Method for adjusting point in time for sound output from external electronic device and electronic device performing same

Abstract

A method for adjusting a point in time for a sound output from an external electronic device, according to an embodiment, may comprise the operations of: transmitting, to an external electronic device, a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency; generating a first test sound by recording a sound for a preset time from a point in time for the output of the first sound; determining a first output delay time for the first sound on the basis of the first sound and the first test sound; and storing the first frequency and the first output delay time in association with the external electronic device.

Description

Method for adjusting the timing of sound output of an external electronic device and an electronic device for performing the same

[0001] One embodiment relates to a technology for outputting sound through an external electronic device connected to an electronic device, and more specifically, to a technology for adjusting the timing of sound output.

[0002] When an electronic device outputs sound to an external electronic device connected via Bluetooth, an output delay of 100 to 200 milliseconds (ms) may occur due to Bluetooth specifications. Furthermore, because Bluetooth's data transfer speed is not fast, the transmitted audio data may be encoded to ensure stable audio output. The external electronic device must decode the encoded audio data, which may result in additional output delay depending on the type of codec and decoder performance.

[0003] In one embodiment, an electronic device includes a microphone, a communication module, at least one processor including processing circuitry, a memory including one or more storage media storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: transmit a first test message to an external electronic device, the first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency through the communication module.

[0004] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, the electronic device may be configured to: generate a first test sound by recording a sound for a preset period of time from the time of output of the first sound through the microphone.

[0005] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, the electronic device may: determine a first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound.

[0006] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, the electronic device may: store the first frequency and the first output delay time in association with the external electronic device.

[0007] In one embodiment, a method for determining an output delay time of a sound output by an external electronic device, performed by an electronic device, may include transmitting a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency to the external electronic device.

[0008] In one embodiment, the method may include generating a first test sound by recording a sound for a preset period of time from the time of output of the first sound through a microphone.

[0009] In one embodiment, the method may include determining a first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the method may include storing the first frequency and the first output delay time in association with the external electronic device.

[0011] According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a microphone, a communication module, at least one processor including a processing circuit, and a memory including one or more storage media storing instructions, wherein when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, the electronic device can: when the electronic device is connected to an external electronic device, transmit a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency through the communication module to the external electronic device.

[0012] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, the electronic device may be configured to: generate a first test sound by recording a sound for a preset period of time from the time of output of the first sound through a microphone.

[0013] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, the electronic device may: determine a first output delay time of the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound.

[0014] In one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may cause the electronic device to: determine whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound.

[0015] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, the electronic device may be configured to: adjust a sound output timing of the external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting the content sound and the first output delay time.

[0016] According to one embodiment, a method for adjusting an output timing of a sound output by an external electronic device, performed by an electronic device, may include, when the electronic device is connected to the external electronic device, transmitting a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency to the external electronic device.

[0017] In one embodiment, the method may include generating a first test sound by recording a sound for a preset time from the output time of the first sound.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the method may include an operation of determining a first output delay time of the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound.

[0019] In one embodiment, the method may include an operation of determining whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound.

[0020] In one embodiment, the method may include adjusting a sound output timing of the external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting the content sound and the first output delay time.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an audio module according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for determining a first output delay time for an external electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for determining a first output delay time based on a first correlation between a first sound and a first test sound, according to one embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method for transmitting a first additional test message to an external electronic device to control the volume of sound output by the external electronic device to the maximum, according to one embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for determining a second output delay time for an external electronic device when the first correlation is less than a first threshold value, according to one embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for determining whether an electronic device is located within a closed space when a first correlation is less than a first threshold value, according to one embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method for determining a first output delay time for a first sound based on a first test filtered sound, according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for adjusting the audio output timing of an external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting content audio, according to one embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method for adjusting the sound output timing of an external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound and a first output delay time, according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for adjusting left sound output timing and right sound output timing of an external electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0032] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method for determining whether an application playing content is operating normally when an audio profile is changed, according to one embodiment.

[0033] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method for determining whether an external electronic device is operating normally when an audio profile is changed, according to one embodiment.

[0034] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present disclosure to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the present disclosure encompasses various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100) according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment (100), the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of the electronic device (104) or the server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)), or may have one or more other components added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)).

[0037] The processor (120) may control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing, for example, software (e.g., a program (140)), and may perform various data processing or calculations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or calculation, the processor (120) may store a command or data received from another component (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in a volatile memory (132), process the command or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in a non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or a secondary processor (123) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together therewith. For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and a secondary processor (123), the secondary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a specified function. The secondary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0038] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a part of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (160), a sensor module (176), or a communication module (190)) of the electronic device (101), for example, on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence models may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence model is executed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm can include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0039] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0040] The program (140) may be stored as software in the memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0041] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input module (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0042] The audio output module (155) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0043] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

[0044] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150), output sound through the sound output module (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).

[0045] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0046] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0047] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0048] A haptic module (179) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0049] The camera module (180) can capture still images and videos. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0050] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0051] A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0052] The communication module (190) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with an external electronic device (104) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can verify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0053] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (192) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (104)), or a network system (e.g., the second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) may support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.

[0054] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (198) or the second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by the communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device via the at least one selected antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

[0055] In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0056] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

[0057] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service by itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server utilizing machine learning and / or a neural network. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included in the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0058] Electronic devices according to the various embodiments disclosed in this document may take various forms. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0059] The various embodiments of this document and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among those phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0060] The term "module" used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0061] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more commands stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (136) or an external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)) may call at least one command among the one or more commands stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one command called. The one or more commands may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed in the present document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0063] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0064] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an audio module according to one embodiment.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 2, the audio module (170) described above with reference to FIG. 1 may include, for example, an audio input interface (210), an audio input mixer (220), an analog to digital converter (ADC) (230), an audio signal processor (240), a digital to analog converter (DAC) (250), an audio output mixer (260), or an audio output interface (270).

