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.
Claims19
A device comprising a housing sized for carrying in a user's pocket and including:
- a transducer to receive ambient audio and to output electrical signals corresponding thereto;
- a watermark detector system coupled to the transducer and adapted to produce payload information by extracting a digital watermark embedded in the electrical signals corresponding to the ambient audio;
- a memory storing first identification information;
- and
- an interface that receives at least some of both the decoded payload information and the first identification information for transmission from said device;
- wherein the watermark detector system is adapted to decode watermarks encoded by plural different techniques.
A device comprising a housing sized for carrying in a user's pocket and including:
- a transducer to receive ambient audio and to output electrical signals corresponding thereto;
- a processor coupled to the transducer and adapted to transform the electrical signals corresponding to the ambient audio, to produce transformed data based thereon;
- a memory storing first identification information;
- and
- an interface that receives at least some of both the transformed data and the first identification information for transmission to a remote station;
- wherein the first identification information comprises information identifying a model of the device.
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;
- recalling first identification information from a memory, the first identification information comprising information identifying a model of the device;
- transmitting both the received data and the recalled first identification information to a remote computer, together with information relating to a location at which the ambient audio was received;
- receiving information relating to the ambient audio in response;
- and
- controlling an operational aspect of the device in accordance with the received information.
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;
- recalling first identification information from a memory, the first identification information comprising information identifying a model of the device;
- transmitting both the received data and the recalled first identification information to a remote computer, together with context information including information identifying a further device;
- receiving information relating to the ambient audio in response;
- and
- controlling an operational aspect of the device in accordance with the received information.
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;
- recalling first identification information from a memory, the first identification information comprising information identifying a model of the device;
- transmitting both the 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;
- wherein the device includes a data store in which information relating to previously encountered audio is stored, and the method includes scrolling back and selecting from said stored information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.