Audio correlation selection scheme

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10652718-B2
Application number	US-201715461464-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2017
Priority date	Mar 16, 2017
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to connecting wireless devices based on a correlation between different audio sources. For example, according to various aspects, a first wireless device may capture sound via a microphone and receive audio content from a second wireless device via a wireless receiver. Accordingly, a wireless connection may be established between the first and second wireless devices based on a substantial match between the sound captured via the microphone and the audio content received via the wireless receiver. For example, the sound captured via the microphone may be output from a speaker on the second wireless device. In other examples, the received audio content may be sound captured via a local microphone at the second wireless device. In either case, the correlation between the audio received through the microphone and the audio content received over a radio may substantially simplify the procedure(s) used to connect two audio-enabled devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for connecting wireless devices, comprising:
listening via a microphone at a first wireless device;
playing, via a speaker at a second wireless device, a sound including an indicator, the indicator including an audio chirp;
playing, via the speaker at the second wireless device, an audio stream including audio content;
searching, at the first wireless device, in response to capturing, via the microphone, the sound including the indicator, for a wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the second wireless device;
detecting, via a wireless receiver at the first wireless device, the wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the second wireless device;
determining a delay between the sound captured via the microphone and the audio content contained in the wireless audio stream;
detecting a substantial match based on a substantial similarity between the sound captured via the microphone and the audio content contained in the wireless audio stream in combination with the determined delay falling within an expected range; and
establishing, at the first wireless device, a wireless connection with the second wireless device.

2. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein establishing a wireless connection with the second wireless device includes pairing the first wireless device with the second wireless device.

3. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the audio content received via the wireless receiver comprises sound captured at the second wireless device via a local microphone at the second wireless device.

4. The method recited in claim 3 , wherein the substantial match between the sound captured via the microphone and the audio content transmitted by the second wireless device indicates that the first wireless device and the second wireless device are in the same proximate environment.

5. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising searching for the wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the second wireless device at periodic intervals.

6. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the second wireless device via the established wireless connection; and
playing the audio content contained in the received wireless audio stream via a local speaker.

7. The method recited in claim 6 , wherein the audio content contained in the received wireless audio stream comprises at least one audio message that is repeated one or more times.

8. The method recited in claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving, from the second wireless device, a transcript corresponding to the at least one audio message via the established wireless connection; and
displaying the received transcript on a local display.

9. An apparatus, comprising:
a microphone configured to capture proximate sound and an audio stream, the proximate sound including an indicator, the indicator including an audio chirp, the audio stream including audio content, and the proximate sound output via a speaker at a second wireless device;
a wireless receiver configured to detect a wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the second wireless device; and
at least one processor configured to:
initiate a search, in response to capturing, via the microphone, the proximate sound including the indicator, for the wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the second wireless device,
detect, via the wireless receiver, the wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the second wireless device,
determine a delay between the proximate sound captured via the microphone and the audio content contained in the wireless audio stream,
detect a substantial match based on a substantial similarity between the proximate sound captured via the microphone and the audio content contained in the wireless audio stream in combination with the determined delay falling within an expected range, and
establish a wireless connection with the second wireless device.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9 , wherein establishing a wireless connection with the second wireless device includes pairing the apparatus with the second wireless device.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 9 , wherein the audio content received via the wireless receiver comprises sound captured at the wireless device via a local microphone at the wireless device.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , wherein the substantial match between the proximate sound captured via the microphone and the audio content transmitted by the wireless device indicates that the apparatus and the wireless device are in the same proximate environment.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to search for the wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the wireless device at periodic intervals.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 9 , further comprising:
a local speaker configured to play the audio content contained in the wireless audio stream, wherein the wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the wireless device is received via the established wireless connection.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 14 , wherein the audio content contained in the received wireless audio stream comprises at least one audio message that is repeated one or more times.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 15 , further comprising:
a local display configured to display a transcript corresponding to the at least one audio message, wherein the wireless receiver is configured to receive the transcript via the established wireless connection.

17. An apparatus, comprising:
means for capturing proximate sound, the proximate sound including an indicator, the indicator including an audio chirp, and an audio stream including audio content, the proximate sound output via a speaker at a wireless device;
means for searching, in response to capturing the proximate sound including the indicator, for a wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the wireless device;
means for detecting the wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the wireless device;
means for determining a delay between the sound captured via the microphone and the audio content contained in the wireless audio stream;
means for detecting a substantial match based on a substantial similarity between the captured proximate sound and the audio content contained in the wireless audio stream in combination with the determined delay falling within an expected range; and
means for establishing a wireless connection with the wireless device.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 17 , wherein establishing a wireless connection with the second wireless device includes pairing the apparatus with the wireless device.

19. The apparatus recited in claim 17 , wherein the received audio content comprises sound captured at the wireless device via a local microphone.

20. The apparatus recited in claim 19 , wherein the substantial match between the captured proximate sound and the audio content transmitted by the wireless device indicates that the apparatus and the wireless device are in the same proximate environment.

21. The apparatus recited in claim 17 , further comprising means for searching for the wireless audio stream containing the audio content transmitted by the wireless device at p

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Linsky Joel Benjamin
• Redding Brian Arnold

Classifications

• H04M1/6008

  in the transmitter circuit · CPC title

• H04R27/02

  Amplifying systems for the deaf · CPC title

• H04W8/005

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• H04W4/20

  Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel · CPC title

• H04W76/16

  Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer · CPC title