CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION WHILE USING HEADPHONES

• US 20160381450A1
• Filed: 06/24/2015
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Taite, Shahar, Rider, Tomer, Sack, Raphael, Ljubuncic, Igor
• Granted Patent: US 9,609,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/07 Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection

Abstract

Various systems and methods for providing contextual information to a user while the user is wearing headphones are described herein. A system for providing contextual information while wearing headphones comprises an event detector module to detect an event external and proximate to a user device, the user device communicatively coupled to headphones worn by a user, the headphones producing sound at a first volume; a notification decision module to determine whether to notify the user of the event; and a notification module to notify the user of the event based on the determination.

Claims

1. A system for providing contextual information to a user while the user is wearing headphones, the system comprising:

an event detector module to detect an event external and proximate to a user device, the user device communicatively coupled to headphones worn by the user, the headphones producing sound at a first volume, wherein to detect the event, the event detection module is to use a sound processor to detect an ambient sound, wherein the ambient sound comprises a spoken word;

a notification decision module to determine whether to notify the user of the event; and

a notification module to notify the user of the event based on the determination, wherein to determine whether to notify the user, the notification decision module is to;

obtain an identity of a speaker of the spoken word;

determine whether the speaker is associated with the user; and

determine to notify the user of the event based on whether the speaker is associated with the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein to detect the event, the event detector module is to:

use a sound processor to detect an ambient sound;

analyze the ambient sound; and

determine the event based on the ambient sound.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein to analyze the ambient sound, the event detector module is to identify the spoken word, and wherein to determine the event based on the ambient sound, the event detector module is to determine whether the spoken word is directed to the user.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein to analyze the ambient sound, the event detector module is to identify the spoken word, and wherein to determine the event based on the ambient sound, the event detector module is to determine whether the spoken word is a call for assistance.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the ambient sound comprises a non-verbal sound, wherein to analyze the ambient sound, the event detector module is to identify the non-verbal sound, and wherein to determine the event based on the ambient sound, the event detector module is to determine whether the non-verbal sound is an alarm.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the alarm is one of:

an automobile horn, a weather siren, a fire alarm, or an emergency vehicle siren.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein to determine whether to notify the user, the notification decision module is to:

access user preferences to identify an event prioritization hierarchy;

identify an event priority of the event from the event prioritization hierarchy; and

when the event priority exceeds a threshold, determine to notify the user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein to determine whether to notify the user, the notification decision module is to:

identify an event type of the event; and

determine to notify the user based on the event type.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein to notify the user, the notification module is to provide an audible feedback to the user.

9. (canceled)

11. A method of providing contextual information to a user while the user is wearing headphones, the method comprising:

detecting, by a user device, an event external and proximate to the user device, the use device communicatively coupled to headphones worn by the user, the headphones producing sound at a first volume, wherein detecting the event comprises using a sound processor to detect an ambient sound, wherein the ambient sound comprises a spoken word;

determining whether to notify the user of the event; and

notifying the user of the event based on the determination, wherein determining whether to notify the user comprises;

obtaining an identity of a speaker of the spoken word;

determining whether the speaker is associated with the user; and

determining to notify the user of the event based on whether the speaker is associated with the user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein notifying the user comprises providing an audible feedback to the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the audible feedback comprises a tone.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the audible feedback to the user comprises producing the sound at a second volume at the headphones.

12. (canceled)

16. At least one machine-readable medium including instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

detect an event external and proximate to a user device, the user device communicatively coupled to headphones worn by a user, the headphones producing sound at a first volume, wherein the instructions to detect the event include instructions to use a sound processor to detect an ambient sound, wherein the ambient sound comprises a spoken word;

determine whether to notify the user of the event; and

notify the user of the event based on the determination, wherein the instructions to determine whether to notify the user include instructions to;

obtain an identity of a speaker of the spoken word;

determine whether the speaker is associated with the user; and

determine to notify the user of the event based on whether the speaker is associated with the user.

17. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions to detect the event include instructions to:

use a sound processor to detect an ambient sound;

analyze the ambient sound; and

determine the event based on the ambient sound.

18. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions to analyze the ambient sound include instructions to identify the spoken word, and wherein the instructions to determine the event based on the ambient sound include instructions to determine whether the spoken word is directed to the user.

19. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions to analyze the ambient sound include instructions to identify the spoken word, and wherein the instructions to determine the event based on the ambient sound include instructions to determine whether the spoken word is a call for assistance.

20. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the ambient sound comprises a non-verbal sound, wherein the instructions to analyze the ambient sound include instructions to identify the non-verbal sound, and wherein the instructions to determine the event based on the ambient sound include instructions to determine whether the non-verbal sound is an alarm.

21. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the alarm is one of:

an automobile horn, a weather siren, a fire alarm, or an emergency vehicle siren.

22. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions to determine whether to notify the user include instructions to:

access user preferences to identify an event prioritization hierarchy;

identify an event priority of the event from the event prioritization hierarchy; and

when the event priority exceeds a threshold, determine to notify the user.

23. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions to determine whether to notify the user include instructions to:

identify an event type of the event; and

determine to notify the user based on the event type.

25. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions to notify the user include instructions to provide an audible feedback to the user.

24. (canceled)