IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,593,191
Granted Patent B2
US 12,593,191 · App. 18/549,508 · Granted Mar 31, 2026

Acoustic configuration based on radio frequency sensing

Inventors: Erik Visser (San Diego, CA); Lae-Hoon Kim (San Diego, CA); Jason Filos (San Diego, CA); Xiaoxin Zhang (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04S7/303G01S7/006G01S7/411G01S13/726H04R3/005H04R5/027H04S2400/11H04S2400/15
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,593,191
App. No.
18/549,508
Granted
Mar 31, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are systems and techniques for detecting audio sources and configuring acoustic device settings. For instance, a wireless device can obtain a first set of radio frequency (RF) sensing data associated with a first plurality of received waveforms corresponding to a first transmitted waveform reflected off of a plurality of reflectors. Based on the first set of RF sensing data, the wireless device can determine a classification of a first reflector from the plurality of reflectors. The wireless device can determine at least one acoustic setting based on the classification of the at least one reflector.

Claims (71)

1 . A wireless device, comprising:

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to:

obtain a first set of radio frequency (RF) sensing data associated with a first plurality of received waveforms corresponding to a first transmitted waveform reflected off of a plurality of reflectors;

determine a classification of a first reflector from the plurality of reflectors based on the first set of RF sensing data;

enable an audio detection device from an idle mode in response to determining that the classification of the first reflector corresponds to an object that is capable of producing sound, wherein the audio detection device is configured to receive speech input; and

provide an indication that the audio detection device is ready to receive speech input based on the object that is capable of producing sound being detected.

2 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a position of the first reflector based on the first set of RF sensing data; and

configure a spatial sound filter directed to the position of the first reflector, wherein the spatial sound filter corresponds to the audio detection device.

3 . The wireless device of claim 2 , wherein the classification of the first reflector corresponds to a human and the spatial sound filter corresponds to a fixed beamformer.

4 . The wireless device of claim 2 , wherein the classification of the first reflector corresponds to an acoustic interfering object and the spatial sound filter corresponds to a null beamformer.

5 . The wireless device of claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of microphones coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, via the plurality of microphones, a first audio signal from the first reflector;

determine a direction of arrival associated with the first audio signal; and

adjust the spatial sound filter based on the direction of arrival associated with the first audio signal.

6 . The wireless device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine, based on the first set of RF sensing data, a proximity of a second reflector from the plurality of reflectors to the first reflector; and

provide, based on a configuration of the spatial sound filter, an instruction for moving at least one of the first reflector or the second reflector.

7 . The wireless device of claim 1 , further comprising the audio detection device coupled to the at least one processor.

8 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

in response to determining that the classification of the first reflector corresponds to a human, obtain a second set of RF sensing data associated with a second plurality of received waveforms corresponding to a second transmitted waveform reflected off of the plurality of reflectors, wherein the second transmitted waveform has a higher bandwidth than the first transmitted waveform.

9 . The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine, based at least on the second set of RF sensing data, an identity associated with the human.

10 . The wireless device of claim 9 , wherein at least one acoustic setting is associated with the identity and includes at least one of a device acoustic parameter, a local application parameter, a remote application parameter, an environmental parameter, or any combination thereof.

11 . The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine, based at least on the second set of RF sensing data, a movement of the human.

12 . The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine that the human is within a threshold distance of an audio device; and

send a signal to enable the audio device.

13 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the first transmitted waveform is transmitted by a second wireless device.

14 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of RF sensing data comprises channel state information (CSI) data.

15 . The wireless device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one transceiver coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, the first transmitted waveform; and

receive, via the at least one transceiver, the first plurality of received waveforms.

16 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a distance and an angle of arrival between the wireless device and the first reflector based on the first set of RF sensing data.

17 . A method comprising:

obtaining a first set of radio frequency (RF) sensing data associated with a first plurality of received waveforms corresponding to a first transmitted waveform reflected off of a plurality of reflectors;

determining a classification of a first reflector from the plurality of reflectors based on the first set of RF sensing data;

enabling an audio detection device from an idle mode in response to determining that the classification of the first reflector corresponds to an object that is capable of producing sound, wherein the audio detection device is configured to receive speech input; and

providing an indication that the audio detection device is ready to receive speech input based on the object that is capable of producing sound being detected.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

determining a position of the first reflector based on the first set of RF sensing data; and

configuring a spatial sound filter directed to the position of the first reflector, wherein the spatial sound filter corresponds to the audio detection device.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the classification of the first reflector corresponds to a human and the spatial sound filter corresponds to a fixed beamformer.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the classification of the first reflector corresponds to an acoustic interfering object and the spatial sound filter corresponds to a null beamformer.

21 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

receiving, via a plurality of microphones, a first audio signal from the first reflector;

determining a direction of arrival associated with the first audio signal; and

adjusting the spatial sound filter based on the direction of arrival associated with the first audio signal.

22 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

determining, based on the first set of RF sensing data, a proximity of a second reflector from the plurality of reflectors to the first reflector; and

providing, based on a configuration of the spatial sound filter, an instruction for moving at least one of the first reflector or the second reflector.

23 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the classification of the first reflector corresponds to a human, obtaining a second set of RF sensing data associated with a second plurality of received waveforms corresponding to a second transmitted waveform reflected off of the plurality of reflectors, wherein the second transmitted waveform has a higher bandwidth than the first transmitted waveform.

24 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

determining, based at least on the second set of RF sensing data, an identity associated with the human.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein at least one acoustic setting is associated with the identity and includes at least one of a device acoustic parameter, a local application parameter, a remote application parameter, an environmental parameter, or any combination thereof.

26 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

determining, based at least on the second set of RF sensing data, a movement of the human.

27 . The method of claim 26 , further comprising:

determining that the human is within a threshold distance of an audio device; and

sending a signal to enable the audio device.

28 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first transmitted waveform is transmitted by a second wireless device.

29 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first set of RF sensing data comprises channel state information (CSI) data.

30 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

transmitting, via at least one transceiver, the first transmitted waveform; and

receiving, via the at least one transceiver, the first plurality of received waveforms.

31 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

determining a distance and an angle of arrival between a wireless device and the first reflector based on the first set of RF sensing data.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2023
From: VISSER, ERIK; KIM, LAE-HOON; FILOS, JASON; ZHANG, XIAOXIN
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 065204/0710 →
Priority Claims (1)
GR 20210100326 · May 14, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240155303A1 · May 9, 2024
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