Manage target sound playback

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to managing target sound playback. A method for controlling target sound playback is described. A display screen of a control device is configured to display a target sound user setting for controlling target sound playback, wherein the target sound user setting controls stored target sound level parameters stored in a memory of the control device. A target sound sequence is generated based on the user setting. A speaker is driven using the target sound sequence. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Description

[0001] This nonprovisional U.S. patent application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 190,680, filed on May 19, 2021. Technical Field

[0002] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to digital audio processing techniques for improving the headphone wearer experience. Other aspects are also described. Background Art

[0003] Headphones are not only used for listening to music and making phone calls, but also for creating a quiet listening experience for the wearer using acoustic noise cancellation, for example, while traveling on a plane, train, or bus. With increasingly comfortable, attractive, and unobtrusive designs, some headphones can also be worn for longer periods of time. It's common to see people wearing headphones not only while engaging in other mental or physical activities, but also when simply relaxing. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One aspect of the present disclosure is a method for generating a target sound from a speaker that can be integrated into headphones, which helps avoid interference from internal and external sound sources that a listener (e.g., the wearer of the headphones) may hear at any given moment. The target sound can mask or reduce the perceived loudness of other sounds that the listener may hear and that are distracting. The other sounds may be external sounds, such as passive leakage of ambient sound (e.g., crosstalk, chatter, machine noise), or it can be internal sounds (something other than the leakage of ambient sound heard by the listener, which may include occlusion effects, active real-time reproduction of ambient sound, acoustic noise cancellation artifacts, media playback, and phone calls). The result is that the listener can focus on the specific activity they are engaged in, such as reading or writing / typing, the listener can simply relax because other sounds that may be undesirable are masked by the target sound, the target sound can help the listener fall asleep, or the target sound can fill in the time intervals without speech during a podcast or phone call (e.g., as background). This can enhance the listener's headphone listening experience, especially over longer time intervals of several hours or for most of the day.

[0005] The above summary does not include an exhaustive list of all aspects of the present disclosure. It is contemplated that the present disclosure includes all systems and methods that can be practiced by all suitable combinations of the various aspects summarized above and disclosed in the detailed description below and particularly pointed out in the claims section. Such combinations may have specific advantages not specifically set forth in the above summary. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Various aspects of the present disclosure are described by way of example and not by way of limitation in the drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to "one" or "an" aspect in the present disclosure are not necessarily to the same aspect, and are intended to refer to at least one aspect. In addition, for the sake of brevity and to reduce the total number of drawings, a given drawing may be used to illustrate features of more than one aspect of the present disclosure, and not all elements in the drawing may be required for a given aspect.

[0007] Figure 1 An exemplary apparatus for generating a target sound is shown.

[0008] Figure 2 An exemplary graphical user interface presenting target sound user settings is shown.

[0009] Figure 3 A target sound sequence formed from segments of a sound file is shown.

[0010] Figure 4 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for generating a target sound sequence.

[0011] Figure 5 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for managing playback of a target sound sequence.

[0012] Figure 6 A decision processor is shown that adjusts for silence including a target sound sequence as a function of various variables.

[0013] Figure 7 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for making adjustments to a target sound sequence during playback.

[0014] Figure 8 is a flow chart of another exemplary method for making adjustments to a target sound sequence during playback. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Various aspects of the present disclosure will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Whenever the shapes, relative positions, and other aspects of the components described are not expressly defined, the scope of the present invention is not limited solely to the components shown, which are provided for illustrative purposes only. In addition, while numerous details are set forth, it should be understood that some aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail to avoid obscuring the understanding of the description.