[0066] The audio input interface (210) can receive an audio signal corresponding to a sound acquired from the outside of the electronic device (101) as part of the input module (150) or through a microphone (e.g., a dynamic microphone, a condenser microphone, or a piezo microphone) configured separately from the electronic device (101). For example, when the audio signal is acquired from an external electronic device (102) (e.g., a headset or a microphone), the audio input interface (210) can receive the audio signal by being directly connected to the external electronic device (102) through a connection terminal (178) or wirelessly (e.g., Bluetooth communication) through a wireless communication module (192). According to one embodiment, the audio input interface (210) can receive a control signal (e.g., a volume control signal received through an input button) related to the audio signal acquired from the external electronic device (102). The audio input interface (210) includes a plurality of audio input channels, and can receive different audio signals for each corresponding audio input channel among the plurality of audio input channels. According to one embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the audio input interface (210) can receive audio signals from other components of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the processor (120) or the memory (130) of FIG. 1).

[0067] The audio input mixer (220) can synthesize a plurality of input audio signals into at least one audio signal. For example, according to one embodiment, the audio input mixer (220) can synthesize a plurality of analog audio signals input through the audio input interface (210) into at least one analog audio signal.

[0068] The ADC (230) can convert an analog audio signal into a digital audio signal. For example, according to one embodiment, the ADC (230) can convert an analog audio signal received through an audio input interface (210), or additionally or alternatively, an analog audio signal synthesized through an audio input mixer (220), into a digital audio signal.

[0069] The audio signal processor (240) may perform various processing on a digital audio signal input through the ADC (230) or a digital audio signal received from another component of the electronic device (101). For example, according to one embodiment, the audio signal processor (240) may change a sampling rate, apply one or more filters, perform interpolation processing, amplify or attenuate all or part of a frequency band, process noise (e.g., noise or echo reduction), change a channel (e.g., switching between mono and stereo), mix, or extract a specified signal on one or more digital audio signals. According to one embodiment, one or more functions of the audio signal processor (240) may be implemented in the form of an equalizer.

[0070] The DAC (250) can convert a digital audio signal into an analog audio signal. For example, according to one embodiment, the DAC (250) can convert a digital audio signal processed by an audio signal processor (240) or a digital audio signal obtained from another component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120) or a memory (130)) into an analog audio signal.

[0071] The audio output mixer (260) can synthesize a plurality of audio signals to be output into at least one audio signal. For example, according to one embodiment, the audio output mixer (260) can synthesize an audio signal converted into analog through the DAC (250) and another analog audio signal (e.g., an analog audio signal received through the audio input interface (210)) into at least one analog audio signal.

[0072] The audio output interface (270) can output an analog audio signal converted by the DAC (250), or additionally or alternatively, an analog audio signal synthesized by the audio output mixer (260), to the outside of the electronic device (101) through the audio output module (155). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker, such as a dynamic driver or a balanced armature driver, or a receiver. According to one embodiment, the audio output module (155) can include a plurality of speakers. In this case, the audio output interface (270) can output an audio signal having a plurality of different channels (e.g., stereo or 5.1 channels) through at least some of the speakers among the plurality of speakers. According to one embodiment, the audio output interface (270) can be directly connected to an external electronic device (102) (e.g., an external speaker or headset) through a connection terminal (178) or wirelessly through a wireless communication module (192) to output an audio signal.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can generate at least one digital audio signal by synthesizing a plurality of digital audio signals using at least one function of the audio signal processor (240) without separately having an audio input mixer (220) or an audio output mixer (260).

[0074] According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) may include an audio amplifier (not shown) (e.g., a speaker amplifier circuit) capable of amplifying an analog audio signal input through an audio input interface (210) or an audio signal to be output through an audio output interface (270). According to one embodiment, the audio amplifier may be configured as a separate module from the audio module (170).

[0075] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for determining a first output delay time for an external electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0076] The following operations 310 to 350 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0077] According to one embodiment, operations 310 to 350 may be performed when an electronic device and an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102) of FIG. 1) are initially connected. For example, the connection between the electronic device and the external electronic device may be the establishment of a communication channel via wireless communication. The wireless communication may be a Bluetooth-based communication. The term "connection" may refer to pairing or binding. If the external electronic device is a device unknown to the electronic device, operations 310 to 350 may be performed by the electronic device. For example, if product information corresponding to the external electronic device is previously stored in the electronic device, the external electronic device may be a known device to the electronic device. For example, if the external electronic device has previously performed a connection with the electronic device, the external electronic device may be a known device to the electronic device.

[0078] In one embodiment, operations 310 to 350 may be performed when an output delay time for an external electronic device is not stored (or set) in the electronic device.

[0079] In operation 310, the processor of the electronic device may transmit a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency to an external electronic device via a communication module. For example, the processor of the electronic device may transmit the first test message to the external electronic device using an audio profile of Bluetooth. For example, the audio profile may be an advanced audio distribution profile (A2DP), an audio video remote control profile (AVRCP), a headset profile (HSP), or a handsfree profile (HFP). For example, the basic audio profile used to transmit the first test message may be a unidirectional audio profile. Hereinafter, the terms "sound" and "audio" may be used interchangeably.

[0080] According to one embodiment, a processor of an electronic device may generate one or more test codes, which are Gold sequence codes. For example, each of the test codes may be 16 bits. Each of the generated one or more test codes may have an index to distinguish the order. The first test code may be any one of the one or more test codes.

[0081] According to one embodiment, a processor of an electronic device may determine one or more test frequencies. For example, the one or more test frequencies may be frequencies surrounding an audible limit frequency. For example, if the audible frequency band is 20 Hz to 20 KHz, the one or more test frequencies may include one or more of 20 KHz, 20 Hz, 19.5 KHz, 30 Hz, 19 KHz, and 40 Hz. For example, the one or more test frequencies may include one or more of a frequency below 20 Hz and a frequency above 20 KHz. Each of the generated one or more test frequencies may have an index to distinguish the order. The first frequency may be any one of the one or more test frequencies. For example, the first frequency may be 20 KHz.

[0082] According to one embodiment, a first sound may be output when a first test code is output through a speaker of an electronic device or an external electronic device at a first frequency.

