Mobile device audio playback

• US 8,886,345 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Izo, Tomas, Chechik, Gal
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US13/242,520
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 715/760, 715/716, 705/2, 482/8
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/636 by using biological or physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/737 Characterised by transmission of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. infrared waves

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to providing audio playback to a mobile device user. According to one aspect of this disclosure, a mobile device may be to modify audio playback in response to detecting an inclination of the mobile device (and thereby a user) with respect to a reference plane. According to another aspect of this disclosure, a mobile device may be configured to automatically identify an audible sound that may be motivational to a user, and store an indication of the audible sound in response to the identification. According to another aspect of this disclosure, a mobile device may automatically play back a previously identified motivational song in response to detection of user movement.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, by a mobile device, a first audible sound to a user;

detecting, using at least one signal from at least one sensor of the mobile device, a first indication of user movement in response to providing the first audible sound to the user;

after detecting the first indication of user movement, providing, by the mobile device, a second audible sound to the user, wherein the second audible sound is different than the first audible sound;

detecting, using the at least one signal from the at least one sensor of the mobile device, a second indication of user movement in response to providing the second audible sound, the second indication of user movement being different from the first indication of user movement;

while the second audible sound is provided to the user, identifying, by the mobile device and based on the second indication of user movement, that the second audible sound is motivational to a user; and

storing at least one indication in association with the second audible sound, the at least one indication representing a motivational attribute of the second audible sound.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first indication of user movement and detecting the second indication of user movement comprises detecting a tempo of user movement.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the tempo of user movement comprises a tempo of one or more user exercises selected from the group consisting of:

running,

walking;

skiing;

skateboarding;

swimming; and

cycling.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first indication of user movement and detecting the second indication of user movement comprises detecting a heart rate of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first indication of user movement and detecting the second indication of user movement comprises detecting an inclination of the user with respect to a reference plane.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, using the at least one signal from the at least one sensor of the mobile device, at least one third indication of movement of the user;

identifying, based on the at least one third indication of movement of the user, a motivational condition, wherein the motivational condition indicates that a user may desires motivation; and

playing back, by the mobile device, the second audible sound in response to the identifying of the motivational condition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein detecting the third indication of movement of the user comprises detecting at least one condition selected from the group consisting of:

a tempo of the mobile device;

an inclination of the mobile device;

a heart rate of the user;

a speed of movement;

a distance; and

a time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a first user, and further comprising:

detecting, using the at least one signal from the at least one sensor of the mobile device, at least one indication of movement of a second user, wherein the second user is different than the first user; and

based on the at least one indication of movement of the second user, providing, by the mobile device, the second audible sound to the second user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first indication of user movement and detecting the second indication of user movement comprises detecting a pattern of movement of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first indication of user movement and detecting the second indication of user movement comprises detecting a speed of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first indication of user movement and detecting the second indication of user movement comprises detecting at least one condition selected from a group consisting of:

an inclination of the mobile device;

a heart rate of the user; and

a user tempo.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing at least one representation of the second audible sound.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored indication in association with the second audible sound indicates that providing the second audible sound to the user caused the second indication of user movement to be different than the first indication of user movement.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one characteristic of a third audible sound; and

identifying the third audible sound as a motivational sound based on comparing the at least one characteristic of the third audible sound to the at least one stored indication in association with the second audible sound.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a motivational score for the second audible sound.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

after identifying that the second audible sound is motivational to the user, again providing the second audible sound to the user;

detecting, using the at least one signal from the at least one sensor of the mobile device, a third indication of user movement in response to again providing the second motivational sound, the third indication of user movement being similar to the second indication of user movement; and

increasing the motivational score of the second audible sound based on detecting the third indication of user movement similar to the second indication of user movement, wherein the increasing of the motivational score of the second audible sound indicates one or more of an increased likelihood that the second audible sound is motivational to the user or that the second audible sound causes a motivational effect for the user.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after providing the second audible sound to the user, providing, by the mobile device, a third audible sound to the user, the third audible sound being different from the second audible sound;

detecting, using the at least one signal from the at least one sensor of the mobile device, a third indication of user movement in response to providing the third audible sound to the user;

comparing the second indication of user movement to the first and third indications of user movement; and

determining, based on the comparing, that the second indication of user movement occurred in response to the second audible sound.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

identifying a motivational condition indicating that the user desires motivation; and

in response to the identifying of the motivational condition, playing back the second audible sound based on the motivational score for the second audible sound.

