Synchronized Multi-Device Audio Playback for Directional Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable electronic devices often provide limited audio-visual experiences and suffer from auditory direction misalignment when connected to secondary devices, degrading the immersive experience.

Innovation Solution

The method involves dividing audio into parts, with the primary device playing human voice and high-frequency components and the secondary device playing ambient sound and low-frequency components, synchronized through adjustments in gain, sampling rate, and device characteristics to ensure optimal performance and alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If audio is played through multiple electronic devices simultaneously, then the immersive audio experience is enhanced, but auditory direction misalignment occurs between devices

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmersive audio experienceVSAvoidauditory direction alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The audio signal is segmented into different frequency components (low-frequency and high-frequency parts) which are then assigned to different electronic devices for playback. This segmentation allows each device to play specific audio components, resolving the directional misalignment issue while maintaining immersive experience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different frequency components of the audio signal are distributed to different devices based on their local characteristics and positions. The first device plays the first part of audio (e.g., low-frequency), while the second device plays the second part (e.g., high-frequency), creating localized audio quality optimization for each device's spatial position

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If audio is divided and distributed to multiple devices, then sound quality is optimized for each device, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound qualityVSAvoidaudio distribution system
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio signal parameters (frequency components) are changed and transformed before distribution to different devices. By converting the audio into different frequency parts with specific parameter ranges, each device can optimize playback quality for its capabilities while the system manages complexity through parameter-based differentiation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If different parts of audio are assigned to different devices, then immersive experience is improved, but synchronization difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmersive experienceVSAvoidaudio synchronization
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the first electronic device receives information about the second device's playback status and adjusts its own audio output accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that different audio parts remain synchronized across devices, preventing temporal loss while maintaining immersive experience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4703867A1Method for electronic device, electronic device, and computer-readable storage medium
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 HARMAN INT IND INC
  • EP4703867A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4703867A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4703867A1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for an electronic device, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium. A method for a first electronic device comprises: transmitting an audio playback instruction to a second electronic device in response to detecting that the second electronic device is connected with the first electronic device, where the audio playback instruction instructs the second electronic device to play audio synchronously with the first electronic device; and playing the audio synchronously with the second electronic device, where a first part of the audio is played by the first electronic device, and a second part of the audio is played by the second electronic device, where the first part of the audio includes at least one of a human voice part of the audio and a high-frequency part of the audio, and the second part of the audio includes at least one of an ambient sound part of the audio and a low-frequency part of the audio. The method for an electronic device of the present disclosure can avoid the problem of auditory direction misalignment for a user when multiple electronic devices play audio synchronously, thereby improving the immersive experience for the user.