Displaying sound indications on a wearable computing system

• US 9,838,814 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2013
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Adrian, Miao, Xiaoyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-See
• Application Number:
  US13/922,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20130279705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 381 56- 58, 381312, 381317, 381323, 381326, 381150, 345 7, 345 8, 345158
• 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, wherein the wearable computing system provides a view of a real-world environment of the wearable computing system;

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

determining that the source of the sound is located either outside the view or in a periphery of the view; and

causing the wearable computing system to display separate indications including;

(i) a first flashing light that indicates, according to a location of the first flashing light, the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) a second flashing light that indicates, according to a frequency of the second flashing light, the intensity level of the sound.

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

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the separate indications comprises displaying different colors for different intensity levels of the sound.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the separate indications comprise an intensity meter.

5. 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, wherein the wearable computing system provides a view of a real-world environment of the wearable computing system;

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

instructions for determining that the source of the sound is located either outside the view or in a periphery of the view; and

instructions for causing the wearable computing system to display separate indications including;

(i) a first flashing light that indicates, according to a location of the first flashing light, the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) a second flashing light that indicates, according to a frequency of the second flashing light, the intensity level of the sound.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the intensity level of the sound varies with time, and wherein the separate indications comprise an indication associated with the intensity level that varies in phase with the intensity level.

7. 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 (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 separate indications including;

(i) a first flashing light that indicates, according to a location of the first flashing light, the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) a second flashing light that indicates, according to a frequency of the second flashing light, the intensity level of the sound,

wherein the wearable computing system provides a view of the real-world environment of the wearable computing system, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the source of the sound is located either outside the view or in a periphery of the view.

8. The wearable computing system of claim 7, wherein the display system is configured to display different colors for different intensity levels of the sound.

9. A computer-implemented method comprising:

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

analyzing the audio data to determine (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 separate indications including;

(i) a first flashing light that indicates, according to a location of the first flashing light, the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) a second flashing light that indicates, according to a frequency of the second flashing light, the intensity level of the sound.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

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

analyzing the audio data to determine (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 separate indications including;

(i) a first flashing light that indicates, according to a location of the first flashing light, the direction of the source of the sound and (ii) a second flashing light that indicates, according to a frequency of the second flashing light, the intensity level of the sound;

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.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the other indication is a text indication that describes the source of the sound.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the other indication is a video that corresponds to the source of the sound.