Facilitating communications using a portable communication device and directed sound output

• US 8,587,631 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Etter, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/825,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20110316967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.02, 348/14.16, 348/10.3, 361/679.55, 367/124, 379/202.01, 386/230, 455/404.2, 455/418, 455/517, 700/94, 343/702, 381/92, 381/186, 381/335, 382/117, 702/11, 702/108, 340/10.3
• US Class Current: 348/14.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/304 For headphones

Abstract

An exemplary method of facilitating communication includes determining a position of a portable communication device that generates a video output. A sound output control is provided to an audio device that is distinct from the portable communication device for directing a sound output from the audio device based on the determined position of the portable communication device.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating communication, comprising the steps of:

determining a position of a portable communication device that generates a video output; and

providing sound output control for an audio device that is distinct from the portable communication device for directing a sound output based on the determined position of the communication device, wherein the sound output control is configured to facilitate the sound output appearing to come from the video output.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising

updating the determined position of the portable communication device responsive to a movement of the portable communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising determining the position of the portable communication device in six dimensions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device provides a projected video output at an image location that is distinct from the position of the portable communication device and the method comprises

determining an image location based on the determined position of the portable communication device;

and

providing the sound output control based on the determined image location for facilitating the sound output appearing to come from the image location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio device is moveable during the sound output and the method comprises

determining a position of the audio device relative to the position of the portable communication device;

and

providing the sound output control based on the determined position of the audio device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio device comprises a plurality of speakers that remain in a fixed position during the sound output.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising

providing a binaural sound output that appears to a listener to be coming from the determined position of the portable communication device.

8. A method of facilitating communication, comprising the steps of:

determining a position of a portable communication device that generates a video output;

providing sound output control for an audio device that is distinct from the portable communication device for directing a sound output based on the determined position of the communication device;

determining an observer position of an individual listening to the sound output and watching the video output; and

providing the sound output control based on the determined observer position to facilitate the sound output appearing to come from the position of the portable communication device toward the observer position.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising

determining the observer position relative to the determined position of the portable communication device.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising

determining a head position of the individual including a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation of a head of the individual;

and

providing the sound output control based on the head position.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the audio device comprises headphones with an associated head tracker device.

12. The method of claim 8, comprising

using a camera to determine the observer position.

13. The method of claim 8, comprising

updating the determined observer position responsive to a movement of the individual.

14. The method of claim 8, comprising

determining the observer position in six dimensions.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein there are a plurality of individuals listening to the sound output and watching the video output, each of the plurality of individuals has an associated audio device and the method comprises:

determining the observer position of each of the plurality of individuals, respectively; and

providing the sound output control for each of the audio devices for each of the corresponding individuals based on the determined position of the portable communication device and the respective determined observer positions.

16. A portable communication device, comprising:

a video output;

a position determining module that provides an indication of a position of the portable communication device; and

a sound control module that is configured to communicate sound control to an audio device that is distinct from the portable communication device, the sound control being based on the position of the portable communication device for facilitating the audio device directing a sound output based on the position of the portable communication device, wherein the sound output control is configured to facilitate the sound output appearing to come from the video output.

17. The portable communication device of claim 16, wherein the position determining module provides an update of the indication of the position of the portable communication device responsive to a movement of the portable communication device.

18. The portable communication device of claim 16, wherein the video output projects an image at an image location separate from the position of the portable communication device and the position determining module provides an indication of the image location.

19. The portable communication device of claim 16, comprising

an observer tracker that determines an observer position of an individual watching the video output and listening to the sound output, the observer tracker communicating with the position determining module and the sound control module for including the observer position for facilitating the sound output appearing to come from the position of the portable communication device toward the observer position.

20. A method of modifying an audio signal based on a relative orientation of a device with respect to a listener, the method comprising the steps of:

simulating a polar pattern of the device;

determining an orientation of the device relative to the listener;

determining a frequency response of the polar pattern based on the determined orientation of the device relative to the listener; and

filtering the audio signal based on the determined frequency response.