Audio system and method of determining audio filter based on device position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12425799-B2
Application number	US-202418655134-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2024
Priority date	Mar 31, 2021
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

An audio system and a method of determining an audio filter based on a position of an audio device of the audio system, are described. The audio system receives an image of the audio device being worn by a user and determines, based on the image and a known geometric relationship between a datum on the audio device and an electroacoustic transducer of the audio device, a relative position between the electroacoustic transducer and an anatomical feature of the user. The audio filter is determined based on the relative position. The audio filter can be applied to an audio input signal to render spatialized sound to the user through the electroacoustic transducer, or the audio filter can be applied to a microphone input signal to capture speech of the user by the electroacoustic transducer. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
capturing, using an imaging system, one or more images of an audio device and an anatomical feature of a user of the audio device;
identifying a datum of the audio device based on the one or more images;
determining a relative position between the anatomical feature of the user of the audio device and a speaker of the audio device based on a position of the speaker with respect to the datum;
producing an equalized audio signal by applying audio equalization upon an audio signal based on the relative position; and
driving the speaker using the equalized audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system comprises a light scanner.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system comprises a RGB camera.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining a hidden geometry of the audio device based on the datum and a pre-existing model of the audio device; and
determining the position of the speaker of the audio device based on the hidden geometry.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the datum comprises a bump, a groove, or a color change of the audio device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anatomical feature comprises an ear canal entrance of the user.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the datum comprises a feature of the audio device that is imageable by the imaging system and the speaker is not imageable by the imaging system.

8. A first electronic device comprising:
an imaging system;
at least one processor; and
memory having instructions stored therein which when executed by the at least one processor causes the first electronic device to:
capture, using the imaging system, one or more images of a second electronic device and an anatomical feature of a user,
identify a feature of the second electronic device based on the one or more images,
determine a relative position between the anatomical feature of the user and a speaker of the second electronic device based on a position of the speaker with respect to the feature,
produce an equalized audio signal by applying audio equalization upon an audio signal based on the relative position, and
causing the speaker to playback the equalized audio signal.

9. The first electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the imaging system comprises a light scanner.

10. The first electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the imaging system comprises a RGB camera.

11. The first electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the memory has further instructions to:
determine a hidden geometry of the second electronic device based on the feature and a pre-existing model of the second electronic device; and
determine the position of the speaker of the second electronic device based on the hidden geometry.

12. The first electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the feature comprises a bump, a groove, or a color change of the second electronic device.

13. The first electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the anatomical feature comprises an ear canal entrance of the user.

14. The first electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the first electronic device comprises a hand-held device, and the second electronic device comprises a headset worn by the user.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which when executed by at least one processor of an audio system, causes the audio system to:
capture, using an imaging system, one or more images of an audio device and an anatomical feature of a user of the audio device;
identify a datum of the audio device based on the one or more images;
determine a relative position between the anatomical feature of the user of the audio device and a speaker of the audio device based on a position of the speaker with respect to the datum;
produce an equalized audio signal by applying audio equalization upon an audio signal based on the relative position; and
drive the speaker using the equalized audio signal.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the imaging system comprises a light scanner.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the imaging system comprises a RGB camera.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions to:
determine a hidden geometry of the audio device based on the datum and a pre-existing model of the audio device; and
determine the position of the speaker of the audio device based on the hidden geometry.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the datum comprises a bump, a groove, or a color change of the audio device.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the anatomical feature comprises an ear canal entrance of the user.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Subramanian Vignesh Ganapathi
• Vanne Antti J
• Soares Olivier
• Harvey Andrew R
• Johnson Martin E
• Auclair Theo

Classifications

• H04R5/033

  Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)} · CPC title

• H04S2420/01

  Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD] · CPC title

• H04S2400/15

  Aspects of sound capture and related signal processing for recording or reproduction · CPC title

• H04R5/04

  Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)} · CPC title

• H04S7/30

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