Patent ID: 12250492

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to systems and methods for reducing interference between content play and video recording among multiple devices located in proximity to each other. Microphones of devices recording video are muted, or content play is interrupted, according to the actions of a majority of nearby devices. For example, if most devices are recording video, content play may be interrupted to prevent the video from unintentionally recording unwanted sounds from play of the content. Conversely, if most devices are not recording video, only those devices which are may have their microphones muted. These and other actions may be taken according to the current behavior of a majority of nearby devices.

FIG.1illustrates an exemplary environment for reducing interference from content play in multi-device environments, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. Here, a first device10and a number of second devices20,30,40are each in electronic communication with a content direction device50, which is in turn in electronic communication with audio speakers60. The devices10,20,30, and40are associated with users A, B, C, and D respectively. In this example, users A-D and devices10-60are each within a vehicle interior70along with a driver E. Content direction device50and speakers60may be components integrated into the vehicle, or may be components separately placed in the vehicle by, for example, one of the passengers A-E.

In operation, the content direction device50is in electronic communication with each device10-40to direct content and control various functions thereof. One device, e.g., device10, may play content such as music via content direction device50to the speakers60, so that passengers A-E may collectively listen to music being played throughout the vehicle interior70. Device10may itself stream its content to content direction device50, where it is forwarded to speakers60for play. Alternatively, device10may request content direction device50to retrieve content, either from a local storage or from a remote content provider via a wireless connection over a communications network.

Content direction device50controls devices10-40and speakers60to prevent or reduce audio interference with devices10-40that are recording video or other content that may pick up audio from speakers60. As one example, content direction device50can determine whether device10is both streaming or otherwise directing content to speakers60, and whether a majority of devices20-40are currently recording video. If both conditions are true, content direction device50may mute microphones of those devices10-40that are recording video, to reduce or eliminate audio interference from speakers60, i.e., to ensure that video recorded by devices10-40does not pick up undesired sounds from speakers60.

FIG.2is a block diagram representation of a system for implementing the environment ofFIG.1, presented for further illustration. Any number of content consumption devices110and130may be in communication with content direction device120through, for example, a local area network200. Here, content consumption device110may correspond to device10, while content consumption devices130may correspond to devices20-40. Any number of content consumption devices130and corresponding devices20-40is contemplated.

The content direction device120, which corresponds to content direction device50, is shown as being in electronic communication with content provider140through communications network210. Alternatively, content direction device50may be a stand-alone device that is not connected to any communications network210but is instead only in communication with devices10-40,60via direct wireless connection or via local area network200. Content direction device120may also be in electronic communication with any number of peripheral devices220which can be any electronic devices capable of communication with content direction device120. Such peripheral devices can include speakers60, storage devices for storage of content, or any other electronic device. The peripheral devices220are shown as being in communication with content direction device120through local area network200, but may also or alternatively be in electronic communication with device120by any direct wired or wireless connection.

As one example, the content consumption devices110and130, local area network200, and content direction device120may all be situated within a local area, e.g., within the same vehicle, or within various rooms of a home or office. The content provider140may be a remotely located server at a content provider site, and the communications network210may be the public Internet. Alternatively, the content provider140may be situated within the local area and may be, for example, a local content storage and streaming application on a local computer including any of the above computing devices, or even a storage and display application within the content direction device120itself. Multiple content providers140may be in communication with content direction device120through communications network210. Content devices10,20may be examples of content consumption devices110,130, and content direction device30may be an example of content direction device120.

A user may be watching a show or playing other content on first content consumption device110, at which point the content provider140is providing a stream of the show or other content through communications network210to content direction device120. The content direction device120in turn receives this stream and directs it to device110over local area network200. When another user requests another show or other stream on one of the second content consumption devices130, the content direction device120receives the stream from one content provider140and directs the stream to the second content consumption device130. In this manner, content may be streamed to multiple different devices110,130. The content direction device120also monitors and controls its various other devices as above, to reduce audio interference in recorded content.

