Devices and computer readable media for use with devices having audio output within a spatially controlled output beam

Abstract

User devices including wireline phones, mobile phones, and digital audio players utilize a directional speaker system to produce audio output within a spatially controlled beam. The audio output may be heard when in a position to receive the beam but may otherwise be significantly less detectable so that a user may hear the audio while a bystander may not. The user device may employ various modes such as a private distant mode and a non-private distant mode where the audio is output within the beam when in the private distant mode but is dispersed in a conventional manner when in the non-private distant mode. The directional speaker system may produce the audio beam through various techniques such as a phased array of transducers, a flat panel transducer, or a waveguide.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.