IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,771,742
Granted Patent B1
US 10,771,742 · App. 16/512,086 · Granted Sep 8, 2020

Devices with enhanced audio

Inventors: Aleksandar Pance (Saratoga, CA); Brett Bilbrey (Sunnyvale, CA); Darby E. Hadley (Los Gatos, CA); Martin E. Johnson (Cupertino, CA); Ronald Nadim Isaac (San Ramon, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
H04N7/15G06F3/0484G10L17/005H04N5/23296
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,771,742
App. No.
16/512,086
Granted
Sep 8, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A system for enhancing audio including a plurality of sensors, an output device, and a processor in communication with the plurality of sensors and the output device. The processor is configured to process data captured by the plurality of sensors, and based on that, modify an output of the output device. The processor also is configured to determine whether there are a plurality of users associated with a video conferencing session, determine which user of the plurality of users is speaking, and enhance the audio or video output of the speaking user on the output device.

Claims (35)

1. A method for directing audio of a computing device, comprising:

determining if there is a plurality of chat instances on a display of the computing device;

determining whether the plurality of chat instances are arranged in different locations on the display of the computing device;

determining a chat instance of the plurality of chat instances that correlates to an audio instance;

determining a location on the display of the computing device of the chat instance that correlates to the audio instance; and

modifying sound output from a plurality of audio output devices of the computing device to be directed from or appear to be directed from the determined location of the chat instance that correlates to the audio instance.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether there are multiple audio instances that correspond to different chat instances.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chat instances each include a chat window shown on the display of the personal computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chat instances are overlaid on top of one another, minimized, or dispersed at various locations on the display of the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether there is an additional audio instance for one of the chat instances of the plurality of chat instances.

6. A system for directing audio of a computing device, comprising:

one or more processors and at least one memory having stored therein instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

determine if there is a plurality of chat instances on a display of the computing device;

determine whether the plurality of chat instances are arranged in different locations on the display of the computing device;

determine a chat instance of the plurality of chat instances that correlates to an audio instance;

determine a location on the display of the computing device of the chat instance that correlates to the audio instance; and

modify an audio output from one or more audio output devices to be directed from or appear to be directed from the determined location of the chat instance that correlates to the audio instance.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system determines whether there are multiple audio instances that correspond to different chat instances.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of chat instances each include a chat window shown on the display of the computing device.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of chat instances are overlaid on top of one another, minimized, or dispersed at various locations on the display of the computing device.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system determines whether there is an additional audio instance for one of the chat instances of the plurality of chat instances.

11. A personal computing device, comprising:

a display;

one or more audio output devices; and

one or more processors and at least one memory having stored therein instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the personal computing device to:

determine if there is a plurality of chat instances on the display of the personal computing device;

determine whether the plurality of chat instances are arranged in different locations on the display of the personal computing device;

determine a chat instance of the plurality of chat instances that correlates to an audio instance;

determine a location on the display of the personal computing device of the chat instance that correlates to the audio instance; and

modify sound output from the one or more audio output devices to be directed from or appear to be directed from the determined location of the chat instance that correlates to the audio instance.

12. The personal computing device of claim 11 , wherein the personal computing device determines whether there are multiple audio instances that correspond to different chat instances.

13. The personal computing device of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of chat instances each include a chat window shown on the display.

14. The personal computing device of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of chat instances are overlaid on top of one another, minimized, or dispersed at various locations on the display.

15. The personal computing device of claim 11 , wherein the personal computing device determines whether there is an additional audio instance for one of the chat instances of the plurality of chat instances.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 15592983 · May 11, 2017
Continuation 13193461 · Jul 28, 2011
Cited By (3)
US 12,445,795 US 12,677,107 US 12,739,588