The content consumption devices110,130, e.g., devices10,20, may be any devices capable of receiving streamed content and displaying the content for users. For example, content consumption devices110,130may be digital TVs, laptop computers, smartphones, tablet computers, or the like.FIG.3shows a generalized embodiment of an illustrative user equipment device300that may serve as a content consumption device. User equipment device300may receive content and data via input/output (hereinafter “I/O”) path302. I/O path302may provide content (e.g., broadcast programming, on-demand programming, Internet content, content available over a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), and/or other content) and data to control circuitry304, which includes processing circuitry306and storage308. Control circuitry304may be used to send and receive commands, requests, and other suitable data using I/O path302. I/O path302may connect control circuitry304(and specifically processing circuitry306) to one or more communications paths (described below). I/O functions may be provided by one or more of these communications paths but are shown as a single path inFIG.3to avoid overcomplicating the drawing.

Control circuitry304may be based on any suitable processing circuitry such as processing circuitry306. As referred to herein, processing circuitry should be understood to mean circuitry based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc., and may include a multi-core processor (e.g., dual-core, quad-core, hexa-core, or any suitable number of cores). In some embodiments, processing circuitry may be distributed across multiple separate processors or processing units, for example, multiple of the same type of processing units (e.g., two Intel Core i7 processors) or multiple different processors (e.g., an Intel Core i5 processor and an Intel Core i7 processor). In some embodiments, control circuitry304executes instructions for receiving streamed content and executing its display, such as executing application programs that provide interfaces for content providers140to stream and display content.

Control circuitry304may thus include communications circuitry suitable for communicating with a content provider140server or other networks or servers. Communications circuitry may include a cable modem, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a telephone modem, Ethernet card, or a wireless modem for communications with other equipment, or any other suitable communications circuitry. Such communications may involve the Internet or any other suitable communications networks or paths. In addition, communications circuitry may include circuitry that enables peer-to-peer communication of user equipment devices, or communication of user equipment devices in locations remote from each other.

Memory may be an electronic storage device provided as storage308that is part of control circuitry304. As referred to herein, the phrase “electronic storage device” or “storage device” should be understood to mean any device for storing electronic data, computer software, or firmware, such as random-access memory, read-only memory, hard drives, optical drives, digital video disc (DVD) recorders, compact disc (CD) recorders, BLU-RAY disc (BD) recorders, BLU-RAY 3D disc recorders, digital video recorders (DVR, sometimes called a personal video recorder, or PVR), solid state devices, quantum storage devices, gaming consoles, gaming media, or any other suitable fixed or removable storage devices, and/or any combination of the same. Storage308may be used to store various types of content described herein as well as media guidance data described above. Nonvolatile memory may also be used (e.g., to launch a boot-up routine and other instructions). Cloud-based storage may be used to supplement storage308or instead of storage308.

Control circuitry304may include video generating circuitry and tuning circuitry, such as one or more analog tuners, one or more MPEG-2 decoders or other digital decoding circuitry, high-definition tuners, or any other suitable tuning or video circuits or combinations of such circuits. Encoding circuitry (e.g., for converting over-the-air, analog, or digital signals to MPEG signals for storage) may also be included. Control circuitry304may also include scaler circuitry for upconverting and downconverting content into the preferred output format of the user equipment300. Circuitry304may also include digital-to-analog converter circuitry and analog-to-digital converter circuitry for converting between digital and analog signals. The tuning and encoding circuitry may be used by the user equipment device to receive and to display, to play, or to record content. The tuning and encoding circuitry may also be used to receive guidance data. The circuitry described herein, including for example, the tuning, video generating, encoding, decoding, encrypting, decrypting, scaler, and analog/digital circuitry, may be implemented using software running on one or more general purpose or specialized processors. Multiple tuners may be provided to handle simultaneous tuning functions (e.g., watch and record functions, picture-in-picture (PIP) functions, multiple-tuner recording, etc.). If storage308is provided as a separate device from user equipment300, the tuning and encoding circuitry (including multiple tuners) may be associated with storage308.