[0016] Everyday sounds can be distracting, uncomfortable, or overwhelming. One aspect of the present disclosure is a method performed by an electronic control device for generating targeted sounds through a speaker (e.g., an earphone speaker integrated into an earphone housing). The targeted sounds can help reduce distractions and help the listener focus, calm down, or rest. Figure 1 The method can be performed by an electronic control device 2, which can be, for example, a smartphone, smartwatch, laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. The control device 2 can be a companion device (e.g., an audio source user computing device) that pairs with one or more headphones (left and right headphones 3) via a wireless communication link (e.g., a Bluetooth link), or it can be communicatively coupled to the headphones 3 via a wired or wireless link (e.g., a USB cable link). In either case, the control device 2 drives a target sound sequence as an audio signal to the input of a speaker in the headphones 3. To drive the headphone speakers, a processor 7 or other hardware in the control device 2 conditions and prepares (formats for transmission or delivery to the headphone speakers) the audio signal containing the target sound sequence. Depending on the operating mode of the control device 2, the audio signal driving the speakers may also include other audio content, such as anti-noise from an acoustic noise cancellation subsystem (ANC), media playback (e.g., from a music application, movie application, or podcast application), system sounds in the form of phone calls or notification audio signals (such as incoming message alerts, calendar reminders, or ringtones). The audio signal is transmitted to the audio circuitry in the headphones 3. Depending on the capabilities of the earphones 3, the earphones 3 may have different types of audio circuitry, ranging from passive analog wired earphone speakers to fully functional wireless earphones with a built-in wireless transceiver, ANC, an external microphone for actively reproducing ambient sound, digital-to-analog conversion, and an audio amplifier loaded as an earphone speaker. Playback occurs when the audio circuitry feeds the audio signal to the input of the earphone speaker to generate the target sound and, optionally, other sounds included in the audio signal. Although the earphones 3 shown in the figure are earbuds, they may also be other types, such as over-ear headphones or headphones.

[0017] exist Figure 1In the example shown, the display screen 4 of the control device 2 has been configured by the processor 7 according to instructions stored in the memory 6, for example as part of the operating system (OS) of the control device 2, to display one or more target sound user settings. The memory 6 is an example of a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions that configure the processor to perform most (if not all) of the method operations described in the present disclosure. In the example shown, the processor configures the display screen 4 with a graphical user interface (GUI) screen that presents several target sound user settings. The display screen 4 can be a touch screen, wherein the processor 7 presents the GUI screen in response to a single finger swipe on the touch screen, for example during a lock screen state or a home screen state of the control device 2. In such a "quick view", the touch screen is configured to directly display a plurality of commonly used controls, including the target sound user settings and one or more typical settings, such as a wireless LAN switch, screen brightness, volume, calculator, portrait lock switch, flashlight, and camera.

[0018] The User setting allows the user (e.g., a listener who may be wearing headphones 3 and also owns or manages the control device 2) to manually control the target sound playback feature. There is a Target Sound Enable setting 10, which may be a toggle switch as shown that enables and disables the feature. There may also be a Sound Type setting 12, which is a selector switch that sets the type of sound to be played back (from a number of available types of sound files), see Figure 2 (For example, waves or ocean sounds, rain sounds, stream sounds, forest sounds, bird sounds, and synthetic sounds of noise types such as pink noise or white noise.) There are also target sound user settings such as a first selector 13 and an optional second selector 14, which set target sound level parameters 16 stored in the memory 6. The processor 7 generates a target sound sequence based on one or more of these user settings (and the stored target sound level parameters 16 corresponding to the user settings), and then drives the speakers of the headphones 3 with the generated target sound sequence.

[0019] The first selector 13 is a variable sound level setting that allows the user to set the first of the stored target sound level parameters 16 to between a low setting and a high setting as shown in the figure, for example, when the user listens to the target sound playback through the headphones 3 they are wearing. In addition or as an alternative to the first selector 13, the second selector 14 is a variable sound level setting that sets the second of the stored target sound level parameters 16 (set to between a low setting and a high setting); the second selector 14 can be provided to set different target sound levels during media playback (compared to during no media playback). In other words, if the target sound is enabled, its sound level is set according to the second of the parameters 16 during media playback, and according to the first of the parameters 16 during no media playback. The second selector 14 can: i) indicate its sound level as relative to the media playback sound level, or ii) indicate its sound level for use during media playback. In another aspect of the present disclosure, the target sound user setting includes a schedule setting for playing a target sound sequence at certain times of the day or on certain days of the week.

