# US 2014/0153751 A1 · Audio control based on orientation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153751 A1 - Document ID: US20140153751A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/997,423 - Filed: 2012-03-29 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-29 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Kevin C. Wells - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153751A1 ## CPC - H04S 7/304: {For headphones} - H04R 2460/07: Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection - H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract A device may be configured to sense its own orientation with respect to a coordinate system, and to also sense the orientation of a user's head with respect to the device. The device may then determine whether the device orientation has changed with respect to the coordinate system and/or whether the head orientation has changed with respect to the device. Audio signal generation in the device may then be controlled based on the determination. For example, the position of a simulated sound source may be changed in a 3-D audio field based on determined changes in device and/or head orientation. The audio signal may then be transmitted from the device to an apparatus configured to generate sound based on the audio signal (e.g., headphones). ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-24. (canceled) ### Claim 25 A device, comprising: device orientation detection circuitry configured to determine device orientation with respect to a coordinate system; user head orientation detection circuitry configured to determine user head orientation with respect to the device; and audio adjustment circuitry configured to control the generation of an audio signal based on the device orientation and user head orientation. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The device of claim 25, wherein the device further comprises image capture circuitry and determining the user head orientation with respect to the device comprises capturing an image using the image capture circuitry, detecting a face of a user in the image and determining an orientation for the head of the user based on the detected user face. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The device of claim 25, wherein determining the user head orientation with respect to the device comprises detecting an orientation of an apparatus worn by a user and determining the user head orientation based on the orientation of the worn apparatus. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The device of claim 27, wherein the device further comprises at least a wireless receiver and detecting the worn apparatus orientation comprises receiving position information from the worn apparatus via wireless communication. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The device of claim 25, wherein controlling the generation of the audio signal is based on the relative orientation of the device with respect to the coordinate system or the relative orientation of the user head with respect to the device. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The device of claim 25, wherein controlling the generation of the audio signal is based on the relative orientation of the device with respect to the coordinate system and the relative orientation of the user head with respect to the device. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The device of claim 25, wherein the audio signal is a surround sound audio signal configured to simulate a three-dimensional (3-D) sound field. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The device of claim 31, wherein controlling the generation of the audio signal comprises changing the location of a simulated sound source within the 3-D sound field. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The device of claim 32, wherein changing the location of the simulated sound source within the 3-D sound field comprises changing the location of the simulated sound source to maintain the relative position of the simulated source within the coordinate system with respect to at least the user head orientation. ### Claim 34 (depends on 25) The device of claim 25, wherein the device further comprises at least a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the audio signal. ### Claim 35 A method, comprising: determining device orientation with respect to a coordinate system; determining user head orientation with respect to the device; and controlling generation of an audio signal based on the device orientation and user head orientation. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein determining the user head orientation with respect to the device comprises capturing an image, detecting a face of a user in the image and determining an orientation for the head of the user based on the detected user face. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein determining the user head orientation with respect to the device comprises detecting an orientation of an apparatus worn by a user and determining the user head orientation based on the orientation of the worn apparatus. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein detecting the worn apparatus orientation comprises receiving position information from the worn apparatus via wireless communication. ### Claim 39 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein controlling the generation of the audio signal is based on the relative orientation of the device with respect to the coordinate system or the relative orientation of the user head with respect to the device. ### Claim 40 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein controlling the generation of the audio signal is based on the relative orientation of the device with respect to the coordinate system and the relative orientation of the user head with respect to the device. ### Claim 41 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the audio signal is a surround sound audio signal configured to simulate a three-dimensional (3-D) sound field. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41, wherein controlling the generation of the audio signal comprises changing the location of a simulated sound source within the 3-D sound field. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein changing the location of the simulated sound source within the 3-D sound field comprises changing the location of the simulated sound source to maintain the relative position of the simulated source within the coordinate system with respect to at least the user head orientation. ### Claim 44 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting the audio signal via wireless communication. ### Claim 45 A system comprising at least one machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising: determining device orientation with respect to a coordinate system; determining user head orientation with respect to the device; and controlling generation of an audio signal based on the device orientation and user head orientation. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein determining the user head orientation with respect to the device comprises capturing an image, detecting a face of a user in the image and determining an orientation for the head of the user based on the detected user face. ### Claim 47 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein determining the user head orientation with respect to the device comprises detecting an orientation of an apparatus worn by a user and determining the user head orientation based on the orientation of the worn apparatus. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47, wherein detecting the worn apparatus orientation comprises receiving position information from the worn apparatus via wireless communication. ### Claim 49 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein controlling the generation of the audio signal is based on the relative orientation of the device with respect to the coordinate system or the relative orientation of the user head with respect to the device. ### Claim 50 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein controlling the generation of the audio signal is based on the relative orientation of the device with respect to the coordinate system and the relative orientation of the user head with respect to the device. ### Claim 51 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein the audio signal is a surround sound audio signal configured to simulate a three-dimensional (3-D) sound field. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The system of claim 51, wherein controlling the generation of the audio signal comprises changing the location of a simulated sound source within the 3-D sound field. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) The system of claim 52, wherein changing the location of the simulated sound source within the 3-D sound field comprises changing the location of the simulated sound source to maintain the relative position of the simulated source within the coordinate system with respect to at least the user head orientation. ### Claim 54 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, further comprising transmitting the audio signal via wireless communication.