IP Library Granted Patent US 9,921,800
Granted Patent B2
US 9,921,800 · App. 15/164,406 · Granted Mar 20, 2018

Methods, systems and media for controlling audio output

Inventor: Nima Lotfizadeh (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Google LLC
G06F3/165H04R3/12H04R29/001H04R2420/05
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,921,800
App. No.
15/164,406
Granted
Mar 20, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and media for controlling audio output are provided. In some implementations, a method for controlling audio output is provided, the method comprising: receiving, by a computing device, audio content to be presented; determining that an output port of the computing device is connected to a corresponding connector; providing the audio content at the output port; recording a first portion of audio using a microphone; determining that the audio content is present in the first portion of audio; continuing to provide the audio content at the output port; recording a second portion of audio using the microphone; determining that the audio content is not present in the second portion of audio; and presenting the audio content using a speaker of the computing device.

Claims (74)

1. A method for controlling audio output, comprising:

receiving, by a computing device having an output port for transmitting audio information, a microphone for capturing audio information, and a hardware processor, audio content to be presented;

detecting, using the hardware processor, that the output port of the computing device is connected to a corresponding connector that communicates audio information with an external speaker;

in response to detecting that the output port is connected to the corresponding connector, providing, using the hardware processor, the audio content at the output port to the external speaker;

causing the microphone associated with the computing device to capture a first audio clip at a first time to determine whether the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port is being played back by the external speaker;

determining, using the hardware processor, whether the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port;

in response to determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time does not match the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, inhibiting, using the hardware processor, the audio content from being provided at the output port to the external speaker and automatically switching the audio content to be presented using a speaker of the computing device;

subsequent to determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, causing, using the hardware processor, the audio content to be presented at the output port to the external speaker;

causing the microphone associated with the computing device to capture a second audio clip at a second time to determine whether the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port continues to be played back by the external speaker;

determining, using the hardware processor, that the second audio clip captured at the second time does not match the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port; and

in response to determining that the second audio clip captured at the second time does not match the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, inhibiting the audio content from being provided at the output port to the external speaker and automatically switching the audio content to be presented using the speaker of the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the output port is no longer connected to the corresponding connector; and

in response to determining that the output port is no longer connected to the corresponding connector, inhibiting the audio content from being provided to the output port.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port comprises:

generating an audio fingerprint based on the first audio clip captured at the first time;

determining that the audio fingerprint based on the first audio clip captured at the first time matches an audio fingerprint generated based on the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port; and

in response to determining that the audio fingerprint based on the first audio clip captured at the first time matches an audio fingerprint generated based on the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, determining that first audio clip captured at the first time contains the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port comprises:

calculating a difference between a portion of the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port and the first audio clip captured at the first time; and

determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time contains the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port based on the difference.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output port is a 3.5 millimeter jack.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising in response to determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, inhibiting the audio content from being presented using the speaker of the computing device.

7. A system for controlling audio output, comprising:

a computing device comprising:

an output port;

a microphone;

a speaker; and

a hardware processor that is programmed to:

receive audio content to be presented;

detect that the output port of the computing device is connected to a corresponding connector that communicates audio information with an external speaker;

in response to detecting that the output port is connected to the corresponding connector, provide the audio content at the output port to the external speaker;

cause the microphone associated with the computing device to capture a first audio clip at a first time to determine whether the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port is being played back by the external speaker;

determine whether the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port;

in response to determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time does not match the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, inhibit the audio content from being provided at the output port to the external speaker and automatically switch the audio content to be presented using the speaker of the computing device;

subsequent to determining that the audio content the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, cause the audio content at the output port to the external speaker;

cause the microphone associated with the computing device to capture a second audio clip at a second time to determine whether the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port continues to be played back by the external speaker;

determine that the second audio clip captured at the second time does not match the audio content is not present in the second portion of audio that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port; and

in response to determining that the second audio clip captured at the second time does not match the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, inhibit the audio content from being provided at the output port to the external speaker and automatically switch the audio content to be presented using the speaker of the computing device.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to:

determine that the output port is no longer connected to the corresponding connector; and

in response to determining that the output port is no longer connected to the corresponding connector, inhibit the audio content from being provided to the output port.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to:

generate an audio fingerprint based on the first audio clip captured at the first time;

determine that the audio fingerprint based on the first audio clip captured at the first time matches an audio fingerprint generated based on the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port; and

in response to determining that the audio fingerprint based on the first audio clip captured at the first time matches an audio fingerprint generated based on the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, determine that first audio clip captured at the first time contains the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to:

calculate a difference between a portion of the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port and the first audio clip captured at the first time; and

determine that the first audio clip captured at the first time contains the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port based on the difference.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the output port is a 3.5 millimeter jack.

12. The system of claim 7 , hardware processor is further programmed to inhibit the audio content from being presented using the speaker of the computing device in response to determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for controlling audio output, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device having an output port for transmitting audio information and a microphone for capturing audio information, audio content to be presented;

detecting that the output port of the computing device is connected to a corresponding connector that communicates audio information with an external speaker;

in response to detecting that the output port is connected to the corresponding connector, providing the audio content at the output port to the external speaker;

causing the microphone associated with the computing device to capture a first audio clip at a first time to determine whether the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port is being played back by the external speaker;

determining whether the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port;

in response to determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time does not match the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, inhibiting the audio content from being provided at the output port to the external speaker and automatically switching the audio content to be presented using a speaker of the computing device;

subsequent to determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, causing the audio content to be presented at the output port to the external speaker;

causing the microphone associated with the computing device to capture a second audio clip at a second time to determine whether the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port continues to be played back by the external speaker;

determining that the second audio clip captured at the second time does not match the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port; and

in response to determining that the second audio clip captured at the second time does not match the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, inhibiting the audio content from being provided at the output port to the external speaker and automatically switching the audio content to be presented using the speaker of the computing device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the output port is no longer connected to the corresponding connector; and

in response to determining that the output port is no longer connected to the corresponding connector, inhibiting the audio content from being provided to the output port.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port comprises:

generating an audio fingerprint based on the first audio clip captured at the first time;

determining that the audio fingerprint based on the first audio clip captured at the first time matches an audio fingerprint generated based on the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port; and

in response to determining that the audio fingerprint based on the first audio clip captured at the first time matches an audio fingerprint generated based on the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, determining that first audio clip captured at the first time contains the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port comprises:

calculating a difference between a portion of the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port and the first audio clip captured at the first time; and

determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time contains the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port based on the difference.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the output port is a 3.5 millimeter jack.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises in response to determining that the first audio clip captured at the first time matches the audio content that has been transmitted to the external speaker through the output port, inhibiting the audio content from being presented using the speaker of the computing device.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 20, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044567/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2016
From: LOTFIZADEH, NIMA
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 038897/0274 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170344336A1 · Nov 30, 2017