Presentation of audio based on source

• US 10,499,164 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2015
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Li, Scott Wentao, VanBlon, Russell Speight, Chen, Liang
• Primary Examiner(s): Blair, Kile O
• Application Number:
  US14/661,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20160277850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/40 Details of arrangements for obtaining desired directional characteristic by combining a number of identical transducers covered by H04R1/40 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/07 Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/40 Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic

Abstract

In one aspect, a device includes a processor, at least one camera accessible to the processor, and memory accessible to the processor. The memory bears instructions executable by the processor to identify, at least in part based on input from the at least one camera, a source of sound. The instructions are also executable to, based at toast in part on input from at least one microphone, execute beamforming and provide audio at a hearing aid comprising sound from the source.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

storage accessible to the at least one processor and bearing instructions executable by the at least one processor to;

present a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display accessible to the at least one processor, the GUI comprising one or more input areas at which a user is able to establish a priority of at least one through three for presentation of audio from respective first, second, and third sources of sound so that audio is presented for at least one higher-prioritized source of sound over audio for at least one lower-prioritized source of sound; and

based at least in part on input from at least one microphone, execute beamforming and present, based on the priority, audio at a hearing aid comprising sound from the first source of sound should sound be emanating from the first source of sound, otherwise execute beamforming and present, based on the priority, audio at the hearing aid comprising sound from the second source of sound should sound be emanating from the second source of sound, otherwise execute beamforming and present, based on the priority, audio at the hearing aid comprising sound from the third source of sound should sound be emanating from the third source of sound.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one microphone comprises an array of microphones, wherein the device comprises the array and the hearing aid, and wherein the array of microphones is disposed on the hearing aid.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device wirelessly communicates with the hearing aid.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the GUI is a first GUI, and wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

present a second GUI on the display, the second GUI comprising a setting that is selectable by a user to enable the device to present audio at the hearing aid based on beamforming.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

receive user input that preconfigures the device to block presentation of audio at the hearing aid that comprises sound from a fourth source of sound, the fourth source of sound being different from the first, second, and third sources of sound; and

block, based on the user input, presentation of audio at the hearing aid that comprises sound from the fourth source of sound.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the GUI comprises plural input areas for establishing the priority, each respective input area of the plural input areas being configured to receive user input specifying a different number for the priority.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein each input area is associated with a different source of sound.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein each input area is associated with a different source of sound via text.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein each input area is associated with a different source of sound via a non-text image.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

receive input to the GUI establishing the priority.

11. A method, comprising:

presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display, the GUI comprising one or more input areas at which a user is able to establish a priority of at least one through three for presentation of audio from respective first, second, and third sources of sound so that audio is presented for at least one higher-prioritized source of sound over audio for at least one lower-prioritized source of sound; and

based at least in part on input from at least one microphone, executing beamforming and presenting, based on the priority, audio at a hearing aid comprising sound from the first source of sound should sound be emanating from the first source of sound, otherwise executing beamforming and presenting, based on the priority, audio at the hearing aid comprising sound from the second source of sound should sound be emanating from the second source of sound, otherwise executing beamforming and presenting, based on the priority, audio at the hearing aid comprising sound from the third source of sound should sound be emanating from the third source of sound.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving input to the GUI to establish the priority.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the GUI is a first GUI, and wherein the method comprises:

presenting a second GUI on the display, the second GUI comprising a setting that is selectable by a user to enable a device to present audio at the hearing aid based on beamforming.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving user input that preconfigures a device to block presentation of audio at the hearing aid that comprises sound from a fourth source of sound, the fourth source of sound being different from the first, second, and third sources of sound; and

blocking, based on the user input, presentation of audio at the hearing aid that comprises sound from the fourth source of sound.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the GUI comprises plural input areas for establishing the priority, each respective input area of the plural input areas being configured to receive user input specifying a different number for the priority.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each input area is associated with a different source of sound.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each input area is associated with a different source of sound via text.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein each input area is associated with a different source of sound via a non-text image.

19. A computer readable storage medium (CRSM) that is not a transitory signal, the computer readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by at least one processor to:

present a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display accessible to the at least one processor, the GUI comprising one or more input areas at which a user is able to establish a priority of at least one through three for presentation of audio from respective first, second, and third sources of sound so that audio is presented for at least one higher-prioritized source of sound over audio for at least one lower-prioritized source of sound; and

based at least in part on input from at least one microphone, execute beamforming and present, based on the priority, audio at a hearing aid comprising sound from the first source of sound should sound be emanating from the first source of sound, otherwise execute beamforming and present, based on the priority, audio at the hearing aid comprising sound from the second source of sound should sound be emanating from the second source of sound, otherwise execute beamforming and present, based on the priority, audio at the hearing aid comprising sound from the third source of sound should sound be emanating from the third source of sound.

20. The CRSM of claim 19, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

receive input to the GUI establishing the priority;

wherein the GUI comprises plural input areas for establishing the priority, each respective input area of the plural input areas being configured to receive user input establishing a different number for the priority, and wherein each input area is associated with a different source of sound.