Displaying sound indications on a wearable computing system

• US 8,183,997 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Adrian, Miao, Xiaoyu
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US13/295,953
• Time in Patent Office: 190 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/566, 340/4.4, 367/99, 367/107, 381/56, 381/57
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/12 by electric means G01H3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/14 Measuring mean amplitude; Measuring mean power; Measuring time integral of power
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8036 derived directly from separate directional systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/20 Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic H04R2203/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40

Abstract

Example methods and systems for displaying one or more indications that indicate (i) the direction of a source of sound and (ii) the intensity level of the sound are disclosed. A method may involve receiving audio data corresponding to sound detected by a wearable computing system. Further, the method may involve analyzing the audio data to determine both (i) a direction from the wearable computing system of a source of the sound and (ii) an intensity level of the sound. Still further, the method may involve causing the wearable computing system to display one or more indications that indicate (i) the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) the intensity level of the sound.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving audio data corresponding to sound detected by a wearable computing system;

analyzing the audio data to determine both (i) a direction from the wearable computing system of a source of the sound and (ii) an intensity level of the sound; and

causing the wearable computing system to display one or more indications that indicate (i) the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) the intensity level of the sound,

wherein the wearable computing system conditions causing the wearable computing system to display the one or more indications on the intensity level being above a given threshold level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a display of the wearable computing system is initially powered off, the method further comprising:

after determining the intensity level, determining that the intensity level is above a given threshold level; and

responsive to determining that the intensity level is above the given threshold level, activating the display in order to display the one or more indications.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indications comprise a single graphic indication that indicates both (i) the direction of the source from the wearable computing system and (ii) the intensity level.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the single graphic indication is an arrow.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the intensity level of the sound varies with time, and wherein a size of the arrow varies based on the varying intensity level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indications comprise (i) a first indication that indicates the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) a second indication that indicates the intensity level of the sound.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first indication is an arrow, and wherein the second indication is an intensity meter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the intensity level of the sound varies with time, and wherein the one or more indications comprise an indication associated with the intensity level that varies in phase with the intensity level.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the one or more indications comprises displaying different colors for different intensity levels of the sound.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indications comprise an intensity meter.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable computing system provides a view of a real-world environment of the wearable computing system, the method further comprising:

determining that the source of the sound is located either outside the view or in a periphery of the view, and wherein the one or more indications comprise a flashing light in the periphery of the view.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sound comprises speech, the method further comprising:

a speech-to-text feature determining text of the speech; and

causing the wearable computing system to display the text of the speech.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving audio data corresponding to a second sound detected by a wearable computing system;

analyzing the audio data to determine both (i) a direction from the wearable computing system of a source of the second sound, wherein direction of the second sound is different than the direction of the sound, and (ii) an intensity level of the second sound; and

causing the wearable computing system to display one or more indications that indicate (i) the direction of the source of the second sound and (ii) the intensity level of the second sound.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the audio data to determine the source of the sound; and

causing the wearable computing system to display another indication, wherein the other indication indicates the source of the sound.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the other indication is a text indication that describes the source of the sound.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the other indication is a video that corresponds to the source of the sound.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving audio data corresponding to sound detected by a wearable computing system;

instructions for analyzing the audio data to determine both (i) a direction from the wearable computing system of a source of the sound and (ii) an intensity level of the sound;

instructions for causing the wearable computing system to display one or more indications that indicate (i) the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) the intensity level of the sound; and

instructions for conditioning causing the wearable computing system to display the one or more indications on the intensity level being above a given threshold level.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more indications comprise a single graphic indication that indicates both (i) the direction of the source from the wearable computing system and (ii) the intensity level.

19. A wearable computing system comprising:

a head-mounted display, wherein the head-mounted display is configured to display computer-generated information and allow visual perception of a real-world environment; and

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive audio data corresponding to sound detected by a wearable computing system and to analyze the audio data to determine both (i) a direction from the wearable computing system of a source of the sound and (ii) an intensity level of the sound; and

a display system, wherein the display system is configured to display one or more indications that indicate (i) the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) the intensity level of the sound,

wherein the controller is further configured to condition causing the wearable computing system to display the one or more indications on the intensity level being above a given threshold level.

20. The wearable computing system of claim 19, wherein a display of the display system is initially powered off,

wherein the controller is further configured to, after determining the intensity level, determine that the intensity level is above a given threshold level, and

wherein the display system is further configured to, responsive to the determination that the intensity level is above the given threshold, activate the display in order to display the one or more indications.