Electronic device and method for optimizing sound quality of electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein may comprise: a display; a memory; and at least one processor operatively connected to the display and the memory. The memory may store a plurality of test tone sets each including a plurality of sound sources of different frequency bands. The memory may store instructions that can be executed by at least one processor and, when executed, cause the electronic device to detect a connection of an external audio output device, identify attribute information of the connected audio output device, determine a test tone set to be used for hearing diagnosis among the plurality of test tone sets stored in the memory on the basis of the identified attribute information, and perform a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of the plurality of sound sources included in the determined test tone set. Various other embodiments are possible.

Description

Electronic devices and methods for optimizing sound quality in electronic devices

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device, and for example, to a method for optimizing the sound quality of an audio signal output by the electronic device through an external audio output device.

[0002] Portable electronic devices (hereinafter referred to as "electronic devices"), such as smartphones or tablet PCs, can provide diverse user experiences using various applications. To provide these diverse user experiences, electronic devices can output various audio signals through speakers embedded in the device or audio output devices connected to the device via wired or wireless connections.

[0003] The audible frequency range of humans is known to be approximately 20 Hz to approximately 20 kHz, but the audible frequency range may be limited by an individual's physiological characteristics, age, and / or environmental factors. Electronic devices may provide hearing diagnosis and sound quality optimization functions by taking these individual characteristics into account. For example, the hearing diagnosis process may identify frequency bands that the user of the electronic device can hear well or poorly, and the sound quality optimization function may include a process of boosting frequency bands that the user cannot hear well based on the hearing diagnosis results so that the user can hear them better.

[0004] The sound optimization feature provided by electronic devices allows users to select presets based on age group or utilize custom presets created through a hearing diagnosis process. Electronic devices perform hearing diagnostics based on a set sound source and a set number of diagnostics, and then use a set filter to optimize sound quality. However, this feature does not take into account the characteristics of the connected audio output device, and thus may not provide optimized sound quality tailored to the user's hearing characteristics.

[0005] An electronic device according to the present disclosure (or specification, invention) may include a display, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the display and the memory.

[0006] According to one embodiment, the memory can store a plurality of test tone sets, each set including a plurality of sound sources having different frequency bands.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that can be executed by at least one processor and, when executed, cause the electronic device to detect a connection of an external audio output device, check attribute information of the connected audio output device, determine a test tone set to be used for hearing diagnosis among a plurality of test tone sets stored in the memory based on the checked attribute information, and perform a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of a plurality of sound sources included in the determined test tone set.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to generate a hearing profile based on user input entered on the display during the hearing diagnosis process, and to store the generated hearing profile in the memory.

[0009] A method performed by an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present document may include an operation of detecting a connection of an external audio output device, an operation of checking attribute information of the connected audio output device, an operation of determining a test tone set to be used for hearing diagnosis among a plurality of stored test tone sets based on the checked attribute information, an operation of performing a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of a plurality of sound sources included in the determined test tone set, an operation of generating a hearing profile based on a user input during the hearing diagnosis process, and an operation of storing the generated hearing profile.

[0010] A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium according to various embodiments of the present document may store instructions for performing an operation of detecting a connection of an external audio output device, an operation of checking attribute information of the connected audio output device, an operation of determining a test tone set to be used for a hearing diagnosis from among a plurality of test tone sets each including a plurality of sound sources having different frequency bands stored in advance based on the checked attribute information, an operation of performing a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of the plurality of sound sources included in the determined test tone set, an operation of generating a hearing profile based on a user input in the hearing diagnosis process, and an operation of storing the generated hearing profile.

[0011] According to various embodiments of the present document, an electronic device includes a display, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the display and the memory, wherein the memory may be executed by the at least one processor, and when executed, the electronic device may store instructions that cause the electronic device to detect a connection of an external audio output device, determine attribute information of the connected audio output device, determine a test tone set to be used for a hearing diagnosis based on the determined attribute information, perform a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of a plurality of sound sources included in the determined test tone set, generate a hearing profile including information of at least one frequency band that is not recognized by the user based on a user input input on the display during the hearing diagnosis process, determine at least one frequency band for which a level is to be changed in the audio signal based on a type of an executing function for generating the audio signal, and change the level of the determined at least one frequency band based on the generated hearing profile.

[0012] According to various embodiments of the present document, an electronic device and a method for optimizing the sound quality of an electronic device can be provided, which can provide an improved audio experience to a user by implementing a sound quality optimization function and a hearing diagnosis function provided by the electronic device in various and specialized ways according to the properties of an external audio output device connected to the electronic device.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to various embodiments.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an audio module according to various embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device and an audio output device according to various embodiments.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to various embodiments.

[0017] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a hearing diagnosis method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0018] Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a hearing diagnosis method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0019] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for an electronic device to select a set of test tones based on a maximum bit depth of an audio output device according to one embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method for an electronic device to select a number of diagnostics based on a maximum sample rate of an audio output device according to one embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 9 illustrates a user interface screen provided by an electronic device during a hearing diagnosis process according to one embodiment.

[0022] Fig. 10 is a flowchart of a method for optimizing sound quality of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0023] Fig. 11 is a flowchart of a method for optimizing sound quality of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 12 illustrates a method for an electronic device according to one embodiment to correct an audio level of a specific frequency band.

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Furthermore, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100) according to various embodiments.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of an electronic device (104) or a server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). In one 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)).

[0028] The processor (120) may, for example, execute software (e.g., a program (140)) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) and perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) may store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in a volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store result 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 an auxiliary 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 with the main processor (121). For example, when the electronic device (101) includes the main processor (121) and the auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0029] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a portion 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.

[0030] 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).

[0031] 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).

[0032] 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).

[0033] 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. In one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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).

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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).

[0039] The 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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).

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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).

[0044] 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) can 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.

[0045] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). In 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). In 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. In 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).

[0046] According to various embodiments, 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.

[0047] 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)).

[0048] 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 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 one 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.

[0049] FIG. 2 is a block diagram (200) of an audio module (170) according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 2, the audio module (170) 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).

[0050] 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), such as the processor (120) or the memory (130).

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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 the audio input interface (210) or, additionally or alternatively, an analog audio signal synthesized through the audio input mixer (220) into a digital audio signal.

[0053] 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., reduce noise or echo), change a channel (e.g., switch 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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 a headset) through a connection terminal (178) or wirelessly through a wireless communication module (192) to output an audio signal.

[0057] 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).

[0058] 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).

