# US 2019/0320282 A1 · Spatial Audio to Enable Safe Headphone Use During Exercise and Commuting

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- Number: US 2019/0320282 A1
- Document ID: US20190320282A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/454,900
- Filed: 2019-06-27
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-28
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Applicants: Google LLC
- Inventors: Jonathan Moeller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190320282A1

## CPC

- H04S 7/304: {For headphones}
- G06F 3/012: {Head tracking input arrangements}
- G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path}
- G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback}
- H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)}
- H04S 7/301: {Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone}
- G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)}
- H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)}
- H04S 2400/11: Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field (H04S2420/13 takes precedence)
- H04S 2400/13: Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
- H04S 2420/01: Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD]
- H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- 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

Sound is produced through headphones in a manner that improves user experience and increases safety. In some circumstances, such as when the user is moving during exercise, commuting, etc., an audio safety spatialization mode of the headphones is automatically activated. In this mode, sound is spatialized such that when the user turns his head, the sound appears to be generated from a same position in space as before the user turned his head. If the user's head remains in the turned position, the spatialized sound will return to an initialized position with respect to the user's head.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing sound through one or more wearable audio output devices having a right ear portion and a left ear portion, the method comprising:
emitting sound through the wearable audio output devices in a first mode;
detecting one or more conditions surrounding a user wearing the one or more wearable audio output devices;
determining, based on the detected conditions, an activity being performed by the user;
determining, with one or more processors, whether the determined activity triggers an audio spatialization mode for the one or more wearable audio output devices, in which audio output is adjusted in relation to angular movement with respect to a virtual audio source; and
activating the audio spatialization mode when the determined activity triggers the audio spatialization mode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the determined activity triggers an audio spatialization mode comprises determining whether the activity comprises moving in a given direction within a threshold range of speed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the threshold range of speeds encompasses speeds associated with at least one of walking or cycling.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the threshold range of speeds is slower than speeds associated with traveling in a motor vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the determined activity triggers an audio spatialization mode comprises determining whether the activity comprises moving within a threshold distance of vehicular traffic.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the determined activity triggers an audio spatialization mode comprises determining whether the activity comprises moving on a path traveled by other people.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the angular movement of the one or more wearable audio output devices when the audio spatialization mode is activated.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein activating the audio spatialization mode comprises:
establishing the virtual audio source at a first position, the first position being a first point in space relative to a neutral position of the one or more wearable audio output devices when worn by a user;
generating sound through the right ear portion and the left ear portion of the one or more wearable audio output devices, such that the sound is produced with an effect of emanating from the virtual source;
detecting angular movement of the one or more wearable audio output devices with respect to the first position;
determining an angle of the headphones with respect to the first position as a result of the detected angular movement;
adjusting a sound level in at least one of the right ear portion or the left ear portion based on the determined angle; and
moving the virtual audio source to a second position when one or more conditions are met, the second position being a second point in space different from the first point in space but a same position relative to the neutral position of the one or more wearable audio output devices.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the sound level comprises:
reducing the sound level in the left ear portion when the detected angular movement of the headphones is to the left; and
reducing the sound level in the right ear portion when the detected angular movement of the headphones is to the right.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the sound level comprises:
increasing the sound level in the right ear portion when the detected angular movement of the headphones is to the left; and
increasing the sound level in the left ear portion when the detected angular movement of the headphones is to the right.

### Claim 11

A system, comprising:
one or more wearable audio output devices comprising a left-ear audio output and a right-ear audio output;
one or more sensors;
a memory storing instructions for generating audio through the left-ear audio output and the right-ear audio output; and
one or more processors in communication with the memory and the one or more sensors, the one or more processors configured to:
emit sound through the wearable audio output devices in a first mode;
detect one or more conditions surrounding a user wearing the one or more wearable audio output devices;
determine, based on the detected conditions, an activity being performed by the user;
determine whether the determined activity triggers an audio spatialization mode for the one or more wearable audio output devices, in which audio output is adjusted in relation to angular movement with respect to a virtual audio source; and
activate the audio spatialization mode when the determined activity triggers the audio spatialization mode.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein in determining whether the determined activity triggers an audio spatialization mode the one or more processors are further configured to determine whether the activity comprises moving in a given direction within a threshold range of speed.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the threshold range of speeds encompasses speeds associated with at least one of walking or cycling.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the threshold range of speeds is slower than speeds associated with traveling in a motor vehicle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein in determining whether the determined activity triggers an audio spatialization mode the one or more processors are further configured to determine whether the activity comprises moving within a threshold distance of vehicular traffic.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein in determining whether the determined activity triggers an audio spatialization mode the one or more processors are further configured to determine whether the activity comprises moving on a path traveled by other people.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to detect the angular movement of the one or more wearable audio output devices when the audio spatialization mode is activated.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein in activating the audio spatialization mode, the one or more processors are further configured to:
establish the virtual audio source at a first position, the first position being a first point in space relative to a neutral position of the one or more wearable audio output devices when worn by a user;
generate sound through the right ear portion and the left ear portion of the one or more wearable audio output devices, such that the sound is produced with an effect of emanating from the virtual source;
detect angular movement of the one or more wearable audio output devices with respect to the first position;
determine an angle of the headphones with respect to the first position as a result of the detected angular movement;
adjust a sound level in at least one of the right ear portion or the left ear portion based on the determined angle; and
move the virtual audio source to a second position when one or more conditions are met, the second position being a second point in space different from the first point in space but a same position relative to the neutral position of the one or more wearable audio output devices.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein adjusting the sound level comprises:
reducing the sound level in the left ear portion when the detected angular movement of the headphones is to the left; and
reducing the sound level in the right ear portion when the detected angular movement of the headphones is to the right.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein adjusting the sound level comprises:
increasing the sound level in the right ear portion when the detected angular movement of the headphones is to the left; and
increasing the sound level in the left ear portion when the detected angular movement of the headphones is to the right.