Conference Audio Profile Switching for Content-Aware Playback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing audio-visual conferencing services struggle to adapt audio profiles dynamically to varying content types and user interactions, leading to suboptimal audio quality and user experience.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus maintains multiple audio profiles for audio playback devices, enabling dynamic switching based on content type and user inputs, and adjusts visualization modes and microphone usage to optimize audio quality and user interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single audio profile is used for all content types, then device complexity is reduced, but audio quality becomes suboptimal for specific content types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio quality adaptationVSAvoidaudio profile management
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between different audio profiles based on the detected content type. The audio profile is not fixed but changes adaptively during the call according to whether the content is music, video, voice, or podcast, thereby optimizing audio quality without requiring manual user configuration for each scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes audio parameters (such as equalization settings, volume levels, and audio processing characteristics) based on the content type. Different audio profiles contain different parameter configurations that are automatically applied when the corresponding content type is detected, enabling optimized audio playback for each content category.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If audio profile switching is implemented, then audio quality for specific content types is improved, but delays or breaks may occur during content transitions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio quality optimizationVSAvoidtransition delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of content type changes and proactively switches audio profiles before the actual content transition is complete. By anticipating the content type change and preparing the appropriate audio profile in advance, the system minimizes audible delays or breaks during the transition between different content types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Extent of automation

If automatic content type detection is used, then audio profile switching is streamlined, but user control over audio settings is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic profile switchingVSAvoiduser control
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to the user about the detected content type and the currently active audio profile. This allows users to understand what the system is doing automatically and gives them the opportunity to intervene if desired, thereby maintaining ease of operation while benefiting from automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4322501B1Audio in audio-visual conferencing service calls
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4322501B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4322501B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4322501B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

To optimize audio quality of playback with other audio in calls established using an audio-visual conferencing service, at least two audio profiles for one or more audio playback devices connectable to the apparatus are maintained for the audio-visual conferencing service. The at least two audio profiles comprise a first audio profile for at least transmitting audio of a first quality for playback and a second audio profile for at least transmitting audio of a second quality for playback. It is allowed to change an active audio profile during a call established using the audio-visual conferencing service by switching the active audio profile between at least the first audio profile and the second audio profile. The received audio in the call is delivered to the audio playback device according to the active audio profile.