[0059] FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device and an audio output device according to various embodiments.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) may generate an audio signal by executing an application (e.g., a media application, a music application, or a call application), output the audio signal through a speaker disposed in the electronic device (300), and / or transmit the audio signal to an external audio output device (390a, 390b) so that the audio output device (390a, 390b) outputs the audio signal.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the audio output devices (390a, 390b) may be connected to the electronic device (300) via wired or wireless communication. For example, the audio output devices (390a, 390b) may be implemented as various types of audio accessories such as, but not limited to, earphones, headphones, ear buds, or external speakers.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) can be connected to an audio output device (390a) via short-range wireless communication. Here, the short-range wireless communication may include, but is not limited to, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), infrared (IR), or Wi-Fi direct, and various standard or non-standard wireless communication methods may be used. According to one embodiment, the audio output device (390a) can be implemented as a separate device mounted on the left and right ears of the user, such as the earbuds illustrated in FIG. 3, in which case the electronic device (300) can transmit an audio signal to a first device operating as a master.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) may include an audio interface for wired connection with an audio output device (390b). For example, the audio interface may include, but is not limited to, a universal serial bus (USB), a lightning port, or a 3.5mm audio jack. The audio interface is connected to a connector (e.g., a USB C-type connector) provided at the bottom of the electronic device (300), and when the connector of the audio output device (390b) is connected to the connector of the electronic device (300), the electronic device (300) detects the connection and transmits an audio signal generated by the application to the audio output device.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) can check the attribute information of the audio output device (390a, 390b) and provide a hearing diagnosis and sound quality optimization function based on the checked attribute information. In this document, a hearing diagnosis (hearing test or audiometric test) may include a series of processes for generating a hearing profile of a user by checking a frequency band that an actual user can hear well or not well among the audible band that a person can generally hear. The audio quality optimization function may include a function for adjusting an audio signal to suit the hearing characteristics of the user by increasing or decreasing the audio level of at least some frequency bands in an audio signal generated by an application based on the hearing diagnosis result (or hearing profile).

[0065] According to various embodiments of the present document, the electronic device (300) may perform hearing diagnosis and sound quality optimization in response to attribute information (e.g., maximum bit depth, or maximum sample rate) of an audio output device (390a, 390b) connected via wired or wireless communication and / or a running function (or application purpose) that generates an audio signal. Various embodiments will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 12 .

[0066] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to various embodiments.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 4, the electronic device (300) may include a communication module (430), an audio interface (440), a display (450), a processor (410), and a memory (420). Even if at least some of the illustrated components are omitted or replaced with other components, various embodiments of the present document may be implemented. In addition to the illustrated components, the electronic device (300) may further include at least some of the components and / or functions of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1. At least some of the components of the illustrated (or not illustrated) electronic device (300) (e.g., the processor (410), the memory (420)) may be disposed within the housing of the electronic device (300), and at least some of the other components (e.g., the display (450)) may be at least partially exposed to the outside of the housing. At least some of the components of the electronic device (300) may be operatively, functionally, and / or electrically connected to each other.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the display (450) can display image information provided from the processor (410). The display (450) can be implemented as any one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, and an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, but is not limited thereto. The display (450) can be configured as a touch screen that detects a touch and / or proximity touch (or hovering) input using a part of a user's body (e.g., a finger) or an input device (e.g., a stylus pen). The display (450) can include at least some of the configurations and / or functions of the display module (160) of FIG. 1. At least a portion of the display (450) can be flexible, and can be implemented as a foldable display or a rollable display.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the communication module (430) may support wireless communication with an external device (e.g., the audio output device (390a) of FIG. 3). For example, the electronic device (300) may be connected to the audio output device via short-range wireless communication. Short-range wireless communication supported by the communication module (430) may include, but is not limited to, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), infrared (IR), or Wi-Fi direct, and various standard or non-standard wireless communication methods may be used. In addition, the communication module (430) may support cellular wireless communication such as 4G LTE or 5G NR. The communication module (430) may include at least some of the configurations and / or functions of the communication module (190) of FIG. 1.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the audio interface (440) may support wired communication with an external device (e.g., an audio output device (390b) of FIG. 3). For example, the audio interface (440) may include, but is not limited to, a universal serial bus (USB), a lightning port, or a 3.5mm audio jack.

[0071] According to one embodiment, an audio output device (e.g., earphones, headphones, ear buds, or external speakers) may be connected to the electronic device (300) via wireless communication through a communication module (430), or via wired communication through an audio interface (440). For example, the electronic device (300) may generate a stereo audio signal including an L (left) channel or an R (right) channel and transmit the signal to the audio output device via wireless communication or wired communication, and the audio output device may output the signal of each channel through a left ear bud (or earpiece) corresponding to the user's left ear and a right ear bud corresponding to the user's right ear.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the memory (420) may include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory, and may temporarily or permanently store various data. The memory (420) may include at least a portion of the configuration and / or function of the memory (130) of FIG. 1, and may store the program (140) of FIG. 1. The memory (420) may store various instructions that may be executed by the processor (410). Such instructions may include arithmetic and logical operations, data movement, or control commands such as input / output that may be recognized by the processor (410).

[0073] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may be implemented as one or more processors as a configuration capable of performing calculations or data processing related to control and / or communication of each component of the electronic device (300). The processor (410) may include at least some of the configurations and / or functions of the processor (120) of FIG. 1. Although the calculation and data processing functions that the processor (410) may implement on the electronic device (300) are not limited, this document will describe in detail various embodiments for performing hearing diagnosis and sound quality optimization based on attribute information of a connected audio output device. The operations of the processor (410) described below may be performed by loading instructions stored in the memory (420).

[0074] In this document, the description that the processor (410) can perform a certain operation (or function, work, task) may be interpreted to mean substantially the same as that an instruction (or command, computer program) that causes the electronic device (300) (or the processor (410)) to perform the corresponding operation is stored in the memory (420) (e.g., non-volatile memory, or storage). In addition, the description that the processor (410) can perform a certain operation may be interpreted to mean substantially the same as that at least one processor, without specifying the operation, can perform the corresponding operation.

[0075] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) may provide a hearing diagnosis function. For example, the hearing diagnosis may include a series of processes for generating a user's hearing profile by identifying a frequency band that an actual user can hear well or not well among the audible band that a person can generally hear. For example, the hearing diagnosis process may include a process for outputting a sound source of a specific frequency band among a plurality of frequency bands forming an audio signal as a test tone and confirming an input regarding whether the user can hear it through a user interface. The electronic device (300) may store the hearing diagnosis result (or hearing profile) in the memory (420), correct the audio signal based on the hearing diagnosis result, and transmit the corrected audio signal to an audio output device. The user interface provided through the display (450) during the hearing diagnosis process will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 9.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) may provide a sound quality optimization function. For example, the sound quality optimization function may include a function for adjusting an audio signal to suit the hearing characteristics of a user by correcting the audio level of at least some frequency bands in an audio signal generated by an application based on a hearing profile generated by performing a hearing diagnosis or a stored preset hearing profile.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may execute a hearing diagnosis function when an audio output device is connected via a wireless communication connection through a communication module (430) or a wired communication connection through an audio interface (440). For example, the hearing diagnosis function may be executed when a user inputs a hearing diagnosis button in a sound quality optimization menu of a settings menu via a user input on the display (450). Alternatively, the processor (410) may execute the hearing diagnosis function when the connected audio output device is connected for the first time or when a hearing profile corresponding to the audio output device is not stored.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) can check the attribute information of the audio output device. According to one embodiment, when the audio output device is connected through the communication module (430) or the audio interface (440), the processor (410) can receive the attribute information of the audio output device through a communication channel with the audio output device. Alternatively, the processor (410) can obtain identification information (e.g., model name, serial number, or product code) of the audio output device from the audio output device through the communication channel, and use the obtained identification information to check the attribute information of the corresponding audio output device through a network.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the property information of the audio output device may include a maximum bit depth and / or a maximum sampling rate of the audio output device.

