Audio content playback method and apparatus for portable terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11711663-B2
Application number	US-202117485821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2021
Priority date	Jan 7, 2013
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

An audio content playback method for a portable terminal. The audio content playback method includes checking a channel that is supportable by audio content that is currently engaged in group's simultaneous playback, in group's simultaneous playback of the audio content. The method includes allocating a channel to each of devices included in a group based on position information of each device included in the group or based on an input state in a user interface environment that is preset for channel allocation for each device included in the group, and transmitting the allocated channel information to each device included in the group to allow the device to select its allocated channel and play the audio content.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An audio content playback method for a portable terminal, the audio content playback method comprising:
checking by a controller a group of devices engaged in simultaneous playback of audio content;
allocating by the controller a channel of audio to each of devices included in the group of devices; and
displaying a list of the devices engaged in simultaneous playback of the audio content.

2. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium having recorded thereon a program that is executed by the controller to operate the audio content playback method of claim 1 , wherein the controller is the controller of the portable terminal.

3. An audio content playback method for a portable terminal, the audio content playback method comprising:
checking by a controller a group of devices (group) engaged in simultaneous playback of audio content;
allocating by the controller a channel of audio to each of devices included in the group based on a position information of each device included in the group or based on an input state in a user interface environment that is preset for channel allocation for each device included in the group; and
displaying a list of the devices included in the group.

4. The audio content playback method of claim 3 , wherein the user interface environment that is preset for channel allocation for each device included in the group comprises:
a plurality of menu selection items provided in advance to receive selection of a channel allocation scheme corresponding to a supportable channel of the audio content; and
sub-menu selection items for selecting a channel for each device included in the group based on the supportable channel of the audio content.

5. The audio content playback method of claim 4 , wherein information of the devices currently allocated for each channel is displayed on the sub-menu selection items.

6. The audio content playback method of claim 4 , further comprising displaying on a channel allocation main screen the sub-menu selection items provided in advance to receive selection of the channel allocation scheme corresponding to the supportable channel of the audio content are displayed, in which the channel allocation main screen that is provided in advance for each channel allocation scheme corresponds to the supportable channel of the audio content, and
additionally displaying on the channel allocation main screen:
a plurality of touch key input items provided in advance for each channel allocation scheme corresponding to the supportable channel of the audio content; and
touch key input items for checking the list of the devices included in the group and channel allocation states of the devices included in the group.

7. The audio content playback method of claim 6 , wherein on the channel allocation main screen are additionally displayed touch key input items provided in advance for each channel as at least a part of the sub-menu selection items for selecting channels for each device included in the group based on the supportable channel of the audio content.

8. The audio content playback method of claim 7 , wherein, as a sub-menu of the touch key input items provided in advance for each channel, the list of the devices included in the group and channel allocation states of the devices are displayed as the touch key input items.

9. The audio content playback method of claim 7 , wherein additionally displaying on the channel allocation main screen a touch key input item provided in advance for automatic channel allocation.

10. An audio content playback method for a portable terminal, the audio content playback method comprising:
checking by a controller a group of devices (group) engaged in simultaneous playback of audio content;
allocating by the controller a channel of audio to each of devices included in the group; and
displaying a list of the devices included in the group with
channel allocation states for each devices.

11. A portable terminal comprising:
a controller;
a mobile communication unit configured to perform a wireless signal processing operation for a mobile communication function;
an auxiliary communication unit for short-range communication with a group of devices;
an audio input/output unit receives an audible input, or outputs audible sound; and
a storage unit comprising having recorded thereon machine executable code that is executed by the controller for controlling playback of audio content playback operation by each device of the group of devices simultaneously,
wherein the controller checks the group of devices engaged in simultaneous playback of audio content, allocates a channel of audio to each of devices included in the group of devices; and displays a list of the devices engaged in simultaneous playback of the audio content.

12. A portable terminal comprising:
a controller;
a mobile communication unit configured to perform a wireless signal processing operation for a mobile communication function;
an auxiliary communication unit for short-range communication with a group of devices (group);
an audio input/output unit receives an audible input, or outputs audible sound; and
a storage unit comprising having recorded thereon machine executable code that is executed by the controller for controlling playback of audio content playback operation by each device of the group simultaneously,
wherein the controller checks the group engaged in simultaneous playback of audio content, allocates a channel of audio to each of devices included in the group based on a position information of each device included in the group or based on an input state in a user interface environment that is preset for channel allocation for each device included in the group; and
displays a list of the devices included in the group.

13. The portable terminal of claim 12 , wherein the user interface environment that is preset for channel allocation for each device included in the group comprises:
a plurality of menu selection items provided in advance to receive selection of a channel allocation scheme corresponding to a supportable channel of the audio content; and
sub-menu selection items for selecting a channel for each device included in the group based on the supportable channel of the audio content.

14. The portable terminal of claim 13 , wherein information of the devices currently allocated for each channel is displayed on the sub-menu selection items.

15. The portable terminal of claim 13 , the controller further displays on a channel allocation main screen the sub-menu selection items provided in advance to receive selection of the channel allocation scheme corresponding to the supportable channel of the audio content are displayed, in which the channel allocation main screen that is provided in advance for each channel allocation scheme corresponds to the supportable channel of the audio content, and
additionally displays on the channel allocation main screen:
a plurality of touch key input items provided in advance for each channel allocation scheme corresponding to the supportable channel of the audio content; and
touch key input items for checking the list of the devices included in the group and channel allocation states of the devices included in the group.

16. The portable terminal of claim 15 , wherein on the channel allocation main screen are additionally displayed touch key input items provided in advance for each channel as at least a part of the sub-menu selection items for selecting channels for each device included in the group based on the supportable channel of the audio content.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jung-Mi
• Choi Kyu-Ok
• Um Ji-Hyun

Classifications

• H04S7/30 Primary

  Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• H04N21/43076

  of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices · CPC title