Data-driven media management within an electronic device

• US 8,694,141 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Batson, James D., Borogove, Meriko L., Chapman, Gregory R., Coffman, Patrick L., Guetta, Anthony J., Lindahl, Aram, Rostaing, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): ELBIN, JESSE A
• Application Number:
  US13/229,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 381/119, 381/123, 455/3.06, 709/240, 710/7, 710/12, 710/36, 710/38, 710/40, 719/318, 719/322
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

A method and apparatus for intelligently routing and managing audio signals within an electronic device is disclosed. The routing is responsive to a set of logical and physical policies which are stored in data tables which can be updated as needed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing audio within an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a system for coordinating inputs from a plurality of software applications, tracking and storing the status of a plurality of audio ports within the device, and routing audio from the software applications to the plurality of audio ports, wherein the system is located within the device; and

a multi-dimensional decision matrix, for storing policy and priority data related to the audio in a plurality of data tables, wherein the applications communicate the specific type of audio via audio categories, and each audio category is associated with a plurality of default policies.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system enforces policies for each of the audio categories.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one default policy of the plurality of default policies prohibits specific types of audio routing.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one default policy of the plurality of default policies is for broadcasting specific categories of audio across all available outputs.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one default policy of the plurality of default policies is for routing specific categories of audio to no outputs.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system is responsible for determining what media to play.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system is responsible for determining whether to enable a vibration means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system is responsible for determining whether to enable a vibration means and simultaneously direct media to one of a plurality of outputs.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system is responsible for determining whether to blink a display.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system is responsible for determining whether to blink a display and simultaneously direct media to one of a plurality of outputs.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system is responsible for determining whether to blink a display, simultaneously enable a vibration means, and simultaneously direct media to one of a plurality of outputs.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data tables are updated when a piece of hardware is added or removed.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein representations of audio policies within the data tables are metadata-based.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein representations of audio policies within the data tables are code-based.

15. A system for coordinating inputs from a plurality of software applications on an electronic device, the system comprising:

a media server which tracks a plurality of default policies associated with an audio category;

an audio policy module which receives, stores, and processes a plurality of policies and priorities stored in a plurality of data tables of a multi-dimensional decision matrix, and outputs policy findings; and

an audio routing manager for implementing the policy findings;

wherein the media server, audio policy module, and audio routing manager are stored on the electronic device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the media server and audio policy module reference the plurality of data tables of the multi-dimensional decision matrix.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the audio routing manager is responsible for at least one of removing unwanted pops and other noises, volume-matching, or potentially mixing audio.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the audio policy module enforces policies for each of the audio categories.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the audio policy module ensures that a volume selection obtained from a user is linked only to a single predetermined audio category.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the audio policy module ensures that a user-selected volume level is linked only to a single audio output.

21. An apparatus for managing audio within an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a system for coordinating inputs from a plurality of software applications, tracking and storing a status for each of a plurality of audio ports within the device, and routing audio from the software applications to the plurality of audio ports, wherein the system is located within the device, wherein the system ensures that a user-selected volume level is linked only to a combination of a single predetermined audio category and a single audio output; and

a multi-dimensional decision matrix, for storing policy and priority data related to the audio in a plurality of data tables, wherein the applications communicate specifics of an audio type via audio categories.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the system is responsible for capping policy; and

a maximum volume is imposed regardless of the user'"'"'s selection.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the system is responsible for lowering the volume of a first audio stream in order to temporarily increase emphasis on a second audio stream that is different than the first audio stream.