Method and apparatus for outputting audio in electronic device

• US 9,924,272 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Bang, Kyoung Ho, Yang, Hyunchul, Woo, Juhwan, Lee, Jae Seong, Kim, Kyuhan, Lee, Namil, Kim, Juntai, Lee, Chulhwan, Hwang, Ho-Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US15/171,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20170048619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 381101
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/12 Audiometering
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• 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: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method and device for processing an audio output in consideration of the hearing characteristics of a user and the characteristics of an audio device connected to an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a user interface; an audio interface configured to establish a connection to an audio device, a memory, and at least one processor electrically connected to the user interface, the memory, and the audio interface, wherein the at least one processor is configured to acquire at least one of identification information of the audio device and characteristics of the audio device, select audio adaptation information, change an audio signal, at least partially based on the audio adaptation information, and transmit the changed audio signal to the audio device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an audio interface configured to establish a connection to an audio device;

a memory configured to store instructions; and

at least one processor, operatively coupled to the memory and the audio interface,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the stored instructions to;

identify the audio device, based on an established connection;

identify audio adaptation information determined based on a frequency characteristic of the audio device and a hearing characteristic of a user of the electronic device;

determine, based on identifying the audio device, whether the audio device corresponds to a pre-registered audio device or not;

upon determining that the audio device corresponds to the pre-registered audio device, identify the audio adaptation information from the data that has been registered in the electronic device;

upon determining that the audio device does not correspond to the pre-registered audio device, determine the audio adaptation information by combining the frequency characteristic of the audio device and the hearing characteristic of the user; and

output, via the audio device, an audio signal, at least partially based on the identified audio adaptation information.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the stored instructions to:

wirelessly receive, based on the established connection, identification information of the audio device from the audio device; and

identify the audio device based on the received identification information.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the stored instructions to:

if the connection is by wire, identify the audio device by acquiring at least one of an impedance characteristic of the audio device or information on the audio device to determine characteristics of the audio device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the stored instructions to;

provide selected audio to the audio device;

receive a response to the selected audio through a user interface presented via the display, the response corresponding to at least one of the frequency characteristic or the hearing characteristic of the user; and

generate the audio adaptation information, at least partially based on the received response.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the stored instructions to determine whether to perform a hearing test for establishing the audio adaptation information or perform an audio output characteristic conversion based on stored audio adaptation information.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, further comprising:

a display,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the stored instructions to;

provide, via the display, a user interface when the processor determines to perform the hearing test;

perform the hearing test by combining the frequency characteristic of the audio device with the hearing characteristic of the user according to a user'"'"'s interaction on the user interface;

generate a profile related to the audio device based on the result of the hearing test; and

convert a profile, currently established in the electronic device, to the generated profile.

7. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the memory stores:

a profile database (DB) configured to store a profile of the audio device associated with device information of the audio device; and

an audio device information DB configured to store frequency information of the audio device associated with the device information of the audio device, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the stored instructions to;

determine frequency information of the audio device based on the frequency characteristic of the audio device;

combine currently established frequency information and the hearing characteristic of the user when the determined frequency information corresponds to the currently established frequency information; and

search for the frequency information stored in the audio device information DB when the determined frequency information does not correspond to the currently established frequency information, convert the currently established frequency information to the determined frequency information, and generate a profile by combining the converted frequency information and the hearing characteristic of the user.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

provide a list of audio devices associated with the audio device information DB when the determined frequency information does not correspond to the currently established frequency information; and

convert the currently established frequency information to frequency information selected by the user based on the list of audio devices.

9. A method of an electronic device, the method comprising:

establishing a connection to an audio device;

identifying the audio device based on the established connection;

identifying audio adaptation information determined based on a frequency characteristic of the audio device and a hearing characteristic of a user of the electronic device;

determining, based on identifying the audio device, whether the audio device corresponds to a pre-registered audio device or not;

upon determining that the audio device corresponds to the pre-registered audio device, identifying the audio adaptation information from data that has been registered in the electronic device;

upon determining that the audio device does not correspond to the pre-registered audio device, determining the audio adaptation information by combining the frequency characteristic of the audio device and the hearing characteristic of the user; and

outputting, via the audio device, an audio signal, at least partially based on the audio adaptation information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the identifying the audio device comprises:

if the connection is by wire, identifying the audio device by acquiring at least one of an impedance characteristic of the audio device or information on the audio device to determine the characteristics of the audio device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing selected audio to the audio device;

receiving a response to the selected audio through a user interface presented via a display of the electronic device, the response corresponding to at least one of the frequency characteristic or the hearing characteristic of the user; and

generating the audio adaptation information, at least partially based on the received response.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether to perform a hearing test for establishing the audio adaptation information or perform an audio output characteristic conversion based on stored audio adaptation information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing, via a display of the electronic device, a user interface when it is determined to perform the hearing test;

performing the hearing test by combining the frequency characteristic of the audio device with the hearing characteristic of the user according to a user'"'"'s interaction on the user interface;

generating a profile related to the audio device based on the result of the hearing test; and

converting a profile currently established in the electronic device, to the generated profile.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the electronic device stores:

a profile database (DB) configured to store a profile of the audio device associated with device information of the audio device; and

an audio device information DB configured to store frequency information of the audio device associated with the device information of the audio device, and

wherein the method further comprises;

determining frequency information of the audio device based on the frequency characteristic of the audio device;

combining currently established frequency information and the hearing characteristic of the user when the determined frequency information corresponds to the currently established frequency information; and

searching for the frequency information stored in the audio device information DB when the determined frequency information does not correspond to the currently established frequency information, converting the currently established frequency information to the determined frequency information, and generating a profile by combining the converted frequency information and the hearing characteristic of the user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a list of audio devices associated with the audio device information DB when the determined frequency information does not correspond to the currently established frequency information; and

converting the currently established frequency information to frequency information selected by the user based on the list of audio devices.