[0083] In one embodiment, a processor of an electronic device may generate a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency. The first test message may include information about the first frequency. The processor of the electronic device may encode the first test code and include the encoded first test code in the first test message.

[0084] In one embodiment, the first test message may further include a command for controlling the volume of sound output by the external electronic device. For example, the sound volume may be set to maximum. For example, the first test message may include information regarding the timing of outputting the first sound.

[0085] According to one embodiment, an external electronic device that receives a first test message from an electronic device may output a first sound through a speaker of the external electronic device based on the first test message. For example, the external electronic device may output the first sound by controlling the volume. A delay may occur in the processing of the first test code depending on the performance of the decoder of the external electronic device or the type of codec that encoded the first test code. As a delay occurs in the processing of the first test code, the first sound that is actually output may be output at a later time than the target output time.

[0086] In operation 320, the processor of the electronic device may generate a first test sound by recording a sound or sound around the electronic device for a preset period of time from the time of outputting the first sound through the microphone of the electronic device. For example, the time of outputting the first sound may be the time of transmitting the first test message. For example, the time of outputting the first sound may be the time when an external electronic device included in the first test message outputs the first sound. For example, the preset time may be 3 seconds, and is not limited to the described embodiment.

[0087] In operation 330, the processor of the electronic device may determine a first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound. The first output delay time for the first sound may refer to an output delay time of the external electronic device.

[0088] In one embodiment, the processor of the electronic device may determine a first output delay time of the first test sound relative to the first sound by calculating an autocorrelation between the first sound and the first test sound. For example, the delay time having the highest correlation between the first sound and the first test sound may be determined as the first output delay time.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the processor of the electronic device may re-perform operations similar to operations 310 to 330 by transmitting an additional test message to the external electronic device if the calculated correlation between the first sound and the first test sound is less than a preset threshold value. An embodiment in which the electronic device transmits an additional test message to the external electronic device is described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

[0090] In one embodiment, the processor of the electronic device may filter the first test sound to reduce the amount of data being processed. A method for filtering the first test sound is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 8.

[0091] In operation 340, the processor of the electronic device may store a first frequency and a first output delay time in association with an external electronic device. For example, the first output delay time may be an output delay time that is used or set by default for the external electronic device when the electronic device is connected to the external electronic device.

[0092] In one embodiment, the processor of the electronic device may consider a first output delay time when outputting content. For example, if the content includes an image and an audio corresponding to the image, the first output delay time may be considered to synchronize the time between the image output by the electronic device and the audio output through an external electronic device. For example, the output time of the image may be delayed to correspond to the first output delay time by the external electronic device.

[0093] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for determining a first output delay time based on a first correlation between a first sound and a first test sound, according to one embodiment.

[0094] According to one embodiment, operations 410, 420, and 430 below may be related to operation 330 described above with reference to FIG. 3. For example, operation 330 may include operations 410, 420, and 430. Operations 410 to 430 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0095] In operation 410, a processor of an electronic device may calculate a first correlation between at least some components of a first sound and a first test sound. For example, at least some components of the first test sound may be components obtained by sampling the first test sound at a first sampling frequency. The electronic device may calculate a plurality of correlations between the first sound and the first test sound using a plurality of sampling frequencies. The electronic device may determine a correlation having a highest value among the calculated correlations as the first correlation.

[0096] In operation 420, the processor of the electronic device may determine whether the first correlation is greater than or equal to a first threshold value. For example, the first threshold value may be preset. For example, the preset first threshold value may vary depending on the type of external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102) of FIG. 1 ). The types of external electronic devices may include, but are not limited to, a car audio system, wireless earphones, a headset, a home theater, and a sound bar.

[0097] If the first correlation is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, operation 430 may be performed.

[0098] If the first correlation is less than the first threshold value, operation A may be performed. For example, operation A may be operation 510 described with reference to FIG. 5, operation 610 described with reference to FIG. 6, or operation 710 described with reference to FIG. 7.

[0099] In operation 430, the processor of the electronic device may determine a first output delay time for the first correlation if the first correlation is greater than or equal to a first threshold value. For example, the first output delay time may be determined based on a sampling frequency for the first correlation.

[0100] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method for transmitting a first additional test message to an external electronic device to control the volume of sound output by the external electronic device to the maximum, according to one embodiment.

[0101] According to one embodiment, operations 510 and 520 below may be performed after operation 420 described above with reference to FIG. 4 is performed. For example, in operation 420, operation 510 may be performed when it is determined that the first correlation is less than the first threshold value. Operations 510 to 520 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0102] According to one embodiment, the reason why the first correlation is calculated to be less than the first threshold value may be because the volume of the first sound output by the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102) of FIG. 1) is low. In the first test sound recorded with the first sound output at a low volume, the noise component may be large compared to the component for the first sound, and thus the calculated first correlation may be low. To reduce the influence of noise, operation 510 may be performed.

[0103] In operation 510, the processor of the electronic device may generate a first additional test message further including a command for controlling the volume of sound output by the external electronic device to a maximum. For example, the first additional test message may be a message further including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency and a sound volume control command.

[0104] In operation 520, the processor of the electronic device may transmit a first additional test message to an external electronic device via the communication module. The external electronic device, upon receiving the first additional test message, may output a first sound with the volume turned up to maximum.

[0105] According to one embodiment, after operation 520 is performed, operation 320 described above with reference to FIG. 3 may be re-performed.

[0106] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for determining a second output delay time for an external electronic device when the first correlation is less than a first threshold value, according to one embodiment.

[0107] According to one embodiment, operations 610 to 640 below may be performed after operation 420 described above with reference to FIG. 4 is performed. For example, in operation 420, if it is determined that the first correlation is less than the first threshold value, operation 610 may be performed. Operations 610 to 640 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0108] In one embodiment, the reason why the first correlation is calculated to be less than the first threshold value may be because the speaker of the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102) of FIG. 1) does not normally support the first frequency. Typically, the speaker of the external electronic device may support all or part of the audible frequency band, so if the first frequency is an audible limit frequency, the speaker may not be able to output the first frequency normally. Operation 610 may be performed to consider the speaker performance of the external electronic device.

