Spatial management of audio

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12131097-B2
Application number	US-202318134527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2023
Priority date	Sep 26, 2018
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to user interfaces for managing spatial audio. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for transitioning between visual elements. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for previewing audio. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for discovering music. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for managing headphone transparency. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for manipulating multiple audio streams of an audio source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a display;
a touch-sensitive surface;
one or more processors; and
memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, wherein the electronic device is operably connected with two or more speakers including a first speaker and a second speaker, the one or more programs including instructions for:
producing, using the two or more speakers, audio using a single audio source in a first mode, wherein the single audio source includes a plurality of audio streams, including a first audio stream and a second audio stream;
detecting, using the touch-sensitive surface, a first user input;
in response to detecting the first user input, concurrently:
transitioning, using the two or more speakers, production of the first audio stream of the single audio source from the first mode to a second mode that is different from the first mode;
transitioning, using the two or more speakers, production of the second audio stream of the single audio source from the first mode to a third mode that is different from the first mode and the second mode;
displaying, via the display, a first visual representation of the first audio stream of the single audio source at a first location on the display, wherein the first location corresponds to a first location in space corresponding to the first audio stream of the single audio source; and
displaying, via the display, a second visual representation of the second audio stream of the single audio source, at a second location on the display different from the first location on the display, wherein the second location corresponds to a second location in space corresponding to the second audio stream of the single audio source, and wherein the first visual representation is different from the second visual representation.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first mode does not include a modification of an interaural time difference of audio.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second mode includes a modification of an interaural time difference of audio.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein modification of the interaural time difference of audio includes:
combining a first channel audio of an audio stream and a second channel audio of the audio stream to form a combined channel audio;
updating the second channel audio to include the combined channel audio at a first delay; and
updating the first channel audio to include the combined channel audio at a second delay different from the first delay.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
displaying, via the display, the first visual representation of the first audio stream of the single audio source includes displaying the first visual representation at a third location and sliding the first visual representation in a first direction to the first location of the display; and
displaying, via the display, the second visual representation of the second audio stream of the single audio source includes displaying the second visual representation at the third location and sliding the second visual representation in a second direction different from the first direction to the second location different from the first location.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting, using the touch-sensitive surface, a second user input, the second user input starting at a location corresponding to the first location and ending at a location corresponding to the third location; and
in response to detecting the second user input:
sliding the first visual representation from the first location to the third location of the display while maintaining the second visual representation at the second location of the display; and
transitioning, using the two or more speakers, production of audio using the first audio stream from the second mode to the first mode while maintaining production of audio using the second audio stream in the third mode.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein detecting the first user input includes:
accessing a characteristic intensity of the first user input; and
determining that the characteristic intensity of the first user input exceeds an intensity threshold.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
while the electronic device is producing, using the two or more speakers, audio using the first audio stream of the single audio source and the second audio stream of the single audio source:
detecting, using the touch-sensitive surface, a third user input at a location on the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first visual representation; and

in response to detecting the third user input:
ceasing to produce, using the two or more speakers, audio using the first audio stream of the single audio source; and
maintaining, using the two or more speakers, production of audio using the second audio stream of the single audio source.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
while the electronic device is not producing, using the two or more speakers, audio using the first audio stream of the single audio source and is producing, using the two or more speakers, audio using the second audio stream of the single audio source:
detecting, using the touch-sensitive surface, a fourth user input at a location on the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first visual representation; and

in response to detecting the fourth user input:
producing, using the two or more speakers, audio using the first audio stream of the single audio source; and
maintaining, using the two or more speakers, production of audio using the second audio stream of the single audio source.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting a volume control input; and
in response to detecting the volume control input, modifying the volume of audio produced, using the two or more speakers, for each audio stream in the plurality of audio streams.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, wherein the electronic device is operably connected with two or more speakers including a first speaker and a second speaker, the one or more programs including instructions for:
producing, using the two or more speakers, audio using a single audio source in a first mode, wherein the single audio source includes a plurality of audio streams, including a first audio stream and a second audio stream;
detecting, using the touch-sensitive surface, a first user input;
in response to detecting the first user input, concurrently:
transitioning, using the two or more speakers, production of the first audio stream of the single audio source from the first mode to a second mode that is different from the first mode;
transitioning, using the two or more speakers, production of the second audio stream of the single audio source from the first mode to a third mode that is different from the first mode and the second mode;
displaying, via the display, a first visual representation of the first audio stream of the single audio source; and
displaying, via the display, a second visual representation of the second audio stream of the single audio source, at a second location on the display different from the first location on the display, wherein the second location corresponds

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Wood Stuart John
• Johnson Martin E
• Satongar Darius A

Classifications

• H04S7/302

  Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation (H04S7/301 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04S1/007

  in which the audio signals are in digital form (data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02) · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/0486

  Drag-and-drop · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title