# US 12,217,598 B2 · Visual indication of audibility > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,217,598 B2 - Document ID: US12217598B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/367,408 - Filed: 2023-09-12 - Published: 2023-12-28 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-30 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Devin William Chalmers; Dhruv Aditya Govil; Rahul Nair - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217598B2 ## CPC - G06V 20/20: in augmented reality scenes - G08B 5/22: using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - G06V 20/00: Scenes; Scene-specific elements (control of digital cameras H04N23/60) - G08B 1/08: using electric transmission {; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal} - G10L 25/78: Detection of presence or absence of voice signals (switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING ## Abstract Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for displaying a visual indication of audibility of an audible signal. In various implementations, a device includes a display, an audio sensor, a processor and a non-transitory memory. In various implementations, a method includes receiving, via the audio sensor, an audible signal and converting the audible signal to electronic signal data. In various implementations, the method includes obtaining environmental data that indicates audio response characteristics of a physical environment in which the device is located. In various implementations, the method includes displaying, on the display, an indicator that indicates a distance from a source of the audible signal at which the audible signal is audible. In some implementations, the distance is based on an amplitude associated with the electronic signal data and the audio response characteristics of the physical environment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: at a device including a display, an audio sensor, a processor and a non-transitory memory: receiving, via the audio sensor, an audible signal and converting the audible signal to electronic signal data; determining a set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data; and displaying, on the display, an indicator that indicates whether the audible signal is detectable by a voice-activated device located at a distance from a source of the audible signal, wherein displaying the indicator is based on the set of one or more audio characteristic values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data comprises: determining, based on the electronic signal data, an amplitude value that indicates an amplitude of the audible signal; and determining whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance based on the amplitude value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data comprises: determining, based on the electronic signal data, a frequency value that indicates a frequency of the audible signal; and determining whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance based on the frequency value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data comprises: determining, based on the electronic signal data, location coordinate values that indicate a location within a physical environment where the audible signal is originating from; and determining whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance based on the location coordinate values. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data comprises: determining, based on the electronic signal data, a source type value that indicates the source of the audible signal; and determining whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance based on the source type value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the indicator comprises: providing the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data to a sound propagation model as an input to the sound propagation model; and receiving an indication of whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance as an output of the sound propagation model. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator further indicates whether the audible signal is audible by a person located at the distance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator has a shape that corresponds to a bubble. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the audible signal corresponds to an utterance by a user of the device. ### Claim 10 A device comprising: an audio sensor; one or more processors; a non-transitory memory; a display; and one or more programs stored in the non-transitory memory, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to: receive, via the audio sensor, an audible signal and convert the audible signal to electronic signal data; determine a set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data; and display, on the display, an indicator that indicates whether the audible signal is detectable by a voice-activated device located at a distance from a source of the audible signal, wherein displaying the indicator is based on the set of one or more audio characteristic values. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein determining the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data comprises: determining, based on the electronic signal data, an amplitude value that indicates an amplitude of the audible signal; and determining whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance based on the amplitude value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein determining the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data comprises: determining, based on the electronic signal data, location coordinate values that indicate a location within a physical environment where the audible signal is originating from; and determining whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance based on the location coordinate values. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the indicator further indicates whether or not the audible signal is audible to a person located at the distance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the indicator has a shape that corresponds to a sphere. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory memory storing one or more programs, which, when executed by one or more processors of a device including an audio sensor and a display, cause the device to: receive, via the audio sensor, an audible signal and convert the audible signal to electronic signal data; determine a set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data; and display, on the display, an indicator that indicates whether the audible signal is detectable by a voice-activated device located at a distance from a source of the audible signal, wherein displaying the indicator is based on the set of one or more audio characteristic values. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory memory of claim 15, wherein determining the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data comprises: determining, based on the electronic signal data, a frequency value that indicates a frequency of the audible signal; and determining whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance based on the frequency value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory memory of claim 15, wherein determining the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data comprises: determining, based on the electronic signal data, a source type value that indicates a source of the audible signal; and determining whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance based on the source type value. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory memory of claim 15, wherein displaying the indicator is further based on a proximity of the device to the source of the audible signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory memory of claim 15, wherein displaying the indicator comprises: providing the set of one or more audio characteristic values associated with the electronic signal data to a sound propagation model as an input to the sound propagation model; and receiving an indication of whether the audible signal is detectable at the distance as an output of the sound propagation model. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory memory of claim 15, wherein the audible signal corresponds to an utterance by a user of the device.