[0020] Targeted Sound Design

[0021] Now see Figure 3 , which shows how to use a sound file stored in the form of N (two or more) binary data (bins) and several segments in each binary data to form a target sound sequence. As mentioned above, the segments that make up the sound file can be recorded natural sounds (e.g., rain, streams, waves, birds), or they can be synthesized (generated) sounds, such as various types of noise. In one aspect, the binary data that make up the file are downloaded from the cloud and stored in a "local" memory, a memory inside the earphone housing, or inside the control device 2 (see Figure 1 ). The file can be updated from a remote server (e.g., the cloud) in order to, for example, use a more advantageous or different version of the recorded or generated sound. In one aspect, all segments in each binary data may have the same length, or there may be some segments of different lengths (e.g., in terms of duration in milliseconds ms).

[0022] Processor 7 executable algorithm, this algorithm organizes or defines a binary data sequence, selects fragment from this binary data sequence, then these fragments are connected to form target sound sequence as shown in the figure.The algorithm that comprises predefined binary data sequence can be pre-created in the laboratory, then downloaded in the control device for execution.These fragments are mixed or linked, and cross-fade to form continuous playback sequence as required simultaneously.Once binary data sequence is organized, processor 7 selectively pulls out or downloads binary data (binary data called in binary data sequence) from server over time, to generate target sound sequence.This helps to adapt to the situation of limited computing resources, such as the situation of limited memory in control device 2 or earphone shell.In other words, the little preview of target sound sequence is stored on control device or earphone, but larger plot is retained in the server, until the time of this part for playback that generates target sound sequence.

[0023] Figure 4 A flow chart of an exemplary method for generating a target sound sequence is shown. The process may first access (20) at least a portion of a sound file, for example, by learning the locations in the memory 6 where some, but not all, of the binary data constituting a given sound file is stored. Note that this may be done by downloading such binary data from the cloud to the memory 6. Audio segments are then selected from the accessed binary data and mixed (22) while cross-fading to form the target sound sequence (see Figure 3 ). In operations 20 and 22, in the case where the accessed sound file is a recorded natural sound, an audio segment is randomly selected from each binary data. In the case where the accessed sound file is a synthetically generated sound (e.g., noise), in operation 22, the selected audio segments may be longer (time intervals), such as 15 seconds each, and may follow a deterministic sequence, such as a repeating loop. The sound level of the target sound sequence may then be adjusted to match the stored target sound level parameters (16), and then the target sound sequence is used to drive the headphone speaker (23).

[0024] In one aspect, the natural sound recorded in the binary data is the sound of rain, and for any given binary data, all segments in the binary data sound different but have similar rainfall intensities. In other words, multiple rainfall binary data are selected, each of which has different rainfall intensities. This allows the algorithm to select segments from low-intensity binary data (a small amount of rainfall), and then select segments from higher-intensity binary data (a heavy downpour) over time to create a rainfall plot. For example, the target sound sequence begins with low-intensity rainfall and then enhances to high-intensity rainfall over time, and each time the target sound sequence starts to play back, this progression from low-intensity rainfall to high-intensity rainfall has different speeds. In this respect, the algorithm is "dynamic" because it creates a plot in which the rain starts as raindrops and then enhances over time, with changes in the plot each time the target sound feature starts to play. For example, when the target sound feature is enabled for the first time, the algorithm links the selected binary data to form enhanced rain over, for example, 15 minutes. The second time the target sound feature is enabled (or resumed after a pause as described further below), the progression from slow rain to heavy rain takes, for example, 5 minutes.