[0080] Bit depth is a characteristic indicating the resolution of a digital audio signal, and can mean the number of bits that can define each sample of the audio signal. The higher the bit depth, the more detailed the sound can be implemented. The audio output device may include a digital to analog converter (DAC) for converting a digital audio signal transmitted from an electronic device (300) into an analog audio signal, and the maximum bit depth supported may be determined according to the specifications of the DAC. For example, various audio output devices may support different maximum bit depths (e.g., 32 bits, 24 bits, or 16 bits). For example, when an audio signal with a bit depth higher than the maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device is received from the electronic device (300), the audio output device may downsample the audio signal to convert it into a signal with a lower bit depth and output it. However, some audio information may be lost during this downsampling process.

[0081] A sample rate can indicate the number of audio data sampled per second in a digital audio signal. A higher sample rate can cover a wider frequency band and more accurately reproduce an analog signal as a digital signal. The maximum sample rate supported by an audio output device can be determined based on the performance of the DAC. For example, various audio output devices can support different maximum sample rates (e.g., 192 kHz, 96 kHz, or 48 kHz). For example, the DAC of the audio output device can support a specific sample rate, and when an audio signal with a high sample rate is transmitted from the electronic device (300), the audio signal can be processed by downsampling it to a lower sample rate.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may determine a plurality of sound sources having different frequency bands to be used for hearing diagnosis based on attribute information of the connected audio output device. For example, a sound source output through an L channel or an R channel in a hearing diagnosis process may be defined as a test tone, and the electronic device (300) may store a plurality of test tone sets including sound sources of various frequency bands in the memory (420). In one embodiment, the processor (410) may select one of the plurality of test tone sets stored in the memory (420) to be used for hearing diagnosis for the connected audio output device based on attribute information of the connected audio output device.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may select a test tone set corresponding to the maximum bit depth supported by the connected audio output device. According to one embodiment, a plurality of test tone sets stored in the memory (420) may each be mapped to the maximum bit depth of the audio output device. For example, the electronic device (300) may store a 32-bit test tone set, a 24-bit test tone set, and a 16-bit test tone set, which are each produced from sound sources of 32 bits, 24 bits, and 16 bits. A test tone set with a higher bit depth may include sound sources of a greater number of frequency bands. According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may select a 32-bit test tone set when the maximum bit depth of the connected audio output device is 32 bits, select a 24-bit test tone set when the maximum bit depth is 24 bits, and select a 16-bit test tone set when the maximum bit depth is less than 24 bits.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may determine the number of hearing diagnosis diagnoses according to the maximum sample rate supported by the connected audio output device. The processor (410) may determine the number of hearing diagnosis diagnoses to a higher value as the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device is higher. For example, if the audio output device supports a sample rate of 192 kHz, the electronic device (300) may set the number of hearing diagnosis diagnoses to 148, if the audio output device supports a sample rate of 96 kHz, the electronic device (300) may set the number of hearing diagnosis diagnoses to 74, and if the audio output device supports a sample rate lower than 96 Hz, the electronic device (300) may set the number of hearing diagnosis diagnoses to the minimum number of 37. Here, the sample rate and the number of diagnoses of the audio output device are examples and are not limited thereto.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may perform a hearing diagnosis based on a test tone set selected according to a maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device and a number of diagnosis times determined according to a maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device. According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may randomly select any one of the sound sources of the test tone set and transmit it to the audio output device through an L channel or an R channel, and obtain a user input for hearing or not hearing the test tone through a user interface displayed on the display (450). The processor (410) may repeat the process of outputting the test tone and receiving the user input for a determined number of diagnosis times, and may output different test tones during the number of diagnosis times.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may store the hearing diagnosis result (or hearing profile) in the memory (420). For example, the hearing diagnosis result may include information about a frequency band that is audible or inaudible to the user among a plurality of frequency bands. In one embodiment, the hearing diagnosis result may operate in a state that is attributed to the audio output device connected to the electronic device (300) at the time of the hearing diagnosis, rather than in a preset form. Accordingly, the processor (410) may set the hearing diagnosis result measured through a specific audio output device not to be used in other audio output devices. For example, the hearing diagnosis result may be configured as a data conjugate pair using unique information of the audio output device connected at the time of measurement as a key value and may be stored in the memory (420). Table 1 shows an example of a table that maps and stores the ID of an audio output device and the hearing diagnosis result.

[0087] Device IDDataAdbj2jj47826jdfhkandkfjz0, 0, 1, 3, 10, 24, 5, 7, 32, 1, 0, 0, 3.........

[0088] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may store the results of the hearing diagnosis by mapping them with information about the user who performed the hearing diagnosis. For example, if the hearing diagnosis is performed while user A is wearing the audio output device, the hearing profile may be stored by mapping it with information about user A, and when user A is wearing the audio output device, sound quality optimization may be performed using one of the hearing profiles mapped to user A. According to one embodiment, when the connection of the audio output device is detected, the processor (410) may identify the user of the audio output device. For example, the processor (410) may identify the user based on various methods such as a user interface user's selection, a login account, voice analysis, or recognition through a sensor of the audio output device.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) can determine whether a hearing profile corresponding to the identified user is stored in the memory (420). If at least one hearing profile corresponding to the identified user is stored in the memory (420), the processor (410) can provide a list of hearing profiles, and if the user selects one from the list, the processor (410) can perform sound quality optimization using the selected hearing profile.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may provide a user interface suggesting a hearing diagnosis through the display (450) and perform a hearing diagnosis based on user input if at least one hearing profile corresponding to the identified user is not stored in the memory (420).

[0091] In one embodiment, the processor (410) may determine the type of audio function being executed. For example, the type (or application purpose) of the audio function may include, but is not limited to, video, ambient sound, music, or phone calls.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may select at least some frequency bands corresponding to the type of audio function among the frequency bands. For example, if the running audio function is a video, the processor (410) may select all 24 frequency bands as audio levels as frequency bands among the 24 frequency bands set in the hearing profile, if the running audio function is listening to ambient sounds, the processor (410) may select 18 frequency bands, if the running audio function is listening to music, the processor (410) may select 12 frequency bands, and if the running audio function is a call, the processor (410) may select 6 frequency bands. The number of frequency bands is an example and is not limited thereto.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may correct the audio levels of the selected frequency bands based on the hearing diagnosis results. According to one embodiment, when the function being executed is a first function (e.g., a video), the processor (410) may correct the audio levels of all frequency bands (e.g., 24 frequency bands) based on the hearing profile, and when the function being executed is a second function (e.g., listening to ambient sounds, listening to music, or making a phone call), the processor (410) may correct the audio levels of some non-adjacent frequency bands (e.g., 18, 12, or 6) among the frequency bands based on the hearing profile. For example, the processor (410) may adjust the audio level of at least one frequency band that the user inputs as inaudible during the hearing diagnosis process among the selected frequency bands. In this case, the processor (410) may not adjust the audio level of frequency bands that are not selected among the 24 frequency bands (e.g., 6 frequency bands for listening to ambient sounds, 12 frequency bands for listening to music, and 18 frequency bands for calling).

