Devices, methods, and user interfaces for adaptively providing audio outputs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12118974-B2
Application number	US-202318099845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2023
Priority date	May 6, 2019
Publication date	Oct 15, 2024
Grant date	Oct 15, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device includes one or more pose sensors for detecting a pose of a user of the electronic device relative to a first physical environment and is in communication with one or more audio output devices. While a first pose of the user meets first presentation criteria, the electronic device provides audio content at a first simulated spatial location relative to the user. The electronic device detects a change in the pose of the user from the first pose to a second pose. In response to detecting the change in the pose of the user, and in accordance with a determination that the second pose of the user does not meet the first presentation criteria, the electronic device provides audio content at a second simulated spatial location relative to the user that is different from the first simulated spatial location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable audio output device, comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing one or more programs, the one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
providing first audio output, including:
first audio corresponding to audio content from an electronic device in communication with the wearable audio output device, the first audio being provided at a first device-content audio level; and
second audio corresponding to ambient sound from a physical environment of the wearable audio output device, the second audio being provided at a first ambient-sound audio level;

while providing the first audio output, detecting speech in the physical environment, the speech meeting one or more criteria; and
in response to detecting the speech, providing second audio output, the second audio output including the second audio being provided at a second ambient-sound audio level that is different than the first ambient-sound audio level.

2. The wearable audio output device of claim 1 , wherein the second audio output includes the first audio being provided at a second device-content audio level that is less than the first device-content audio level.

3. The wearable audio output device of claim 2 , wherein providing the second audio output comprises pausing the first audio.

4. The wearable audio output device of claim 1 , wherein:
the second audio comprises audio configured to cancel at least a portion of the ambient sound; and
providing the second audio at the second ambient-sound audio level comprises configuring the second audio to cancel less of the ambient sound than is canceled by the second audio provided at the first ambient-sound audio level.

5. The wearable audio output device of claim 4 , wherein the second ambient-sound audio level is zero.

6. The wearable audio output device of claim 1 , wherein the second audio being provided at the second ambient-sound audio level comprises active passthrough of the ambient sound.

7. The wearable audio output device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for, in response to ceasing to detect the speech, providing third audio output, the third audio output including the second audio being provided at the first ambient-sound audio level.

8. The wearable audio output device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more criteria include a criterion regarding an audio level of the speech relative to an audio level of the ambient sound.

9. The wearable audio output device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting a change in one or more audio properties of the physical environment; and
in response to detecting the change in the one or more audio properties, providing third audio output, the third audio output including the second audio being provided at a third ambient-sound audio level that is different than the first ambient-sound audio level.

10. The wearable audio output device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting a change in one or more audio properties of the physical environment; and
in response to detecting the change in the one or more audio properties, providing third audio output, the third audio output including the first audio being provided at a second device-content audio level that is different than the first device-content audio level.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions that, when executed by a wearable audio output device with one or more processors and memory, cause the wearable audio output device to: provide first audio output, including:
first audio corresponding to audio content from an electronic device in communication with the wearable audio output device, the first audio being provided at a first device-content audio level; and
second audio corresponding to ambient sound from a physical environment of the wearable audio output device, the second audio being provided at a first ambient-sound audio level;
while providing the first audio output, detect speech in the physical environment, the speech meeting one or more criteria; and
in response to detecting the speech, provide second audio output, the second audio output including the second audio being provided at a second ambient-sound audio level that is different than the first ambient-sound audio level.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the second audio output includes the first audio being provided at a second device-content audio level that is less than the first device-content audio level.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein providing the second audio output comprises pausing the first audio.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein:
the second audio comprises audio configured to cancel at least a portion of the ambient sound; and
providing the second audio at the second ambient-sound audio level comprises configuring the second audio to cancel less of the ambient sound than is canceled by the second audio provided at the first ambient-sound audio level.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the second ambient-sound audio level is zero.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the second audio being provided at the second ambient-sound audio level comprises active passthrough of the ambient sound.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for, in response to ceasing to detect the speech, providing third audio output, the third audio output including the second audio being provided at the first ambient-sound audio level.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more criteria include a criterion regarding an audio level of the speech relative to an audio level of the ambient sound.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting a change in one or more audio properties of the physical environment; and
in response to detecting the change in the one or more audio properties, providing third audio output, the third audio output including the second audio being provided at a third ambient-sound audio level that is different than the first ambient-sound audio level.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting a change in one or more audio properties of the physical environment; and
in response to detecting the change in the one or more audio properties, providing third audio output, the third audio output including the first audio being provided at a second device-content audio level that is different than the first device-content audio level.

21. A method, comprising:
providing first audio output, including:
first audio corresponding to audio content from an electronic device in communication with a wearable audio output device, the first audio being provided at a first device-content audio level; and
second audio corresponding to ambient sound from a physical environment of the wearable audio output dev

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Lerner Mitchell R
• Mari Pedro

Classifications

• G10K11/17885

  additionally using a desired external signal, e.g. pass-through audio such as music or speech · CPC title

• G10K2210/1081

  Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets · CPC title

• G10K2210/3056

  Variable gain · CPC title

• G10K11/17873

  using a reference signal without an error signal, e.g. pure feedforward · CPC title

• G10K11/17827 Primary

  Desired external signals, e.g. pass-through audio such as music or speech · CPC title