[0025] Still see Figure 4 In one aspect shown, audio segments are selected from the binary data based on a pre-composed or pre-defined binary data sequence (24) from which the audio selection is made. Once the pre-defined binary data sequence has ended or completed (25), the pre-defined binary data sequence (24) can be restarted in operation 22 so that the target sound sequence can continue to be formed uninterrupted. When each segment in the binary data has been randomly selected at least once (26), the segments of the binary data are shuffled (27) before the binary data can be used again in operation 22. In other words, the pre-defined binary data sequence 24 is repeatable, but the selection of each binary data in operation 22 is randomized and each binary data is shuffled as often as necessary.

[0026] Therefore, as a whole, the resulting playback (of the target sound sequence) will not be memorable to the listener even after weeks, months, or years. For example, the listener will not hear the same bird sound in the same location, or the same wave sound over and over again. This is in contrast to the random but still repetitive nature of the washing machine sound.

[0027] On the other hand, it also happens to be Figure 4As described in the same flow chart of FIG, the method further includes stereo widening (28) the target sound sequence before driving the left and right headphone speakers (23). Doing so helps ensure that the target sound is perceived by the listener as widened or having an enhanced stereo effect, making the listener less likely to focus on it. This can be achieved by scrambling or decorrelating the left and right versions of the target sound sequence.

[0028] Control device operating system (OS) infrastructure for managing target sound playback

[0029] As previously mentioned, the control device 2 may have an OS infrastructure for managing the playback of target sounds by presenting a GUI for controlling user settings for the target sounds. These settings may include an enable setting 10 (see Figure 1 ). The OS infrastructure may configure the processor 7 to execute Figure 5 The method shown in FIG. 1 shows an example of a method wherein an enable setting 10 (31) is accessed to determine whether target sound playback is enabled (33). If target sound playback is not enabled, the processor automatically prompts the user of the control device 2 (35) to set a target sound level when media playback begins. However, if target sound playback is enabled, the processor automatically fades in a target sound sequence according to the sound level of the target sound user setting (36) in response to i) detecting that the user is wearing headphones (37) or ii) detecting that media playback has begun (39).

[0030] Figure 5 The flowchart in FIG. 4 is also used to illustrate certain situations when the target sound playback (40) is paused. In order to reduce power consumption, the algorithm for generating the target sound sequence (e.g., Figure 4 In one aspect, playback is paused in response to detecting that the listener has removed one or both earphones 3 from their head (41). In another aspect, playback is paused in response to detecting that the earphones 3 are being used for a telephone call (42) (e.g., an audio or video call). In both cases, playback of the target sound sequence may be resumed (by looping back to operation 36 as shown, which may also include restarting) once the earphones are returned to the listener's head or the telephone call has ended. Figure 4 in the method).

[0031] Dynamic mixing of target sounds with other audio content

[0032] In one aspect, the target sound is played continuously when the earphones 3 are worn and can mask unwanted ambient or external noise that has leaked into the user's ears (although passive isolation is provided by wearing the earphones 3). In addition, the processor 7 can be configured to mix and suppress (duck) the target sound sequence "under" other concurrent sounds reproduced by the earphones and to be heard by the listener. Suppressing under means, for example, reducing the broadband gain of the target sound sequence so that it does not stand out from the listener's perspective relative to other concurrently playing audio content. Other audio content can be media playback, system sounds (e.g., messages or calendar notifications), or active reproduction of ambient sounds by the earphones. Specifically, the processor 7 can perform gain adjustment on the target sound based on active reproduction of concurrent ambient sounds or acoustic noise cancellation. For example, the target sound can be customized (spectral shaping) and added to mask any remaining or residual audible effects of the acoustic noise cancellation process.

