a user interface of the core device to a display of the auxiliary device.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving a plurality of audio signals associated with a plurality of applications; and

determining which audio endpoints to route the plurality of audio signals to based on a policy.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the state data obtained for the application comprises at least one of a foreground active state, a foreground non-active state, or a background state.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving an audio signal associated with an application having application-rendered content comprising a plurality of views, at least part of the application-rendered content projected on a display associated with the core device and at least another part of the application-rendered content projected on a display associated with the auxiliary device, and the received audio signal corresponding to a portion of the application-rendered content;

identifying a viewing location associated with the portion of the application-rendered content; and

routing the audio signal to an audio endpoint associated with the identified viewing location for the portion of the application-rendered content.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

receiving a next audio signal associated with a next application, the next application having a background state; and

routing the next audio signal to an audio endpoint associated with the core device.