Methods and Devices Responsive to Ambient Audio
AssigneeDigimarc Corporation
InventorGeoffrey B. Rhoads
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A portable device uses a microphone to listen to ambient audio, derives data from captured audio signals, and uses the derived data to request delivery of the audio or related information to the user's home or other location. The device is desirably pocket-sized, or suitable for carrying on a key-ring. The device may also detect a watermark signal that is present in the user's environment (e.g., played through a public address speaker system) to aid the user in recalling the context from which the audio was requested.
Claims6
A method employing a device sized for carrying in a user's pocket, the method comprising the acts:
- through a user interface of the device, receiving a user input signaling interest in ambient audio;
- capturing the ambient audio with a microphone;
- converting the captured ambient audio into digital form;
- providing the digital form of the ambient audio to a processor;
- receiving data corresponding to the ambient audio back from the processor;
- storing the received data in a memory of the device for later transmission in a store-and-forward mode;
- at a later time, recalling the received data from the memory of the device, and also recalling first identification information from a memory, the first identification information comprising information identifying a model of the device;
- transmitting both the recalled received data and the recalled first identification information to a remote computer;
- receiving information relating to the ambient audio in response;
- and
- controlling an operational aspect of the device in accordance with the received information.
The method of claim 5 that includes receiving an MP3 song file at the user device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.