[0033] Figure 6 is a block diagram of how a target sound sequence can be customized to drive an earphone speaker before being combined with other audio signal content. This feature is also referred to herein as dynamic target audio. A decision processor (e.g., a processor 7 executing instructions stored in memory 6 or configured by the instructions) can adjust the broadband gain of the target sound sequence based on one or more of the following inputs it can receive: a detected ambient sound level; a detected user context of attentive listening, running or jogging, or transportation such as in a car or bus; a detection of the listener's environment being in an office, at home, or on public transportation; a current user volume setting (based directly on, for example, a manual setting of the overall volume using a physical volume control button on a smartphone); a detection that media playback has started or stopped (e.g., media playback can be from a game application, music application, movie application, podcast application, or web browser); and a detection that a phone call has started or ended. For example, the broadband gain of the target sound sequence decreases in response to the start of media playback and increases back to a previous value (based on stored target sound level parameters) when media playback stops. In another case, the gain of the target sound sequence is reduced or the target sound sequence is muted in response to the start of the call, and is increased or unmuted when the call ends. In yet another case, the gain of the target sound is adjusted based on a personalized hearing / audio profile, which can be obtained, for example, through a personalized registration process in which the user participates via the user's control device 2 and headphones (by responding to questions about sound stimuli played back through the headphones worn by the user). More generally, the target sound sequence can be viewed as replacing the listener's audible noise floor, but without interfering with the listener's hearing of the media playback (e.g., maintaining speech intelligibility during media playback or during a phone call).

[0034] In another aspect, the decision processor adjusts the gain of the target sound sequence in a manner that reduces variations in a short-term loudness measurement of the headphone speaker output despite variations in other audio content. The short-term loudness measurement is a measurement of the headphone speaker output taken over the past three seconds. In other words, the decision processor maintains a consistent or relatively constant overall loudness of the speaker output regardless of variations in the target sound sequence and variations in other user audio content (i.e., simultaneous playback).

[0035] In another aspect, the processor 7 is configured to automatically suppress target playback in response to certain types of applications being launched or running (such as gaming applications, music applications, and movie applications), but to continue target playback without suppression (or with less suppression) when the user audio content being routed to the earpiece speaker is from a podcast application or a web browser. Figure 7 , this method for playing back target sounds can be performed as follows. A target sound sequence (43) is generated according to user settings, and the headphone speaker (44) is driven with the target sound sequence. When a playback request from the first application type or from the second application type is detected (45), the processor 7 continues to drive the headphone speaker with the target sound sequence while combining the target sound sequence with the playback from the first application type (48) or from the second application type (47). When combined with the playback from the first application, the processor automatically suppresses the target sound sequence (50), but when combined with the playback from the second application, the processor will i) not suppress the target gain sequence, or ii) suppress the target gain sequence less than during the playback of the first application type (51).

[0036] On the other hand, when the target sound is playing and no other user audio from the application is routed to the headphone speaker, the processor may automatically lower the gain of the target sound sequence when the podcast application begins playing, but then raise the gain (back to the sound level according to the stored target sound level parameter 16) when the podcast application stops playing.

[0037] Now see Figure 8 , which is a flow chart of another method for dynamic headphone playback of target sounds, wherein a target sound sequence is generated as above based on user settings (43) and drives the headphone speakers (44). While doing so, the processor automatically adjusts the target sound sequence (55) based on the time of day or based on the ambient light level (53). Such adjustments are not limited to broadband gain adjustments, but may alternatively or additionally include spectral shaping or other digital audio DSP adjustments, see e.g. Figure 6 For example, the target sound sequence may be adjusted to generate louder sounds in the morning or during the day than in the evening or at night.

[0038] The following additional statements may be made in relation to the various aspects disclosed above.

[0039] Generate target sound

[0040] 1. A method for playing back a target sound, the method comprising: accessing at least a portion of a sound file as a plurality of binary data, each binary data storing a plurality of audio segments; selecting a plurality of selected audio segments from the plurality of binary data and mixing the selected audio segments while cross-fading to form a target sound sequence; and driving a speaker with the target sound sequence.

[0041] 2. The method of statement 1, wherein the plurality of audio segments are recorded natural sounds, and the selected audio segment is randomly selected from each binary data.

[0042] 3. The method of statement 2, wherein the recorded natural sound is rain sound, and for any given binary data, all segments in the given binary data sound different but have similar rainfall intensity.

[0043] 4. The method according to statement 2, wherein the recorded natural sound is a sound of rain, and all segments in a first one of the binary data have a rainfall intensity lower than that of all segments in a second one of the binary data.

