Audio apparatus adaptable to user position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10499172-B2
Application number	US-201816176724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2018
Priority date	Nov 18, 2015
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

An audio apparatus adaptable to a user position is provided. The audio apparatus may include a plurality of sub-modules placed at separate locations from one another, each sub-module of the plurality of sub-modules including a loudspeaker configured to generate sound and a communicator configured to perform communication. The first sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules may include a processor that processes an audio signal to be output as sound through the loudspeaker of the first sub-module, determines a user's position with respect to each of the plurality of sub-modules, and changes a state of the sound being output from the loudspeaker of the first sub-module in accordance with the determined position of the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An audio apparatus comprising:
a plurality of sub-modules for placing at locations separate from one another, each sub-module of the plurality of sub-modules comprising a microphone, a loudspeaker, a communicator and a processor,
wherein the processor of a first sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules is configured to:
process an audio signal to be output as sound through the loudspeaker of the first sub-module,
identify a position of a user with respect to the first sub-module of the plurality of sub-modules,
turn up a volume level of the microphone of the first sub-module in response to the identified position of the user moving closer to the first sub-module than to a second sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules, and
turn down the volume level of the microphone of the first sub-module in response to the identified position of the user moving closer to the second sub-module than to the first sub-module, and
wherein the processor is further configured to control a volume level of the sound being output through the loudspeaker in accordance with the identified position of the user.

2. The audio apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to define an area corresponding to positions of the plurality of sub-modules based on distances between the plurality of sub-modules, and determine the position of the user with respect to the defined area.

3. The audio apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a first distance between the first sub-module and the second sub-module based on a time taken by an ultrasonic wave to be output from the loudspeaker of the first sub-module, reflected from the second sub-module and received by the microphone of the first sub-module.

4. The audio apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive information about a second distance between the second sub-module and a third sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules, from one of the second sub-module and the third sub-module through the communicator of the first sub-module.

5. The audio apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first sub-module comprises at least two microphones configured to receive sounds that are output by the first sub-module and the second sub-module, and
wherein the processor is further configured to determine the position of the user based on a phase difference between the sounds respectively received by the at least two microphones.

6. The audio apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to select a channel of a plurality of channels within the audio signal, the selected channel corresponding to the identified position of the user, and control a volume level of the selected channel to be different from volume levels of remaining channels of the plurality of channels.

7. The audio apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the each sub-module of the plurality of sub-modules further comprises a display configured to display information related to the audio signal, and the microphone is configured to receive a sound input.

8. The audio apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive speech from the user by the microphone, retrieve contact information of a call recipient specified by the speech from a mobile phone connectable to the communicator, and dial the call recipient through the mobile phone.

9. The audio apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first sub-module further comprises a display, and
wherein the processor is further configured to activate the display, while the display is deactivated, in response to the identified position of the user moving closer to the first sub-module than to the second sub-module, and
deactivate the display in response to the identified position of the user moving closer to the second sub-module than to the first sub-module.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of an audio apparatus comprising a plurality of sub-modules for placing at separate locations from one another, the non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code for a method to be executed by a processor of a first sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules, the method comprising:
processing an audio signal to be output as sound through a loudspeaker of the first sub-module,
identifying a position of a user with respect to the first sub-module of the plurality of sub-modules,
turning up a volume level of a microphone of the first sub-module in response to the identified position of the user moving closer to the first sub-module than to a second sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules, and
turning down the volume level of the microphone of the first sub-module in response to the identified position of the user moving closer to the second sub-module than to the first sub-module.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10 , wherein the identifying comprises:
defining an area corresponding to positions of the plurality of sub-modules based on distances between the plurality of sub-modules, and
determining the position of the user with respect to the defined area.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein the defining comprises:
determining a first distance between the first sub-module and the second sub-module based on a time taken by an ultrasonic wave to be output from the loudspeaker of the first sub-module, reflected from the second sub-module and received by the microphone of the first sub-module.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the defining comprises:
receiving information about a second distance between the second sub-module and a third sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules, from one of the second sub-module and the third sub-module.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10 , wherein the first sub-module comprises at least two microphones configured to receive sounds that are output by the first sub-module and the second sub-module, and
wherein the identifying comprises:
determining the position of the user based on a phase difference between the sounds respectively received by the at least two microphones.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10 , further comprising:
selecting a channel of a plurality of channels within the audio signal, the selected channel corresponding to the identified position of the user, and
controlling a volume level of the selected channel to be different from volume levels of remaining channels of the plurality of channels.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10 , further comprising:
controlling a volume level of the sound being output through the loudspeaker in accordance with the identified position of the user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10 , wherein the each sub-module of the plurality of sub-modules further comprises a display configured to display information related to the audio signal, and the microphone is configured to receive a sound input.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving speech from the user by the microphone,
retrieving contact information of a call recipient specified by the speech from a mobile phone connectable to the first sub-module, and
dialing the call recipient through the mobile phone.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jee-Hoon
• Law David
• Vasquez Phillip
• Hayes Robin
• Choo You-Na

Classifications

• H04R1/02

  Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075}) · CPC title

• H04S2400/13

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

• G01S5/18

  using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title

• H04S7/303

  Tracking of listener position or orientation · CPC title

• H04R2227/005

  Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use · CPC title