Co-located Device Audio Token Detection for Speaker Status

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing content delivery systems struggle to determine whether audio output is enabled on user devices, limiting the presentation of audio content items like advertisements to devices where sound is not muted, and failing to optimize content delivery based on the availability of speakers.

Innovation Solution

A method that uses audible or inaudible sounds, such as tokens, to determine if audio controls and speakers are enabled on user devices by having co-located devices listen for specific sounds, allowing for targeted content delivery based on this information and adjusting quality scores in auction processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If content delivery systems present audio content items to all user devices, then content delivery volume increases, but audio content is presented to devices with muted speakers wasting resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent delivery efficiencyVSAvoidresource waste from delivering audio content to muted devices

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection by emitting audio tokens before delivering full audio content items. This preliminary action identifies devices with enabled speakers in advance, preventing resource waste from delivering audio content to muted devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

An audio token serves as an intermediary signal to detect speaker status. Instead of directly delivering audio content to all devices, the system uses this intermediary token to ascertain whether audio output is enabled, thereby optimizing content delivery efficiency and reducing resource waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the system uses audio tokens to detect speaker status, then content delivery accuracy improves, but device complexity increases due to token emission and detection mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeaker status detection accuracyVSAvoidcomplexity of audio token emission and detection system

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system leverages the device's existing audio output capabilities to emit tokens and existing microphone capabilities to detect tokens. This self-service approach uses already-available hardware resources, minimizing the need for additional complex components while maintaining high measurement precision for speaker status detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of energy

If the system delivers audio content only to devices with enabled speakers, then resource utilization optimizes, but the complexity of determining speaker status increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilization efficiencyVSAvoidcomplexity of speaker status determination process

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces complex mechanical or software-based speaker status detection methods with an acoustic field-based approach. By emitting audio tokens and detecting their presence through microphones, the system uses physical acoustic propagation principles to simplify the determination process while optimizing resource utilization efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

Enables the selective presentation of audio content items only to devices with enabled speakers, optimizing content delivery and enhancing presentation characteristics, such as on larger screens, while maintaining user privacy and control over device listening.

Implementation Method 1

determining, based on one or more criteria, to use audible or inaudible sound emitted from the first device to ascertain whether audio controls on the first device and a speaker associated with the first device are enabled

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound propagation: Sound

Implementation Method 2

provide a notification to the second co-located device to listen for the token emitted by the first device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrophone transduction:

Data Source

PatentUS10878442B1Selecting content for co-located devices

Publication Date: 2020.12.29 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for determining information. A first user device for presenting content to a user is identified. A second co-located device is identified. A determination is made, based on one or more criteria, to use audible or inaudible sound emitted from the first device to ascertain whether audio controls on the first device and a speaker associated with the first device are enabled. A token that is to be played on the first device is identified. A notification is provided to the second co-located device to listen for the token emitted by the first device. The token for playing on the first device is provided. Information related to a recording is received from the second co-located device. A determination is made whether the first device's audio controls and speakers are enabled.