Ultrasonic Audio QR Code Handoff for Seamless Playback Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Audio content cannot be identified or seamlessly transferred between devices without pre-existing fingerprints or network connections, limiting service provision to consumers, especially for obscure or niche content.
Innovation Solution
Implementing ultrasonic audio QR codes overlaid on audio content, allowing client devices to extract location information and metadata for frictionless handoff of audio playback between devices without requiring network connections or server calls, enabling seamless continuation of audio playback across devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If audio fingerprinting is used to identify audio content, then the identity lookup efficiency is improved, but the system cannot identify obscure or niche content that lacks pre-existing fingerprints in the database
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary extraction of audio features and generation of audio fingerprints before actual content identification is needed. By pre-processing audio content and storing fingerprints locally, the system enables rapid identification of both known and unknown content without requiring real-time database queries, thus improving both accuracy and adaptability to obscure content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces audio fingerprints as an intermediary representation between the original audio content and the identification process. These fingerprints serve as compact, comparable signatures that enable efficient matching against a database of known content while also allowing detection of unknown content through fingerprint comparison, bridging the gap between precise identification and versatility.
2Measurement precision
If network connection and server calls are required for audio content identification, then centralized database lookup accuracy is improved, but the system loses functionality when network connectivity is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the identification functionality into two parts: a local component that extracts and stores audio fingerprints independently, and a remote component that provides database lookup when available. This segmentation allows the core identification capability to function autonomously without network connectivity, improving reliability while maintaining accuracy through optional server verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The client device is equipped with self-service capabilities to extract audio features, generate fingerprints, and perform local comparison against stored references. This autonomous operation enables the system to identify and handle audio content without requiring continuous network connection or server calls, ensuring functionality in offline scenarios while maintaining identification accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If audio content is transferred between devices using traditional methods, then network connectivity enables content sharing, but the handoff process becomes complex and requires server mediation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex network-based mechanical transfer systems with acoustic wave-based data transmission. Audio fingerprints and content information are embedded within audible sound waves that can be directly transmitted from one device's speaker to another device's microphone, eliminating the need for network infrastructure and server mediation while simplifying the handoff process to a direct device-to-device interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses audio output and input capabilities, which are universal features of virtually all audio devices, to enable content transfer. By leveraging the universally available speaker and microphone components rather than device-specific communication interfaces, the patent creates a versatile handoff mechanism that works across different device types without requiring complex proprietary protocols or network connectivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables seamless and network-independent handoff of audio content playback, allowing users to resume audio from the exact location on different devices, enhancing user experience and service provision without the need for pre-existing fingerprints or network connectivity.
Implementation Method 1
a first client device plays modified audio content including at least one ultrasonic audio QR code through a speaker. A second client device hears the playing of the modified audio content through a microphone
Data Source
AI summary
In a frictionless handoff of audio content playing, a client device listens for ultrasonic audio. The client hears a playing of a modified audio content by another client device, which includes audio content and an ultrasonic audio quick response (QR) code overlaid on the audio content. The ultrasonic audio QR code includes location information corresponding to a location in the audio content. The client device extracts the ultrasonic audio QR code from the modified audio content. After determining that the playing of the modified audio content has stopped, the client device receives a command to resume playing of the audio content on the client device. In, response to the command, the client device retrieves location information in a last extracted ultrasonic audio QR code and plays the audio content starting at a location in the audio content corresponding to the location information in the last extracted ultrasonic audio QR code.