A user may send instructions to control circuitry304using user input interface310. User input interface310may be any suitable user interface, such as a remote control, mouse, trackball, keypad, keyboard, touch screen, touchpad, stylus input, joystick, voice recognition interface, or other user input interfaces. Display312may be provided as a stand-alone device or integrated with other elements of user equipment device300. For example, display312may be a touchscreen or touch-sensitive display. In such circumstances, user input interface310may be integrated with or combined with display312. Display312may be one or more of a monitor, a television, a liquid crystal display (LCD) for a mobile device, amorphous silicon display, low temperature poly silicon display, electronic ink display, electrophoretic display, active matrix display, electro-wetting display, electrofluidic display, cathode ray tube display, light-emitting diode display, electroluminescent display, plasma display panel, high-performance addressing display, thin-film transistor display, organic light-emitting diode display, surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED), laser television, carbon nanotubes, quantum dot display, interferometric modulator display, or any other suitable equipment for displaying visual images. In some embodiments, display312may be HDTV-capable. In some embodiments, display312may be a 3D display, and the interactive media guidance application and any suitable content may be displayed in 3D. A video card or graphics card may generate the output to the display312. The video card may offer various functions such as accelerated rendering of 3D scenes and 2D graphics, MPEG-2/MPEG-4 decoding, TV output, or the ability to connect multiple monitors. The video card may be any processing circuitry described above in relation to control circuitry304. The video card may be integrated with the control circuitry304. Speakers314may be provided as integrated with other elements of user equipment device300or may be stand-alone units. The audio component of videos and other content displayed on display312may be played through speakers314. In some embodiments, the audio may be distributed to a receiver (not shown), which processes and outputs the audio via speakers314.

FIG.4is a generalized embodiment of an illustrative content direction device120constructed for use according to embodiments of the disclosure. Here, device400may serve as a content direction device. Device400may receive content and data via I/O paths402and404. I/O path402may provide content and data to the various content consumption devices110and130, while I/O path404may provide data to, and receive content from, one or more content providers140. Like the user equipment device300, the device400has control circuitry406which includes processing circuitry408and storage410. The control circuitry406, processing circuitry408, and storage410may be constructed, and may operate, in similar manner to the respective components of user equipment device300.

Storage410is a memory that stores a number of programs for execution by processing circuitry408. In particular, storage410may store a number of device interfaces412, content provider interfaces414, communication channel interfaces416for communicating with various applications that provide communication channels, and user profiles418. The device interfaces412are interface programs for handling the exchange of commands and data with the various content consumption devices110,130. Content provider interfaces414are interface programs for handling the exchange of commands and content streams with various content providers140, and are programmed to exchange commands and content similar to a corresponding application program on a content consumption device110,130. A separate interface414may exist for each different content provider140that has its own format for commands or content. Communication channel interfaces are interface programs for handling the exchange of commands and data with various communication channel application programs. A separate interface416may exist for each different communication channel application program that the content direction device120may interface with. User profiles418are stored user profiles corresponding to viewers or users of the content consumption devices110,130. User profiles418are known, and can contain favored content of their users. This favored content may be determined in any manner, such as by user entry of favored content they wish to hear when it is playing on others' nearby devices, automated determination of favored content from profiles of content the user has requested in the past, and the like. Content, including favored content, can also be any form of content, including audio content such as podcasts and e-books, video content such as videos, movies, audio and video content, and the like.

The device400may be any electronic device capable of receiving content streams and transferring them to one or more content consumption devices110,130. For example, the device400may be a networked in-home smart device connected between a home modem and various content consumption devices110,130. The device400may alternatively be a laptop computer or desktop computer configured as above.

FIG.5is a flowchart illustrating process steps for reducing interference from content play in multi-device environments, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. Initially, content direction device50determines whether content is currently being played according to a request from device10(Step500). Here, the device directing play of content can be referred to as a first device. As above, this first device (e.g., device10) can itself be transmitting content to content direction device50, such as by streaming content stored in its local storage308, or the first device can be directing content direction device50to retrieve content from a content provider140through, for example, communications network210. Alternatively, a first device such as device10can be requesting play of content stored locally on content direction device120or on a peripheral device220in electronic communication with either content direction device120as shown inFIG.2, or with the first device. Regardless of source location, content may be transmitted, such as streamed, to content direction device120where it is in turn transmitted to speakers60for play.

