Location-based audio configuration systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12535570-B2
Application number	US-202217937221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2022
Priority date	Sep 30, 2022
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

In general, a user-location device is configured to receive, from an audio-output device, an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal; determine, based on the UWB signal, a first relative location of the audio-output device; determine, based on a detected millimeter-wave (MMW) signal, a second relative location of one or more persons; determine, based on the first relative location and the second relative location, a relative orientation between the audio-output device and the one or more persons; and transmit, to the audio-output device, an indication of the relative orientation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A location device configured to:
receive, from an audio-output device, an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal; determine, based on the UWB signal, a first relative location of the audio-output device; determine, based on a detected millimeter-wave (MMW) signal, a second relative location of one or more persons; determine, based on the first relative location and the second relative location, a relative orientation between the audio-output device and the one or more persons; and transmit, to the audio-output device, an indication of the relative orientation.

2 . The location device of claim 1 , wherein, to determine the second relative location of the one or more persons, the location device is configured to identify, based on the MMW signal, a pattern indicative of a heartbeat or a respiration of the one or more persons.

3 . The location device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more persons comprises at least two people, and wherein the location device is further configured to determine, based on the MMW signal, a respective relative location for each of the at least two people.

4 . The location device of claim 3 , wherein, to determine the respective relative location for each of the at least two people, the location device is further configured to:
generate, based on the MMW signal, a plurality of people-location datapoints; execute, on the plurality of people-location datapoints, a clustering algorithm to generate the respective relative location for each of the at least two people.

5 . The location device of claim 4 , wherein, to perform the clustering algorithm, the location device is configured to apply a machine-learning-based model trained to cluster the people-location datapoints.

6 . A system comprising a location device and an audio-output device,
wherein the location device is configured to:
receive, from the audio-output device, an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal;
determine, based on the UWB signal, a first relative location of the audio-output device;
determine, based on a detected millimeter-wave (MMW) signal, a second relative location of one or more persons;
determine, based on the first relative location and the second relative location, a relative orientation between the audio-output device and the one or more persons; and
transmit, to the audio-output device, an indication of the relative orientation.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the audio-output device comprises a directional speaker, and wherein the directional speaker is configured to:
receive, from the location device, the indication of the relative orientation; and based on the relative orientation, beam an audible signal toward the one or more persons.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the audio-output device is configured to:
receive, from the location device, the indication of the relative orientation; and based on the relative orientation, configure an audio delay, a loudness compensation, or an equalization of an audible signal output by the audio-output device.

9 . The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the indication of the relative orientation indicates that the one or more persons are within a field-of-view (FOV) of the audio-output device and are within a threshold distance from the audio-output device; and based on the indication of the relative orientation, the audio-output device is configured to activate an audible signal while the one or more persons are within the FOV of the audio-output device and while the one or more persons are within the threshold distance from the audio-output device.

10 . The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the indication of the relative orientation indicates that the one or more persons are not within a field-of-view (FOV) of the audio-output device or are not within a threshold distance from the audio-output device; and based on the indication of the relative orientation, the audio-output device is configured to deactivate an audible signal while the one or more persons are not within the FOV of the audio-output device or while the one or more persons are not within the threshold distance from the audio-output device.

11 . The system of claim 6 , wherein, to determine the second relative location of the one or more persons, the location device is configured to identify, based on the MMW signal, a pattern indicative of a heartbeat or a respiration of the one or more persons.

12 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more persons comprises at least two people, and wherein the location device is further configured to determine, based on the MMW signal, a respective relative location for each of the at least two people.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein, to determine the respective relative location for each of the at least two people, the location device is further configured to:
generate, based on the MMW signal, a plurality of people-location datapoints; and execute, on the plurality of people-location datapoints, a clustering algorithm to generate the respective relative location for each of the at least two people.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein, to execute the clustering algorithm, the location device is configured to apply a machine-learning-based model trained to cluster the people-location datapoints.

15 . A method comprising:
receiving, by processing circuitry from an audio-output device, an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal; determining, by the processing circuitry based on the UWB signal, a first relative location of the audio-output device; determining, by the processing circuitry based on a detected millimeter-wave (MMW) signal, a second relative location of one or more persons; determining, by the processing circuitry based on the first relative location and the second relative location, a relative orientation between the audio-output device and the one or more persons; and transmitting, by the processing circuitry to the audio-output device, an indication of the relative orientation.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein, determining the second relative location of the one or more persons comprises identifying, based on the MMW signal, a pattern indicative of a heartbeat or a respiration of the one or more persons.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more persons comprises at least two people, and wherein the method further comprises determining, by the processing circuitry based on the MMW signal, a respective relative location for each of the at least two people.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the respective relative location for each of the at least two people comprises:
generating, based on the MMW signal, a plurality of people-location datapoints; and executing, on the plurality of people-location datapoints, a clustering algorithm to generate the respective relative location for each of the at least two people.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein executing the clustering algorithm comprises applying a machine-learning-based model trained to cluster the people-location datapoints.

20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising causing, by the processing circuitry based on the relative orientation, the audio-output device to output an audible signal toward the one or more persons.

Assignees

• Bang & Olufsen As

Inventors

• Damsgaard Morten

Classifications

• G01S2015/465

  by Trilateration, i.e. two transducers determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the transducers, the position data of the target is determined · CPC title

• A61B5/02

  Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the cardiovascular system, e.g. pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow · CPC title

• H04R3/00

  Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title

• H04R1/323

  for loudspeakers (H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01S15/46

  Indirect determination of position data · CPC title