Ambient Audio Sampling for Automatic App Launch

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the crowded app marketplace, users face difficulties in discovering new apps, with traditional methods like searching iTunes or relying on friends' recommendations not scaling well with the market's growth, and artists lack control over how their content is experienced.

Innovation Solution

A system where a microphone-equipped user device samples ambient content to identify audio and automatically looks up and launches recommended apps, optimizing the device to the user's content preferences, allowing artists to specify preferred app usage and ensuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional app discovery methods (searching iTunes or friends' recommendations) are used, then users can find apps, but the method does not scale well with market growth and becomes inefficient in crowded marketplace

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapp discovery efficiencyVSAvoidtime spent searching for apps

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service app discovery by having the device automatically sample ambient audio content, identify it through fingerprint matching, and launch relevant apps without user intervention. The device serves itself by autonomously connecting content to appropriate applications based on embedded fingerprints and lookup tables.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Fingerprints are embedded in content during the content creation process, establishing identification markers beforehand. Lookup tables are pre-configured with content fingerprints and associated application information, enabling rapid matching and app launching when the content is encountered, eliminating the need for users to search for apps at the moment of need.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If artists want to control how their content is experienced, then they can specify preferred apps, but this requires a system that can automatically identify and launch the correct app based on ambient content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveartist control over content experienceVSAvoidsystem complexity for automatic app identification

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces lookup tables as an intermediary layer between content and applications. These tables store pre-configured mappings between content fingerprints and associated application information, allowing artists to specify their preferred apps without requiring complex real-time analysis. The lookup table mediates the connection, simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the device automatically samples and identifies ambient content to launch apps, then app discovery is simplified and optimized to user preferences, but this requires continuous audio sampling and processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of app discoveryVSAvoidenergy consumed by audio sampling and processing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs partial action by selectively activating full audio processing only when ambient sampling detects potential content worth identifying. Rather than continuously analyzing all audio at maximum processing power, the device samples ambient sound and triggers detailed fingerprint matching only when relevant content is detected, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach simplifies app discovery, optimizes user devices to individual content interests, and provides artists with control over how their work is experienced, enhancing user engagement and app relevance.

Implementation Method 1

a microphone-equipped user device samples ambient content to identify audio

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound sampling: Sound

Data Source

PatentUS10181339B2Smartphone-based methods and systems

Publication Date: 2019.01.15 DIGIMARC LLC

AI summary

Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.