Reduction of noise cancellation signals based on sensor input
In one aspect, an apparatus includes a processor system and storage accessible to the processor system. The storage includes instructions executable by the processor system to present, at a device, audio as well as noise cancellation signals and ambient sound. The instructions are also executable to receive input from one or more sensors and, based on the input, reduce the amplitude of the noise cancellation signals (and even boost ambient sound). Different triggers may cause reduction of the noise cancellation signals based on the sensor input. For example, the trigger may be a source of sound other than the user and other than the user's audio output device being within a threshold distance to the device. The trigger may also be the source of sound being a whitelisted source of sound. As other examples, the trigger may be the source of sound indicating a name of the user and/or directing speech toward the user.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a processor system; and
storage accessible to the processor system and comprising instructions executable by the processor system to cause the processor system to:
concurrently present, at a device, audio, first noise cancellation signals different from the audio, and second noise cancellation signals different from the audio and different from the first noise cancellation signals, the first noise cancellation signals associated with a source of sound;
receive input from one or more sensors;
based on the input, determine that the source of sound is within a threshold distance to the device;
identify, based on execution of beamforming, the source of sound as directing speech toward a user of the device; and
based on the determination and the identification, reduce the amplitude of the first noise cancellation signals but not the amplitude of the second noise cancellation signals.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable to cause the processor system to:
based on the determination, stop, pause, and/or mute the audio.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable to cause the processor system to:
reduce the amplitude by one of: ceasing to present the first noise cancellation signals, reducing the amplitude from a first level to a second level lower than the first level, the second level being higher than zero.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least first and second microphones on the device, and wherein the determination is made based on triangulation of the source of sound using input from the first and second microphones.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , comprising the device and the first and second microphones.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a wireless signal transceiver, and wherein the determination is made based on input from the wireless signal transceiver indicating the source of sound within the threshold distance.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor system to cause the processor system to:
receive first input from a first microphone and receive second input from a second microphone, the second microphone being different from the first microphone; and
execute the beamforming using the first and second input to perform the identification.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor system to cause the processor system to:
based on the determination and the identification, increase the volume of ambient sound as presented at the device.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor system to cause the processor system to:
based on the determination and the identification, reduced the amplitude of the first noise cancellation signals for a threshold amount of time; and
responsive to the threshold amount of time ending, increase the amplitude of the first noise cancellation signals back to a higher level used prior to the reduction.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor system to cause the processor system to:
determine that the source of sound is no longer directing speech toward the user; and
responsive to the determination that the source of sound is no longer directing speech toward the user, increase the amplitude of the first noise cancellation signals back to a higher level used prior to the reduction.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second noise cancellation signals cancel ambient sound.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second noise cancellation signals cancel sound from one or more people different from the source of sound.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device is a first device, and wherein the second noise cancellation signals cancel sound from a second device different from both the first device and the source of sound.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor system to cause the processor system to:
determine that the source of sound is the user's dog; and
responsive to the determination that the source of sound is the user's dog, reduce the amplitude of the first noise cancellation signals.
15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor system to cause the processor system to:
present a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display, the GUI indicating one or more settings related to noise cancellation, the GUI comprising an option that is selectable a single time to set the processor system to, for multiple future instances, reduce the amplitude of noise cancellation signals based on future determinations that sources of sound are within the threshold distance and future identifications of sources of sound as directing speech toward the user.
16 . A method, comprising:
concurrently presenting, at a device, audio, first noise cancellation signals different from the audio, and second noise cancellation signals different from the audio and different from the first noise cancellation signals, the first noise cancellation signals associated with a source of sound;
receiving input from one or more sensors;
based on the input, determining that the source of sound is within a threshold distance to the device;
identifying, based on execution of beamforming, the source of sound as directing speech toward a user of the device; and
based on the determining and the identifying, reducing the amplitude of the first noise cancellation signals but not the amplitude of the second noise cancellation signals.
17 . The method of claim 16 , comprising:
reducing the amplitude by one of: ceasing to present the first noise cancellation signals, reducing the amplitude from a first level to a second level lower than the first level, the second level being higher than zero.
18 . At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium (CRSM), the at least one CRSM comprising instructions executable by a processor system to cause the processor system to:
concurrently present, at a device, audio, first noise cancellation signals different from the audio, and second noise cancellation signals different from the audio and different from the first noise cancellation signals, the first noise cancellation signals associated with a source of sound;
identify, based on execution of beamforming, the source of sound as directing speech toward a user of the device; and
based on the identification, reduce the amplitude of the first noise cancellation signals but not the amplitude of the second noise cancellation signals.
19 . The at least one of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are executable to cause the processor system to:
reduce the amplitude by one of: ceasing to present the first noise cancellation signals, reducing the amplitude from a first level to a second level lower than the first level, the second level being higher than zero.
20 . The at least one CRSM of claim 18 , wherein the second noise cancellation signals cancel ambient sound.