Music reproducing system and information processing method

• US 8,315,406 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kon, Homare
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suthers, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US12/629,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20100142720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 381/74, 381/58, 381/59, 381/334
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/01 Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/304 For headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/308 Electronic adaptation dependent on speaker or headphone connection

Abstract

A music reproducing system has a music reproducing unit and a transducer unit connected to the music reproducing unit. The transducer unit includes a transducer, a main sensor, and attachment-state detector. The music reproducing unit includes an information processing part and a detection controller.

Claims

1. A music reproducing system comprising:

a music reproducing unit; and

a transducer unit connected to the music reproducing unit;

wherein the transducer unit comprises;

a transducer to convert an audio signal to acoustic audio,

a main sensor to detect a motion state or a biometric state of a listener to which the transducer unit is attached, and

an attachment-state detecting unit that produces an output value that changes between a first value and a second value on the basis of whether the listener makes contact with the transducer unit, and

wherein the music reproducing unit comprises;

an information processing part to perform information processing regarding reproduction of music according to an output signal from the main sensor, and

a detection controller to determine from the output value from the attachment-state detecting unit whether the transducer unit is in an ongoing-attachment state, in which the transducer unit is being attached or reattached to the listener, or in an attachment-complete state, in which the transducer unit has been attached to the listener, to make the output signal from the main sensor ineffective or suppressing the output signal during a period in which the transducer unit is determined to be in the ongoing-attachment state, and to cancel ineffectiveness or suppression when the transducer unit is determined to be in the attachment-complete state.

2. The music reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein when one of two thresholds between the first value and the second value that is closer to the first value is defined as a first threshold, the other one that is closer to the second value is defined as a second threshold, a direction from the first value to the second value is defined as a first direction, and a direction from the second value to the first value is defined as a second direction, the detection controller determines, as being in the ongoing-attachment state, a period from a time when an output value from the attachment-state detecting means exceeds the second threshold in the first direction to a time when the output value then exceeds the first threshold in the second direction, and determines, as being in an attachment-complete state, a period from a time when the output value from the attachment-state detecting means exceeds the first threshold in the second direction to a time when the output value then exceeds the second threshold in the first direction.

3. The music reproducing system according to claim 2, wherein:

the transducer unit includes right and left transducer parts;

each of the right and left transducer parts includes the transducer and the attachment-state detecting means;

at least one of the right and left transducer parts includes the main sensor; and

the detection controller determines, as being in the ongoing-attachment state, a period from a time when the output value from the attachment-state detecting means of either one of the transducer parts exceeds the second threshold in the first direction earlier than the output value of the attachment-state detecting means of another one of the transducer parts to a time when the output value from the attachment-state detecting means of either one of the transducer parts exceeds the first threshold value in the second direction later then the output value of the attachment-state detecting means of another one of the transducer parts.

4. The music reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein:

the main sensor is a gyro sensor; and

as the information processing regarding reproduction of music, the information processing part performs a process of localizing a sound image for data of a musical piece to be reproduced at a position defined outside a head of the listener.

5. The music reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein as the information processing regarding reproduction of music, the information processing part selects a musical piece in accordance with the output signal from the main sensor, presents the musical piece as a recommended musical piece, or reproduces the musical piece.

6. The music reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein as the information processing regarding reproduction of music, the information processing part controls a reproduction state of a musical piece being reproduced in accordance with the output signal from the main sensor.

7. An information processing method regarding reproduction of music executed by a music reproducing unit in a music reproducing system, which further includes a transducer unit connected to the music reproducing unit, the transducer unit including a transducer converting an audio signal to acoustic audio, a main sensor detecting a motion state or a biometric state of a listener to which the transducer unit is attached, and attachment-state detecting means for producing an output value that changes between a first value and a second value on the basis of whether the listener makes contact with the transducer unit, the method comprising:

determining from the output value from the attachment-state detecting means whether the transducer unit is in an ongoing-attachment state, in which the transducer unit is being attached or reattached to the listener, or in an attachment-complete state, in which the transducer unit has been attached to the listener;