[0094] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may correct the audio level of some frequency bands based on the hearing diagnosis results, and then perform secondary correction based on the level of an adjacent frequency band.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may secondarily correct the level of at least one corrected frequency band based on the level of an adjacent uncorrected frequency band. For example, when the processor (410) corrects the audio levels of the first frequency band and the third frequency band among the sequential first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band and does not correct the signal of the second frequency band, the processor (410) may re-correct the audio levels of the corrected first frequency band and the third frequency band based on the level of the second frequency band. According to another embodiment, the processor (410) may correct the levels of at least some unselected frequency bands based on correction values ​​of adjacent frequency bands. For example, the processor (410) may correct the audio levels of the first frequency band and the third frequency band among the sequential first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band, and when the signal of the second frequency band is not corrected, the audio level of the second frequency band may be corrected based on the corrected levels of the first frequency band and the third frequency band. In this way, by disabling the adjustment of some frequency bands depending on the audio function being executed, the resources invested in hearing enhancement may be reduced and / or unnecessary current consumption may be reduced. The present embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 12.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the processor (410) may perform a post-processing operation for enhancing characteristics corresponding to the audio function being executed on the corrected audio signal. For example, the post-processing operation may include at least some of equalization, noise reduction, frequency filtering, or tone adjustment, and the electronic device (300) may perform the post-processing using parameters corresponding to the audio function being executed (e.g., video, ambient sound listening, music, or phone call). After the post-processing operation, the processor (410) may process a dynamic range control (DRC) on the audio signal whose audio level has been adjusted. The electronic device (300) may transmit the audio signal after the dynamic range control to an audio output device.

[0097] Instructions for performing the operations of the electronic device (300) (or processor (410)) described above may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium. The recording medium may be tangible and non-transitory. The recording medium may store one or more computer programs including the instructions.

[0098] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a hearing diagnosis method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0099] The illustrated method can be performed by an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (300) of FIG. 4). Technical features described above may be omitted from the description below.

[0100] According to one embodiment, in operation 510, the electronic device may detect a connection of an audio output device. For example, the electronic device may be connected to an audio output device (e.g., the audio output device of FIG. 3) via wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi direct, NFC, or infrared communication) or wired communication (e.g., USB).

[0101] According to one embodiment, in operation 520, the electronic device may execute a hearing diagnosis function. For example, if the user inputs a hearing diagnosis button in the sound quality optimization menu of the settings menu, the hearing diagnosis function may be executed.

[0102] According to one embodiment, in operation 530, the electronic device may output a test tone. For example, the test tone may be a sound source of a specific frequency band, and the test tone set may include multiple sound sources of different frequency bands. According to one embodiment, the electronic device may store the plurality of predetermined sound sources as a test tone set.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may generate a stereo audio signal including an L (left) channel or an R (right) channel and transmit the stereo audio signal to an audio output device. For example, during a hearing diagnosis process, the electronic device may randomly select one of a plurality of sound sources of a test tone set and transmit the test tone to the audio output device through the L channel or the R channel. The audio output device may output the test tone through a left earbud (or earpiece) corresponding to the user's left ear or a right earbud corresponding to the user's right ear.

[0104] According to one embodiment, at step 540, the electronic device may receive user input regarding whether to listen to a test tone. The electronic device may provide a user interface that allows the user to select whether to listen to the test tone after outputting the test tone. For example, the user interface may include items (e.g., "Yes" or "No") that allow the user to select whether the test tone is audible or inaudible, and the electronic device may store the result of selecting one of the items.

[0105] According to one embodiment, at operation 550, the electronic device may determine whether a predetermined number of diagnostics have been completed. If the predetermined number of diagnostics has not been completed at operation 550, the electronic device may repeat operations 530 and 540. For example, the electronic device may repeat the process of outputting a test tone and receiving a user input regarding whether to listen to the test tone for a predetermined number of times (e.g., 37 times). In this case, the electronic device may change the test tone and / or the output channel (e.g., R channel or L channel) for each repetition.

[0106] According to one embodiment, when a predetermined number of diagnostics have been completed, in operation 560, the electronic device may store the hearing diagnosis results. The hearing diagnosis results (or hearing profile) may include information regarding whether the user's left and right ears can hear each frequency band.

[0107] According to one embodiment, in operation 570, the electronic device may output an audio signal (e.g., a phone call voice or media sound) with the level of at least some frequency bands corrected based on the hearing diagnosis results. For example, the electronic device may identify at least one frequency band that the user has difficulty hearing based on the hearing diagnosis results, and correct the audio signal by increasing the audio level of the corresponding frequency band.

[0108] According to one embodiment, instructions for performing each operation constituting the method (500) may be stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer readable recording medium.

[0109] Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a hearing diagnosis method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0110] The illustrated method can be performed by an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (300) of FIG. 4). Technical features described above may be omitted from the description below.

[0111] According to one embodiment, in operation 610, the electronic device may detect a connection of an audio output device. For example, the electronic device may be connected to the audio output device (e.g., the audio output device of FIG. 3) via wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi direct, NFC, or infrared communication) or wired communication (e.g., USB).

[0112] According to one embodiment, in operation 620, the electronic device may execute a hearing diagnosis function. For example, if the user inputs a hearing diagnosis button in the sound quality optimization menu of the settings menu, the hearing diagnosis function may be executed.

[0113] According to one embodiment, in operation 630, the electronic device can check the attribute information of the audio output device. According to one embodiment, when the electronic device is connected to the audio output device, the electronic device can receive the attribute information of the audio output device through a communication channel (e.g., a wireless communication channel or a wired communication channel) between the electronic device and the audio output device. Alternatively, the electronic device can obtain identification information (e.g., a model name, a serial number, or a product code) of the audio output device from the audio output device through the communication channel, and can obtain attribute information of the corresponding audio output device through a network using the obtained identification information.

[0114] According to one embodiment, the property information of the audio output device may include a maximum bit depth and / or a maximum sample rate of the audio output device.

[0115] Bit depth is a characteristic that indicates the resolution of a digital audio signal. It can mean the number of bits that can define each sample of the audio signal, and the higher the bit depth, the more detailed the sound can be implemented. An audio output device may include a digital to analog converter (DAC) to convert a digital audio signal transmitted from an electronic device into an analog audio signal, and the maximum bit depth supported may be determined according to the specifications of the DAC. Various audio output devices may support different maximum bit depths (e.g., 32 bits, 24 bits, or 16 bits). For example, if an audio signal with a bit depth higher than the maximum bit depth supported by an audio output device is received from an electronic device, the audio output device may downsample the audio signal to convert it into a signal with a lower bit depth and output it. However, some audio information may be lost during this downsampling process.

[0116] The sample rate can indicate the number of audio data samples per second in a digital audio signal. A higher sample rate can cover a wider frequency range and more accurately reproduce an analog signal as a digital signal. The maximum sample rate supported by an audio output device may be determined by the performance of the DAC. Various audio output devices can support different maximum sample rates (e.g., 192 kHz, 96 kHz, or 48 kHz). The DAC of the audio output device can support a specific sample rate, and when an audio signal with a high sample rate is transmitted from an electronic device, the audio signal can be downsampled to a lower sample rate for processing.

