Providing sound as originating from location of display at which corresponding text is presented

• US 9,576,501 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Seki, Lucio Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Chawan, Vijay B
• Application Number:
  US14/645,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20160267812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 740/258, 740/270, 740/2, 740/217, 740/233, 740/235, 740/254, 740/262, 740/266, 740/275, 740/3, 381/61, 381/56, 381/17, 381/18, 381/300, 715/209, 715/210, 715/727
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/006 using audible presentation of the information
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/02 Methods for producing synthetic speech; Speech synthesisers
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/15 Aspects of sound capture and related signal processing for recording or reproduction
• 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 7/00 Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

In one aspect, a device includes a processor, a display accessible to the processor, and memory accessible to the processor. The memory bears instructions executable by the processor to provide sound corresponding to a portion of text presented on the display with at least one portion of the sound being provided as if originating at least substantially from a location on the display at which the portion of text is presented on the display.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a processor;

a display accessible to the processor; and

storage accessible to the processor and bearing instructions executable by the processor to;

identify a location of a user;

identify a direction from the location of the user to a location on the display on which at least a portion of text is presented;

convert the portion of text to sound corresponding to the portion of text;

based at least in part on the direction from the location of the user to the location on the display on which the portion of text is presented, modulate at least one audible output of at least one of at least two speakers to provide the sound corresponding to the portion of text presented on the display with at least one portion of the sound being provided as if originating at least substantially from the location on the display at which the portion of text is presented.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion of text does not comprise all text presented on the display while the sound is provided.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the location on the display on which the portion of text is presented is an area on the display on which text is presentable that is less than an entire area of the display on which text is presentable.

4. The device of claim 1, comprising a first speaker and a second speaker, and wherein the instructions are executable to:

modulate at least one audible output of the first speaker and the second speaker to provide the sound using the first speaker and the second speaker.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the sound is binaural sound.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the location of the user is one or more of:

identified based on input from a proximity sensor on the device, identified based on input from a camera on the device, and identified based on location information received at the device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

modulate at least one audible output of at least one of at least two speakers to provide the sound corresponding to the portion of text in an auditory sequence as the text would be read in sequence, wherein the sound varies as it is provided in the auditory sequence as if respective portions of the sound that are provided originate at least substantially from at least respective locations on the display at which respective text is presented on the display that corresponds to each respective portion of the sound that is provided.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the instructions are executable to:

provide a first respective portion of the sound as if it originates from a first respective location on the display at which a beginning of a line of text is presented on the display which is indented relative to at least one other line of text that is not indented.

9. The first device of claim 1, wherein the at least one audible output is modulated by one or more of:

modulating volume output level, modulating sound frequency, and modulating time that a given segment of the at least one portion of sound is provided at each of the two speakers.

10. The first device of claim 9, wherein the at least one audible output is modulated by modulating volume output level.

11. The first device of claim 9, wherein the at least one audible output is modulated by modulating sound frequency.

12. The first device of claim 9, wherein the at least one audible output is modulated by modulating time that a given segment of the at least one portion of sound is provided at each of the two speakers.

13. The first device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

present an option on the display that is selectable to enable modulation of audible output based on user location to provide sound as if originating from respective locations on the display at which corresponding text is presented.

14. A method, comprising:

presenting text on a display of a device;

identifying a location of a user;

identifying a location of the display; and

presenting sound signals corresponding to respective portions of the text as coming from respective areas of the display at which the respective portions of the text are presented at least in part by modulating output of at least one of at least first and second speakers using the location of the user and the location of the display.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

converting the respective portions of the text to binaural sound signals and presenting the binaural sound signals at the first and second speakers.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least a first respective portion of the text is associated with a selector element presented on the display, and wherein the method comprises:

presenting sound signals corresponding to the first respective portion of the text as coming from a first respective area of the display at which the first respective portion of the text is presented at least partially on the selector element;

receiving input of a gesture directed to select the selector element; and

performing a function associated with selection of the selector element.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the gesture is identified as a gesture in free space which comprises one or more of:

a pointing of a finger, and a tapping motion.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a first processor;

a network adapter; and

storage bearing instructions executable by a second processor for;

providing audio corresponding to a portion of text presented on a display accessible to the second processor, with at least a portion of the audio being provided by modulating output of at least one of at least first and second speakers using, as input, a location of a user to give the impression at the location of the user that the audio originates at least from a direction at least corresponding to an edge of the display closest to a location of the display at which the portion of the text is presented on the display;

wherein the first processor transfers the instructions over a network via the network adapter.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable to perform at least two of the following:

provide audio corresponding to a first portion of text presented on an upper portion of the display, relative to the display being looked by a user while the display is positioned upright, to give the impression the audio corresponding to the first portion originates from at least one of above the display and at the upper portion of the display at which the first portion of text is presented;

provide audio corresponding to a second portion of text presented on a lower portion of the display, relative to the display being looked by a user while the display is positioned upright, to give the impression the audio corresponding to the second portion originates from at least one of below the display and at the lower portion of the display at which the second portion of text is presented;

provide audio corresponding to a third portion of text presented on a left portion of the display, relative to the display being looked by a user while the display is positioned upright, to give the impression the audio corresponding to the third portion originates from at least one of to the left of the display and at the left portion of the display at which the third portion of text is presented; and

provide audio corresponding to a fourth portion of text presented on a right portion of the display, relative to the display being looked by a user while the display is positioned upright, to give the impression the audio corresponding to the fourth portion originates from at least one of to the right of the display and at the right portion of the display at which the fourth portion of text is presented.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the audio comprises binaural sound.