17. A mobile device, comprising:

one or more processors;

an audio playback module configured to provide a first audible sound to a user;

a condition detection module configured to detect a first indication of user movement in response to the audio playback module providing the first audible sound to the user;

an identification module;

wherein the audio playback module is further configured to provide a second, different audible sound to the user after the condition detection module detects the first indication of user movement;

wherein the condition detection module is further configured to detect a second indication of user movement that is different from the first indication of user movement;

wherein, while the audio playback module provides the second audible sound to the user, the identification module is configured to identify, based on the second indication of user movement, that the second audible is motivational to a user; and

an indication storage module configured to store at least one indication of the second audible sound.

21. The mobile device of claim 17,

wherein after the identification module identifies that the second audible sound is motivational to the user, the audio playback module is configured to again provide the second audible sound to the user,

wherein the condition detection module is further configured to detect a third indication of user movement in response to the audio playback module again providing the second motivational sound, the third indication of user movement being similar to the second indication of user movement, and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to increase a motivational score of the second audible sound based on the condition detection module detecting the third indication of user movement similar to the second indication of user movement, and

wherein the increasing of the motivational score of the second audible sound indicates one or more of an increased likelihood that the second audible sound is motivational to the user or that the second audible sound causes a motivational effect for the user.

22. The mobile device of claim 17,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to identify a motivational condition indicating that the user desires motivation,

wherein, in response to the one or more processors identifying the motivational condition, the audio playback module is further configured to play back the second audible sound based on a motivational score for the second audible sound.

23. The mobile device of claim 17,

wherein after the audio playback module provides the second audible sound to the user, the audio playback module is further configured to provide a third audible sound to the user, the third audible sound being different from the second audible sound,

wherein the condition detection module is further configured to detect a third indication of user movement in response to the audio playback module providing the third audible sound to the user, and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to compare the second indication of user movement to the first and third indications of user movement and to determine, based on the comparing, that the second indication of user movement occurred in response to second audible sound.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions configured to cause a computing device to:

provide a first audible sound to a user;

detect, using at least one signal from at least one sensor, a first indication of user movement in response to providing the first audible sound to the user;

after detecting the first indication of user movement, a second audible sound to the user, wherein the second audible sound is different than the first audible sound;

detect, using the at least one signal from the at least one sensor, a second indication of user movement in response to providing the second audible sound, the second indication of user movement being different from the first indication of user movement;

while the second audible sound is provided to the user, identify, based on the second indication of user movement, that the second audible sound is motivational to a user;

store at least one indication of the second audible sound.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions configured to cause the computing device to:

after identifying that the second audible sound is motivational to the user, again provide the second audible sound to the user;

detect, using the at least one signal from the at least one sensor, a third indication of user movement in response to again providing the second motivational sound, the third indication of user movement being similar to the second indication of user movement; and

increase the motivational score of the second audible sound based on detecting the third indication of user movement similar to the second indication of user movement, wherein the increasing of the motivational score of the second audible sound indicates one or more of an increased likelihood that the second audible sound is motivational to the user or that the second audible sound causes a motivational effect for the user.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions configured to cause the computing device to:

identify a motivational condition indicating that the user desires motivation; and

in response to the identifying of the motivational condition, play back the second audible sound based on a motivational score for the second audible sound.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions configured to cause the computing device to:

after providing the second audible sound to the user, provide a third audible sound to the user, the third audible sound being different from the second audible sound;

detect, using the at least one signal from the at least one sensor, a third indication of user movement in response to providing the third audible sound to the user;

compare the second indication of user movement to the first and third indications of user movement; and

determine, based on the comparing, that the second indication of user movement occurred in response to second audible sound.