Patent Application
20170325038
Electronic devices are offered in many different form factors such as laptop personal computers, tablets, smart phones, e-readers and the like. One such form factor is a convertible device, such as the LENOVO YOGA laptop personal computer, which typically includes two or more components that are hingedly attached such that they may be converted to multiple different physical orientations or configurations. For example, a convertible device may include a lower housing unit having a keyboard, touch pad, etc., which is hingedly attached to an upper housing or display unit that includes an LCD or other display device along with a touch screen. The two units of the convertible device may be joined together by a multi-axis hinge that allows the convertible device to be used as a traditional clamshell laptop, as a tablet device, in a tent mode, etc. In some form factors, devices or components are detachable. YOGA is a registered trademark of Lenovo (Beijing) Limited Corporation in the United States and other countries.
In summary, one aspect provides an apparatus, comprising: a device housing; a sensor disposed within the device housing; a plurality of audio devices disposed within the device housing; a processor operatively coupled to the plurality of audio devices; and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to: activate a first set of the plurality of audio devices; detect, using the sensor, a use mode; and change, using the processor, to a second active set of the plurality of audio devices based on the use mode.
Another aspect provides a method, comprising: activating, using a processor of an electronic device, a first set of a plurality of audio devices; detecting, using a sensor of the electronic device, a device use mode; and changing, using the processor, to a second active set of the plurality of audio devices based on the device use mode.
A further aspect provides a program product, comprising: a program storage device comprising code, the code being executable by a processor and comprising: code that activates a first set of a plurality of audio devices of an electronic device; code that detects, using a sensor of the electronic device, a device use mode; and code that changes to a second active set of the plurality of audio devices based on the device use mode.
The foregoing is a summary and thus may contain simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting.
For a better understanding of the embodiments, together with other and further features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.
It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations in addition to the described example embodiments. Thus, the following more detailed description of the example embodiments, as represented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, as claimed, but is merely representative of example embodiments.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” (or the like) means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” or the like in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a thorough understanding of embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, et cetera. In other instances, well known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obfuscation.
Current audio solutions (audio input and/or output, I/O) for convertible devices do not optimize sound I/O for modes other than traditional clamshell. This forces the user to consume or produce audio content in clamshell mode or to use the device in other modes with sub-optimized audio output. Thus, with current convertible devices, the microphone and speakers are optimized for use in the traditional clamshell mode.
An embodiment therefore enhances the audio I/O (of the speakers and/or microphones) when in other modes or physical configurations, such as tent mode, closed-lid mode, and tablet mode. In an embodiment, audio devices (speakers and/or microphones) are embedded throughout the surface(s) of the convertible device and may even be incorporated into the hinge of the convertible device. The convertible device is thus able to output sound that is best suited for the current mode of the convertible device as well as the context that the user(s) are in when interacting with the convertible device.
As will be readily apparent from this description, various embodiments may be applied to convertible device or to non-convertible (i.e., traditional) device form factors, e.g., tablets, bar-type phones or flip phones, smart phones generally, clamshell style laptops, e-readers, etc. Such non-convertible or traditional device form factors will benefit from several of the embodiments; however, a convertible device is used throughout as an illustrative and non-limiting example.
By distributing the speakers and microphone throughout the device (e.g., on the “A,” “C,” and “D” covers and in hinge), as well as micro-perforating the device surfaces, sound can be received or projected to best represent the quality and spatial profile originally intended by the content creator or the user, no matter what physical configuration, use mode or use context the device is in. By leveraging gyroscopic, hinge, user presence data (collected for example via sensors (and associated sub-systems) for facial recognition or eye tracking, GPS, WIFI or other wireless network awareness, etc.), the device can alter the mix of the sound to best suit the physical configuration, position, orientation and/or mode the device is in. This includes in some examples taking into account the position of the user(s) relative to the device, whether directly detected or inferred.
By way of non-limiting example, when in a tent mode, the A and D covers of the device, along with the hinge, include embedded speakers that can automatically reconfigure the sound mix (in terms of speaker devices utilized to produce sound) to take advantage of the spatial chamber created when the device is placed on a table or flat surface (i.e., in tent mode on a flat surface). The acoustic profile of the “sound chamber” created from the device in tent mode can be used to optimize the sound mix.
Another non-limiting example includes, when in a closed-lid mode (a traditional laptop clamshell closed) or in a tablet mode (where the device's touch screen or main display is rotated outward), the device's microphone array, speakers, and sensors can enable new use cases in terms of audio I/O management. For example, when in a closed-lid mode, the device's microphone arrays may detect the direction of a user speaking commands to it. Using this spatial information relative to the device, an embodiment automatically direct audio output from the embedded speakers in the direction of the user. Further, an embodiment may activate microphones determined to be proximate to the user's position for receiving higher quality audio input.
The illustrated example embodiments will be best understood by reference to the figures. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain example embodiments.
While various other circuits, circuitry or components may be utilized in information handling devices, with regard to smart phone and/or tablet circuitry 100, an example illustrated in
There are power management chip(s) 130, e.g., a battery management unit, BMU, which manage power as supplied, for example, via a rechargeable battery 140, which may be recharged by a connection to a power source (not shown). In at least one design, a single chip, such as 110, is used to supply BIOS like functionality and DRAM memory.