[0109] In operation 610, the processor of the electronic device can transmit a second test message to the external electronic device, the second test message including a second test code for outputting a second sound having a second frequency through the communication module.

[0110] According to one embodiment, test frequencies may be divided into low frequency bands and high frequency bands based on a center audible frequency (e.g., 10 KHz) of the audible frequency band, and a test frequency included in a frequency band different from the frequency band of the first frequency may be determined as a second frequency. For example, if the first frequency (e.g., 20 KHz) is included in the high frequency band, the second frequency (e.g., 20 Hz) may be included in the low frequency band. For example, if the first frequency (e.g., 20 Hz) is included in the low frequency band, the second frequency (e.g., 20 KHz) may be included in the high frequency band.

[0111] In one embodiment, the second frequency may be a frequency closer to the center audible frequency (e.g., 10 KHz) than the first frequency. For example, if the first frequency is 20 Hz, the second frequency may be 30 Hz. For example, if the first frequency is 20 KHz, the second frequency may be 19.5 KHz.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the second test code may be the same as or different from the first test code.

[0113] The description of operation 610 can be similarly applied to the description of operation 310 described above with reference to FIG. 3, so any redundant description is omitted below.

[0114] In operation 620, the processor of the electronic device may generate a second test sound by recording sound for a preset period of time from the time of output of the second sound through the microphone of the electronic device. The description of operation 620 may be similar to the description of operation 320 described above with reference to FIG. 3, and therefore, a redundant description is omitted below.

[0115] In operation 630, the processor of the electronic device may determine a second output delay time for the second sound based on the second sound and the second test sound. The description of operation 630 may be similar to the description of operation 330 described above with reference to FIG. 3, and thus, a redundant description is omitted below.

[0116] In operation 640, the processor of the electronic device may store the second frequency and the second output delay time in association with the external electronic device. The description of operation 640 may be similarly applied to the description of operation 340 described above with reference to FIG. 3, and therefore, a redundant description is omitted below.

[0117] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for determining whether an electronic device is located within a closed space when a first correlation is less than a first threshold value, according to one embodiment.

[0118] According to one embodiment, operations 710 to 760 below may be performed after operation 420 described above with reference to FIG. 4 is performed. For example, in operation 420, operation 710 may be performed when it is determined that the first correlation is less than the first threshold value. Operations 710 to 760 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0119] In one embodiment, the reason the first correlation is calculated to be less than the first threshold value may be because the electronic device is located within a closed space. For example, if the electronic device is located within a pocket, bag, or drawer, the microphone of the electronic device may not be able to normally pick up the first sound output by the external electronic device. Operation 710 may be performed to determine whether the electronic device is located within a closed space.

[0120] In operation 710, the processor of the electronic device may output a test sound through the speaker of the electronic device. The test sound is a sound output to determine whether sound reflection occurs, and the frequency or sequence code used for the test sound is not limited. For example, the processor of the electronic device may output the test sound by playing a pre-stored test sound file.

[0121] In operation 720, the processor of the electronic device may generate a third test sound by recording sound through a microphone of the electronic device. For example, the electronic device may record the sound for a preset period of time.

[0122] In operation 730, the processor of the electronic device may determine whether the state of the electronic device corresponds to the first state based on the third test sound. For example, the first state may be a state in which the electronic device is located within a closed space. For example, if the third test sound is determined to be a sound reflected from a location near the electronic device, the electronic device may be determined to be located within a closed space. For example, if the third test sound is determined to be a sound produced when the speaker of the electronic device is blocked by another object, the electronic device may be determined to be located within a closed space.

[0123] In operation 740, if it is determined that the state of the electronic device corresponds to the first state, operation 750 may be performed. In operation 740, if it is determined that the electronic device does not correspond to the first state, operation 760 may be performed. For example, if it is determined that the state of the electronic device corresponds to the second state, operation 760 may be performed. The second state may be a state in which the electronic device is located in an open space.

[0124] In operation 750, the processor of the electronic device may perform a preset operation if it is determined that the state of the electronic device corresponds to the first state.

[0125] According to one embodiment, the preset operation may be operation 310 described above with reference to FIG. 3. For example, while the state of the electronic device remains in the first state, the electronic device may repeatedly transmit the first test message to the external electronic device, and at a point in time when the state of the electronic device no longer corresponds to the first state, the electronic device may be enabled to determine the first output delay time for the first sound.

[0126] In one embodiment, the preset action may be the termination of an algorithm for determining an output delay time to an external electronic device.

[0127] In operation 760, the processor of the electronic device may transmit a second test message including a second test code for outputting a second sound having a second frequency to the external electronic device if the state of the electronic device is determined not to correspond to the first state. The description of operation 760 may be similar to the description of operation 610 described above with reference to FIG. 6, and therefore, a redundant description is omitted below.

[0128] In operation 770, the processor of the electronic device may transmit a first additional test message to the external electronic device, which is generated to further include a command for controlling the volume of sound output by the external electronic device to the maximum if the state of the electronic device is determined not to correspond to the first state. The description of operation 760 is similar to the description of operations 510 and 520 described above with reference to FIG. 5, and therefore, a redundant description is omitted below.

[0129] In one embodiment, either of operations 760 and 770 may be optionally performed.

[0130] In one embodiment, operations 760 and 770 may each be performed independently of one another.

[0131] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method for determining a first output delay time for a first sound based on a first test filtered sound, according to one embodiment.

[0132] According to one embodiment, operations 810 and 820 below may be related to operation 330 described above with reference to FIG. 3. For example, operation 330 may include operations 810 and 820. Operations 810 and 820 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0133] In operation 810, the processor of the electronic device can generate a first test filtered sound by applying a band-pass filter for a first frequency to the first test sound. Applying the band-pass filter to the first test sound can reduce the amount of data processed thereafter.

[0134] At operation 820, a processor of the electronic device may determine a first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test filtered sound.

