Auditory Group Notification for Music Playback Search

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing playback devices with large storage capacities for music data, such as those with flash memory, face challenges in user convenience due to the difficulty in searching for specific content, as users cannot easily identify the album or artist while listening to music without visual displays.

Innovation Solution

A playback apparatus that includes a storage unit for music data, a selection unit for identifying groups like album titles or artist names, and a notification unit that alerts the user through sound, allowing the user to recognize the group while listening to the music by playing back the group identification information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If content data is classified into multiple groups and displayed on a display unit, then searchability is improved, but user convenience deteriorates when listening to music without visual display

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesearchabilityVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the visual display system with an auditory notification system. The notification unit outputs sound signals that announce group identification information (album titles, artist names) sequentially, allowing users to search and identify music groups through hearing rather than viewing a display screen.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of information presentation from visual (display unit) to auditory (sound output). By converting the display of group identification information into sequential sound notifications, the system adapts to scenarios where users are listening to music and cannot visually check the display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of information

If all information is displayed on a display unit, then information completeness is improved, but recognition convenience deteriorates for users listening to music

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidrecognition convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes the visual display mechanism with an auditory notification mechanism. The notification unit sequentially outputs sound signals containing group identification information, enabling users to recognize album titles and artist names through audio feedback while maintaining complete information delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The notification unit outputs sound signals in a sequential, periodic manner, announcing each group identification information in turn. This periodic auditory feedback allows users to process information over time while listening to music, rather than requiring simultaneous visual attention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS10423381B2Playback apparatus, playback method, and playback program

Publication Date: 2019.09.24 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

A playback apparatus includes: a storage unit storing music data and group identification information for identifying groups in which the music data are arranged in a predetermined unit; a selection unit selecting the group identification information stored in the storage unit; a notification unit notifying the group identification information selected by the selection unit with a sound; and a playback unit playing back the notification of the group identification information in the notification unit and the music data belonging to the group identified by the group identification information selected by the selection unit.