Composite Sound Output for Network Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face sensory overload due to disparate sound notifications from various devices in a shared environment, making it difficult to discern important alerts effectively.
Innovation Solution
A computer system that receives data from networked devices, determines trigger conditions, generates a composite sound output using spatial audio to localize each notification's source, and directs the user's attention to specific devices via a near-ear speaker, allowing notifications to be perceived as originating from their respective locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sound notifications are played from multiple devices in a shared environment, then the user is alerted to various status changes, but the user experiences sensory overload and cannot efficiently discern important alerts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio notification stream by spatially separating sounds corresponding to different physical locations. Each location's notifications are rendered to originate from their respective spatial positions, allowing the user to mentally organize and filter alerts by location rather than experiencing them as a unified chaotic mix.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning distinct spatial characteristics to notifications based on their source location. Each notification is rendered with audio properties (panning, volume, spatial position) that reflect its physical origin, creating location-specific audio zones that help the user identify and prioritize alerts from critical areas.
2Ease of operation
If spatial audio rendering is used to localize notification sources, then the user can efficiently discern important alerts, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal spatial audio rendering engine that handles multiple notification sources and locations through a single integrated system. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be numerous separate audio processing systems into one unified platform, managing spatial rendering, priority filtering, and location mapping through common infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary spatial audio rendering layer between the notification system and the user's auditory perception. This intermediary component translates raw notification data into spatially localized audio outputs, managing the complexity of audio processing while presenting a simplified, intuitive experience to the user through natural spatial cues.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer system is provided that includes one or more processors configured to receive a stream of data from a plurality of network connected devices configured to measure physical parameters, and store a user profile including user settings for a plurality of notification subscriptions associated with physical parameters measured by the plurality of network connected devices. Each notification subscription includes programming logic for a trigger condition for a candidate notification based on measured physical parameters and an associated component sound for the candidate notification. The one or more processors are further configured to determine that trigger conditions for a plurality of candidate notifications are met based on the received stream of data, and generate a composite sound output including a plurality of component sounds associated with the plurality of notifications rendered.