[0117] According to one embodiment, in operation 640, the electronic device may select a test tone set corresponding to the maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device. According to one embodiment, the electronic device may store test tone sets including sound sources of a plurality of frequency bands according to each bit depth (e.g., 32 bits, 24 bits, or 16 bits) in a memory (e.g., memory 420 of FIG. 4). For example, the electronic device may store a 32-bit test tone set, a 24-bit test tone set, and a 16-bit test tone set, which are each produced from sound sources of 32 bits, 24 bits, and 16 bits. A test tone set with a higher bit depth may include sound sources of more frequency bands. The electronic device may check the maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device from the attribute information of the audio output device, and select a test tone set corresponding to the checked maximum bit depth from among the stored test tone sets.

[0118] According to one embodiment, in operation 650, the electronic device may determine a number of diagnostic tests corresponding to a maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device. For example, the electronic device may determine a higher number of diagnostic tests for hearing diagnosis as the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device increases.

[0119] According to one embodiment, operations 640 and 650 may be performed by the electronic device at least partially simultaneously and / or in parallel with each other.

[0120] According to one embodiment, in operation 660, the electronic device may output the selected sound sources as test tones and perform a hearing diagnosis process for a determined number of diagnosis times. The electronic device may perform the hearing diagnosis process for a selected number of diagnosis times according to the maximum sample rate of the audio output device in operation 650 using the sound sources (or test tone set) selected in operation 640. For example, the electronic device may randomly select sound sources of the test tone set and output them to the audio output device, and receive a user input on the UI regarding whether to listen. The electronic device may perform the process of outputting the test tones and receiving the user input for a determined number of diagnosis times. For example, operation 660 may include operations 530 to 560 of FIG. 5.

[0121] According to one embodiment, instructions for performing each operation constituting the method (600) may be stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer readable recording medium.

[0122] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for an electronic device to select a set of test tones based on a maximum bit depth of an audio output device according to one embodiment.

[0123] The illustrated method can be performed by an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (300) of FIG. 4). Technical features described above may be omitted from the description below.

[0124] According to one embodiment, in operation 710, the electronic device can determine the maximum bit depth supported by the connected audio output device. For example, the electronic device can receive attribute information including the maximum bit depth of the audio output device through a communication channel (e.g., a wireless communication channel or a wired communication channel) between the electronic device and the audio output device, or can obtain identification information (e.g., a model name, a serial number, or a product code) of the audio output device and determine the maximum bit depth of the audio output device through a network using the obtained identification information.

[0125] According to one embodiment, at operation 720, the electronic device can determine whether the audio output device supports 32 bits. If the audio output device supports 32 bits, at operation 730, the electronic device can select a 32-bit test tone set. For example, the electronic device can select multiple test tone sets corresponding to each bit depth. A higher bit depth can include sound sources of more frequency bands.

[0126] According to one embodiment, at operation 740, the electronic device may determine whether the audio output device supports 24 bits. If the audio output device supports 24 bits, at operation 740, the electronic device may select a set of 24-bit test tones.

[0127] According to one embodiment, if the audio output device does not support 24 bits, in operation 760, the electronic device may select a 16-bit test tone set. If the audio output device supports a bit depth lower than 24 bits, or if the electronic device cannot determine the maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device, the electronic device may select a 16-bit test tone set having the lowest bit depth among the stored test tone sets.

[0128] The numerical value of bit depth described in FIG. 7 corresponds to one embodiment, and various embodiments of this document are not limited thereto.

[0129] According to one embodiment, instructions for performing each operation constituting the method (700) may be stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer readable recording medium.

[0130] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method for an electronic device to select a number of diagnostics based on a maximum sample rate of an audio output device according to one embodiment.

[0131] The illustrated method can be performed by an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (300) of FIG. 4). Technical features described above may be omitted from the description below.

[0132] According to one embodiment, in operation 810, the electronic device can determine the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device. For example, the electronic device can receive attribute information including the maximum sample rate of the audio output device through a communication channel (e.g., a wireless communication channel or a wired communication channel) between the electronic device and the audio output device, or can obtain identification information (e.g., a model name, a serial number, or a product code) of the audio output device and determine the maximum sample rate of the audio output device through a network using the obtained identification information.

[0133] In one embodiment, at operation 820, the electronic device may determine whether the audio output device supports a sample rate of 192 kHz. For example, if the audio output device supports a sample rate of 192 kHz, the electronic device may set the number of hearing diagnosis attempts to a first number (e.g., 148 attempts).

[0134] In one embodiment, at operation 840, the electronic device may determine whether the audio output device supports a sample rate of 96 kHz. For example, if the audio output device supports a sample rate of 96 kHz, the electronic device may set the number of hearing diagnosis attempts to a second number (e.g., 74) lower than the first number.

[0135] According to one embodiment, if the audio output device does not support a sample rate of 96 kHz, in operation 860, the electronic device may set the number of diagnosis times of the hearing diagnosis to a third number (e.g., 37 times) lower than the second number. For example, the electronic device may select the lowest third number if the audio output device supports a bit depth lower than 96 kHz or if the electronic device cannot determine the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device.

[0136] The numerical values ​​of the sample rate described in FIG. 8 correspond to one embodiment, and various embodiments of this document are not limited thereto.

[0137] According to one embodiment, instructions for performing each operation constituting the method (800) may be stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer readable recording medium.

[0138] FIG. 9 illustrates a user interface screen provided by an electronic device during a hearing diagnosis process according to one embodiment.

[0139] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may provide a user interface for hearing diagnosis (hereinafter, hearing diagnosis UI).

[0140] Referring to (a) of FIG. 9, the hearing diagnosis UI (900) may include an item (910) indicating frequency bands of the L channel, an item (920) indicating frequency bands of the R channel, an item (940) indicating the progress status of the hearing diagnosis, and items that allow the user to select whether to listen or not to the test tone.

[0141] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) can use test tones of 24 frequency bands for each of the R channel and the L channel during the hearing diagnosis process, but the number of frequency bands is not limited thereto.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) may determine a set of test tones including sound sources to be used for hearing diagnosis based on a maximum bit depth of a connected audio output device, and may determine a number of diagnosis times for hearing diagnosis based on a maximum sample rate of the audio output device.

[0143] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) may randomly select one of a plurality of sound sources of a determined test tone set and transmit it as a test tone to an audio output device through an L channel or an R channel. After outputting the test tone, if the user selects the Yes button, the electronic device (300) may record that the corresponding frequency band is audible to the user, and if the user selects the No button, the electronic device (300) may record that the corresponding frequency band is inaudible to the user. After completing such a single measurement, the electronic device (300) may output a test tone of another frequency band and receive an input as to whether the user can hear it. The electronic device (300) may perform the above process for a number of diagnostic times determined based on the maximum sample rate.

[0144] According to one embodiment, when the hearing diagnosis process is repeated, an item (940) indicating the progress status may be updated according to the number of diagnoses to date. In addition, an item (910) indicating the frequency bands of the L channel and an item (920) indicating the frequency bands of the R channel may be changed in real time according to the user's choice of whether to listen or not. For example, when the user selects the No button after outputting a test tone of a specific frequency band, the electronic device (300) may record that the corresponding frequency band is not audible to the user and set the audio level of the item indicating the corresponding frequency band to increase.

