Audio apparatus adaptable to user position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11272302-B2
Application number	US-202017038911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2020
Priority date	Nov 18, 2015
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

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 speaker, a communicator and a processor,
wherein the processor of each corresponding sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules is configured to:
process an audio signal of a channel among a plurality of channels to be output as sound through the speaker of the corresponding sub-module;
identify a current orientation of a user facing toward a sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules based on a movement history of the user; and
control the sound output by the speaker of each sub-module based on the identified current orientation of the user.

2. The audio apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor of each corresponding sub-module is further configured to select the channel to be output by the corresponding sub-module among the plurality of channels within the audio signal to be different from channels of remaining sub-modules among the plurality of sub-modules.

3. The audio apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor of each corresponding sub-module is further configured to control a volume level of the selected channel to be higher than volume levels of the channels of the remaining sub-modules.

4. 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 speaker, a communicator and a processor,
wherein the processor of each corresponding sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules is configured to:
process an audio signal of a channel among a plurality of channels to be output as sound through the speaker of the corresponding sub-module;
identify a current orientation of a user; and
control the sound output by the speaker of the corresponding sub-module based on the identified current orientation of the user facing toward a sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules, and

wherein the processor of each corresponding sub-module is further configured to receive speech from the user through the microphone of the corresponding sub-module, based on the current orientation of the user facing the corresponding sub-module, and perform a function corresponding to the speech based on recognition of the speech.

5. The audio apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor of each corresponding sub-module is further configured to turn on the microphone of the corresponding sub-module through which the speech from the user is received and processors of remaining sub-modules of the plurality of sub-modules are configured to turn off microphones of the remaining sub-modules.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of 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 speaker, a communicator and a processor, the non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code for a method to be executed by the processor of each corresponding sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules, the method comprising:
processing an audio signal of a channel among a plurality of channels to be output as sound through the speaker of the corresponding sub-module;
identifying a current orientation of a user facing toward a sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules based on a movement history of the user; and
controlling the sound output by the speaker of the corresponding sub-module based on the identified current orientation of the user.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:
selecting the channel to be output by the corresponding sub-module among the plurality of channels within the audio signal to be different from channels of remaining sub-modules among the plurality of sub-modules.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
controlling a volume level of the selected channel to be higher than volume levels of the channels of the remaining sub-modules.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of 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 speaker, a communicator and a processor, the non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code for a method to be executed by the processor of each corresponding sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules, the method comprising:
processing an audio signal of a channel among a plurality of channels to be output as sound through the speaker of the corresponding sub-module;
identifying a current orientation of a user; and
controlling the sound output by the speaker of the corresponding sub-module based on the identified current orientation of the user facing toward a sub-module among the plurality of sub-modules,
wherein the method further comprises:
receiving speech from the user by the microphone of the corresponding sub-module, based on the current orientation of the user facing the corresponding sub-module, and performing a function corresponding to the speech based on recognition of the speech.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein the receiving comprises:
turning on the microphone of the corresponding sub-module through which the speech from the user is received while processors of remaining sub-modules among the plurality of sub-modules are configured to turn off microphones of the remaining sub-modules.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F3/16

  Sound input; Sound output (speech processing G10L) · CPC title

• H04R2227/005

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

• G10L15/00

  Speech recognition (G10L17/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04S7/303

  Tracking of listener position or orientation · CPC title

• H04R2201/021

  Transducers or their casings adapted for mounting in or to a wall or ceiling · CPC title