making an output signal from the main sensor ineffective or suppressing the output signal during a period in which the transducer unit is determined to be in the ongoing-attachment state; and

canceling ineffectiveness or suppression of the output signal of the main sensor when the transducer unit is determined to be in the attachment-complete state.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored a program for reproduction of music in a music reproducing system including a music reproducing unit having a computer, and a transducer unit connected to the music reproducing unit, the transducer unit including a transducer converting an audio signal to acoustic audio, a main sensor detecting a motion state or a biometric state of a listener to which the transducer unit is attached, and an attachment-state detecting unit for producing an output value that changes between a first value and a second value on the basis of whether the listener makes contact with the transducer unit, wherein the program causes the computer to:

perform information processing regarding reproduction of music according to an output signal from the main sensor, and

determine from the output value from the attachment-state detecting unit whether the transducer unit is in an ongoing-attachment state, in which the transducer unit is being attached or reattached to the listener, or in an attachment-complete state, in which the transducer unit has been attached to the listener, for making the output signal from the main sensor ineffective or suppressing the output signal during a period in which the transducer unit is determined as being in the ongoing-attachment state, and for canceling ineffectiveness or suppression when the transducer unit is determined as being in the attachment-complete state.

9. A music reproducing system comprising:

a music reproducing unit; and

a transducer unit connected to the music reproducing unit;

wherein the transducer unit comprises;

a transducer converting an audio signal to acoustic audio,

a main sensor to detect a motion state or a biometric state of a listener to which the transducer unit is attached, and

an attachment-state detector configured to produce an output value that changes between a first value and a second value on the basis of whether the listener makes contact with the transducer unit, and

wherein the music reproducing unit comprises;

an information processing part to perform information processing regarding reproduction of music according to an output signal from the main sensor, and

a detection controller to determine from the output value from the attachment-state detector whether the transducer unit is in an ongoing-attachment state, in which the transducer unit is being attached or reattached to the listener, or in an attachment-complete state, in which the transducer unit has been attached to the listener, to make the output signal from the main sensor ineffective or suppressing the output signal during a period in which the transducer unit is determined to be in the ongoing-attachment state, and to cancel ineffectiveness or suppression when the transducer unit is determined to be in the attachment-complete state.

10. A music reproducing apparatus comprising:

a transducer unit comprising;

a transducer to convert an audio signal to acoustic audio,

a main sensor to detect a motion state or a biometric state of a listener to which the transducer unit is attached, and

an attachment-state detecting unit that produces an output value that changes between a first value and a second value on the basis of whether the listener makes contact with the transducer unit, and

wherein the music reproducing unit comprises;

an information processing part to perform information processing regarding reproduction of music according to an output signal from the main sensor, and

a detection controller to determine from the output value from the attachment-state detecting unit whether the transducer unit is in an ongoing-attachment state, in which the transducer unit is being attached or reattached to the listener, or in an attachment-complete state, in which the transducer unit has been attached to the listener, to make the output signal from the main sensor ineffective or suppressing the output signal during a period in which the transducer unit is determined to be in the ongoing-attachment state, and to cancel ineffectiveness or suppression when the transducer unit is determined to be in the attachment-complete state.

11. A transducer apparatus comprising:

a transducer to convert an audio signal to acoustic audio,

a main sensor to detect a motion state or a biometric state of a listener to which the transducer unit is attached, and

an attachment-state detecting unit that produces an output value that changes between a first value and a second value on the basis of whether the listener makes contact with the transducer unit, and

wherein the music reproducing unit comprises;

an information processing part to perform information processing regarding reproduction of music according to an output signal from the main sensor, and

a detection controller to determine from the output value from the attachment-state detecting unit whether the transducer unit is in an ongoing-attachment state, in which the transducer unit is being attached or reattached to the listener, or in an attachment-complete state, in which the transducer unit has been attached to the listener, to make the output signal from the main sensor ineffective or suppressing the output signal during a period in which the transducer unit is determined to be in the ongoing-attachment state, and to cancel ineffectiveness or suppression when the transducer unit is determined to be in the attachment-complete state.