AUDIO ACCESSIBILITY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An audio delivery method, comprising:
- using an image capture device to capture an image of a listening area;
at one or more programmed processors;
processing the image to locate a position of a listener in the listening area,processing the image to identify a face of the listener in the listening area,processing the image to locate a position of the listener'"'"'s ears,retrieving a stored listener profile associated with the identified face,adjusting one or more audio characteristics based upon the listener profile, andcontrolling a directional beam of audio to direct the directional beam of audio toward the listener'"'"'s ears;
using the image capture device to capture a subsequent sequence of images of the listener; and
at the one or more programmed processors;
monitoring movement in position of the listener'"'"'s ears in the listening area by analysis of the subsequent sequence of images, andadjusting the directional beam of audio in accordance with movements of the listener within the listening area.
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Abstract
An audio delivery method. An image of a listening area is captured and processed to locate a position of a listener in the room. A stored listener profile associated with the listener is retrieved and audio characteristics are established based on the listener'"'"'s profile. A directional beam of audio is directed toward the listener'"'"'s ears and the directional beam is adjusted to track movement of the listener. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
47 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An audio delivery method, comprising:
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using an image capture device to capture an image of a listening area; at one or more programmed processors; processing the image to locate a position of a listener in the listening area, processing the image to identify a face of the listener in the listening area, processing the image to locate a position of the listener'"'"'s ears, retrieving a stored listener profile associated with the identified face, adjusting one or more audio characteristics based upon the listener profile, and controlling a directional beam of audio to direct the directional beam of audio toward the listener'"'"'s ears; using the image capture device to capture a subsequent sequence of images of the listener; and at the one or more programmed processors; monitoring movement in position of the listener'"'"'s ears in the listening area by analysis of the subsequent sequence of images, and adjusting the directional beam of audio in accordance with movements of the listener within the listening area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An audio delivery method, comprising:
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using an image capture device to capture an image of a listening area; at one or more programmed processors; processing the image to locate a position of a listener in the listening area, processing the image to identify a face of the listener in the listening area, processing the image to locate a position of the listener'"'"'s left and right ears, retrieving a stored listener profile associated with the identified face, adjusting one or more audio characteristics based upon the listener profile, and controlling left and right channel directional beams of audio to direct the left and right directional beams of audio toward the listener'"'"'s left and right ears respectively; using the image capture device to capture a subsequent sequence of images of the listener; and at the one or more programmed processors; monitoring movement in position of the listener'"'"'s ears in the listening area by analysis of the subsequent sequence of images, and adjusting a mixing of audio carried by the left and right directional beams of audio in accordance with movements of the listener'"'"'s left and right ears within the listening area. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An audio delivery system, comprising:
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an image capture device configured to capture an image of a listening area; one or more programmed processors programmed to; process the image to locate a position of a listener in the listening area, process the image to identify a face of the listener in the listening area, process the image to locate a position of the listener'"'"'s ears, retrieve a stored listener profile associated with the identified face, adjust one or more audio characteristics based upon the listener profile, and control a directional beam of audio to direct the directional beam of audio toward the listener'"'"'s ears; the image capture device further being configured to capture a subsequent sequence of images of the listener; and the one or more programmed processors being further programmed to; monitor movement in position of the listener'"'"'s ears in the listening area by analysis of the subsequent sequence of images, and adjust the directional beam of audio in accordance with movements of the listener within the listening area. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An audio delivery system, comprising:
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an image capture device configured to capture an image of a listening area; one or more programmed processors programmed to; process the image to locate a position of a listener in the listening area, process the image with to identify a face of the listener in the listening area, process the image to locate a position of the listener'"'"'s left and right ears, retrieve a stored listener profile associated with the identified face, adjust one or more audio characteristics based upon the listener profile, and control left and right channel directional beams of audio to direct the left and right directional beams of audio toward the listener'"'"'s left and right ears respectively; the image capture device further being configured to capture a subsequent sequence of images of the listener; and the one or more programmed processors being further programmed to; monitor movement in position of the listener'"'"'s ears in the listening area by analysis of the subsequent sequence of images, and adjust a mixing of audio carried by the left and right directional beams of audio in accordance with movements of the listener'"'"'s left and right ears within the listening area. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An audio delivery method, comprising:
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at a programmed processor, retrieving and reading a stored listener profile to ascertain audio characteristic settings associated with a listener; and at an audio mixer, the programmed processor adjusting a mixing of channels of a multiple channel audio program to an equal or reduced number of channels based upon the stored listener profile. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification