Transmitter and receiver audio devices and associated methods

• US 9,941,979 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodix Technology Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Gautama, Temujin, Ricquier, Nico
• Primary Examiner(s): Lun-See, Lao
• Application Number:
  US15/062,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20160269128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 765 Days
• Field of Search: 381 1- 4, 381 17, 381 77, 381 79, 381 56- 58, 381303, 455 73, 455 78, 455 903
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• 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

Abstract

A receiver-audio-device and a transmitter-audio-device. The receiver-audio-device comprises a receiver-ultrasound-receiver, configured to receive transmitter-ultrasound-signals representative of a request, from a transmitter-audio-device, for complementary audio resources; and a receiver-processor, configured to generate a complementary-audio-output-signal based on at least the transmitter-ultrasound-signals and to provide the complementary-audio-output-signal to a receiver-loudspeaker. The receiver-loudspeaker is configured to provide a complementary-audio-output based on the complementary-audio-output-signal. The transmitter-audio-device, comprising: a transmitter-ultrasound-transmitter, configured to provide transmitter-ultrasound-signals representative of a request for complementary audio resources; a transmitter processor, configured to generate an audio-output-signal and to provide the audio-output-signal to a transmitter-loudspeaker. The transmitter-loudspeaker is configured to provide an audio-output based on the audio-output-signal.

Claims

1. A receiver-audio-device, comprising:

a receiver-ultrasound-receiver, configured to receive transmitter-ultrasound-signals representative of a request, from a transmitter-audio-device, for complementary audio resources, wherein the transmitter-ultrasound-signals are representative of an audio source without including the audio source itself; and

a receiver-processor, configured to generate a complementary-audio-output-signal based on at least the transmitter-ultrasound-signals by signal filtering, audio channel selection or signal amplification and to provide the complementary-audio-output-signal to a receiver-loudspeaker;

wherein the receiver-loudspeaker is configured to provide a complementary-audio-output based on the complementary-audio-output-signal.

2. The receiver-audio-device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter-ultrasound-signals are further representative of information representative of requested audio reproduction for providing the complementary-audio-output or identifier information that identifies a particular audio source.

3. The receiver-audio-device of claim 1, further comprising an audio-source-signal-receiver configured to receive an audio source from a communication channel or a memory, the audio source for providing the complementary-audio-output.

4. The receiver-audio-device of claim 2, wherein the transmitter-ultrasound-signals comprise information representative of audio reproduction requested by the transmitter-audio-device, and wherein the receiver-processor is configured to provide the complementary-audio-output-signal by one or more of:

filtering the audio source based on the audio reproduction requested by the transmitter-audio-device;

selecting one or more channels of the audio source based on the audio reproduction requested by the transmitter-audio-device; and

amplifying the audio source to a particular volume level based on the audio reproduction requested by the transmitter-audio-device.

5. The receiver-audio-device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter-ultrasound-signals are representative of a spatial location of the transmitter-audio-device and/or a temporal offset of the audio signal, and wherein the receiver-audio-device is configured to provide delayed complementary-audio-output based on the spatial location of the transmitter-audio-device and a spatial location of the receiver-audio-device.

6. The receiver-audio-device of claim 1, wherein the receiver-loudspeaker is the receiver-ultrasound-receiver.

7. The receiver-audio-device of claim 1, further comprising a receiver-ultrasound-transmitter configured to provide receiver-ultrasound signaling representative of the receiver-audio-device.

8. A transmitter-audio-device, comprising:

a transmitter-ultrasound-transmitter, configured to provide transmitter-ultrasound-signals representative of a request for complementary audio resources, wherein the transmitter-ultrasound-signals are representative of an audio source without including the audio source itself;

a transmitter-processor, configured to generate an audio-output-signal by signal filtering, audio channel selection or signal amplification and to provide the audio-output-signal to a transmitter-loudspeaker;

wherein the transmitter-loudspeaker is configured to provide an audio-output based on the audio-output-signal.

9. The transmitter-audio-device of claim 8, wherein the transmitter-ultrasound-signals further comprise information representative of audio reproduction requested by the transmitter-audio-device or identifier information.

10. The transmitter-audio-device of claim 8, further comprising:

a transmitter-ultrasound-receiver configured to receive one or more receiver-ultrasound-signals representative of audio capabilities of a one or more receiver-audio-devices;

the transmitter-audio device further comprising a processor configured to;

determine if the one or more receiver-ultrasound-signals are representative of audio capabilities that may be used to enhance the quality of audio reproduction; and

generate an adapted-transmitter-audio-loudspeaker-signal based on the one or more receiver-ultrasound-signals.

11. The transmitter-audio-device of claim 8, further comprising:

a transmitter-ultrasound-receiver configured to receive receiver-ultrasound-signals representative of a receiver-audio-device with complementary audio resources;

the transmitter-audio device further comprising a processor configured to;

set a transmitter-device-compatibility-indicator if the receiver-ultrasound-signals satisfy a transmitter-device-compatibility-criterion; and

when the transmitter-device-compatibility-indicator is set, generate an adapted-transmitter-audio-loudspeaker-signal based on the satisfied transmitter-device-compatibility-criterion, wherein the adapted-transmitter-audio-loudspeaker-signal is configured to cause the transmitter-loudspeaker to provide an adapted-audio-output.

12. The transmitter-audio-device of claim 8, wherein the transmitter-ultrasound-signals comprise information representative of audio reproduction requested by the transmitter-audio-device, and wherein the transmitter-processor is configured to provide the adapted-transmitter-audio-loudspeaker-signal by one or more of:

filtering an audio source based on the audio reproduction requested by the transmitter-audio-device;

selecting one or more channels of an audio source based on the audio reproduction requested by the transmitter-audio-device;

amplifying an audio source to a particular volume level based on the audio reproduction requested by the transmitter-audio-device; and

delaying an audio source based on a relative position of the transmitter-audio-device and the receiver-audio-device.

13. The transmitter-audio-device of claim 9, wherein:

the transmitter-ultrasound-receiver is configured to receive a plurality of receiver-ultrasound-signals representative of a respective plurality of receiver-audio-devices with complementary audio resources;

the processor is configured to set a plurality of transmitter-device-compatibility-indicators based on the plurality of receiver-ultrasound-signals and a plurality of transmitter-device-compatibility-criteria; and

when the one or more transmitter-device-compatibility-indicators are set, the processor is further configured to;

generate one or more transmitter-ultrasound-signals representative of complementary-audio-output for one or more of the plurality of receiver-audio-devices; and

generate an adapted-transmitter-audio-loudspeaker-signal based on the one or more complementary-transmitter-ultrasound-signals.

14. The transmitter-audio-device of claim 8, wherein the transmitter-ultrasound-signals are representative of one or more of:

an audio source for providing the complementary-audio-output by a respective receiver-audio-device;

identifier information for co-ordinating provision of the complementary-audio-output by a respective receiver-audio-device;

frequency band information for defining the complementary-audio-output for a respective receiver-audio-device;

audio channel information for defining the complementary-audio-output for a respective receiver-audio-device; and

audio volume level information for defining the complementary-audio-output for a respective receiver-audio-device.

15. The transmitter-audio-device of claim 10, configured to provide radio frequency electromagnetic signaling representative of an audio source for acoustic output by a receiver-audio-device.