Wearable audio accessories for computing devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10264346-B2
Application number	US-201715782185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2017
Priority date	Feb 25, 2013
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

Wearable audio accessories for computing devices are described. In one embodiment the wearable audio accessory provides a speech based interface between the user and a nearby computing device for the performance of user-initiated or computing device initiated microtasks. Information is provided to the user via a loudspeaker and the user can provide input via a microphone. An audio sensing channel within the accessory continuously monitors the audio signal as detected by the microphone and in various embodiments will trigger more complex audio processing based on this monitoring. A wireless communication link is provided between the accessory and the nearby computing device. To mitigate any delay caused by the switching between audio processing techniques, the audio accessory may include a rolling buffer which continuously stores the audio signal and outputs a delayed audio signal to the audio processing engines.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An audio accessory comprising:
a directional loudspeaker and a directional microphone which together are arranged to provide a speech based interface between a user and a host computing device for both user-initiated microtasks and host computing device initiated microtasks and wherein the directional loudspeaker is operative to provide notifications for the host computing device initiated microtasks;
an always-on audio sensing channel and a speech detection module arranged to work together to continuously monitor an audio signal detected by the directional microphone and to trigger a first higher level of audio processing based on a detected level of the audio signal and to trigger a second higher level of audio processing based on detection of a predefined keyword;
the always-on audio sensing channel and the speech detection module being further arranged to work together to control notifications to the user based at least in part on a determination that the user is having a conversation;
a wireless interface arranged to provide a communication link between the audio accessory and the host computing device; and
a sensor arrangement arranged to detect whether the accessory is attached, via an attachment mechanism, to an object or to the user.

2. An audio accessory according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a power control mechanism arranged to control operation of the always-on audio sensing channel based on the output of the sensor arrangement.

3. An audio accessory according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor arrangement is further arranged to trigger a requirement for re authentication between the audio accessory and the host computing device following detection of detachment of the audio accessory from the object.

4. An audio accessory according to claim 1 , further comprising an audio buffer arranged to provide a recording loop for the audio signal detected via the microphone to accommodate any latency associated with keyword detection.

5. An audio accessory according to claim 1 , wherein the speech based interface comprises an audio processing hierarchy comprising at least three levels.

6. An audio accessory according to claim 1 , wherein the microphone is arranged to output a delayed audio signal to a speech detection module located in the host computing device via the wireless interface.

7. An audio accessory according to claim 1 , wherein the audio accessory comprises two modes of operation, a first mode for performing microtasks and a second mode for extended tasks.

8. An audio accessory according to claim 1 , wherein the speech based interface is arranged to provide audible notifications to the user and wherein a notification is triggered by software running on the host computing device.

9. An audio accessory according to claim 1 , further comprising a physical control and wherein a user input received via the physical control is arranged to trigger provision of additional information relating to a notification to the user via the speech based interface or to initiate a speech-based interaction.

10. An audio accessory according to claim 1 , wherein the speech detection module is at least partially implemented using hardware logic selected from any one or more of: a field-programmable gate array, a program specific integrated circuit, a program-specific standard product, a system-on-a-chip, and a complex programmable logic device.

11. A method of controlling operation of an audio accessory for a host computing device, the method comprising:
arranging a directional loudspeaker and a directional microphone to provide a speech based interface between a user and the host computing device for both user initiated microtasks and host computing device initiated microtasks and wherein the directional loudspeaker is operative for providing notifications for the host computing device initiated microtasks;
arranging an always-on audio sensing channel and a speech detection module to continuously monitor an audio signal detected by the directional microphone and to trigger a first higher level of audio processing based on a detected level of the audio signal and to trigger a second higher level of audio processing based on detection of a predefined keyword;
arranging the always-on audio sensing channel and the speech detection module to control notifications to the user based at least in part on a determination that the user is having a conversation;
providing, via a wireless interface, a communication link between the audio accessory and the host computing device; and
detecting, via a sensor arrangement, whether the accessory is attached to an object or to the user.

12. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
canceling authentication between the host computing device and the audio accessory in response to detecting detachment of the audio accessory from an object.

13. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
providing a signal from a microphone or other sensor in the audio accessory to context sensing software in the host computing device via the wireless interface in the audio accessory.

14. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
storing, in an audio buffer providing a recording loop, an audio signal detected via the microphone in the audio accessory; and
outputting a delayed audio signal to audio processing elements in the audio accessory or the host computing device.

15. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
determining whether to provide an alert based on a pre-determined length of time without any speech detected by the speech detection module;
determining whether to delay the alert based on whether the alert is appropriate; determining a type of the alert to provide based on whether the alert is delayed; and
displaying status information on a wireless interface, the wireless interface including a display and light emitting diodes (LEDs).

16. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising controlling operation of the always-on audio sensing channel based on output of the sensor arrangement.

17. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising triggering a requirement for re-authentication between the audio accessory and the host computing device following detection of detachment of the audio accessory from the object.

18. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising providing a recording loop for the audio signal detected via the microphone to accommodate any latency associated with keyword detection.

19. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the speech based interface comprises an audio processing hierarchy comprising at least three levels.

20. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising initiating a speech based interaction in response to a user input received via a physical control.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Hodges Stephen E
• Helmes John
• Philipose Matthai
• Priyantha Nissanka Arachchige Bodhi

Classifications

• H04R1/1091 Primary

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title

• H04M2250/74

  with voice recognition means · CPC title

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• H04M1/6066 Primary

  including a wireless connection · CPC title