Gesture-controlled tabletop speaker system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10474420-B2
Application number	US-201816159333-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2018
Priority date	Jan 6, 2014
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A speaker system includes a case, an audio input, speakers, an accelerometer, and a computer processor. The audio input is structured to receive a program audio signal from an audio device. The speakers are configured to play an audio output based on the program audio signal, the audio output causing a vibration of the case. The accelerometer is configured to detect the vibration of the case as well as a user tap on the case. The computer processor is configured to identify a user gesture that includes the tap on the case, to identify the tap apart from the case vibration by processing the detected vibration of the case and the detected user tap on the case based on information from the program audio signal to separate the detected user tap from the detected vibration, and to commence a particular function associated with the user gesture.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An audio system comprising:
a speaker configured to output audio corresponding to audio content;
a vibration detector configured to detect a set of vibrations; and
a hardware processor configured to distinguish a first vibration from the set of vibrations and a second vibration from the set of vibrations based at least in part on the audio content received by an audio receiver, the first vibration corresponding to the audio output by the speaker and the second vibration corresponding to interaction by a user with the audio system.

2. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the audio content is received from an electronic device via a wireless connection.

3. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the audio content is received from an electronic device via a wired connection.

4. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the vibration detector includes one or more of an accelerometer, a piezoelectric sensor, or a piezoresistive sensor.

5. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the second vibration corresponds to the user tapping the audio system.

6. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
determine a command based at least in part on the second vibration detected by the vibration detector; and
perform an operation with respect to the audio system corresponding to the command.

7. The audio system of claim 1 further comprising a microphone configured to receive ambient audio.

8. The audio system of claim 7 wherein the hardware processor is further configured to distinguish the second vibration from a third vibration based at least in part on the ambient audio received by the microphone, the third vibration corresponding to the ambient audio.

9. The audio system of claim 7 wherein the hardware processor is further configured to perform echo cancellation using an acoustic model generated by at least in part using the ambient audio received by the microphone.

10. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the hardware processor is further configured to determine a time between a first interaction and a second interaction by the user with the audio system.

11. The audio system of claim 1 further comprising a proximity detector configured to detect a position or motion of a portion of the user.

12. The audio system of claim 11 wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
determine a command based at least in part on the position or motion of the portion of the user detected by the proximity detector; and
perform an operation with respect to the audio system corresponding to the command.

13. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
generate a user configuration file based on one or more vibrations detected by the vibration detector during a configuration time period corresponding to one or more interactions with the audio system by the user during the configuration time period; and
distinguish the first vibration and the second vibration from the set of vibrations based at least in part on the audio content received by the audio receiver and the user configuration file.

14. The audio system of claim 13 wherein the configuration time period occurs at an earlier time period than an occurrence of the interaction by the user with the audio system corresponding to the second vibration.

15. A speaker-equipped electronic system comprising:
a wireless interface configured to receive audio content; and
a speaker system including a speaker, a vibration detector, and a hardware processor, the speaker configured to output audio corresponding to the audio content, the vibration detector configured to detect a set of vibrations of the speaker system, and the hardware processor configured to distinguish a first vibration and a second vibration from the set of vibrations based at least in part on the audio content, the first vibration corresponding to the audio output by the speaker and the second vibration corresponding to interaction by a user with the speaker system.

16. The speaker-equipped electronic system of claim 15 wherein the vibration detector includes one or more of an accelerometer, a piezoelectric sensor, or a piezoresistive sensor.

17. The speaker-equipped electronic system of claim 15 wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
determine a command based at least in part on the second vibration detected by the vibration detector; and
perform an operation with respect to the speaker system corresponding to the command.

18. The speaker-equipped electronic system of claim 15 wherein the hardware processor is further configured to distinguish the second vibration from a third vibration based at least in part on ambient audio received by a microphone, the third vibration corresponding to the ambient audio.

19. The speaker-equipped electronic system of claim 15 wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
determine a command based at least in part on the position or motion of a portion of the user detected by a proximity detector; and
perform an operation with respect to the speaker system corresponding to the command.

20. A method of controlling a speaker system, the method comprising:
receiving, at an audio receiver of the speaker system, audio content to be output by the speaker system;
outputting, using a speaker of the speaker system, audio corresponding to the audio content;
detecting, using a vibration detector of the speaker system, a set of vibrations of the speaker system;
distinguishing, using a hardware processor of the speaker system, a first set of vibrations from a second set of vibrations based at least in part on the audio content received by the audio receiver, the first set of vibrations corresponding to the audio output by the speaker and the second set of vibrations corresponding to interaction by a user with the speaker system, the first and second set of vibrations included in the set of vibrations detected by the vibration detector.

Assignees

• Avnera Corp

Inventors

• Khaira Manpreet S
• O'Connor Shawn
• Prestrelski Frank
• Quinn Patrick Allen
• Sorensen Richard Andrew
• Sorensen Eric

Classifications

• G06F3/167

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

• G06F3/0304

  Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042) · CPC title

• G06F3/165 Primary

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• H04R2201/02

  Details casings, cabinets or mounting therein for transducers covered by H04R1/02 but not provided for in any of its subgroups · CPC title

• H04R2430/01

  Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems · CPC title