Patent Application
20160366259
The present disclosure is related generally to modular mobile communication devices, and, more particularly, to a system and method for adaptively changing audio settings depending upon characteristics of one or more modules.
Among the many uses for modern cellular phones, audio play and playback remain primary applications. For example, while texting has replaced many voice calls, texting remains impractical when either party is driving or otherwise engaged with their eyes or hands. In addition, many consumers do not even maintain a landline anymore, choosing instead to use their cellular phone for all voice calls. In addition, the widespread use of portable phones for both business and entertainment means that such devices must support suitable audio to adequately replay music and video material, host private and speakerphone calls, and so on.
However, in a modular device system, i.e., where two independent devices attach to each other to form a single combined device, each device's presence may affect the audio quality of the other device. For example, the act of docking the devices together may obscure a speaker on one or both devices. Similarly, a noise cancellation mic of a first device may be obscured upon docking with a second device, negatively impacting audio quality for a call on the first device. The foregoing examples are not exhaustive of course, and it will be appreciated that there are many situations in which docking devices together in a modular system may have a negative impact on the audio quality of either device.
While the present disclosure is directed to a system that can eliminate certain shortcomings noted above, it should be appreciated that such a benefit is neither a limitation on the scope of the disclosed principles nor of the attached claims, except to the extent expressly noted in the claims. Additionally, the discussion of technology in this Background section is reflective of the inventors' own observations, considerations, and thoughts, and is in no way intended to accurately catalog or comprehensively summarize the art in the public domain. As such, the inventors expressly disclaim this section as admitted or assumed prior art with respect to the discussed details. Moreover, the identification herein of a desirable course of action reflects the inventors' own observations and ideas, and should not be assumed to indicate an art-recognized desirability.
While the appended claims set forth the features of the present techniques with particularity, these techniques, together with their objects and advantages, may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
Before presenting a fuller discussion of the disclosed principles, an overview is given to aid the reader in understanding the later discussion. As noted, while a modular device architecture provides many benefits observed by the inventors, such a design also raises the likelihood that one device will interfere with the audio quality yielded by the other device. Indeed, both devices may affect each other after docking
In an embodiment of the disclosed principles, the modular device system comprises multiple independent devices. The group of independent devices includes a base device, referred to as a first device, and multiple functionality modules, referred to as second devices, e.g., an enhanced audio module, an enhanced photography module, and so on. Each of the second devices is combinable with the base device to form a single device.
In a further embodiment, the base device includes one or more speakers and one or more microphones. For example, the base device includes, in this embodiment, multiple loudspeakers and multiple microphones. Similarly, an added functionality module includes multiple loudspeakers and multiple microphones. For each device, its multiple loudspeakers and microphones are driven independently of the other device when the devices are not docked together.
However, when the added functionality module is docked to the base module, speakers and microphones on both devices may be obscured or otherwise fail to function properly due to the proximity of the other device. However, in an embodiment, a predetermined optimized audio configuration is established for the combined device when the base device detects that the added functionality module has been docked.
The predetermined optimized audio configuration includes one or more audio settings. For example, an audio configuration may include disabling a rear facing noise cancellation microphone on the base device while enabling a rear facing noise cancellation microphone on the added functionality module, disabling one or more loudspeakers on the base device for speakerphone mode while enabling one or more loudspeakers on the added functionality device, and modifying playback frequencies for the loudspeakers to direct high frequencies to the loudspeakers of one device and to direct low frequencies to the loudspeakers of the other device.
In an embodiment, in order to facilitate the selection of an appropriate predetermined optimized audio configuration, the base device determines a device ID of the added device upon docking The base device then uses the determined device ID to select the correct configuration. In a further embodiment, the device ID allows a look-up in a local or remote configuration table. In an alternative further embodiment, the device ID itself specifies the required configuration.
With this overview in mind, and turning now to a more detailed discussion in conjunction with the attached figures, the techniques of the present disclosure are illustrated as being implemented in a suitable computing environment. The following device description is based on embodiments and examples of the disclosed principles and should not be taken as limiting the claims with regard to alternative embodiments that are not explicitly described herein. Thus, for example, while
The schematic diagram of
In the illustrated embodiment, the components 110 include a display screen 120, applications (e.g., programs) 130, a processor 140, a memory 150, one or more input components 160 such as speech and text input facilities, and one or more output components 170 such as text and audible output facilities, e.g., one or more speakers.
The processor 140 may be any of a microprocessor, microcomputer, application-specific integrated circuit, or the like. For example, the processor 140 can be implemented by one or more microprocessors or controllers from any desired family or manufacturer. Similarly, the memory 150 may reside on the same integrated circuit as the processor 140. Additionally or alternatively, the memory 150 may be accessed via a network, e.g., via cloud-based storage. The memory 150 may include a random access memory (i.e., Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRM) or any other type of random access memory device). Additionally or alternatively, the memory 150 may include a read only memory (i.e., a hard drive, flash memory or any other desired type of memory device).