[0135] In one embodiment, the processor of the electronic device may determine a first output delay time of the first test filtered sound with respect to the first sound by calculating an autocorrelation between the first sound and the first test filtered sound. For example, a delay time having the highest correlation between the first sound and the first test filtered sound may be determined as the first output delay time.

[0136] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for adjusting the audio output timing of an external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting content audio, according to one embodiment.

[0137] According to one embodiment, operations 910 to 950 below may be performed after operation 330 or operation 340 described above with reference to FIG. 3 is performed. For example, operation 910 may be performed when the first output delay time is determined. Operations 910 to 950 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0138] In operation 910, the processor of the electronic device may determine whether an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102) of FIG. 1) is outputting content audio. For example, content may be played through an application running on the electronic device. When content is played, the content image may be output through the electronic device, and content audio corresponding to the content image may be output through an external electronic device connected to the electronic device. For example, when content is being played through an application running in the foreground or background of the electronic device, the content audio of the content may be output through the external electronic device.

[0139] At operation 920, if it is determined that the external electronic device is outputting content sound, operation 930 may be performed. At operation 920, if it is determined that the external electronic device is not outputting content sound, operation 950 may be performed.

[0140] In operation 930, the processor of the electronic device may determine an adjustment period based on the first output delay time when the external electronic device is outputting content sound. For example, the electronic device may determine the adjustment period by multiplying the first output delay time by a preset value. For example, if the first output delay time is 300 ms, the electronic device may determine the adjustment period to be 6 seconds by multiplying 300 ms by a preset value of 20.

[0141] In operation 940, the processor of the electronic device may adjust the output timing of the content audio during the adjustment period. For example, if the adjustment period is determined to be 6 seconds, the output timing of the content audio may be adjusted so that an output delay of 300 ms is eliminated over the 6 seconds. For example, the electronic device may adjust the output timing of the content audio so that 6.3 seconds of content audio is output through the external electronic device while 6 seconds of content video is output.

[0142] In operation 950, the processor of the electronic device can adjust the timing of the audio output of the external electronic device if the external electronic device is not outputting content audio. For example, the timing of the audio output of the external electronic device can be adjusted in advance so that, when content is played in the future, output synchronization between the content image output by the electronic device and the content audio output by the external electronic device is performed immediately. For example, if the output delay time is 300ms, the electronic device can collectively adjust the timing of the audio output of the content through the external electronic device to be 300ms faster.

[0143] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method for adjusting the sound output timing of an external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound and a first output delay time, according to one embodiment.

[0144] The following operations 1010 to 1050 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0145] In operation 1010, the processor of the electronic device may transmit a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency to the external electronic device via the communication module when the electronic device is connected to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102) of FIG. 1). For example, the first frequency may correspond to a frequency (e.g., the first frequency) stored in association with the external electronic device via operation 340 described above with reference to FIG. 3.

[0146] According to one embodiment, the time at which the external electronic device outputs the first sound may be a time at which a basic output delay time (e.g., a first output delay time associated with the external electronic device through operation 340 of FIG. 3) is taken into account. For example, if the first output delay time is 300 ms, the time at which the first sound is output may be 300 ms earlier than the basic output time that does not take the basic output delay time into account.

[0147] In one embodiment, if the external electronic device is capable of outputting stereo sound, the first test message may be generated considering the stereo sound. For example, a first test code may be determined to correspond to a left sound of the stereo sound (e.g., a first sound), and a first additional test code may be determined to correspond to a right sound of the stereo sound (e.g., a first additional sound). The first additional test code may be a Gold sequence code different from the first test code.

[0148] The left sound of a stereo sound may have a first frequency, and the right sound of the stereo sound may have a second frequency. For example, if the first frequency is a frequency in the high frequency band (e.g., 20 KHz), the second frequency may be a frequency in the low frequency band (e.g., 20 Hz).

[0149] A first test message can be generated to include a first test code and a first additional test code.

[0150] According to one embodiment, an external electronic device that receives a first test message from an electronic device may output a first sound through a speaker of the external electronic device based on the first test message. For example, if the external electronic device includes a left speaker and a right speaker, the external electronic device may output a first sound having a first frequency through the left speaker and a first additional sound having a second frequency through the right speaker.

[0151] In operation 1020, the processor of the electronic device may generate a first test sound by recording a sound or sound in the surroundings of the electronic device for a preset period of time from the time of outputting the first sound through the microphone of the electronic device. For example, the time of outputting the first sound may be the time at which an external electronic device outputs the first sound, taking into account the basic output delay time included in the first test message. For example, the preset time may be 3 seconds, and is not limited to the described embodiment.

[0152] In operation 1030, the processor of the electronic device may determine a first output delay time of the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound. The description of operation 1030 may be similarly applied to the description of operation 330 described above with reference to FIG. 3, and therefore, a redundant description is omitted below.

[0153] Below, with reference to FIG. 11, a method for determining the output delay time for the left sound of an external electronic device (e.g., first output delay time) and the output delay time for the right sound (e.g., first additional output delay time) is described in detail.

[0154] In operation 1040, the processor of the electronic device may determine whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound. The description of operation 1040 may be similar to the description of operation 910 described above with reference to FIG. 9, and therefore, a redundant description is omitted below.

[0155] In operation 1050, the processor of the electronic device may adjust the audio output timing of the external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting content audio and the first output delay time. For example, operation 1050 may include operations 930 and 940 described above with reference to FIG. 9. For example, operation 1050 may include operation 950 described above with reference to FIG.

[0156] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for adjusting left sound output timing and right sound output timing of an external electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0157] According to one embodiment, operations 1110 and 1120 below may be related to operation 1030 described above with reference to FIG. 10. For example, operation 1030 may include operations 1110 and 1120. Operations 1110 to 1120 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0158] In operation 1110, the processor of the electronic device may determine a first additional delay time for the first additional sound based on the first additional sound and the first test sound. For example, an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102) of FIG. 1 ) may output the first sound through the left speaker and the first additional sound through the right speaker. Since the first sound and the first additional sound are output simultaneously, the first additional sound picked up by the microphone of the electronic device may include both a component corresponding to the first sound and a component corresponding to the first additional sound.

