Dynamically adjusted stereo for portable devices

• US 9,241,217 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Rodgers, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUIN, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/138,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20150181337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 381/303
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• 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 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A mobile device includes an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation of the mobile device and at least two speakers, each configured to output sound according to an audio signal. The mobile device further includes a processing device configured to group at least two of the speakers into a speaker pair based on the orientation detected by the orientation sensor.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

an orientation sensor configured to detect a first orientation of the mobile device;

at least two speakers, wherein each speaker is configured to output sound according to an audio signal; and

a processing device programmed to group at least two of the speakers into a speaker pair based on the first orientation detected by the orientation sensor and detect a change in orientation of the mobile device based on an orientation change signal output by the orientation sensor,

wherein the processing device is programmed to wait for the orientation change signal, and determine a second orientation of the mobile device in response to receiving the orientation change signal after the change in orientation of the mobile device is detected by the orientation sensor and maintain the speaker pair while waiting for the orientation change signal.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to adjust an output of each speaker according to the second orientation detected by the orientation sensor.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio source configured to output a first audio signal and a second audio signal,

wherein the at least two speakers includes a first speaker and a second speaker, and

wherein the processing device is programmed to provide the first audio signal to the first speaker and the second audio signal to the second speaker when the mobile device is in the first orientation.

4. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the processing device is programmed to provide the second audio signal to the first speaker and the first audio signal to the second speaker when the mobile device is in the second orientation.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the at least two speakers includes a first speaker, a second speaker, and a third speaker, and wherein the processing device is programmed to group the first speaker and the second speaker when the mobile device is in the first orientation and the first speaker and the third speaker when the mobile device is in the second orientation.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the at least two speakers includes a fourth speaker, and wherein the processing device is programmed to group the third speaker and the fourth speaker when the mobile device is in the first orientation and the second speaker and the fourth speaker when the mobile device is in the second orientation.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein, when the mobile device is in the first orientation, the processing device is programmed to provide a first audio signal to the first speaker and the third speaker and a second audio signal to the second speaker and the fourth speaker.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein, when the mobile device is in the second orientation, the processing device is programmed to provide the first audio signal to the third speaker and the fourth speaker and the second audio signal to the first speaker and the second speaker.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the first audio signal represents a left audio channel and wherein the second audio signal represents a right audio channel.

10. A method comprising:

detecting a first orientation of a mobile device;

grouping at least two speakers into a speaker pair based on the first orientation;

waiting for an orientation change signal indicating that the orientation of the mobile device has changed;

maintaining the speaker pair while waiting for the orientation change signal; and

if orientation change signal indicates that the orientation of the mobile device has changed;

detecting a second orientation of the mobile device, and

adjusting an output of each speaker according to the second orientation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein grouping at least two speakers includes providing a first audio signal to the first speaker and a second audio signal to the second speaker when the mobile device is in the first orientation.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the second audio signal to the first speaker and the first audio signal to the second speaker when the mobile device is in the second orientation.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least two speakers includes a first speaker, a second speaker, and a third speaker, and wherein grouping the at least two speakers includes grouping the first speaker with the second speaker when the mobile device is in the first orientation and grouping the first speaker with the third speaker when the mobile device is in the second orientation.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least two speakers includes a fourth speaker, and wherein grouping the at least two speakers includes grouping the third speaker with the fourth speaker when the mobile device is in the first orientation and grouping the second speaker with the fourth speaker when the mobile device is in the second orientation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein grouping the at least two speakers includes providing a first audio signal to the first speaker and the third speaker and a second audio signal to the second speaker and the fourth speaker when the mobile device is in the first orientation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein grouping the at least two speakers includes providing the first audio signal to the third speaker and the fourth speaker and the second audio signal to the first speaker and the second speaker when the mobile device is in the second orientation.

17. A mobile device comprising:

an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation of the mobile device and a change in the orientation of the mobile device, the orientation including a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein the orientation sensor is programmed to output an orientation change signal in response to detecting a change in the orientation of the mobile device;

an audio source configured to output a first audio signal and a second audio signal,

a plurality of speakers including a first speaker, a second speaker, a third speaker, and a fourth speaker, wherein each speaker is configured to output sound according to at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal;

a processing device programmed to group at least two of the speakers into a speaker pair based on the orientation detected by the orientation sensor, wherein grouping the at least two speakers includes, when the mobile device is in the first orientation, providing the first audio signal to the first speaker and the third speaker and the second audio signal to the second speaker and the fourth speaker and, when the mobile device is in the second orientation, providing the first audio signal to the third speaker and the fourth speaker and the second audio signal to the second speaker and the fourth speaker, and

wherein the processing device is programmed to wait for the orientation change signal, detect the change in orientation of the mobile device based on the orientation change signal, and, in response to receiving the orientation change signal, determine a second orientation of the mobile device after the change in orientation of the mobile device is detected, and wherein the processing device is programmed to maintain the speaker pair while waiting for the orientation change signal.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the first audio signal represents a left audio channel and the second audio signal represents a right audio channel.