[0145] Referring to (b) of Fig. 9, when all tests are completed for the determined number of diagnostic tests, the audio levels (925) of the frequency bands (915) of the L channel and the frequency bands of the R channel that the user has selected as inaudible can be increased.

[0146] Referring to (c) of FIG. 9, the electronic device (300) may provide a user interface that displays stored hearing diagnosis results (or hearing profiles). If the user selects off (962) on the user interface, the electronic device (300) may transmit audio signals to an audio output device without performing sound quality optimization according to the hearing diagnosis results.

[0147] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) may store preset hearing profiles that are categorized according to the user's age. The preset hearing profile may define frequency bands to be boosted according to the user's age. Typically, the audible frequency band may gradually decrease due to hearing loss caused by aging among the audible frequency bands of a person. For example, the upper limit of the audible frequency band may be as high as about 1.6 kHz for a person under 30 years of age, and the upper limit may decrease to about 1 kHz for a person over 60 years of age due to aging of the ear. Accordingly, the preset hearing profile for a person under 30 years of age may be set to boost only high frequencies, the preset hearing profile for a person between 30 and 60 years of age may be set to boost mid-high frequency bands, and the preset hearing profile for a person over 60 years of age may be set to boost all frequency bands.

[0148] Referring to (c) of FIG. 9, when a user selects an item (964) indicating 30 years of age or younger, the electronic device (300) amplifies and outputs the audio level of the high frequency band of the audio signal, when the user selects an item (966) indicating 30 years of age or younger and 60 years of age or younger, the electronic device (300) amplifies and outputs the audio levels of the high frequency band and the mid frequency band of the audio signal, and when the user selects an item (968) indicating 60 years of age or older, the electronic device (300) amplifies and outputs the audio level of the low frequency band of the audio signal. Such a preset hearing profile can be applied equally to all audio output devices, regardless of the identification information of the connected audio output device.

[0149] According to one embodiment, when a user selects an item (970) indicating a hearing diagnosis result generated based on a hearing diagnosis result, the audio levels of frequency bands determined based on the hearing diagnosis result may be amplified and output. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (300) may perform a hearing diagnosis by considering the attribute information of a connected audio output device, and the user interface may provide an item (970) indicating a hearing diagnosis result corresponding to a currently connected audio output device through the user interface, and may not output the item when another audio output device is connected. Accordingly, the hearing diagnosis result of a specific audio output device may not be used when optimizing the sound quality of another audio output device.

[0150] Fig. 10 is a flowchart of a method for optimizing sound quality of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0151] The illustrated method can be performed by an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (300) of FIG. 4). Technical features described above may be omitted from the description below.

[0152] According to one embodiment, in operation 1010, the electronic device may select a hearing profile to be applied to an audio signal. For example, the electronic device may store a hearing diagnosis result (or hearing profile) through a hearing diagnosis process. The electronic device may determine a test tone set and a number of diagnoses to be used for the hearing diagnosis based on attribute information (e.g., maximum bit depth or maximum sample rate) of a connected audio output device. The electronic device may repeat the process of randomly selecting sound sources of the determined test tone set, outputting them to the audio output device, and receiving a user input regarding whether to listen to them for a determined number of diagnoses. An embodiment in which the electronic device performs the hearing diagnosis process to generate and store a hearing diagnosis result has been described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9. Alternatively, the electronic device may select one of preset hearing profiles set according to age based on user input.

[0153] In one embodiment, at operation 1020, the electronic device may determine the type of audio function being performed. For example, the type (or purpose of application) of the audio function may include, but is not limited to, video, ambient sound, music, or phone calls.

[0154] According to one embodiment, in operation 1030, the electronic device may select at least some frequency bands corresponding to the type of audio function among the frequency bands, and may correct the level of the selected frequency bands. According to one embodiment, the electronic device may select at least some frequency bands for which to adjust the audio level among the frequency bands distinguished for each of the L channel and the R channel of the audio signal based on the selected hearing profile. For example, the electronic device may select all 24 frequency bands if the running audio function is a video, select 18 frequency bands if the running audio function is listening to ambient sound, select 12 frequency bands if the running audio function is listening to music, and select 6 frequency bands if the running audio function is a call. In one embodiment, the electronic device may increase the audio level of a frequency band that is selected as not being heard by the user based on the hearing diagnosis result for the selected frequency bands.

[0155] According to one embodiment, in operation 1040, the electronic device may secondarily correct the level of at least one corrected frequency band based on the level of an adjacent uncorrected frequency band. For example, if the currently executing audio function corresponds to a specific function (e.g., a call or listening to music), the electronic device may determine to correct the audio levels of the first frequency band and the third frequency band among the sequential first frequency band (e.g., 17 kHz), the second frequency band (e.g., 18 kHz), and the third frequency band (e.g., 19 kHz) according to the hearing profile and not to correct the signal of the second frequency band. In this case, the electronic device may re-correct the audio levels of the corrected first frequency band and the third frequency band based on the hearing profile based on the level of the uncorrected second frequency band.

[0156] According to one embodiment, in operation 1050, the electronic device may compensate for the level of at least some unselected frequency bands based on compensation values ​​of adjacent frequency bands. For example, when the currently executing audio function corresponds to a specific function (e.g., a call or listening to music), the electronic device may compensate for the audio levels of the first and third frequency bands among the sequential first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band according to the hearing profile, and when the signal of the second frequency band is not compensated, the audio level of the uncompensated second frequency band may be compensated based on the audio levels of the first and third frequency bands compensated based on the hearing profile. In this way, by disabling the adjustment of some frequency bands according to the executing audio function, resources invested in hearing enhancement may be reduced and / or unnecessary current consumption may be reduced.

[0157] In one embodiment, the electronic device can perform only one of operation 1040 or operation 1050.

[0158] According to one embodiment, the electronic device can perform a post-processing process for enhancing characteristics corresponding to the audio function being executed, on the audio signal corrected by operations 1030, 1040, and 1050. For example, the post-processing process can include at least some of equalization, noise reduction, frequency filtering, or timbre adjustment, and the electronic device can perform the post-processing using parameters corresponding to the audio function being executed (e.g., video, ambient sound listening, music, or phone call).

[0159] According to one embodiment, at operation 1060, the electronic device may output the corrected audio signal to an audio output device.

[0160] According to one embodiment, instructions for performing each operation constituting the method (1000) may be stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer readable recording medium.

[0161] Fig. 11 is a flowchart of a method for optimizing sound quality of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0162] The illustrated method can be performed by an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (300) of FIG. 4). Technical features described above may be omitted from the description below.

[0163] According to one embodiment, at operation 1110, the electronic device may determine which audio function is being executed. For example, the audio function being executed may include at least one of video, ambient sound listening, music, or a call.

[0164] In one embodiment, if the executed audio function is video output, at operation 1120, the electronic device may perform band-specific control for viewing the video. For example, the electronic device may perform audio level adjustment based on hearing diagnosis results for all 24 frequency bands.

