Dynamic control of audio resources in a device with multiple displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10616489-B2
Application number	US-201715666406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2017
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

Methods and devices for dynamically selecting an audio resource may include receiving a request to use at least one microphone on the computer device. The methods and devices may include determining, by the operating system, a dynamic orientation of a first device portion and a second device portion of the computer device based on sensor information. The methods and devices may include selecting at least one microphone for use based on the physical location information of the at least one microphone and the dynamic orientation of the first device portion and the second device portion, wherein the physical location information corresponds to a static orientation of the at least one microphone on the computer device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer device, comprising:
a first device portion;
a second device portion;
a plurality of microphones, including at least a first microphone associated with the first device portion and at least a second microphone associated with the second device portion;
a connector that rotatably connects the first device portion and the second device a memory to store data and instructions;
a processor in communication with the memory; and
an operating system in communication with the memory and the processor, wherein the operating system is operable to:
receive a request from at least one application executing on the computer device to use at least one microphone on the computer device, wherein the at least one application defines an application use of the at least one microphone;
receive a dynamic orientation of the first device portion and the second device portion based on sensor information, wherein the sensor information includes a connector status of the connector and an angular distance between the first device portion and the second device portion; and
select a set of one or more microphones from the plurality of microphones for use by the at least one application based on a combination of the application use, physical location information of the set of one or more microphones, the dynamic orientation of the first device portion and the second device portion, and an orientation of a camera resource selected for use with the at least one application, wherein the physical location information corresponds to a static orientation of the set of one or more microphones on the computer device.

2. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is further operable to determine the dynamic orientation of the first device portion and the second device portion by comparing the connector status and the angular distance to a connector threshold to determine a general orientation and a relative position of the first device portion and the second device portion.

3. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is further operable to select another microphone for use when the dynamic orientation of the first device portion or the second device portion changes.

4. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is further operable to:
dynamically change the at least one microphone selected for use when a different application requests use of the at least one microphone.

5. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is further operable to select at least one speaker to use based on the physical location information of the at least one speaker and the dynamic orientation of the first device portion and the second device portion, wherein the physical location information corresponds to a static orientation of the at least one speaker on the computer device.

6. The computer device of claim 5 , wherein the operating system is further operable to dynamically change the at least one speaker selected for use when the dynamic orientation of the first device portion or the second device portion changes.

7. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the process is further operable to use the at least one microphone to record audio information.

8. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the application use includes using the first device portion and the second device portion, and
wherein the set of one or more microphones includes the first microphone associated with the first device portion and the second microphone associated with the second device portion.

9. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more microphones are on a same device portion as the camera resource selected for use with the at least one application.

10. A method for dynamically selecting an audio resource, the method comprising:
receiving, by an operating system on a computer device, a request from at least one application executing on the computer device to use at least one microphone on the computer device, wherein the at least one application defines an application use of the at least one microphone;
determining, by the operating system, a dynamic orientation of a first device portion and a second device portion of the computer device based on sensor information, wherein the sensor information includes a connector status of a connector that rotatably connects the first device portion and the second device portion and an angular distance between the first device portion, and the second device portion; and
selecting a set of one or more microphones from a plurality of microphones for use by the at least one application based on a combination of the application use, physical location information of the set of one or more microphones, the dynamic orientation of the first device portion and the second device portion, and an orientation of a camera resource selected for use with the at least one application, wherein the physical location information corresponds to a static orientation of the set of one or more microphones on the computer device and the plurality of microphones includes at least a first microphone associated with the first device portion and at least a second microphone associated with the second device portion.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the dynamic orientation of the first device portion and the second device portion is determined by comparing the connector status and the angular distance to a connector threshold to determine a general orientation and a relative position of the first device portion and the second device portion.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
selecting another microphone for use when the dynamic orientation of the first device portion or the second device portion changes.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
dynamically changing the at least one microphone selected for use when a different application requests use of the at least one microphone.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
selecting at least one speaker to use based on the physical location information of the at least one speaker and the dynamic orientation of the first device portion and the second device portion, wherein the physical location information corresponds to a static orientation of the at least one speaker on the computer device.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
dynamically changing the at least one speaker selected for use when the dynamic orientation of the first device portion or the second device portion changes.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one microphone is used to record audio information.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application use includes using the first device portion and the second device portion, and
wherein the set of one or more microphones includes the first microphone associated with the first device portion and the second microphone associated with the second device portion.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving the request from two applications executing on the computer device;
selecting the first microphone for use with a first application of the two applications for the application use based on the physical location information of the first microphone and the dynamic orientation of the first device portion and the second device portion; and
selecting the second microphone for use with a second application of the two applications for the application use based on the physical location information of the second microphone and the dynamic orientat

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Lei Maria Cheng
• Jain Vishal

Classifications

• G06F1/1692

  the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders · CPC title

• G06F1/1649

  the additional display being independently orientable, e.g. for presenting information to a second user · CPC title

• H04M1/0264

  for a camera module assembly · CPC title

• H04M1/0214

  Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position (combined with translation movement H04M1/0235) · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title