Systems and methods for delivery of personalized audio

• US 9,736,615 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2016
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Patel, Mehul
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THANG V
• Application Number:
  US15/284,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/175 using interference effects; Masking sound
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2203/12 Beamforming aspects for stereophonic sound reproduction with loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/01 Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

There is provided a media device for use in a system including a plurality of speakers. The media device includes a memory configured to store a software application, and a processor configured to execute the software application to transmit one or more audio calibration signals to the plurality of speakers for emission by the plurality of speakers, receive, from a user device, information relating to a detection of the one or more audio calibration signals by the user device, and analyze the information received from the user device to determine a position of the user device.

Claims

1. A media device for use in a system including a plurality of speakers, the media device comprising:

a memory configured to store a software application; and

a processor configured to execute the software application to;

transmit one or more audio calibration signals to the plurality of speakers for emission by the plurality of speakers in an environment;

receive, from a user device, information relating to a detection of the one or more audio calibration signals detected by the user device; and

analyze the information received from the user device to determine a position of the user device, the position being a location of the user device in the environment relative to the plurality of speakers.

2. The media device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transmit a same one or more audio calibration signals to each of the plurality of speakers for emission.

3. The media device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transmit a different one or more audio calibration signals to each of the plurality of speakers for emission.

4. The media device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the information received from the user device to determine the position of the user device relative to each of the plurality of speakers.

5. The media device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to provide different audio signals to each of the plurality of speakers after determining the position of the user device.

6. The media device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a different level of audio signals to each of the plurality of speakers after determining the position of the user device.

7. The media device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to analyze the information received from the user device to determine positions of the plurality of speakers.

18. The media device of claim 1, wherein the location is determined using triangulation.

19. The media device of claim 1, wherein transmitting the one or more audio calibration signals includes:

transmitting first one or more audio calibration signals to a first speaker of the plurality of speakers for emission by the first speaker; and

transmitting second one or more audio calibration signals to a second speaker of the plurality of speakers for emission by the first speaker;

wherein the first one or more audio calibration signals are different than the second one or more audio calibration signals.

20. The media device of claim 1, wherein transmitting the one or more audio calibration signals includes:

transmitting the one or more audio calibration signals to a first speaker of the plurality of speakers at a first time; and

transmitting the one or more audio calibration signals to a second speaker of the plurality of speakers at a second time;

wherein the first time is different than the second time.

8. A method for use by a media device in a system including a plurality of speakers, the media device having a memory storing a software application and a processor executing the software application to perform the method comprising:

transmitting the one or more audio calibration signals to the plurality of speakers for emission by the plurality of speakers in an environment;

receiving, from a user device, information relating to a detection of the one or more audio calibration signals detected by the user device; and

analyzing the information received from the user device to determine a position of the user device, the position being a location of the user device in the environment relative to the plurality of speakers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting transmits a same one or more audio calibration signals to each of the plurality of speakers for emission.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting transmits a different one or more audio calibration signals to each of the plurality of speakers for emission.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the analyzing analyzes the information received from the user device to determine the position of the user device relative to each of the plurality of speakers.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprises providing different audio signals to each of the plurality of speakers after determining the position of the user device.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprises providing a different level of audio signals to each of the plurality of speakers after determining the position of the user device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the analyzing analyzes the information received from the user device to determine positions of the plurality of speakers.

15. A user device for use in a system including a plurality of speakers in an environment and a media device, the user device comprising:

a memory configured to store a software application; and

a processor configured to execute the software application to;

detect one or more audio calibration signals emitted by the plurality of speakers;

determine a position of the user device based on detecting the one or more audio calibration signals emitted by the plurality of speakers; and

transmit, to the media device, information relating to the position of the user device, the position being a location of the user device in the environment relative to the plurality of speakers.

16. The user device of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to determine the position of the user device by triangulating the one or more audio calibration signals emitted by the plurality of speakers.

17. The user device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine positions of the plurality of speakers using the one or more audio calibration signals emitted by the plurality of speakers; and

transmit, to the media device, the positions of the plurality of speakers.