Controlling microphones and speakers of a computing device

• US 8,243,961 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Morrill, Daniel Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): ELBIN, JESSE A
• Application Number:
  US13/250,552
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 381 59- 59, 381/91, 381332-335, 381/123, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/569.1, 4555751-5754, 700 12- 13, 700/94, 37938801-38806, 37943302-43303, 379/432
• US Class Current: 381/123
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

Various aspects of this disclosure are directed to determining an orientation of a mobile computing device. The mobile computing device may include a first microphone-speaker system and a second microphone-speaker system that can each provide microphone and speaker capabilities. The first microphone-speaker system may be enabled to operate as a speaker device. The enabling of the first microphone-speaker system may include allowing the first microphone-speaker system to provide audio output and disallowing the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the first microphone-speaker system. The second microphone-speaker system may be enabled to operate as a microphone. Enabling the second microphone-speaker system may include allowing the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the second microphone-speaker system and disallowing the second microphone-speaker system to provide audio output. Enabling of the first and second microphone-speaker systems may be responsive to and based on the determined orientation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a first orientation of a mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a first microphone-speaker system and a second microphone-speaker system that each provide microphone and speaker capabilities, wherein determining the first orientation of the mobile computing device comprises;

obtaining physical orientation information from a physical orientation detection sensor of the mobile computing device;

determining a physical orientation of the mobile computing device based on the physical orientation information obtained from the physical orientation detection sensor;

enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone, wherein enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone allows the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the first microphone-speaker system, and disallows the first microphone-speaker system to provide audio output;

enabling the second microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone, wherein enabling the second microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone allows the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the second microphone-speaker system, and disallows the second microphone-speaker system to provide audio output;

detecting, by the first microphone-speaker system enabled to operate as a microphone, a first voice volume level;

detecting, by the second microphone-speaker system enabled to operate as a microphone, a second voice volume level;

comparing the first voice volume level and the second voice volume level;

determining an orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to a user based on the comparison of the first voice volume level and the second voice volume level;

determining, based on the physical orientation information obtained from the physical orientation detection sensor, that the determined physical orientation of the mobile computing device is less reliable than the determined orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to the user; and

determining the first orientation of the mobile computing device based on the determined orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to the user; and

enabling, by the mobile computing device, the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a speaker device responsive to and based on the determined first orientation, wherein enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a speaker device allows the first microphone-speaker system to provide audio output and disallows the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the first microphone-speaker system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the mobile computing device, a change in the first orientation of the mobile computing device;

enabling, by the mobile computing device, the second microphone-speaker system to operate as a speaker device responsive to and based on the determined change in the first orientation; and

enabling, by the mobile computing device, the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone responsive to and based on the determined change in the first orientation.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first microphone-speaker system comprises a first microphone and a first speaker device, the first microphone and the first speaker device comprising physically distinct hardware components, and

wherein the second microphone-speaker system comprises a second microphone and a second speaker device, the second microphone and the second speaker device comprising physically distinct hardware components.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a speaker device comprises allowing the first speaker device of the first microphone-speaker system to provide audio output and disallowing the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the first microphone of the first microphone-speaker system;

and

wherein enabling the second microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone comprises allowing the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the second microphone of the second microphone-speaker system and disallowing the second speaker device of the second microphone-speaker system to provide audio output.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first speaker of the first microphone-speaker system and the second speaker of the second microphone-speaker system are substantially equivalent in physical size.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the first microphone of the first microphone-speaker system and the second microphone of the second microphone-speaker system are substantially equivalent in physical size.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the first speaker of the first microphone-speaker system and the second speaker of the second microphone-speaker system are substantially equivalent in maximum audio output power.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the first microphone of the first microphone-speaker system and the second microphone of the second microphone-speaker system are substantially equivalent in audio input sensitivity.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first microphone-speaker system comprises one hardware device, and

wherein the second microphone-speaker system comprises one hardware device.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the mobile computing device comprises a first end and a second end substantially opposite the first end,