If content is being played according to Step500, content direction device50then determines whether the first device, i.e., the device requesting play of content, is also currently recording video (Step510). The content direction device120may, for example, query the first device whether its camera application is currently running and set to video mode. If content is being played through speakers60, content direction device120performs one of muting the microphone of the content requesting device10or interrupting this content, according to whether the first device, or content requesting device such as device10, is determined to be recording video and whether a majority of second devices, or other devices20-40in electronic communication with content direction device120, are also determined to be recording video (Step520).

The conditions under which microphones are muted or content is interrupted are further detailed in connection withFIG.6. The process ofFIG.6begins (Step600) with content direction device120determining whether content is being played to speakers60according to a request from the first device, e.g., device10(Step610). If this is not the case, i.e., content direction device120is not currently transmitting content to speakers60, then content direction device120does not disturb any of the devices10-40(Step620). That is, content direction device120does not mute any microphone of any device10-40.

If the content direction device120has received a request from the first device to play content to speakers60and is currently directing content to speakers60as a result, then content direction device120checks whether the first device is also recording video (Step630), such as by querying the first device whether its camera application is running and in video mode.

If the first device returns an indicator to content direction device120that its camera application is active and in video mode, i.e., that it is currently taking video, the content direction device120then checks whether a majority of the second devices, or other devices20-40it is in communication with, are also recording video (Step640). Content direction device120may perform this check for each second device in the same manner as for the first device. If a majority of the second devices20-40are also recording video, then the content direction device120interrupts content streaming to speakers60until each of the second devices20-40is no longer recording video, at which point content direction device120resumes streaming of content to speakers60(Step660). In this case, an assumption is made that as the majority of devices in a location such as vehicle interior70are recording content, most users within vehicle interior70will wish content to be interrupted so that their video recordings do not pick up undesired sounds from content play. As a result, content direction device120interrupts content play from speakers60. Here, interruption of content may include pausing content play, muting content play, or interrupting content play in any other manner while any device20-40is recording video.

Conversely, if less than a majority of second devices20-40are recording video, content direction device120does not interrupt content play to speakers60, and instead mutes the microphone of the first device, i.e., device10, along with the microphones of any of the second devices (devices20-40) which are also recording video (Step650). That is, it is assumed that most users will wish to continue listening to content from speakers60, as most are not recording video. Accordingly, only those devices actually recording video have their microphones muted. Muting may continue as long as content is playing and second devices are recording video.

If at Step630the content direction device120determines that the first device10is not currently recording video, then the content direction device120determines whether a majority of second devices20-40are recording video (Step670), as in Step640. If a majority of second devices20-40are determined to be currently recording video, the content direction device interrupts play of content through speakers60and resumes content play when each of the second devices20-40are no longer recording video (Step690), as in Step660. Conversely, if less than a majority of second devices20-40are recording video, content direction device120mutes the microphones of those second devices20-40that are recording video (Step680).

While the above disclosure illustrates devices10-50and their operation within a vehicle interior70, it is noted that this vehicle may be any vehicle, such as a car, boat, plane, bus, truck, or any other mobile object that can carry multiple users and their devices. One of ordinary skill in the art will realize that devices10-50may be operated according to embodiments of the disclosure while being located within any enclosure or space besides that of a vehicle. For example, devices10-50may reside within a room or within a structure such as a dwelling or other building. In this manner, content direction device50may reduce audio interference in devices20-40that are located proximate to each other within any space. That is, content direction device50may act to reduce audio interference for any devices with which it is in electronic communication, regardless of location, environment, or setting.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required to practice the methods and systems of the disclosure. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. For example, content may be retrieved and/or streamed from any source, including any device in communication with content direction device120. Additionally, devices10-50may be located anywhere, whether within a vehicle, dwelling or other structure, or otherwise. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the methods and systems of the disclosure and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Additionally, different features of the various embodiments, disclosed or otherwise, can be mixed and matched or otherwise combined so as to create further embodiments contemplated by the disclosure.