The information that is stored by the memory 150 can include program code associated with one or more operating systems or applications as well as informational data, e.g., program parameters, process data, etc. The operating system and applications are typically implemented via executable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium (e.g., memory 150) to control basic functions of the electronic device. Such functions may include, for example, interaction among various internal components and storage and retrieval of applications and data to and from the memory 150.
Further with respect to the applications 130, these typically utilize the operating system to provide more specific functionality, such as file system service and handling of protected and unprotected data stored in the memory 150. Although many applications may provide standard or required functionality of the user device 110, in other cases applications provide optional or specialized functionality, and may be supplied by third party vendors or the device manufacturer.
Finally, with respect to informational data, e.g., program parameters and process data, this non-executable information can be referenced, manipulated, or written by the operating system or an application. Such informational data can include, for example, data that are preprogrammed into the device during manufacture, data that are created by the device or added by the user, or any of a variety of types of information that are uploaded to, downloaded from, or otherwise accessed at servers or other devices with which the device is in communication during its ongoing operation.
The device having component group 110 may include software and hardware networking components 180 to allow communications to and from the device. Such networking components 180 will typically provide wireless networking functionality, although wired networking may additionally or alternatively be supported.
In an embodiment, a power supply 190, such as a battery or fuel cell, may be included for providing power to the device and its components 110. All or some of the internal components 110 communicate with one another by way of one or more shared or dedicated internal communication links 195, such as an internal bus.
In an embodiment, the device 110 is programmed such that the processor 140 and memory 150 interact with the other components of the device 110 to perform certain functions. The processor 140 may include or implement various modules and execute programs for initiating different activities such as launching an application, transferring data, and toggling through various graphical user interface objects (e.g., toggling through various display icons that are linked to executable applications).
Turning to
For data communication between the devices, the first device 200 includes a connector array 213 in an embodiment of the disclosed principles. The connector array 205 may be located and configured to mate with a mating connector array on the second device 201.
In the illustrated example, the first device 200 includes a camera 219 and flash 221 that provides basic photography functionality. The second device 201 includes a more capable camera 215 and an associated flash 217 as well to provide extended photography functionality. While the illustrated second device 201 is an extended photography functionality module, it will be appreciated that any other type of second device may instead be used without departing from the scope of the disclosed principles.
To enable audio interaction with the user, the first and second devices 200, 201 include earpiece speakers, loudspeakers and microphones as noted above. In an embodiment, these features include a microphone 225 and loudspeaker 227 on the first device 200, as well as a microphone 229 and loudspeaker 231 on the second device 201.
Continuing,
To counter this occurrence, a predetermined optimized audio configuration is established for the combined device 400, in an embodiment, when the base device 200 detects that the added functionality module 201 has been docked. The flow chart of
While the process 500 is described through actions of the first device 200, it will be appreciated that the first device 200 acts via its processor 140. In particular, the processor 140 of the first device 200 executes computer-readable instructions that are read from a non-transitory computer-readable medium, e.g., a flash memory, ROM, RAM, or other memory.
At stage 501 of the illustrated process 500, the devices 200, 201 are not docked together and thus operate independently. The devices 200, 201 are mated at stage 503, an occurrence that is subsequently detected at stage 505 by the first device 200. In particular, for example, the first device 200 may detect the presence of the second device 201 via its connectivity at the first device's contact array 213. Alternatively, the first device 200 may detect the second device 201 via a capacitance change, near field reaction, or otherwise.
Having detected that the second device 201 has docked to the first device 200, the first device 200 reads an ID value from the second device at stage 507. The ID value of the second device 201 may be periodically broadcast by the second device 201. In an alternative embodiment, the second device 201 is prompted by the first device 200 to send its ID to the first device 200. In another alternative embodiment, the second device 201 detects the docking event as well, and self-initiates a transmission of its ID.
Regardless, the first device 200 resolves the ID of the second device 201 to a predetermined audio configuration at stage 509, and applies the identified predetermined audio configuration at the final stage of the process 500 (stage 511). In an embodiment of the disclosed principles, the predetermined audio configuration is resolved via a table linking multiple possible IDs to multiple predetermined audio configurations. However, in an alternative embodiment, the ID itself provides the predetermined audio configuration information, either in clear or coded form.
As noted in overview above, the predetermined audio configuration includes one or more audio settings for controlling the usage of speakers and microphones on one or both devices 200, 201. Examples using the devices illustrated herein include disabling a rear facing noise cancellation microphone on the first device 200 while enabling a rear facing noise cancellation microphone on the second device 201, disabling one or more loudspeakers on the first device 200 for speakerphone mode while enabling one or more loudspeakers on the second device 201, and modifying playback frequencies for the loudspeakers to direct high frequencies to the loudspeakers of one device (e.g., the second device 201) and to direct low frequencies to the loudspeakers of the other device (e.g., the first device 200).
It should be noted that the second device 201 may be any one of multiple available device types. For example, while
It will be appreciated that a system and method for audio configuration in a modular portable device environment have been disclosed herein. However, in view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the present disclosure may be applied, it should be recognized that the embodiments described herein with respect to the drawing figures are meant to be illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the claims. Therefore, the techniques as described herein contemplate all such embodiments as may come within the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.