[0044] 5. The method of statement 4, wherein the target sound sequence progresses from low intensity rainfall and then intensifies to high intensity rainfall over time, and wherein the progression from low intensity rainfall to high intensity rainfall has a different speed each time the target sound sequence begins playback.

[0045] 6. A method according to any one of statements 1 to 5, wherein the audio segments are selected from the binary data according to a predefined binary data sequence from which the audio selection is made, the predefined binary data sequence is repeated so as to continuously form the target sound sequence, and when each segment in the binary data has been randomly selected at least once, the segments of the binary data are shuffled before being used again in the predefined binary data sequence.

[0046] 7. The method of any one of statements 1 to 6, further comprising stereo-expanding the target sound sequence into a left headphone driver signal and a right headphone driver signal.

[0047] 8. The method according to any one of statements 1 to 7, further comprising downloading the plurality of binary data of the sound file from the cloud server to a headset having a speaker integrated therein, or to a control device communicatively coupled to the headset.

[0048] 9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that configure a processor to: access at least a portion of a sound file as a plurality of binary data, each binary data storing a plurality of audio segments; and select audio segments from the plurality of binary data and mix the selected audio segments while cross-fading to form a target sound sequence, wherein the target sound sequence then drives a speaker.

[0049] 10. The computer-readable medium of statement 9, wherein the plurality of audio segments are recorded natural sounds, and the selected audio segment is randomly selected from each binary data.

[0050] 11. The computer-readable medium of statement 10, wherein the recorded natural sound is rain, and for any given binary data, all segments in the given binary data sound different but have similar rainfall intensity.

[0051] 12. The computer-readable medium of statement 10, wherein the recorded natural sound is a sound of rain, and all segments in a first one of the binary data have a rainfall intensity lower than a rainfall intensity of all segments in a second one of the binary data.

[0052] 13. A computer-readable medium according to any one of statements 11 to 12, wherein the target sound sequence begins with low-intensity rainfall and then progresses to high-intensity rainfall over time, and wherein the progression from low-intensity rainfall to high-intensity rainfall has a different speed each time the target sound sequence begins playback.

[0053] 14. A computer-readable medium according to any one of statements 9 to 13, wherein the audio segments are selected from the binary data according to a predefined binary data sequence from which the audio selection is made, the predefined binary data sequence is repeated to continuously form the target sound sequence, and when each segment in the binary data has been randomly selected at least once, the segments of the binary data are shuffled before being used again in the predefined binary data sequence.

[0054] 15. The computer-readable medium of any one of statements 9 to 13, wherein the processor is further configured to stereo-expand the target sound sequence into a left headphone driver signal and a right headphone driver signal.

[0055] 16. A computer-readable medium according to any one of statements 9 to 13, wherein the processor is further configured to download a plurality of binary data of the sound file from the cloud server to the headset having a speaker integrated therein, or to a control device communicatively coupled to the headset, before said accessing.

[0056] 17. The computer-readable medium of any one of statement 16, integrated with a processor in a control device.

[0057] 18. The computer-readable medium of statement 17, wherein the controlling device is a smartphone, a smartwatch, a laptop, a tablet, or a desktop computer.

[0058] 19. The computer-readable medium of statement 16, integrated with a processor into a housing of a headset.

[0059] The following statements can also be made with respect to the various aspects disclosed above.

[0060] Dynamic Target Audio

[0061] 1. A method for dynamically playing back target sounds, the method comprising: generating a target sound sequence according to user settings; driving a speaker with the target sound sequence; and adjusting the gain of the target sound sequence based on one or more of the following items: detecting the ambient sound level; detecting whether the user scenario is one of listening attentively, running or jogging, or transportation such as in a car or bus; detecting whether the listener's environment is in an office, at home, or in public transportation; detecting a user volume setting; and detecting that media playback has started or stopped.

[0062] 1a. The method of statement 1, wherein the target sound sequence enables a listener to avoid being distracted by internal or external sound sources heard by the listener while playing back the target sound sequence.