[0159] According to one embodiment, the processor of the electronic device can generate a first test filtered sound by applying a first band-pass filter for a first frequency to the first test sound, and can generate a first additional test filtered sound by applying a second band-pass filter for a second frequency to the first test sound, respectively.

[0160] In one embodiment, the processor of the electronic device may generate a second test filtered sound by applying a filter (e.g., a band stop filter) to the first test sound, the filter allowing a first frequency band and a second frequency band to pass.

[0161] For example, the electronic device may calculate a correlation as an autocorrelation between the merged sound obtained by merging the first sound and the first additional sound and the second test filtered sound, and if the calculated correlation is greater than or equal to a threshold value, the electronic device may determine a first output delay time and a first additional output delay time corresponding to the correlation. In the above embodiment, since the first output delay time and the first additional output delay time are determined simultaneously, the first output delay time and the first additional output delay time may be the same.

[0162] For example, the electronic device may calculate a correlation for the first sound as an autocorrelation between the first sound and the second test filtered sound, and may calculate a correlation for the first additional sound as an autocorrelation between the first additional sound and the second test filtered sound. If the calculated correlation for the first sound is greater than or equal to a threshold value, the electronic device may calculate a first output delay time corresponding to the correlation for the first sound. If the calculated correlation for the first additional sound is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the electronic device may calculate a first additional output delay time corresponding to the correlation for the first additional sound. In the above embodiment, since the first output delay time and the first additional output delay time are determined individually, the first output delay time and the first additional output delay time may be the same or different.

[0163] In operation 1120, the processor of the electronic device can adjust the left sound output timing and the right sound output timing of the external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound, the first output delay time, and the first additional output delay time.

[0164] According to one embodiment, the processor of the electronic device can adjust the output timing of the left sound output by the external electronic device based on a first output delay time, and can adjust the output timing of the right sound based on a first additional output delay time.

[0165] According to one embodiment, the processor of the electronic device may determine the final output delay time based on the first output delay time and the first additional output delay time when the first output delay time and the first additional output delay time are different. For example, among the times between the first output delay time and the first additional output delay time, a time at which the sum of the correlation to the first sound and the correlation to the first additional sound is the highest may be determined as the final output delay time. For example, when the first output delay time is 300 ms and the first additional output delay time is 305 ms, a time at which the sum of the correlation to the first sound and the correlation to the first additional sound is the highest among 300 ms, 301 ms, 302 ms, 303 ms, 304 ms, and 305 ms may be determined as the final output delay time.

[0166] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method for determining whether an application playing content is operating normally when an audio profile is changed, according to one embodiment.

[0167] According to one embodiment, operations 1210 to 1260 below may be performed when content is being played by an electronic device. Operations 1210 to 1260 may be performed independently and in parallel with operations 1010 to 1050 described above with reference to FIG. 10.

[0168] Actions 1210 to 1260 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0169] In operation 1210, the processor of the electronic device may stop outputting content audio when the audio profile used for connection with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102) of FIG. 1) changes from a unidirectional audio profile to a bidirectional audio profile. For example, when a phone call is received while the electronic device is playing content, the audio profile may change from the unidirectional audio profile to the bidirectional audio profile. The electronic device may store information about the content being played when the audio profile changes. For example, the electronic device may store the content video progress and the content audio progress of the content.

[0170] In operation 1220, the processor of the electronic device may resume output of content audio through the communication module when the audio profile changes from a two-way audio profile to a one-way audio profile. For example, when a phone call is terminated, the audio profile may change from a two-way audio profile to a one-way audio profile. The electronic device may play content based on the content video progress and content audio progress of the stored content. The electronic device may control an external electronic device to resume output of content audio from the point in time when the output of content audio was stopped. For example, the electronic device may transmit a command to resume outputting content audio to the external electronic device along with a point in time when the output of content audio will resume.

[0171] In operation 1230, the processor of the electronic device may generate a first test content sound by recording sound for a preset period of time (e.g., 5 seconds) from the point in time when the content sound output resumes through the microphone of the electronic device. The first test content sound may be used by the electronic device to determine whether the external electronic device is normally outputting the content sound.

[0172] In operation 1240, the processor of the electronic device may calculate a second correlation between at least some components of the content sound and the first test content sound on the electronic device. For example, the content sound may be stored on the electronic device as the content is played by the electronic device.

[0173] At operation 1250, the processor of the electronic device may determine whether the second correlation is greater than or equal to a second threshold value. For example, the second threshold value may be preset.

[0174] In one embodiment, if the second correlation is greater than or equal to the second threshold, operation B may be performed. For example, operation B may be the end of an operation (e.g., operations 1210 to 1260) that determines whether an application that outputs content sound is operating normally.

[0175] In operation 1260, the processor of the electronic device may re-execute the application that outputs the content sound if the second correlation is less than the second threshold. For example, if the application of the electronic device that plays the content is not operating normally, the content sound may not be output normally, and thus the second correlation may appear to be less than the second threshold. Accordingly, the processor of the electronic device may re-execute or refresh the application that plays the content.

[0176] After action 1260 is performed, action 1230 may be performed again.

[0177] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method for determining whether an external electronic device is operating normally when an audio profile is changed, according to one embodiment.

[0178] According to one embodiment, operations 1310 to 1340 below may be performed when an electronic device and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102) of FIG. 1) are connected. Operations 1310 to 1340 may be performed independently and in parallel with operations 1010 to 1050 described above with reference to FIG. 10. Operations 1310 to 1340 may be performed independently and in parallel with operations 1210 to 1260 described above with reference to FIG. 11.

[0179] Actions 1310 to 1340 may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1). For example, the electronic device may include a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1), and a display (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1).

[0180] In operation 1310, the processor of the electronic device may transmit a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency through the communication module to the external electronic device when the audio profile is changed from a two-way audio profile to a one-way audio profile. A description of a method for transmitting the first test message to the external electronic device may be similarly applied to the description of operation 1010 described above with reference to FIG. 10, and therefore, a redundant description thereof is omitted herein.

