Patent Application
20150181328
1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to audio detection, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to detecting audio data in a computing device.
2. Description
Many computing devices include an increasing number of hardware components that can collect information related to the operating environment of a computing device. For example, some computing devices include sensors that can collect sensor data that indicates a location or orientation of a computing device. In some examples, the sensor data can be used to modify the execution of applications. For example, the sensor data may be used to modify the execution of an application based on the location of the computing device or the orientation of a computing device. In some embodiments, the sensor data can include audio data detected by microphones or any suitable audio sensor.
The following detailed description may be better understood by referencing the accompanying drawings, which contain specific examples of numerous features of the disclosed subject matter.
According to embodiments of the subject matter discussed herein, a computing device can detect audio data. Audio data, as referred to herein, can include any data related to audio input from a user. For example, audio data may indicate the location of a user proximate a computing device, the orientation of the computing device to the user, a command from a user, or the number of users proximate a computing device, among others. In some examples, a computing device can detect the audio data using any suitable number of microphones. In some embodiments, the computing device may detect audio data using at least four microphones, wherein at least one microphone is located in a different plane in three dimensional space than the additional microphones.
Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the disclosed subject matter means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. Thus, the phrase “in one embodiment” may appear in various places throughout the specification, but the phrase may not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.
The processor 102 may also be linked through the system interconnect 106 (e.g., PCI®, PCI-Express®, HyperTransport®, NuBus, etc.) to a display interface 108 adapted to connect the computing device 100 to a display device 110. The display device 110 may include a display screen that is a built-in component of the computing device 100. The display device 110 may also include a computer monitor, television, or projector, among others, that is externally connected to the computing device 100. In addition, a network interface controller (also referred to herein as a NIC) 112 may be adapted to connect the computing device 100 through the system interconnect 106 to a network (not depicted). The network (not depicted) may be a cellular network, a radio network, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), or the Internet, among others.
The processor 102 may be connected through a system interconnect 106 to an input/output (I/O) device interface 114 adapted to connect the computing device 100 to one or more I/O devices 116. The I/O devices 116 may include, for example, a keyboard and a pointing device, wherein the pointing device may include a touchpad or a touchscreen, among others. The I/O devices 116 may be built-in components of the computing device 100, or may be devices that are externally connected to the computing device 100.
The processor 102 may also be linked through the system interconnect 106 to one or more microphones 118. In some embodiments, the microphones 118 can detect any suitable audio data indicating characteristics of the operating environment of the computing device 100. For example, a microphone 118 may detect audio data related to the number of users proximate the computing device 100 and the location of the users, among others. In some examples, a computing device 100 may include multiple microphones 118, wherein each microphone 118 detects audio data from an area proximate the computing device 100.
In some embodiments, the processor 102 may also be linked through the system interconnect 106 to a storage device 120 that can include a hard drive, an optical drive, a USB flash drive, an array of drives, or any combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the storage device 120 can include an audio module 122 and a settings module 124. The audio module 122 can detect audio data from any suitable number of microphones 118. In some examples, the microphones 118 can be arranged as illustrated below in relation to system 300 of
In some embodiments, the audio module 122 can detect the location data by analyzing a representation of the audio data received from the area surrounding the computing device 100. For example, the audio module 122 may generate a representation of the variations in audio data received from the area surrounding the computing device 100. The audio module 122 may also determine that an area with an amount of variation in audio data that is above a threshold value indicates the location of a user.
In some embodiments, the settings module 124 can detect audio data and location data from the audio module 122. In some examples, the audio module 122 can modify settings based on the audio data and the location data. For example, the settings module 124 may modify the gain by amplifying the audio data collected from areas near a location of a user. The settings module 124 may also disregard the noise or audio data collected from areas that do not correspond to the location of a user. In some examples, the settings module 124 can increase the sensitivity of microphones directed to the location of a user.
It is to be understood that the block diagram of
At block 202, the audio module 122 can detect a position of a computing device. In some embodiments, the position of the computing device can include a flat position or an upright position, among others. The flat position may include any position of a computing device in which a display device is parallel to a keyboard or any position of a computing device in which the back of a display device is perpendicular to a user. The upright position may include any position in which the display device of a computing device is perpendicular to a keyboard or the back of the display device is parallel to a user. In some embodiments, the position of the computing device may also indicate if the portion of a display device with a screen (also referred to herein as the front of the display device) faces the detected audio data or if the audio data is detected from the back of the display device. In some embodiments, microphones are positioned along a display device so that the position of the display device can be used to determine which microphones are to collect audio data.
