IP Library Granted Patent US 12,342,155
Granted Patent B2
US 12,342,155 · App. 17/795,182 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Radio frequency sensing for control of a media system

Inventors: Sharad Sambhwani (San Diego, CA); Ferdinando Olivieri (Carlsbad, CA); Menucher Menuchehry (Carlsbad, CA); Ariel Yaakov Sagi (Haifa, IL); Evyatar Hemo (Kiryat Bialik, IL)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04S7/303H04S2400/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,342,155
App. No.
17/795,182
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to media systems. In some aspects, a media device may monitor, using a radio frequency (RF) sensor, an environment of the media device; determine, from a received RF signal obtained by the RF sensor, a user attribute of a user within the environment; and control an audio system, associated with the media device, to direct an audio beam toward or away from the user. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Claims (120)

1. A method performed by a media device, comprising:

monitoring, using a radio frequency (RF) sensor, an environment of the media device;

determining, from a received RF signal obtained by the RF sensor, a user location of a user within the environment based at least in part on a sensor beamforming analysis, wherein the user location is determined based at least in part on performing the sensor beamforming analysis to determine at least one of:

a range between the user and the RF sensor, or

an azimuth associated with the user and the RF sensor; and

controlling an audio system, associated with the media device, to direct an audio beam toward or away from the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user location is further determined based at least in part on at least one of:

a directional configuration of the RF sensor when receiving the RF signal, or

a frequency difference between the received RF signal and a transmitted RF signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, from the received RF signal, a biometric of the user; and

identifying, based at least in part on the biometric, a user profile associated with the user,

wherein controlling the audio system comprises:

controlling the audio system based at least in part on the user profile.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining, from the user profile, an audio setting for providing the audio beam; and

generating the audio beam based at least in part on the audio setting.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the audio setting comprises at least one of:

a language setting, or

a volume setting that is based at least in part on a distance between a speaker of the audio system and the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a distance between the user location and the RF sensor; and

determining a playback setting associated with rendering media for the user at the distance,

wherein controlling the audio system comprises:

controlling the audio system according to the playback setting.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a voice input; and

determining that the voice input is associated with the user,

wherein controlling the audio system comprises:

controlling the audio system to provide the audio beam according to the voice input.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the audio system comprises:

audio beamforming, via one or more speakers of the audio system, the audio beam to provide the audio beam to the user location.

9. A media device, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) sensor;

one or more memories; and

one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to:

monitor, using the RF sensor, an environment of the media device;

determine, from a received RF signal obtained by the RF sensor, a user location of a user within the environment based at least in part on a sensor beamforming analysis, wherein the user location is determined based at least in part on performing the sensor beamforming analysis to determine at least one of:

a range between the user and the RF sensor, or

an azimuth associated with the user and the RF sensor; and

control an audio system, associated with the media device, to direct an audio beam toward or away from the user.

10. The media device of claim 9 , wherein the RF sensor is a multi-antenna RF sensor that includes a plurality of transmit antennas and a plurality of receive antennas.

11. The media device of claim 9 , wherein the user location is further determined based at least in part on at least one of:

a directional configuration of the RF sensor when receiving the RF signal, or

a frequency difference between the received RF signal and a transmitted RF signal.

12. The media device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine, from the received RF signal, a biometric of the user; and

identify, based at least in part on the biometric, a user profile associated with the user,

wherein the one or more processors, when controlling the audio system, are configured to:

control the audio system based at least in part on the user profile.

13. The media device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine, from the user profile, an audio setting for providing the audio beam; and

generate the audio beam based at least in part on the audio setting.

14. The media device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine a distance between the user location and the RF sensor; and

determine a playback setting associated with rendering media for the user at the distance,

wherein the one or more processors, when controlling the audio system, are further configured to:

control the audio system according to the playback setting.

15. The media device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a voice input; and

determine that the voice input is associated with the user,

wherein the one or more processors, when controlling the audio system, are further configured to:

control the audio system to provide the audio beam according to the voice input.

16. The media device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors, when controlling the audio system, are configured to:

audio beamform, via one or more speakers of the audio system, the audio beam to provide the audio beam to the user location.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a media device, cause the media device to:

monitor, using a radio frequency (RF) sensor, an environment of the media device;

determine, from a received RF signal obtained by the RF sensor, a user location of a user within the environment based at least in part on a sensor beamforming analysis, wherein the user location is determined based at least in part on performing the sensor beamforming analysis to determine at least one of:

a range between the user and the RF sensor, or

an azimuth associated with the user and the RF sensor; and

control an audio system, associated with the media device, to direct an audio beam toward or away from the user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the RF sensor is a multi-antenna RF sensor that includes a plurality of transmit antennas and a plurality of receive antennas.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the user location is further determined based at least in part on at least one of:

a directional configuration of the RF sensor when receiving the RF signal, or

a frequency difference between the received RF signal and a transmitted RF signal.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the media device to:

determine, from the received RF signal, a biometric of the user; and

identify, based at least in part on the biometric, a user profile associated with the user,

wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the media device to control the audio system, cause the media device to:

control the audio system based at least in part on the user profile.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the media device to:

determine a distance between the user location and the RF sensor;

determine a playback setting associated with rendering media for the user at the distance,

wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the media device to control the audio system, cause the media device to:

control the audio system according to the playback setting.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the media device to control the audio system, cause the media device to:

audio beamform, via one or more speakers of the audio system, the audio beam to provide the audio beam to the user location.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

means for monitoring, using a radio frequency (RF) sensor, an environment of a media device;

means for determining, from a received RF signal obtained by the RF sensor, a user location of a user within the environment based at least in part on a sensor beamforming analysis, wherein the user location is determined based at least in part on performing the sensor beamforming analysis to determine at least one of:

a range between the user and the RF sensor, or

an azimuth associated with the user and the RF sensor; and

means for controlling an audio system, associated with the media device, to direct an audio beam toward or away from the user.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising:

means for determining, from the received RF signal, a biometric of the user; and

means for identifying, based at least in part on the biometric, a user profile associated with the user,

wherein the means for controlling the audio system comprises:

means for controlling the audio system based at least in part on the user profile.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , further comprising:

means for determining, from the user profile, an audio setting for providing the audio beam; and

means for generating the audio beam based at least in part on the audio setting.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the audio setting comprises at least one of:

a language setting, or

a volume setting that is based at least in part on a distance between a speaker of the audio system and the user.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising:

means for determining a distance between the user location and the RF sensor; and

means for determining a playback setting associated with rendering media for the user at the distance,

wherein the means for controlling the audio system comprises:

means for controlling the audio system according to the playback setting.

28. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising:

means for receiving a voice input; and

means for determining that the voice input is associated with the user,

wherein the means for controlling the audio system comprises:

means for controlling the audio system to provide the audio beam according to the voice input.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the means for controlling the audio system comprises:

means for audio beamforming, via one or more speakers of the audio system, the audio beam to provide the audio beam to the user location.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the user location is further determined based at least in part on at least one of:

a directional configuration of the RF sensor when receiving the RF signal, or

a frequency difference between the received RF signal and a transmitted RF signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2022
From: SAMBHWANI, SHARAD; OLIVIERI, FERDINANDO; MENUCHEHRY, MENUCHER; SAGI, ARIEL YAAKOV; HEMO, EVYATAR
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 060609/0925 →
Priority Claims (1)
IL 273499 · Mar 22, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230079716A1 · Mar 16, 2023
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