IP Library Granted Patent US 9,973,872
Granted Patent B2
US 9,973,872 · App. 15/442,753 · Granted May 15, 2018

Surround sound effects provided by cell phones

Inventors: Momchil Filev (Novi, MI); Martin Brandt Freund (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Google LLC
H04S7/30H04W4/023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,973,872
App. No.
15/442,753
Granted
May 15, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods that reproduce surround sound effects from an audio source are described. Wireless communication devices form a wireless network in which music, for example, can be played on the speakers of the wireless communication devices to reproduce surround sound effects from a selected audio source. As the wireless communication devices roam with respect to each other or with respect to a focal point or listening position of the wireless network, the wireless network adjusts how the audio source is played at each speaker of the respective wireless communication device to maintain or to enhance the reproduction of surround sound effects from the audio source.

Claims (34)

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a processor configured to determine, in response to at least one movement of at least one other wireless communication device, at least one parameter about a surround sound effect, and to produce at least one signal that includes at least one item of information about at least one adjustment to be made by the at least one other wireless communication device to realize the surround sound effect at a focal point, wherein the at least one other wireless communication device includes at least one speaker configured to play at least a portion of an audio file from an audio source to realize the surround sound effect at the focal point; and

a transceiver configured to transmit the at least one signal to the at least one other wireless communication device.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises the focal point.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically adjust the at least one signal.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a version of the surround sound effect.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of the version of the surround sound effect based upon at least one of a capability of a processor of the at least one other wireless communication device, a capacity of a memory of the at least one other wireless communication device, a capability of a speaker of the at least one other wireless communication device, at least one location of the at least one other wireless communication device, or a number of wireless communication devices included in the at least one other wireless communication device.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine at least one of that at least one of the at least one other wireless communication device has ceased to be included in a wireless network with the wireless communication device or that at least one different wireless communication device has become included in the wireless network.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to change the version of the surround sound effect in response to a change in the number of wireless communication devices included in the at least one other wireless communication device.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the focal point of the surround sound effect is at a location, the location being different from a location of the wireless communication device.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the focal point of the surround sound effect is at the location, the location being different from the at least one location of the at least one other wireless communication device.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to control a selection of the audio source.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to access the audio source from one of the at least one other wireless communication devices.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to access the audio source from the one of the at least one other wireless communication devices in a streaming manner.

13. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processor and in response to at least one movement of at least one other wireless communication device, at least one parameter about a surround sound effect;

producing, by the processor, at least one signal that includes at least one item of information about at least one adjustment to be made by the at least one other wireless communication device to realize the surround sound effect at a focal point, wherein the at least one other wireless communication device includes at least one speaker configured to play at least a portion of an audio file from an audio source to realize the surround sound effect at the focal point; and

transmitting, from a transceiver, the at least one signal to the at least one other wireless communication device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer code for controlling a processor, the computer code including instructions to:

determine, in response to at least one movement of at least one other wireless communication device, at least one parameter about a surround sound effect;

produce at least one signal that includes at least one item of information about at least one adjustment to be made by the at least one other wireless communication device to realize the surround sound effect at a focal point, wherein the at least one other wireless communication device includes at least one speaker configured to play at least a portion of an audio file from an audio source to realize the surround sound effect at the focal point; and

transmit the at least one signal to the at least one other wireless communication device.

15. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive, in response to a movement of the wireless communication device, a signal;

a processor configured to determine, in response to a receipt of the signal, an adjustment to be made to the wireless communication device to realize a surround sound effect at a focal point; and

a speaker configured to play at least a portion of an audio file from an audio source to realize the surround sound effect at the focal point.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a transceiver of a wireless communication device and in response to a movement of the wireless communication device, a signal;

determining, by a processor of the wireless communication device and in response to a receipt of the signal, an adjustment to be made to the wireless communication device to realize a surround sound effect at a focal point; and

playing, by a speaker of the wireless communication device, at least a portion of an audio file from an audio source to realize the surround sound effect at the focal point.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer code for controlling a processor of a wireless communication device, the computer code including instructions to:

receive, in response to a movement of the wireless communication device, a signal;

determine, in response to a receipt of the signal, an adjustment to be made to the wireless communication device to realize a surround sound effect at a focal point; and

cause a speaker of the wireless communication device to play at least a portion of an audio file from an audio source to realize the surround sound effect at the focal point.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 5, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044695/0115 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2017
From: FILEV, MOMCHIL; FREUND, MARTIN BRANDT
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 043729/0813 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15009706 · Jan 28, 2016
Continuation 14242693 · Apr 1, 2014
Division 13629204 · Sep 27, 2012
Related Publication 20170238115A1 · Aug 17, 2017