Spatial Audio Rendering for Device Responsibility Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulty in determining which audio playback device is responsible for playing back audio content, especially when multiple devices are connected, leading to confusion, potential public playback of private content, and unawareness of connection issues.
Innovation Solution
Temporarily rendering audio content with spatial characteristics that cannot be reproduced by other connected audio playback devices, such as increasing energy from a direction away from other devices or repositioning audio objects, to provide a user-perceivable indication of the responsible device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple audio playback devices are connected to a user device, then audio playback capability and versatility are improved, but user confusion about which device is responsible for playback increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of color changes by using spatial audio characteristics as an auditory indicator to show which device is responsible for playback. The responsible device renders audio with distinctive spatial characteristics (such as directional panning or spatial positioning) that users can perceive and use to identify the active playback device, similar to how color changes provide visual feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by providing continuous spatial audio cues that inform users which device is currently responsible for playback. The system monitors the playback responsibility state and provides real-time auditory feedback through spatial rendering, allowing users to understand the system state without needing to check device connections manually.
2Ease of operation
If traditional indication methods (beeps or voice prompts) are used to show device responsibility, then user awareness is improved, but audio content continuity and quality deteriorate due to unrelated sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the indication function with the audio content itself by using spatial rendering of the actual audio content as the indication mechanism. Instead of separating the indication (beep/prompt) from the content, the spatial characteristics of the content serve dual purposes: delivering the audio information and simultaneously indicating which device is responsible for playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts what could be perceived as a limitation (spatial audio rendering) into a benefit by using the spatial characteristics as the indication mechanism. The spatial rendering, which might otherwise be just an audio effect, becomes the primary feedback mechanism for device responsibility, eliminating the need for separate indication sounds.
3Ease of operation
If spatial characteristics are applied to indicate device responsibility, then user awareness and device identification are improved, but audio rendering complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the spatial audio rendering serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the primary audio output, indicates device responsibility, and maintains audio content quality. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems for each function, thereby managing complexity through consolidation rather than addition.
Data Source
AI summary
According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments there is provided an apparatus comprising means for causing a user-perceivable indication that an audio playback device is responsible for playback of audio content received from a user device by temporarily rendering the audio content with at least one spatial characteristic which cannot be reproduced by at least one other audio playback device connected to the user device.