[0063] 1b. The method of statement 1, wherein the target sound sequence masks or reduces the perceived loudness of other sounds heard by the listener.

[0064] 1c. The method of statement 1, wherein the target sound sequence enables the listener to focus on a specific activity that the listener is engaged in.

[0065] 2. A method according to statement 1, wherein the gain of the target sound sequence is adjusted based on detecting a user volume setting, wherein the gain increases in response to the user volume setting being increased and decreases when the user volume setting is decreased.

[0066] 3. A method according to any one of statements 1 to 2, further comprising driving a loudspeaker with other audio content in combination with the target sound sequence.

[0067] 4. A method according to statement 3, wherein the other audio content is from media playback, wherein the gain of the target sound sequence is adjusted based on detecting that media playback has started, wherein the gain is reduced in response to the media playback starting and increased when the media playback stops.

[0068] 5. The method of statement 4, wherein the media playback is from one of: a game application, a music application, a movie application, a podcast application, or a web browser.

[0069] 6. A method according to any one of statements 4 to 5, wherein the gain is reduced but not muted.

[0070] 7. A method according to statement 3, wherein the other audio content is from a telephone call, wherein the gain of the target sound sequence is adjusted based on detecting that a telephone call has begun, wherein the gain is reduced or the target sound sequence is muted in response to the telephone call starting, and is increased or unmuted when the telephone call ends.

[0071] 8. The method of statement 3, wherein adjusting the gain of the target sound sequence reduces variations in short-term loudness measurements of the speaker output despite variations in other audio content.

[0072] 9. The method of statement 8, wherein the short-term loudness measurement is a measurement over the past three seconds.

[0073] 10. A method for playing back a target sound, the method comprising: generating a target sound sequence according to user settings; driving a speaker with the target sound sequence; and when a playback request from a first application type or from a second application type is detected, continuing to drive the speaker with the target sound sequence combined with the playback from the first application type or from the second application type, automatically suppressing the target sound sequence when combined with the playback from the first application, and when combined with the playback from the second application, i) not suppressing the target gain sequence, or ii) suppressing the target gain sequence less than during the playback of the first application type.

[0074] 11. The method of statement 10, wherein the first application type comprises games, music, or movies.

[0075] 12. A method according to any one of statements 10 to 11, wherein the second application type comprises a podcast application or a web browser.

[0076] 13. A method for dynamically replaying target sounds, the method comprising: generating a target sound sequence according to user settings; driving a speaker with the target sound sequence; and automatically adjusting the target sound sequence according to time of day or according to ambient light levels.

[0077] 14. The method of statement 13, wherein automatically adjusting comprises adjusting the target sound sequence to generate louder sounds in the morning or during the day than in the evening or at night.

[0078] 15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that configure a processor to perform the method of any one of statements 1 to 14.

[0079] 16. The computer-readable medium of statement 15, integrated into a smartphone, smartwatch, laptop, tablet, or desktop computer.

[0080] 17. The computer-readable medium of any of statements 13 to 16, wherein the speaker is integrated into a housing of the earphone.

[0081] 18. The computer-readable medium of statement 17, integrated into a housing of a headset.