[0165] According to one embodiment, video viewing enhancement (or post-processing) may be performed in operation 1125. For example, the electronic device may utilize parameters set for video viewing during post-processing operations such as equalization, noise reduction, frequency filtering, or tone adjustment.

[0166] According to one embodiment, if the executed audio function is ambient sound listening, at operation 1130, the electronic device may perform band-specific control for ambient sound listening. For example, the electronic device may select 18 frequency bands out of 24 frequency bands and perform audio level adjustment for the selected frequency bands based on hearing diagnosis results. At operation 1135, the electronic device may perform feature enhancement for ambient sound listening.

[0167] According to one embodiment, if the executed audio function is music appreciation, in operation 1140, the electronic device may perform band-specific control for music appreciation. For example, the electronic device may select 12 frequency bands among 24 frequency bands and perform audio level adjustment for the selected frequency bands based on hearing diagnosis results. In operation 1145, the electronic device may perform characteristic enhancement for music appreciation. For example, in the case of music appreciation, the electronic device may increase the audio levels of both low and high frequencies.

[0168] According to one embodiment, if the executed audio function is a call, in operation 1150, the electronic device may perform band-specific control for the call. For example, the electronic device may select 6 frequency bands among 24 frequency bands and perform audio level adjustment for the selected frequency bands based on the results of a hearing diagnosis. In operation 1155, the electronic device may perform feature enhancement for the call. For example, the electronic device may perform filtering to emphasize the voice band during the call.

[0169] According to one embodiment, in operation 1160, the electronic device may process dynamic range control (DRC) for an audio signal in which audio levels of at least some bands are adjusted. The electronic device may transmit the audio signal after dynamic range control to an audio output device.

[0170] According to one embodiment, instructions for performing each operation constituting the method (1100) may be stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer readable recording medium.

[0171] FIG. 12 illustrates a method for an electronic device according to one embodiment to correct an audio level of a specific frequency band.

[0172] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may perform a sound quality optimization operation based on the results of a hearing diagnosis for a currently connected audio output device. For example, the electronic device may adjust the audio level of a frequency band selected by the user as inaudible in the hearing diagnosis among a plurality of frequency bands. According to one embodiment, the electronic device may select at least some frequency bands corresponding to the type of audio function being performed (e.g., video, ambient sound listening, music, or phone call) among the plurality of frequency bands, and correct the level of the selected frequency band.

[0173] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may perform secondary correction for the level of at least one corrected frequency band based on the level of an adjacent uncorrected frequency band, or may correct the level of at least some unselected frequency bands based on the correction values ​​of the adjacent frequency bands. For example, if the audio function (or application purpose) being performed is music listening, 12 frequency bands may be selected from 24 frequency bands to correct the audio level according to the hearing diagnosis results, and the levels of the remaining 12 unselected frequency bands may not be corrected. In this case, a difference may occur between the audio levels of the remaining 12 unselected frequency bands and the audio levels of the adjacent frequency bands, and in order to reduce distortion of audio quality caused by this, the electronic device may perform secondary correction (or mutual interpolation) to reduce the difference in audio levels of the adjacent frequency bands.

[0174] Referring to (a) and (b) of FIG. 12, the electronic device may adjust the audio level by selecting the 8 kHz band (1210) and the 16 kHz band (1220) based on the hearing diagnosis results, and may not adjust the 12 kHz band (1230).

[0175] Referring to (a) of FIG. 12, the electronic device can adjust the audio levels of the adjusted 8 kHz band (1215) and 16 kHz band (1225) based on the audio level of the unadjusted 12 kHz band (1230). For example, the electronic device can adjust the audio level to an average (or weighted average) value of the audio levels adjusted in the 8 kHz band and the 16 kHz band and the audio level of the 12 kHz band, or adjust the audio level by a predetermined value.

[0176] Referring to (b) of FIG. 12, the electronic device can adjust the audio level of the unadjusted 12 kHz band (1235) based on the adjusted audio levels of the adjacent 8 kHz band (1210) and 16 kHz band (1220). For example, the electronic device can adjust the audio level of the 12 kHz band to an average (or weighted average) value with the adjusted audio levels of the adjacent 8 kHz band and / or 16 kHz band, or adjust the audio level by a predetermined value.

[0177] Referring to (a) or (b) of the above Fig. 12, distortion of an audio signal due to a difference between the audio level of a 12 kHz band and the audio levels of adjacent 8 kHz and 16 kHz bands can be reduced through a mutual interpolation operation.

[0178] An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present document may include a display, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the display and the memory.

[0179] According to one embodiment, the memory can store a plurality of test tone sets, each set including a plurality of sound sources having different frequency bands.

[0180] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that can be executed by at least one processor and, when executed, cause the electronic device to detect a connection of an external audio output device, check attribute information of the connected audio output device, determine a test tone set to be used for hearing diagnosis among a plurality of test tone sets stored in the memory based on the checked attribute information, and perform a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of a plurality of sound sources included in the determined test tone set.

[0181] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to generate a hearing profile based on user input entered on the display during the hearing diagnosis process, and to store the generated hearing profile in the memory.

[0182] According to one embodiment, the hearing diagnosis process may include a process of outputting one sound source from among a plurality of sound sources of the determined test tone set, and determining, based on a user input corresponding to the output sound source, whether the user can perceive audio in a frequency band of the output sound source.

[0183] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to output, through the display, a user interface including an item that allows the user to select whether or not to acknowledge the output sound source.

[0184] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to determine the number of diagnosis times of the hearing diagnosis process based on attribute information of the identified audio output device.

[0185] According to one embodiment, the attribute information of the audio output device includes a maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device, and the memory can store instructions that cause the electronic device to select a test tone set corresponding to the maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device from among a plurality of test tone sets stored in the memory.

[0186] According to one embodiment, the attribute information of the audio output device includes a maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device, and the memory can store instructions that cause the electronic device to determine the number of diagnosis times of the hearing diagnosis process corresponding to the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device.

[0187] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to change the level of at least some frequency band of an audio signal to be transmitted to the audio output device based on the hearing profile.

[0188] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to determine at least one frequency band in which to change a level in the audio signal based on a type of an executing function that generates the audio signal.

[0189] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to change the level of at least one frequency band in which the level has been changed in the audio signal based on the level of an adjacent frequency band.

[0190] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to, when a connection of the audio output device is detected, identify a user of the audio output device, determine whether a hearing profile corresponding to the identified user is stored in the memory, and, when a hearing profile corresponding to the identified user is not stored, provide a user interface suggesting the hearing diagnosis process through the display.

[0191] A method performed by an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present document may include an operation of detecting a connection of an external audio output device, an operation of checking attribute information of the connected audio output device, an operation of determining a test tone set to be used for hearing diagnosis among a plurality of stored test tone sets based on the checked attribute information, an operation of performing a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of a plurality of sound sources included in the determined test tone set, an operation of generating a hearing profile based on a user input during the hearing diagnosis process, and an operation of storing the generated hearing profile.

[0192] According to one embodiment, the attribute information of the audio output device may include a maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device, and the operation of determining a test tone set to be used for the hearing diagnosis may include an operation of selecting a test tone set corresponding to the maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device.