At block 204, the audio module 122 can select a plurality of microphones to detect audio data based on the position of the computing device. In some embodiments, the position of the computing device can indicate the microphones that are to be used to collect audio data. For example, the computing device may include any suitable number of microphones that detect audio data from different directions. In some embodiments, the audio module 122 can select the microphones based on the number of users proximate the computing device and the position of the users in relation to the computing device. The locations of the microphones are described in greater detail below in relation to
At block 206, the audio module 122 can calculate location data corresponding to the audio data, the location data indicating the location of a user. As discussed above, the location data can indicate the coordinates or location of a user proximate a computing device. In some embodiments, the location data can be calculated using at least three equations and four microphones. The audio module 122 can calculate the location data using any suitable mathematical algorithm or technique, such as determining multiple circles of Apollonius, among others. An example of equations that can be used to calculate the location data is described in greater detail below in relation to
At block 208, the settings module 124 can modify a far field gain value based on the location data. The far field gain value, as referred to herein, indicates the distance and location of audio data that are to be amplified. In some embodiments, the settings module 124 can modify the far field gain value to amplify the audio data from a location that corresponds to a user, which can enhance the audio input provided by a user. For example, the far field gain value may improve the accuracy for detecting audio commands and any other suitable audio input. In some embodiments, the settings module 124 can also implement an adaptive gain control mechanism that applies different gain curves from a predetermined table based on the distance and direction of the location data. In some embodiments, the settings module 124 can increase the reliability of voice recognition and increase the clarity of voice recording. The settings module 124 can also adjust the microphones so that a user can provide audio data to a computing device in any suitable position such as a flat position or an upright position, among others.
The process flow diagram of
In some embodiments, the microphones 304-314 are located in positions that enable the microphones 304-314 to capture audio data when the display device is in a position. For example, microphone 1304, microphone 2306, and microphone 4310 can collect audio data that indicates if a user is located in front of the display device 302 or in the back of the display device 302 when the display device 302 is in an upright position. In some embodiments, microphone 1304, microphone 2306, microphone 3308, and microphone 4310 can collect audio data indicating the location of a user when the computing device is in a flat position or an upright position, among others. Microphone 1304, microphone 2306, microphone 3308, and microphone 4310 can also collect audio data indicating a far field gain value and a number of users that are proximate a computing device when the computing device is in a flat position or an upright position. In some examples, microphone 1304, microphone 2306, microphone 3308, and microphone 4310 can detect up to four users proximate a computing device.
In some embodiments, microphone 4310, microphone 5312, and microphone 6, 314 can collect audio data indicating the location data corresponding to a user proximate a computing device when the user is located in the back of the computing device in an upright position. Microphone 4310, microphone 5312, and microphone 6, 314 can also collect audio data indicating a far field gain value and a number of user proximate a computing device when the computing device is in an upright position and the users are in the back of the display device 302.
(xs−xa)2+(ys−ya)2=(r+ra)2; ra=0 Eq(1)
(xs−xb)2+(ys−yb)2=(r+rb)2 Eq(2)
(xs−xc)2+(ys−yc)2=(r+rc)2 Eq(3)
In Eq(1), Eq(2), and Eq(3), the coordinates (xs, ys) 402 represent the location data that indicates the location of a user. The coordinates (xa, ya) 404 represent the location of a first microphone, the coordinates (xb, yb) 406 represent the location of a second microphone, and the coordinates (xc, yc) 408 represent the location of a third microphone. In some embodiments, the distance between (xs, ys) 402 and (xa, ya) 404 is referred to as “r” 410. In some examples, a first circle 412 can include the coordinates (xs, ys) 402 and (xa, ya) 404 and a second circle 414 can include the coordinates (xs, ys) 402 and (xc, yc) 408. Additionally, the audio module 122 may detect a line 416 between (xs, ys) 402 and (xb, yb) 406. The point at which the first circle 412 intersects the line 416 is referred to as point 1418 and the point at which the second circle 414 intersects the line is referred to as point 2420. The distance between (xb, yb) 406 and point 1418 is referred to as rb 422. The distance between rb 422 and point 2420 is referred to as rc 424. The audio module 122 can use Eq(1), Eq(2), and Eq(3) to calculate the location data based on the delay corresponding to audio data. For example, the audio module 122 may detect audio data at the coordinates (xa, ya) 404, (xb, yb) 406, and (xc, yc) 408, and use the equations to determine the coordinates (xs, ys) 402.