[0082] While certain aspects have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that these aspects are merely illustrative of the present invention and not restrictive, and that the present invention is not limited to the specific structures and arrangements shown and described, as various other modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, while the above description relates to methods whose operations may be performed by processor 7, which may be integrated with memory 6 within control device 2, some, if not all, of these method operations may alternatively be performed by a processor integrated within headset 3 (assuming the headset has sufficient digital computing and communication resources to do so). Accordingly, the description is to be regarded as exemplary and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A method for controlling target sound playback, the method comprising: The display screen of the control device is configured to display target sound user settings for controlling playback of the target sound, wherein the target sound user settings include: i) Target sound enable settings for target sound playback, ii) a first variable sound level setting that sets a first stored target sound level parameter stored in a memory of the control device and indicative of a sound level to be used with playback of the target sound during playback without media, and iii) a second variable sound level setting, separate from a user volume setting of the control device, which setting is stored in a memory of the control device and indicates a second stored target sound level parameter for use with the target sound playback only during media playback or a telephone call; generating a target sound sequence according to the target sound user setting, wherein a sound level of the generated target sound sequence is according to the first stored target sound level parameter or the second stored target sound level parameter and according to the user volume setting; and A speaker is driven with the target sound sequence according to the target sound enablement setting. 2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the target sound user setting comprises a further variable sound level setting for setting a further stored target sound level parameter separate from the user volume setting of the control device. 3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the target sound user setting includes a schedule setting for playing the target sound sequence at certain times of the day or on certain days of the week. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target sound user setting comprises a sound type setting.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sound type setting indicates at least one of: wave or ocean sound, rain sound, stream sound, forest sound, bird sound, and a synthetic sound that is a type of noise, such as pink noise or white noise.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display screen is a touch screen, and configuring the display screen to display the user settings comprises: Responding to a single finger swipe on the touch screen during a lock screen state or a home screen state by directly displaying multiple commonly used controls, the multiple commonly used controls including the target sound user setting and one or more of the following items: a wireless LAN switch, screen brightness, volume, a calculator, a portrait lock switch, a flashlight, and a camera.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: If target sound playback is not enabled, a prompt is automatically presented at the start of media playback, either via the control device or via headphones, to set the target sound level.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: If target sound playback is enabled, the target sound sequence is automatically faded in at a level set by the user according to the target sound and in response to detecting that i) the user is wearing one or more headphones or ii) media playback has begun.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the target sound sequence drives the speaker continuously without any gain reduction when a system notification audio signal such as a message alert, calendar reminder, or ringtone also drives the speaker simultaneously.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The speaker is continuously driven with the target sound sequence until i) it is detected that the earphones with the speaker have been removed from the user's ears or ii) it is detected that the earphones with the speaker are being used for a telephone call, and in response, the gain of the target sound sequence is reduced or playback of the target sound sequence is paused.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the gain of the target sound sequence driving the speaker is reduced during the phone call and then increased at the end of the phone call according to the target sound user setting. 12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target sound playback of the target sound sequence enables a listener to avoid being disturbed by an internal sound source or an external sound source that the listener hears simultaneously with the target sound playback.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that configure a processor to: Configuring a display screen of a control device to display target sound user settings for controlling playback of a target sound, wherein the control device includes a memory storing a first target sound level parameter and a second target sound level parameter, wherein the target sound user settings include: i) Target sound enable settings for target sound playback, ii) a first variable sound level setting that sets the first target sound level parameter indicative of a sound level to be used with playback of the target sound during playback without media, and iii) a second variable sound level setting separate from a user volume setting of the control device, the setting of which is stored in a memory of the control device and indicates a second target sound level parameter for use with the target sound playback only during media playback or a phone call; as well as A target sound sequence is generated according to the target sound user setting, wherein a sound level of the generated target sound sequence is according to the first target sound level parameter or the second target sound level parameter and according to the user volume setting, and wherein the target sound sequence is used to drive a speaker according to the target sound enablement setting.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the target sound user setting comprises another variable sound level setting for setting another stored target sound level parameter.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the target sound user settings include schedule settings that specify playback of the target sound sequence at certain times of the day or on certain days of the week.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the display screen is a touch screen, and configuring the display screen to display the user settings comprises: Responding to a single finger swipe on the touch screen during a lock screen state or a home screen state by directly displaying multiple commonly used controls, the multiple commonly used controls including the target sound user setting and one or more of the following items: a wireless LAN switch, screen brightness, volume, a calculator, a portrait lock switch, a flashlight, and a camera.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to: If target sound playback is not enabled, a prompt is automatically given at the start of media playback via the control device or via headphones in which the speaker is integrated to set the target sound level.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, integrated with the processor in the control device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the controlling device is a smartphone, a smartwatch, a laptop, a tablet, or a desktop computer.

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