Transmit audio in a target space

• US 9,986,337 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2017
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Ashcraft, Britt C., Chen, Eric, Cheng, Sandie Ning Ning
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul S
• Application Number:
  US15/406,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20170127185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 381 59, 381111, 381123, 381305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/323 for loudspeakers H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/305 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Implementations disclosed herein relate to transmitting audio in a target space relative to an electronic device using a directional speaker and non-directional speaker. In one implementation, a directional speaker or non-directional speaker is selected to transmit audio based on a target space for the audio. The audio may then be transmitted from the selected speaker.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a directional speaker;

a non-directional speaker; and

a processor to;

determine a characteristic of a target audio space;

select between the directional speaker and the non-directional speaker based on the characteristic of the target audio space;

in response to a selection of the directional speaker, transmit audio using the directional speaker; and

in response to a selection of the non-directional speaker, transmit audio using the non-directional speaker.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the target audio space is a relative position of an audience to the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the relative position of an audience to the electronic device is specified by a setting of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the target audio space is a size of the target audio space, and wherein the processor is to determine to transmit audio from the non-directional speaker in response to a determination that the size of the target audio space is larger than a size threshold.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the processor is to determine to transmit audio from the directional speaker in response to a determination that the size of the target audio space is not larger than the size threshold.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the size threshold is specified by a user setting of the electronic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the target audio space is an audience size.

8. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processor, a characteristic of a target audio space, the target audio space to receive for audio from an electronic device, the electronic device comprising both a directional speaker and a non-directional speaker;

selecting, by the processor, between the directional speaker and the non-directional speaker based on the characteristic of the target audio space;

in response to a selection of the directional speaker, outputting audio using the directional speaker; and

in response to a selection of the non-directional speaker, outputting audio using the non-directional speaker.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the characteristic of the target audio space is a size of the target audio space, and further comprising:

determining, by the processor, whether the size of the target audio space is larger than a size threshold; and

in response to a determination that the size of the target audio space is larger than a size threshold, determining, by the processor, to transmit audio from the non-directional speaker.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to a determination that the size of the target audio space is not larger than the size threshold, determining, by the processor, to transmit audio from the directional speaker.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the size threshold is specified by a user setting of the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the characteristic of the target audio space is an audience size.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the characteristic of the target audio space is a relative position of an audience to the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the relative position of the audience to the electronic device is specified by a setting of the electronic device.

15. A non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to:

determine a characteristic of a target audio space, the target audio space to receive for audio from an electronic device, the electronic device comprising both a directional speaker and a non-directional speaker;

select between the directional speaker and the non-directional speaker based on the characteristic of the target audio space;

in response to a selection of the directional speaker, transmit audio using the directional speaker; and

in response to a selection of the non-directional speaker, transmit audio using the non-directional speaker.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15, wherein the characteristic of the target audio space is a size of the target audio space, and further comprising instructions to:

determine whether the size of the target audio space is larger than a size threshold; and

in response to a determination that the size of the target audio space is larger than a size threshold, determine to transmit audio from the non-directional speaker.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions to:

in response to a determination that the size of the target audio space is not larger than the size threshold, determine to transmit audio from the directional speaker.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 16, wherein the size threshold is specified by a user setting of the electronic device.

19. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15, wherein the characteristic of the target audio space is an audience size.

20. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15, wherein the characteristic of the target audio space is a relative position of an audience to the electronic device.