The various software components discussed herein may be stored on the tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium 500, as indicated in
It is to be understood that any suitable number of the software components shown in
A method that can detect audio data is described herein. The method can include detecting a position of a computing device and selecting a plurality of microphones to detect audio data based on the position of the computing device. The method can also include calculating location data corresponding to the audio data, the location data indicating the location of a user, and modifying a far field gain value based on the location data.
In some embodiments, the method can include detecting a position for each of the plurality of microphones, the plurality of microphones comprising at least four microphones. In some examples, one microphone is positioned in a different plane than the at least three remaining microphones. The method can also include calculating the location data using at least three equations.
A computing device to detect audio data is also described herein. In some examples, the computing device includes logic that can detect a position of a computing device and select a plurality of microphones to detect audio data based on the position of the computing device. The logic can also calculate location data corresponding to the audio data, the location data indicating the location of a user and modify a far field gain value based on the location data.
In some embodiments, the detected position comprises a flat position or an upright position. Additionally, in some examples, the modified far field gain value indicates the plurality of microphones that are to amplify the audio data collected from the location of the user.
At least one non-transitory machine readable medium to detect audio data is also described herein. The at least one non-transitory machine readable medium may have instructions stored therein that, in response to being executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to detect a position of a computing device and select a plurality of microphones to detect audio data based on the position of the computing device. The at least one non-transitory machine readable medium may also have instructions stored therein that, in response to being executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to calculate location data corresponding to the audio data, the location data indicating the location of a user and modify a far field gain value based on the location data. In some embodiments, the instructions, in response to being executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to determine, based on the location data, that two or more users are proximate the computing device, and modify the far field gain value to amplify the audio data collected from at least two locations.
Although an example embodiment of the disclosed subject matter is described with reference to block and flow diagrams in
In the preceding description, various aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been described. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, systems and configurations were set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the subject matter. However, it is apparent to one skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that the subject matter may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well-known features, components, or modules were omitted, simplified, combined, or split in order not to obscure the disclosed subject matter.
Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or combination thereof, and may be described by reference to or in conjunction with program code, such as instructions, functions, procedures, data structures, logic, application programs, design representations or formats for simulation, emulation, and fabrication of a design, which when accessed by a machine results in the machine performing tasks, defining abstract data types or low-level hardware contexts, or producing a result.
Program code may represent hardware using a hardware description language or another functional description language which essentially provides a model of how designed hardware is expected to perform. Program code may be assembly or machine language or hardware-definition languages, or data that may be compiled and/or interpreted. Furthermore, it is common in the art to speak of software, in one form or another as taking an action or causing a result. Such expressions are merely a shorthand way of stating execution of program code by a processing system which causes a processor to perform an action or produce a result.
Program code may be stored in, for example, volatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as storage devices and/or an associated machine readable or machine accessible medium including solid-state memory, hard-drives, floppy-disks, optical storage, tapes, flash memory, memory sticks, digital video disks, digital versatile discs (DVDs), etc., as well as more exotic mediums such as machine-accessible biological state preserving storage. A machine readable medium may include any tangible mechanism for storing, transmitting, or receiving information in a form readable by a machine, such as antennas, optical fibers, communication interfaces, etc. Program code may be transmitted in the form of packets, serial data, parallel data, etc., and may be used in a compressed or encrypted format.
Program code may be implemented in programs executing on programmable machines such as mobile or stationary computers, personal digital assistants, set top boxes, cellular telephones and pagers, and other electronic devices, each including a processor, volatile and/or non-volatile memory readable by the processor, at least one input device and/or one or more output devices. Program code may be applied to the data entered using the input device to perform the described embodiments and to generate output information. The output information may be applied to one or more output devices. One of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can be practiced with various computer system configurations, including multiprocessor or multiple-core processor systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, as well as pervasive or miniature computers or processors that may be embedded into virtually any device. Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks may be performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network.
Although operations may be described as a sequential process, some of the operations may in fact be performed in parallel, concurrently, and/or in a distributed environment, and with program code stored locally and/or remotely for access by single or multi-processor machines. In addition, in some embodiments the order of operations may be rearranged without departing from the spirit of the disclosed subject matter. Program code may be used by or in conjunction with embedded controllers.
While the disclosed subject matter has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the subject matter, which are apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the disclosed subject matter pertains are deemed to lie within the scope of the disclosed subject matter.