[0193] According to one embodiment, the attribute information of the audio output device includes a maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device, and the method may further include an operation of determining a number of diagnosis times of the hearing diagnosis process corresponding to the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device.

[0194] According to one embodiment, the method may further include determining at least one frequency band in which to change a level in the audio signal based on a type of a running function that generates the audio signal.

[0195] A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium according to various embodiments of the present document may store instructions for performing an operation of detecting a connection of an external audio output device, an operation of checking attribute information of the connected audio output device, an operation of determining a test tone set to be used for a hearing diagnosis from among a plurality of test tone sets each including a plurality of sound sources having different frequency bands stored in advance based on the checked attribute information, an operation of performing a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of the plurality of sound sources included in the determined test tone set, an operation of generating a hearing profile based on a user input in the hearing diagnosis process, and an operation of storing the generated hearing profile.

[0196] According to various embodiments of the present document, an electronic device includes a display, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the display and the memory, wherein the memory may be executed by the at least one processor, and when executed, the electronic device may store instructions that cause the electronic device to detect a connection of an external audio output device, determine attribute information of the connected audio output device, determine a test tone set to be used for a hearing diagnosis based on the determined attribute information, perform a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of a plurality of sound sources included in the determined test tone set, generate a hearing profile including information of at least one frequency band that is not recognized by the user based on a user input input on the display during the hearing diagnosis process, determine at least one frequency band for which a level is to be changed in the audio signal based on a type of an executing function for generating the audio signal, and change the level of the determined at least one frequency band based on the generated hearing profile.

[0197] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to correct audio levels of all frequency bands based on the hearing profile when the function being executed is a first function, and to correct audio levels of some non-adjacent frequency bands among the frequency bands based on the hearing profile when the function being executed is a second function.

[0198] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to output one sound source from among a plurality of sound sources of the determined test tone set, output a user interface through the display that includes an item that allows the user to select whether or not to recognize the output sound source, and determine, based on a user input on the user interface that corresponds to the output sound source, whether or not the user can recognize audio in a frequency band of the output sound source.

[0199] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to identify a user of the connected audio output device and store the hearing profile by mapping it to information of the identified user.

[0200] According to one embodiment, the attribute information of the audio output device may include at least one of a maximum bit depth or a maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device.

[0201] 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 of this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0202] 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 (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.

[0203] 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).

[0204] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more instructions 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 instruction among the one or more instructions 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 called instruction. The one or more instructions 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.

[0205] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between sellers and buyers as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or may be provided through an application store (e.g., Play Store). TM ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones), online distribution (e.g., downloading or uploading). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0206] 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 arranged 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.

Claims

1. In electronic devices, display; memory; and At least one processor operatively connected to the display and the memory, The above memory is, Store multiple sets of test tones, each of which contains multiple sound sources with different frequency bands, executable by at least one processor, wherein when executed, said electronic device: Detects the connection of an external audio output device, Check the property information of the above connected audio output device, Based on the above-mentioned verified attribute information, a test tone set to be used for hearing diagnosis is determined from among a plurality of test tone sets stored in the memory, Performing a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of the multiple sound sources included in the above-determined test tone set, In the above hearing diagnosis process, a hearing profile is created based on the user input entered on the display, and An electronic device storing instructions for storing the generated hearing profile in the memory.

2. In paragraph 1, The above hearing diagnosis process is, An electronic device comprising a process for outputting one sound source among a plurality of sound sources of the determined test tone set, and determining whether a user can perceive audio in a frequency band of the output sound source based on a user input corresponding to the output sound source.

3. In paragraph 2, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for outputting a user interface including an item that allows the user to select whether or not to recognize the output sound source through the display.

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for determining the number of diagnosis times of the hearing diagnosis process based on the attribute information of the audio output device identified above.

5. In paragraph 4, The attribute information of the above audio output device includes the maximum bit depth supported by the above audio output device, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for selecting a test tone set corresponding to the maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device from among a plurality of test tone sets stored in the memory.

6. In paragraph 4 or 5, The attribute information of the audio output device includes the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for determining the number of diagnosis times of the hearing diagnosis process corresponding to the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device.

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for changing the level of at least some frequency band of an audio signal to be transmitted to the audio output device based on the hearing profile.

8. In paragraph 7, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for determining at least one frequency band in which a level is to be changed in the audio signal based on the type of function being executed that generates the audio signal.

9. In paragraph 8, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for changing the level of at least one frequency band whose level has been changed in the above audio signal based on the level of an adjacent frequency band.

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 9, The above memory, the electronic device, When the connection of the above audio output device is detected, the user of the above audio output device is identified, Check whether a hearing profile corresponding to the above-mentioned user is stored in the memory, and An electronic device storing instructions for providing a user interface suggesting the hearing diagnosis process through the display if a hearing profile corresponding to the identified user is not stored.

11. In a method performed by an electronic device, The electronic device stores a plurality of test tone sets, each set including a plurality of sound sources having different frequency bands, The above method, Action to detect the connection of an external audio output device; An action to check the property information of the above connected audio output device; An operation of determining a test tone set to be used for hearing diagnosis among the plurality of stored test tone sets based on the above-mentioned verified attribute information; An operation of performing a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of the plurality of sound sources included in the above-determined test tone set; An operation of generating a hearing profile based on user input during the above hearing diagnosis process; and A method comprising the action of storing the generated hearing profile.

12. In paragraph 11, The attribute information of the above audio output device includes the maximum bit depth supported by the above audio output device, The operation of determining the set of test tones to be used for the above hearing diagnosis is as follows: A method comprising the action of selecting a set of test tones corresponding to the maximum bit depth supported by the audio output device.

13. In paragraph 11 or 12, The attribute information of the audio output device includes the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device, The above method, A method further comprising the action of determining the number of diagnosis times of the hearing diagnosis process corresponding to the maximum sample rate supported by the audio output device.

14. In a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, Action to detect the connection of an external audio output device; An action to check the property information of the above connected audio output device; An operation of determining a test tone set to be used for hearing diagnosis among a plurality of test tone sets each including a plurality of sound sources with different pre-stored frequency bands based on the above-mentioned verified attribute information; An operation of performing a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of the plurality of sound sources included in the above-determined test tone set; An operation of generating a hearing profile based on user input during the above hearing diagnosis process; and A recording medium storing instructions for performing an operation of storing the above-mentioned generated hearing profile.

15. In electronic devices, display; memory; and At least one processor operatively connected to the display and the memory, The above memory is, executable by at least one processor, wherein when executed, said electronic device: Detects the connection of an external audio output device, Check the property information of the above connected audio output device, Based on the above-mentioned verified attribute information, a set of test tones to be used for hearing diagnosis is determined, Performing a hearing diagnosis process using at least some of the multiple sound sources included in the above-determined test tone set, In the above hearing diagnosis process, based on the user input entered on the display, a hearing profile including information of at least one frequency band that the user is not aware of is generated, Based on the type of the running function that generates the audio signal, determining at least one frequency band in which the level of the audio signal is to be changed, and An electronic device storing instructions for changing the level of at least one frequency band determined above based on the generated hearing profile.

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