[0181] According to one embodiment, an external electronic device that receives a first test message from an electronic device may output a first sound through a speaker. For example, the external electronic device may output the first sound together with content sound. For example, as a result of performing operation 1220 and as a result of performing operation 1310, the external electronic device may output the content sound and the first sound simultaneously. The first test content sound generated by the electronic device through operation 1230 may include a component related to the first sound output by the external electronic device.

[0182] In operation 1320, the processor of the electronic device may calculate a third correlation between at least some components of the first sound and the first test content sound. A description of the method for calculating the third correlation may be similar to the description of operation 410 described above with reference to FIG. 4, and thus, a redundant description is omitted below.

[0183] At operation 1330, the processor of the electronic device may determine whether the third correlation is greater than or equal to a third threshold value. For example, the third threshold value may be preset.

[0184] In operation 1340, if the third correlation is less than the third threshold, the processor of the electronic device may output a notification indicating that the external electronic device is malfunctioning. For example, if the connection between the electronic device and the external electronic device is not normal, the first sound may not be output normally, and thus the third correlation may appear to be less than the third threshold. Accordingly, the processor of the electronic device may output a notification to inform the user that the connection between the electronic device and the external electronic device is not normal. For example, the electronic device may output the notification through a notification video or pop-up window. For example, the electronic device may output a notification sound.

[0185] According to one embodiment, if the third correlation is greater than or equal to the third threshold value, operation C may be performed. For example, operation C may be operation 1240 described above with reference to FIG. 12.

[0186] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) includes a microphone, a communication module (190), at least one processor (120) including a processing circuit, and a memory (130) including one or more storage media storing instructions, wherein when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may cause: to transmit a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency through the communication module to an external electronic device (102); to record the sound for a preset time from the time of outputting the first sound through the microphone to generate the first test sound; to determine a first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound; and to store the first frequency and the first output delay time in association with the external electronic device.

[0187] In one embodiment, the first test code may be a gold sequence code.

[0188] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may generate one or more test codes including a first test code that is a gold sequence code.

[0189] In one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), may cause the electronic device (101) to: determine one or more test frequencies including a first frequency.

[0190] In one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), may cause the electronic device (101) to: calculate a first correlation between at least some components of a first sound and a first test sound, and if the first correlation is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, determine a first output delay time for the first correlation.

[0191] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may generate a first additional test message further including a command for controlling the volume of sound output by the external electronic device to a maximum when the first correlation is less than the first threshold value, and transmit the first additional test message to the external electronic device via the communication module.

[0192] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may cause: when the first correlation is less than the first threshold value, to transmit a second test message including a second test code for outputting a second sound having a second frequency through the communication module to an external electronic device; to generate the second test sound by recording the sound for a preset time from the time of outputting the second sound through a microphone; to determine a second output delay time for the second sound based on the second sound and the second test sound; and to store the second frequency and the second output delay time in association with the external electronic device.

[0193] In one embodiment, the second frequency may be a frequency closer to the center audible frequency than the first frequency.

[0194] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may be caused to: output a test sound through a speaker when the first correlation is less than a first threshold value, generate a third test sound by recording the sound through a microphone, determine whether a state of the electronic device corresponds to the first state based on the third test sound, and perform a preset operation when the state of the electronic device is determined to correspond to the first state.

[0195] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may be caused to: transmit a second test message to an external electronic device, the second test message including a second test code for outputting a second sound having a second frequency through a communication module, if the state of the electronic device is determined not to correspond to the first state.

[0196] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may be configured to: generate a first additional test message further including a command for controlling the volume of sound output by the external electronic device to a maximum when the state of the electronic device is determined not to correspond to the first state, and transmit the first additional test message to the external electronic device via the communication module.

[0197] In one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), may cause the electronic device (101) to: generate a first test filtered sound by applying a bandpass filter for a first frequency to a first test sound, and determine a first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test filtered sound.

[0198] According to one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may: determine whether an external electronic device is outputting content sound, and if the external electronic device is outputting content sound, determine an adjustment period based on an output delay time, and adjust an output timing of the content sound during the adjustment period.

[0199] According to one embodiment, a method for determining an output delay time of a sound output by an external electronic device (102), performed by an electronic device (101), may include an operation (310) of transmitting a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency to the external electronic device, an operation (320) of generating a first test sound by recording a sound for a preset time from the time of outputting the first sound through a microphone, an operation (330) of determining a first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound, and an operation (340) of storing the first frequency and the first output delay time in association with the external electronic device.

[0200] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) includes a microphone, a communication module (190), at least one processor (120) including a processing circuit, and a memory (130) including one or more storage media for storing instructions, wherein when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may cause: when the electronic device is connected to an external electronic device, to transmit a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency through the communication module to the external electronic device (102); to generate a first test sound by recording the sound for a preset time from the output time of the first sound through the microphone; to determine a first output delay time of the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound; to determine whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound; and to adjust the sound output time of the external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound and the first output delay time.

[0201] According to one embodiment, the first test message further includes a first additional test code for outputting a first additional sound having a second frequency, wherein the first sound corresponds to a left sound of a stereo sound, and the first additional sound corresponds to a right sound of the stereo sound.

[0202] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may: determine a first additional output delay time for the first additional sound based on the first additional sound and the first test sound, and adjust a left sound output timing and a right sound output timing of the external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound, the first output delay time, and the first additional output delay time.

[0203] In one embodiment, when the first frequency is greater than the center audible frequency, the second frequency may be lower than the center audible frequency.

[0204] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may: cause the communication module to stop outputting content sound when an audio profile used for connection with an external electronic device is changed from a unidirectional audio profile to a bidirectional audio profile; cause the communication module to resume outputting content sound when the audio profile is changed from a bidirectional audio profile to a unidirectional audio profile; cause the communication module to record sound for a preset time from the time of resumption of outputting content sound through a microphone to generate a first test content sound; calculate a second correlation between the content sound and at least some components of the first test content sound; and, when the second correlation is less than a second threshold value, cause the application that outputs the content sound to be re-executed.