System 100 typically includes one or more of a WWAN transceiver 150 and a WLAN transceiver 160 for connecting to various networks, such as telecommunications networks and wireless Internet devices, e.g., access points. Additionally, devices 120 are included, e.g., audio devices. System 100 often includes a touch screen 170 for data input and display/rendering. System 100 also typically includes various memory devices, for example flash memory 180 and SDRAM 190.
The example of
In
In
The system, upon power on, may be configured to execute boot code 290 for the BIOS 268, as stored within the SPI Flash 266, and thereafter processes data under the control of one or more operating systems and application software (for example, stored in system memory 240). An operating system may be stored in any of a variety of locations and accessed, for example, according to instructions of the BIOS 268. As described herein, a device may include fewer or more features than shown in the system of
Information handling device circuitry, as for example outlined in
Referring to
In an embodiment, the upper and lower housing surfaces are micro-perforated surfaces that provide for inlet and/or outlet for sound. For example, if the audio devices include a speaker or speakers, the micro-perforated surface material permits sound production from any part of the device surface selected for activation, e.g., based on device use mode. Likewise, if the audio devices include a microphone or microphones, the micro-perforated surface material permits sound pickup from any part of the device surface selected for activation.
An embodiment includes audio devices in a plurality of locations, e.g., disposed beneath micro-perforated surfaces of the upper and lower housings, the hinge (if any), and bezel areas. This permits the device 300A, 300B to produce sound and/or pick up sound in a plurality of directions, e.g., as adapted to intelligently account for device use mode or configuration.
As illustrated in
An embodiment may detect the clamshell mode (or other use modes, as described further herein) using one or more sensors. For example, the main or lower housing of the device 300A may include an orientation sensor or 9-axis sensor package that indicates that the device has been placed in a level position, e.g., on a table top, and is not undergoing movement. Similarly, another sensor or sensors, such as a sensor disposed in the device hinge or hinges, as well as other locations, may indicate that the lid has been opened. Further, other sensors may be utilized, alone or in some combination, as further described herein with the non-limiting examples illustrated in
In the mode or configuration shown in
Turning to
If one or more sensors detect that the device 300B has been placed in tent mode, an embodiment may switch or change which audio devices are active, e.g. which speakers will be used for producing sound. As illustrated, in tent mode the device 300B may activate speakers on the D side and A side of the device 300B such that a sound chamber is produced for audio output.
This leads to a richer audio output, particularly if the audio devices activated are selected based on the use mode plus the type of audio being produced or received. For example, an embodiment may detect that a certain audio type is being produced (e.g., an audio file of a particular music or music type, audio containing dialogue in connection with a video file, audio provided by a particular application type, audio produced in a certain geographic location, etc.) and may detect a certain device use mode, e.g., tent mode as illustrated in
Other data may be used in connection with device use mode data as well. As illustrated by way of example in
In the example shown in
As shown in the example of
Have a device use mode identified at 501, an embodiment may identify currently active audio devices, if any, at 502. For example, an embodiment may identify that a default speaker or microphone is set as active for audio production and pickup, respectively, e.g., based on a last detected mode (for example, clamshell mode).
If the current use mode does not match the currently active audio devices, as determined at 503, an embodiment may change the active audio devices to better suit the current use mode, as illustrated at 504. By way of example, if the audio devices identified at 502 are best suited for clamshell use mode, but the device is currently physically configured in a tent mode, as detected at 501, an embodiment may change the audio devices to be utilized to another, second set, as illustrated at 504. The second set of activated devices may contain some or all of the first set of audio devices. On the other hand, if the currently active audio devices are acceptable for the detected use mode, the currently active audio devices may be maintained.
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, various aspects may be embodied as a system, method or device program product. Accordingly, aspects may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment or an embodiment including software that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects may take the form of a device program product embodied in one or more device readable medium(s) having device readable program code embodied therewith.
It should be noted that the various functions described herein may be implemented using instructions stored on a device readable storage medium such as a non-signal storage device that are executed by a processor. A storage device may be, for example, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of a storage medium would include the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a storage device is not a signal and “non-transitory” includes all media except signal media.
Program code embodied on a storage medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, et cetera, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
Program code for carrying out operations may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on a single device, partly on a single device, as a stand-alone software package, partly on single device and partly on another device, or entirely on the other device. In some cases, the devices may be connected through any type of connection or network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made through other devices (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider), through wireless connections, e.g., near-field communication, or through a hard wire connection, such as over a USB connection.
Example embodiments are described herein with reference to the figures, which illustrate example methods, devices and program products according to various example embodiments. It will be understood that the actions and functionality may be implemented at least in part by program instructions. These program instructions may be provided to a processor of a device, a special purpose information handling device, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via a processor of the device implement the functions/acts specified.
It is worth noting that while specific blocks are used in the figures, and a particular ordering of blocks has been illustrated, these are non-limiting examples. In certain contexts, two or more blocks may be combined, a block may be split into two or more blocks, or certain blocks may be re-ordered or re-organized as appropriate, as the explicit illustrated examples are used only for descriptive purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.
As used herein, the singular “a” and “an” may be construed as including the plural “one or more” unless clearly indicated otherwise.
This disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The example embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain principles and practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
Thus, although illustrative example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying figures, it is to be understood that this description is not limiting and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure.
