Dynamically adapting sound based on environmental characterization

• US 10,511,906 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2018
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EVA Automation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EVA Automation, Inc.
• Inventors: Moore, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suthers, Douglas J
• Application Number:
  US16/016,451
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 381303
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2203/12 Beamforming aspects for stereophonic sound reproduction with loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/23 Direction finding using a sum-delay beam-former
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/002 Loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• 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 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• 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 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/304 For headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/305 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/306 For headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic device that dynamically adapts sound based at least in part on environmental characterization is described. Based at least in part on information about an environment, which may include a second electronic device, the electronic device may determine a change in a characteristic of the environment. For example, the change in the characteristic may include a change in a reverberation time of the environment, which is associated with at least a frequency. Then, based at least in part on the determined change in the characteristic, the electronic device may calculate an acoustic radiation pattern, where the calculated acoustic radiation pattern reduces an effect of the change in the characteristic on sound in the environment. Next, the electronic device may provide audio content and second information specifying the acoustic radiation pattern for the second electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an interface circuit configured to communicate with a second electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured to;

acquire first information about an environment;

determine, based at least in part on the first information, a change in a characteristic of the environment, wherein the change in the characteristic corresponds to one of;

changing a state of a window, changing a state of a window covering, changing a state of a door, or changing a position of a piece of furniture in the environment;

calculate, based at least in part on the determined change in the characteristic, an acoustic radiation pattern, wherein the calculated acoustic radiation pattern reduces an effect of the change in the characteristic on sound in the environment; and

provide, from the interface circuit, audio content and second information specifying the acoustic radiation pattern for the second electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a sensor configured to acquire the first information;

and

wherein acquiring the first information involves performing a measurement using the sensor.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:

an image sensor, or an acoustic sensor.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the electronic device comprises an acoustic transducer configured to output acoustic signals that propagate at the speed of sound;

wherein the electronic device is configured to output the acoustic signals using the acoustic transducer; and

wherein the first information corresponds to reflections of the acoustic signals.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein acquiring the first information involves receiving, at the interface circuit, the first information, which is associated with the second electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic radiation pattern comprises a beam having a principal direction.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the change in the characteristic comprises a change in a reverberation time of the environment, which corresponds to a measurement at at least a frequency of acoustic signals that propagate at the speed of sound.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, based at least in part on the change in the characteristic, calculating the acoustic radiation pattern comprises one of:

a change in a phase in a first band of frequencies, filtering to reduce an amplitude of a spectral response in a second band of frequencies, or filtering to increase the amplitude of the spectral response in a third band of frequencies.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use with an electronic device, the computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed by the electronic device, causes the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

acquiring first information about an environment;

determining, based at least in part on the first information, a change in a characteristic of the environment, wherein the change in the characteristic corresponds to one of;

changing a state of a window, changing a state of a window covering, changing a state of a door, or changing a position of a piece of furniture in the environment;

calculating, based at least in part on the determined change in the characteristic, an acoustic radiation pattern, wherein the calculated acoustic radiation pattern reduces an effect of the change in the characteristic on sound in the environment; and

providing, from an interface circuit in the electronic device, audio content and second information specifying the acoustic radiation pattern for a second electronic device.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein acquiring the first information involves performing a measurement using a sensor in the electronic device.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:

an image sensor, or an acoustic sensor.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the operations comprise outputting acoustic signals using an acoustic transducer, the acoustic signals propagating at the speed of sound;

and

wherein the first information corresponds to reflections of the acoustic signals.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein acquiring the first information involves receiving, at the interface circuit, the first information, which is associated with the second electronic device.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the acoustic radiation pattern comprises a beam having a principal direction.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the change in the characteristic comprises a change in a reverberation time of the environment, which corresponds to a measurement at at least a frequency of acoustic signals that propagate at the speed of sound.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein, based at least in part on the change in the characteristic, calculating the acoustic radiation pattern comprises one of:

a change in a phase in a first band of frequencies, filtering to reduce an amplitude of a spectral response in a second band of frequencies, or filtering to increase the amplitude of the spectral response in a third band of frequencies.

17. A method for calculating an acoustic radiation pattern, comprising:

by an electronic device;

acquiring first information about an environment;

determining, based at least in part on the first information, a change in a characteristic of the environment, wherein the change in the characteristic corresponds to one of;

changing a state of a window, changing a state of a window covering, changing a state of a door, or changing a position of a piece of furniture in the environment;

calculating, based at least in part on the determined change in the characteristic, an acoustic radiation pattern, wherein the calculated acoustic radiation pattern reduces an effect of the change in the characteristic on sound in the environment; and

providing, from an interface circuit in the electronic device, audio content and second information specifying the acoustic radiation pattern for a second electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method comprises outputting acoustic signals using an acoustic transducer in the electronic device, the acoustic signals propagating at the speed of sound;

and

wherein the first information corresponds to reflections of the acoustic signals.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the acoustic radiation pattern comprises a beam having a principal direction.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the change in the characteristic comprises a change in a reverberation time of the environment, which corresponds to a measurement at at least a frequency of acoustic signals that propagate at the speed of sound.