[0205] In one embodiment, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) may: transmit a first test message to an external electronic device, the first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency through a communication module when an audio profile is changed from a two-way audio profile to a one-way audio profile; calculate a third correlation between at least some components of the first sound and the first test content sound; and output a notification indicating that the external electronic device is malfunctioning when the third correlation is less than a third threshold.

[0206] According to an embodiment, a method for adjusting an output timing of sound output by an external electronic device (!02), performed by an electronic device (101), may include, when the electronic device is connected to the external electronic device, an operation (1010) of transmitting a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency to the external electronic device, an operation (1020) of generating a first test sound by recording a sound for a preset time from the output timing of the first sound, an operation (1030) of determining a first output delay time of the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound, an operation (1040) of determining whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound, and an operation (1050) of adjusting an output timing of sound of the external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound and the first output delay time.

[0207] The embodiments described above may be implemented using hardware components, software components, and / or a combination of hardware components and software components. For example, the devices, methods, and components described in the embodiments may be implemented using a general-purpose computer or a special-purpose computer, such as, for example, a processor, a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic unit (PLU), a microprocessor, or any other device capable of executing instructions and responding to them. The processing device may execute an operating system (OS) and software applications running on the operating system. The processing device may also access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to the execution of the software. For ease of understanding, the processing device is sometimes described as being used alone; however, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the processing device may include multiple processing elements and / or multiple types of processing elements. For example, a processing unit may include multiple processors, or a processor and a controller. Other processing configurations, such as parallel processors, are also possible.

[0208] Software may include a computer program, code, instructions, or a combination of one or more of these, which may configure a processing device to perform a desired operation or may, independently or collectively, command the processing device. The software and / or data may be permanently or temporarily embodied in any type of machine, component, physical device, virtual equipment, computer storage medium or device, or transmitted signal wave, for interpretation by the processing device or for providing instructions or data to the processing device. The software may also be distributed over networked computer systems and stored or executed in a distributed manner. The software and data may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium.

[0209] The method according to the embodiment may be implemented in the form of program commands that can be executed through various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program commands, data files, data structures, etc., alone or in combination, and the program commands recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and configured for the embodiment or may be known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program commands such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memories. Examples of program commands include not only machine language codes such as those generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

[0210] The hardware device described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the embodiment, and vice versa.

[0211] Although the embodiments described above have been described with limited drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various technical modifications and variations can be applied based on the described embodiments. For example, appropriate results can still be achieved even if the described techniques are performed in a different order than described, and / or components of the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, etc. are combined or combined in a different manner than described, or are replaced or substituted with other components or equivalents.

[0212] Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims also fall within the scope of the claims described below.

Claims

1. In an electronic device (101), mike; Communication module (190); At least one processor (120) comprising processing circuitry; and A memory (130) comprising one or more storage media storing instructions, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: Transmitting a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency through the above communication module to an external electronic device (102), A first test sound is generated by recording sound for a preset time from the output time of the first sound through the above microphone, Determine a first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound, storing the first frequency and the first output delay time in association with the external electronic device; To do, Electronic devices.

2. In paragraph 1, The above first test code is a gold sequence code, Electronic devices.

3. In paragraph 1 or 2, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: Generate one or more test codes including the first test code which is a gold sequence code. To do, Electronic devices.

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: Determining one or more test frequencies including the first frequency To do, Electronic devices.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: Computing a first correlation between at least some components of the first sound and the first test sound, If the first correlation is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, the first output delay time for the first correlation is determined. To do, Electronic devices.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: If the first correlation is less than the first threshold value, a first additional test message is generated to further include a command for controlling the volume of sound output by the external electronic device to the maximum; Transmitting the first additional test message to the external electronic device via the communication module To do, Electronic devices.

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: If the first correlation is less than the first threshold value, a second test message including a second test code for outputting a second sound having a second frequency through the communication module is transmitted to the external electronic device, A second test sound is generated by recording sound for a preset period of time from the output time of the second sound through the above microphone, Determine a second output delay time for the second sound based on the second sound and the second test sound, Store the second frequency and the second output delay time in association with the external electronic device. To do, Electronic devices.

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, The second frequency is a frequency closer to the center audible frequency than the first frequency. Electronic devices.

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: If the first correlation is less than the first threshold value, a test sound is output through the speaker, A third test sound is generated by recording sound through the above microphone, Based on the third test sound, determine whether the state of the electronic device corresponds to the first state, If the state of the above electronic device is determined to correspond to the first state, a preset action is performed. To do, Electronic devices.

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 9, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: If the state of the electronic device is determined to not correspond to the first state, a second test message including a second test code for outputting a second sound having a second frequency through the communication module is transmitted to the external electronic device. To do, Electronic devices.

11. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 10, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: If the state of the electronic device is determined to not correspond to the first state, generate a first additional test message further including a command for controlling the volume of sound output by the external electronic device to the maximum; Transmitting the first additional test message to the external electronic device via the communication module To do, Electronic devices.

12. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 11, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: By applying a band pass filter for the first frequency to the first test sound, a first test filtered sound is generated, Determine the first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test filtering sound. To do, Electronic devices.

13. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 12, When the above instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), the electronic device (101) causes: Determine whether the external electronic device is outputting content sound, When the external electronic device is outputting the content sound, the adjustment period is determined based on the output delay time, Adjust the output timing of the content sound during the above adjustment period. To do, Electronic devices.

14. A method for determining the output delay time of sound output by an external electronic device (102) performed by an electronic device (101), An operation (310) of transmitting a first test message including a first test code for outputting a first sound having a first frequency to the external electronic device; An operation (320) of generating a first test sound by recording a sound for a preset time from the output time of the first sound through a microphone; An operation (330) for determining a first output delay time for the first sound based on the first sound and the first test sound; and An operation (340) of storing the first frequency and the first output delay time in association with the external electronic device. Including, method.

15. A computer program stored on a computer-readable recording medium to execute the method of claim 14 in combination with hardware.

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