Dynamic muting audio transducer control for wearable personal communication nodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9940094-B1
Application number	US-201615157543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 18, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Systems, methods, software and apparatus that enable dynamic audio transducer control include obtaining attribute information relating to multiple communication nodes that are communication node group members. A group management system or other computing system receives attribute information from two or more of the communication nodes and determines settings for one or more audio transducers (e.g., speakers and microphones) in the group's communication nodes based on the attribute information. An audio transducer command is transmitted to or imposed on one or more of the nodes. Attribute information can include node attributes and/or changes to attributes. Audio transducer commands transmitted or otherwise imposed on nodes can include muting and unmuting commands, as well as setting volume levels and other audio settings associated with a node's operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a management system to manage the audio transducer status of a plurality of communication nodes comprising a first communication node and a second communication node, wherein each communication node comprises one or more audio transducers comprising a speaker and a microphone, the method comprising:
a management system receiving attribute information from the first and second communication nodes, wherein the received attribute information comprises information about environmental noise levels and information about proximity of the first and second communication nodes;
the management system determining muting/unmuting settings for at least one of the first and second communication nodes based on the received attribute information; and
transmitting a muting/unmuting command to at least one of the first and second communication nodes based on the information about environmental noise levels and information about proximity of the first and second communication nodes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the attribute information further comprises information about the use of a headphone or earpiece jack.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each communication node comprises two devices, wherein the two devices comprise a wireless intermediate communication device and an end user device linked to the intermediate communication device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the end user device comprises a wearable personal communication device wirelessly linked to the intermediate communication device, wherein the wearable personal communication device comprises the speaker and the microphone.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the wireless intermediate communication device comprises one of the following:
a smartphone;
a tablet device;
a gaming device; or
a laptop.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the attribute information further comprises changes in one or more communication node attributes.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each communication node further comprises a computing system executing a communication software application.

8. A method of operating a management system to control a first communication node comprising two devices, wherein the two devices in the first communication node comprise a wireless intermediate communication device and a wearable end user device linked to the intermediate communication device, further wherein the wearable end user device comprises a speaker and a microphone, and wherein the first communication node is linked to a second communication node, the method comprising:
the first communication node obtaining attribute information, wherein the attribute information comprises information about the following:
proximity of the first communication node to the second communication node; and
environmental noise levels;

transmitting the attribute information to a management system;
receiving a muting/unmuting command from the management system, wherein the muting/unmuting command is based on the attribute information; and
responsive to the received muting/unmuting command, adjusting an audio transducer muting setting of the first communication node.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the attribute information further comprises information about the use of a headphone or earpiece jack.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the wireless intermediate communication device comprises one of the following:
a smartphone;
a tablet device;
a gaming device; or
a laptop.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the attribute information further comprises changes in one or more communication node attributes.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein each communication node further comprises a computing system executing a communication software application.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions to operate a group communication management system, including instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to:
obtain attribute information relating to a plurality of communication nodes that are members of a communication node group, wherein each communication node comprises a speaker and a microphone, further wherein the received attribute information comprises information about the following:
proximity of members of the plurality of communication nodes to one another; and
environmental noise levels;

determine one or more muting/unmuting settings for a first communication node in the plurality of communication nodes, wherein the one or more muting/unmuting settings is based on the received attribute information;
impose at least one muting/unmuting setting command on the first communication node, wherein the at least one muting/unmuting setting command is based on the received attribute information and controls the muting status of the speaker and/or microphone of the first communication node.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the first communication node comprising two devices, wherein the two devices in the first communication node comprise a wireless intermediate communication device and a wearable end user device linked to the intermediate communication device, further wherein the wearable end user device comprises the speaker and the microphone.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the wireless intermediate communication device comprises one of the following:
a smartphone;
a tablet device;
a gaming device; or
a laptop.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the attribute information further comprises information about the use of a headphone or earpiece jack.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the attribute information further comprises changes in one or more communication node attributes.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein each communication node further comprises a computing system executing a communication software application.

Assignees

• Orion Labs

Inventors

• Robbins Jesse
• Albrecht Greg
• Juhlin Ellen
• Wood Roger
• Girling Neil

Classifications

• G06F3/165 Primary

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