IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,976,989

Granted Patent B2

US 10,976,989 · App. 16/553,679 · Granted Apr 13, 2021

Spatial management of audio

Inventors: Stuart John Wood (San Francisco, CA); Martin E. Johnson (Los Gatos, CA); Darius A. Satongar (Santa Clara, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G06F3/165 G06F3/0481 G06F3/0486 G06F3/04883 H04S1/007 H04S7/302

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,976,989
App. No.: 16/553,679
Granted: Apr 13, 2021
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to user interfaces for managing spatial audio. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for transitioning between visual elements. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for previewing audio. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for discovering music. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for managing headphone transparency. Some exemplary techniques include user interfaces for manipulating multiple audio streams of an audio source.

Claims (126)

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a touch-sensitive surface;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors,

wherein the electronic device is operably connected with two or more speakers, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying, at a first location on the display, a user-movable affordance;

while the user-movable affordance is displayed at the first location:

operating the electronic device in a first state of ambient sound transparency;

producing, using the two or more speakers, audio using an audio source in a first mode; and

detecting, using the touch-sensitive surface, user input; and

in response to detecting the user input and while continuing to display the user-movable affordance:

in accordance with a set of one or more conditions being met, the set of one or more conditions including a first condition that is met when the user input is a touch-and-drag operation on the user-movable affordance:

operating the electronic device in a second state of ambient sound transparency different from the first state of ambient sound transparency; and

transitioning production of audio using the audio source from the first mode to a second mode different from the first mode;

in accordance with the set of one or more conditions not being met:

maintaining the electronic device in the first state of ambient sound transparency; and

maintaining producing audio using the audio source in the first mode.

2. The device of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in response to detecting the user input:

updating display, on the display, of the user-movable affordance from the first location on the display to a second location on the display in accordance with movement, on the touch-sensitive surface, of the user input.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more conditions includes a second condition that is met when the user input causes displacement of the user-movable affordance from the first location by at least a predetermined amount.

4. The device of claim 2 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

after the set of one or more conditions are being met, detecting an end of the user input; and

in response to detecting the end of the user input:

updating display, on the display, of the user-movable affordance to the first location on the display;

transitioning the electronic device to operate in the first state of ambient sound transparency; and

transitioning production of audio using the audio source from the second mode to the first mode.

5. The device of claim 2 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

after the set of one or more conditions are being met, detecting an end of the user input; and

in response to detecting the end of the user input:

maintaining display, on the display, of the user-movable affordance at the second location on the display;

maintaining operation of the electronic device in the second state of ambient sound transparency; and

maintaining production of audio using the audio source in the second mode.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the user input includes a direction of movement;

the second state of ambient sound transparency is based on the direction of movement of the user input; and

the second mode is based on the direction of movement of the user input.

7. The device of claim 2 , wherein the second mode is configured such that audio produced using the second mode is perceived by the user as being produced from a point in space that corresponds to the second location of the displayed user-movable affordance.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first mode does not include a modification of an interaural time difference of audio.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second mode includes a modification of an interaural time difference of audio.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein modification of the interaural time difference of audio includes:

combining a first channel audio of the audio and a second channel audio of the audio to form a combined channel audio;

updating the second channel audio to include the combined channel audio at a first delay; and

updating the first channel audio to include the combined channel audio at a second delay different from the first delay.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, wherein the electronic device is operably connected with two or more speakers, the one or more programs including instructions for: