Controlling audio operation for data management and data rendering

• US 8,271,107 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bodin, William K., Jaramillo, David, Redman, Jerry W., Thorson, Derral C.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCORD, PAUL C
• Application Number:
  US11/331,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,440 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for controlling audio operation for data management and data rendering. Embodiments include selecting one of a plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon context information and setting audio operation of a data management and data rendering module to the selected predetermined audio configuration. A predetermined audio configuration typically identifies an audio output device and an audio input device. Some embodiments of the present invention also include creating audio configuration selection rules including receiving from a user audio configurations and associating the audio configurations with predetermined context parameters.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling audio operation for data management and data rendering, the method comprising:

retrieving, by an audio operation module, current speech characteristic of a user and context information comprising current device-state information and current geographical coordinates of a plurality of devices;

selecting, by the audio operation module, a device from among said plurality of devices to be a selected device, the selection being based upon the current speech characteristic of the user and the context information, wherein the current device-state information indicates a power state of the selected device;

selecting, by the audio operation module, one of a plurality of predetermined audio configurations for the selected device in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and said context information;

setting, by the audio operation module, audio operation of a data management and data rendering module to the selected predetermined audio configuration; and

providing, by the data management and data rendering module, an audio presentation of synthesized data with the audio operation set to the selected predetermined audio configuration;

wherein the synthesized data comprises data of disparate types that has been synthesized into data of a uniform data type, the data of disparate types comprising at least one of Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed text, calendar information, and email text.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising creating audio configuration selection rules including:

receiving from the user audio configurations to be included in the plurality of predetermined audio configurations; and

associating the audio configurations with predetermined context parameters included in said context information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of said one of the plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and said context information includes selecting at least one predetermined audio configuration in dependence upon a native data type of the synthesized data being rendered.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of said one of the plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and said context information includes selecting at least one predetermined audio configuration in dependence upon a security level of the synthesized data being rendered.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of said one of the plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and said context information includes selecting at least one predetermined audio configuration in dependence upon the current device-state information indicating the selected device has an open lid.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of predetermined audio configurations specifies an input configuration for receiving an audio input from the user and specifies an output configuration for receiving an audio output from the user;

and

wherein the selected device is an audio input device, the step of selecting further comprising;

selecting an output device from among said plurality of devices.

3. A system for controlling audio operation for data management and data rendering among a plurality of devices, the system comprising:

a computer processor;

a non-transitory computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of;

retrieving a current speech characteristic of a user and context information comprising current device-state information and current geographical coordinates of the plurality of devices;

selecting a device from among said plurality of devices to be a selected device, the selection being based upon the current speech characteristic of the user and the context information, wherein the current device-state information indicates a power state of the selected device;

selecting one of a plurality of predetermined audio configurations for the selected device in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and the context information;

setting audio operation of a data management and data rendering module to the selected predetermined audio configuration; and

providing, by the data management and data rendering module, an audio presentation of synthesized data with the audio operation set to the selected predetermined audio configuration;

wherein the synthesized data comprises data of disparate types that has been synthesized into data of a uniform data type, the data of disparate types comprising at least one of Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed text, calendar information, and email text.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of creating audio configuration selection rules including:

computer program instructions capable of receiving from the user audio configurations to be included in the plurality of predetermined audio configurations; and

computer program instructions capable of associating the audio configurations with predetermined context parameters included in said context information.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein said plurality of predetermined audio configurations specifies an input configuration for receiving an audio input from the user and specifies an output configuration for receiving an audio output from the user;

and

wherein the selected device is an audio input device, the step of selecting further comprising;

selecting an output device from among said plurality of devices.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the selecting of said one of the plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and said context information includes selecting at least one predetermined audio configuration in dependence upon a native data type of the synthesized data being rendered.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein the selecting of said one of the plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and said context information includes selecting at least one predetermined audio configuration in dependence upon a security level of the synthesized data being rendered.

15. The system of claim 3, wherein selecting one of a plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon context information includes selecting at least one predetermined audio configuration in dependence upon the current device-state information indicating the selected device has an open lid.

5. A computer program product for controlling audio operation for data management and data rendering, the computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program product comprising:

computer program instructions for retrieving a current speech characteristic of a user and context information comprising current device-state information and current geographical coordinates of a plurality of devices;

computer program instructions for selecting a device from among said plurality of devices to be a selected device, the selection being based upon the current speech characteristic of the user and the context information, wherein the current device-state information indicates a power state of the selected device;

selecting one of a plurality of predetermined audio configurations for the selected device in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and the context information;

computer program instructions for setting audio operation of a data management and data rendering module to the selected predetermined audio configuration; and

computer program instructions for providing, by the data management and data rendering module, an audio presentation of synthesized data with the audio operation set to the selected predetermined audio configuration;

wherein the synthesized data comprises data of disparate types that has been synthesized into data of a uniform data type, the data of disparate types comprising at least one of Really Simple Syndication (‘

RSS’

) feed text, calendar information, and email text.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 further comprising computer program instructions for creating audio configuration selection rules including:

computer program instructions for receiving from the user audio configurations to be included in the plurality of predetermined audio configurations; and

computer program instructions for associating the audio configurations with predetermined context parameters included in said context information.

12. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said plurality of predetermined audio configurations specifies an input configuration for receiving an audio input from the user and specifies an output configuration for receiving an audio output from the user;

and

wherein the selected device is an audio input device, the step of selecting further comprising;

selecting an output device from among said plurality of devices.

16. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the selecting of said one of the plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and said context information includes selecting at least one predetermined audio configuration in dependence upon a native data type of the synthesized data being rendered.

17. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the selecting of said one of the plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon the current speech characteristic of the user and said context information includes selecting at least one predetermined audio configuration in dependence upon a security level of the synthesized data being rendered.

18. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein selecting one of a plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon context information includes selecting at least one predetermined audio configuration in dependence upon the current device-state information indicating the selected device has an open lid.