Audio reproducing method and apparatus

• US 9,479,872 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tachibana, Makoto, Shiina, Takashi, Naruse, Tetsuya, Shirai, Yuichi, Yajima, Chikashi, Takatsuka, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ojo, Oyesola C
• Application Number:
  US14/022,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20140072154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 381/2, 381/74, 381/23.1, 381/309, 381/369, 700/94
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers for hearing aids H04R25/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

An information processing apparatus that reproduces left and right audio signals based on data acquired from a sound source; acquires left and right surrounding sounds collected by left and right microphones included in a headphone unit connected to the information processing apparatus; combines a sound corresponding to at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with at least one of the left and right audio signals; and outputs the left and right audio signals combined with the sound corresponding to the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds to left and right earphones of the headphone unit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to;

reproduce left and right audio signals based on data acquired from a sound source;

acquire left and right surrounding sounds collected by left and right microphones included in a headphone unit connected to the information processing apparatus;

combine a sound corresponding to at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with at least one of the left and right audio signals;

output the left and right audio signals combined with the sound corresponding to the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds to left and right earphones of the headphone unit;

compare the left and right surrounding sounds with a sound registered in advance;

determine whether at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds matches the sound registered in advance;

compare a volume of the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with a predetermined threshold value;

determine whether the volume of the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds exceeds the predetermined threshold value; and

generate an alarm sound only in a case that the circuitry determines the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds matches the sound registered in advance and the volume of the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

combine the left and right surrounding sounds with the left and right audio sounds; and

output the left and right audio signals combined with the left and right surrounding sounds to the left and right earphones of the headphone unit.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the alarm sound as the sound corresponding to the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the alarm sound is at least one of a sound corresponding to the registered sound, a predetermined alarm noise and a warning message.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

combine the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with the at least one of the left and right audio sounds; and

output the left and right audio signals combined with the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds to the left and right earphones of the headphone unit when it is determined that the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds matches the sound registered in advance.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to combine the sound corresponding to the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with at least one of the left and right audio signals by replacing the at least one of the left and right audio signals with the sound corresponding to at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds.

7. A method performed by an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

reproducing left and right audio signals based on data acquired from a sound source;

acquiring left and right surrounding sounds collected by left and right microphones included in a headphone unit connected to the information processing apparatus;

combining a sound corresponding to at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with at least one of the left and right audio signals;

outputting the left and right audio signals combined with the sound corresponding to the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds to left and right earphones of the headphone unit;

comparing the left and right surrounding sounds with a sound registered in advance;

determining, using circuitry, whether at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds matches the sound registered in advance;

comparing a volume of the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with a predetermined threshold value;

determining whether the volume of the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds exceeds the predetermined threshold value; and

generating an alarm sound only in a case that the circuitry determines the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds matches the sound registered in advance and the volume of the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds exceeds thepredetermined threshold value.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer program instructions, which when executed by an information processing apparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to:

reproduce left and right audio signals based on data acquired from a sound source;

acquire left and right surrounding sounds collected by left and right microphones included in a headphone unit connected to the information processing apparatus;

combine a sound corresponding to at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with at least one of the left and right audio signals;

output the left and right audio signals combined with the sound corresponding to the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds to left and right earphones of the headphone unit;

compare the left and right surrounding sounds with a sound registered in advance;

determine whether at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds matches the sound registered in advance;

compare a volume of the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with a predetermined threshold value;

determine whether the volume of the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds exceeds the predetermined threshold value; and

generate an alarm sound only in a case that it is determined that the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds matches the sound registered in advance and the volume of the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds exceeds the predetermined threshold value.