wherein the first microphone-speaker system is included on the first end of the mobile computing device, and

wherein the second microphone-speaker system is included on the second end of the mobile computing device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the determined physical orientation of the mobile computing device is less reliable than the determined orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to the user comprises determining that the physical orientation information obtained from the physical orientation detection sensor indicates that the first end of the mobile computing device and the second end of the mobile computing device are substantially horizontal with respect to ground.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical orientation detection sensor comprises an accelerometer of the mobile computing device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical orientation detection sensor comprises a gyroscope of the mobile computing device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first voice volume level is greater than the second voice volume level.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first orientation comprises determining the first orientation relative to a location of a user'"'"'s mouth and ear.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the first orientation relative to the location of the user'"'"'s mouth and ear comprises determining the orientation of the first microphone-speaker system relative to the user'"'"'s ear and determining the orientation of the second microphone-speaker system relative to the user'"'"'s mouth.

17. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a mobile computing device to perform operations comprising:

determining a first orientation of the mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a first microphone-speaker system and a second microphone-speaker system that each provide microphone and speaker capabilities, wherein determining the first orientation of the mobile computing device comprises;

obtaining physical orientation information from a physical orientation detection sensor of the mobile computing device;

determining a physical orientation of the mobile computing device based on the physical orientation information obtained from the physical orientation detection sensor;

enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone, wherein enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone allows the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the first microphone-speaker system, and disallows the first microphone-speaker system to provide audio output;

and enabling the second microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone, wherein enabling the second microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone allows the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the second microphone-speaker system, and disallows the second microphone-speaker system to provide audio output;

detecting, by the first microphone-speaker system enabled to operate as a microphone, a first voice volume level;

detecting, by the second microphone-speaker system enabled to operate as a microphone, a second voice volume level;

comparing the first voice volume level and the second voice volume level;

determining an orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to a user based on the comparison of the first voice volume level and the second voice volume level;

determining, based on the physical orientation information obtained from the physical orientation detection sensor, that the determined physical orientation of the mobile computing device is less reliable than the determined orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to the user; and

determining the first orientation of the mobile computing device based on the determined orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to the user; and

enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a speaker device responsive to and based on the determined first orientation, wherein the instructions to enable the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a speaker device allow the first microphone-speaker system to provide audio output and disallow the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the first microphone-speaker system.

18. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a first microphone-speaker system and a second microphone-speaker system that can each provide microphone and speaker capabilities; and

at least one processor,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

determine a first orientation of the mobile computing device, wherein determining the first orientation of the mobile computing device comprises;

obtaining physical orientation information from a physical orientation detection sensor of the mobile computing device;

determining a physical orientation of the mobile computing device based on the physical orientation information obtained from the physical orientation detection sensor;

enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone, wherein enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone allows the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the first microphone-speaker system, and disallows the first microphone-speaker system to provide audio output;

enabling the second microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone, wherein enabling the second microphone-speaker system to operate as a microphone allows the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the second microphone-speaker system, and disallows the second microphone-speaker system to provide audio output;

detecting, by the first microphone-speaker system enabled to operate as a microphone, a first voice volume level;

detecting, by the second microphone-speaker system enabled to operate as a microphone, a second voice volume level;

comparing the first voice volume level and the second voice volume level;

determining an orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to a user based on the comparison of the first voice volume level and the second voice volume level;

determining, based on the physical orientation information obtained from the physical orientation detection sensor, that the determined physical orientation of the mobile computing device is less reliable than the determined orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to the user; and

determining the first orientation of the mobile computing device based on the determined orientation of the mobile computing device with respect to the user; and

enable the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a speaker device responsive to and based on the determined first orientation, wherein enabling the first microphone-speaker system to operate as a speaker device allows the first microphone-speaker system to provide audio output and disallows the mobile computing device to process audio input received from the first microphone-speaker system.