Audio status information for a portable electronic device

• US 8,321,601 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marriott, Greg, Hodge, Andrew Bert
• Primary Examiner(s): Unelus, Ernest
• Application Number:
  US12/504,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20090278700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 710/15, 710/18, 710/19, 713/340
• US Class Current: 710/15
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

Improved techniques for providing status information associated with an electronic device to its user in an audible manner are disclosed. The status information can pertain to one or more conditions of the electronic device. The conditions can vary depending on the nature of the electronic device. As an example, where the electronic device is battery powered, one condition of the electronic device that can be monitored is a battery charge level.

Claims

1. A portable audio device, comprising:

at least one battery to provide power to electrical components included in the portable audio device;

a memory device arranged to store at least audio data, wherein the audio data includes a plurality of audio snippets that includes at least a first audio snippet that indicates a first battery charge level and a second audio snippet that indicates a second battery charge level;

an audio output device configured to provide audio output of media by the portable audio device; and

a processor configured to monitor a battery charge level of the battery when the portable audio device is active and presenting the audio output, obtain the first audio snippet selected from the plurality of audio snippets stored in the memory device when the monitored battery charge level is the first battery charge level, mix the first audio snippet with the audio output to provide a mixed audio output, and output the mixed audio output, thereby providing an indication of the battery charge level without interrupting the presentation of the audio output of media by the portable audio device.

2. The portable audio device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker, wherein the audio snippet is presented via the speaker.

3. The portable audio device as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable audio device has a speaker jack and at least one external speaker operatively connectable to the speaker jack, and wherein the audio snippet is provided to the at least one external speaker via the speaker jack.

4. A portable media device, comprising:

an audio output device;

a device status monitor that monitors a device status of the portable media device when the portable media device is active, wherein the device status includes diagnostic data pertaining to the portable media device;

a device status manager operatively connected to the device status monitor, wherein the device status monitor determines when the device status of the portable media device is to be output to the audio output device;

a first memory device for storing a plurality of device status effects that includes at least a first device status effect that indicates a first device status of the portable media device and a second device status effect that indicates a second device status of the portable media device, and media items separate from the plurality of device status effects; and

a processor for processing the first device status effect selected from the plurality of device status effects to produce a first audio status data that indicates the first device status of the portable media device for the audio output device, thereby outputting the device status of the audio output device in an audible manner, wherein the processor implements an audio processing system and also processes at least one of the media items to produce output media data for the audio output device, and wherein the audio processing system mixes the first audio status data and the output media data to provide a mixed audio output and outputs the mixed audio output to the audio output device.

5. The portable media device as recited in claim 4, wherein the diagnostic data includes error data pertaining to an error pertaining to the portable media device.

6. The portable media device as recited in claim 4, wherein the audio output device is a speaker.

7. The portable media device as recited in claim 4, wherein the audio output device is a headphone or at least one earphone.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing at least computer program code for providing an indication of battery status to a user of a portable audio device including a battery and operable to present audio output of media by the portable audio device, wherein said non-transitory computer readable medium includes:

executable computer program code for monitoring a battery charge level of the battery when the portable audio device is active and presenting the audio output of media;

executable computer program code for obtaining, based on the monitoring of the battery charge level, a first audio snippet that indicates a first battery charge level selected from a plurality of audio snippets stored on the portable device that includes at least the first audio snippet and a second audio snippet that indicates a second battery charge level;

executable computer program code for mixing the first audio snippet with the audio output of media to provide a mixed output; and

executable computer program code for outputting the mixed output for the user, thereby providing an indication of the battery charge level to the user of the portable audio device without interrupting the presentation of the audio output of media by the portable audio device.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the audio output of media is a song being played by the portable audio output device.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the audio snippet is a sequence of distinct tones or notes.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the sequence of distinct tones or notes follow a scale.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the scale is a rising scale.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the audio snippet is a spoken voice.

17. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 10, wherein the sequence of distinct tones or notes follow a scale.

18. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 17, wherein the scale is a rising scale.

14. A computer-implemented method of providing an indication of device status to a user of a portable audio output device including an internal device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

monitoring, by the portable audio output device, a device status of the internal device;

obtaining, by the portable audio output device, a first audio snippet that indicates a first device status selected from a plurality of audio snippets that includes at least the first audio snippet and a second audio snippet that indicates a second device status;

mixing, by the portable audio output device, the first audio snippet with an audio output to provide a mixed output; and

outputting, by the portable audio output device, the mixed output to the user, thereby providing an indication of the device status to the user of the portable audio output device without interrupting presentation of the audio output.

15. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14, wherein the audio output pertains to a song being played by the portable audio output device.

16. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14, wherein the audio snippet is a sequence of distinct tones or notes.

19. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14, wherein the audio snippet is a spoken voice.