PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10735854-B1
Application Number: US-201916355128-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Enhancing a listening experience by adjusting physical attributes of an audio playback system based on detected environmental attributes of the system&#39;s environment

Abstract:
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for enhancing a user&#39;s listening experience by adjusting physical attributes of an audio playback system based on detected environmental attributes of the system&#39;s environment.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a sensor input component that detects environmental attribute data indicative of an environmental attribute of an environment of the electronic device; and 
 an audio output component that adjusts a tautness of a membrane of the audio output component based on the environmental attribute data detected by the sensor input component. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental attribute comprises geometry of the environment. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental attribute comprises location of a user of the electronic device with respect to the audio output component. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental attribute comprises identity of a user of the electronic device. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental attribute comprises geometry of an ear of a user of the electronic device. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental attribute comprises otoacoustic emission of a user of the electronic device. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the audio output component adjusts the tautness of the membrane of the audio output component based on the environmental attribute data by tightening at least a portion of the membrane of the audio output component. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the audio output component adjusts the tautness of the membrane of the audio output component based on the environmental attribute data by loosening at least a portion of the membrane of the audio output component. 
     
     
       9. An electronic device comprising:
 a sensor operative to detect environmental attribute data indicative of an environmental attribute of an environment of the electronic device; 
 an audio output component comprising a membrane; and 
 a movement component operative to adjust a characteristic of the membrane based on the environmental attribute data detected by the sensor. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the membrane comprises a flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the audio output component is operative to move the membrane for producing sound waves. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the environmental attribute comprises location of a user of the electronic device with respect to the audio output component. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the environmental attribute comprises geometry of an ear of a user of the electronic device. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the environmental attribute comprises otoacoustic emission of a user of the electronic device. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the characteristic comprises a tautness of the membrane. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 9 , further comprising a housing, wherein the characteristic comprises a position of the membrane with respect to the housing. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 9 , further comprising a housing, wherein the characteristic comprises a distance between the membrane and the housing. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 9 , further comprising a housing, wherein the characteristic comprises an orientation of the membrane with respect to the housing. 
     
     
       19. An electronic device comprising:
 a sensor for detecting an environmental attribute of an environment of the electronic device; 
 a diaphragm for producing sound waves; and 
 a movement component for changing a characteristic of the diaphragm in response to the environmental attribute detected by the sensor. 
 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 19 , wherein the characteristic comprises a tautness of the diaphragm.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/657,844, filed Jul. 24, 2017 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,237,644), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/398,900, filed Sep. 23, 2016, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This generally relates to enhancing a listening experience and, more particularly, to enhancing a user&#39;s listening experience by adjusting physical attributes of an audio playback system based on detected environmental attributes of the system&#39;s environment. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Some user electronic devices may be operative to playback audio data for a listening user. However, the quality of the listening experience is often diminished by variables in the device&#39;s environment. 
     SUMMARY 
     Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for enhancing a user&#39;s listening experience by adjusting physical attributes of an audio playback system based on detected environmental attributes of the system&#39;s environment. 
     As an example, a method of enhancing a listening experience of a user of an electronic device is provided that may include emitting sound waves from an audio output component of the electronic device using audio data electrical signals, detecting, with the electronic device, environmental attribute data indicative of an environmental attribute of an environment of the electronic device, processing the detected environmental attribute data, using the electronic device, to generate physical attribute adjustment data, and adjusting a physical attribute of the electronic device using the physical attribute adjustment data, wherein the physical attribute of the electronic device includes an orientation of the audio output component with respect to the environment, a position of a sound wave reflecting component with respect to the audio output component, a geometry of a sound wave passageway for the emitted sound waves, or a tautness of a membrane of the audio output component. 
     As an example, an electronic device is provided that may include a lower housing structure including an audio output component that emits sound waves into an environment of the electronic device, an upper housing structure including a display output component, a hinge structure coupling the lower housing structure to the upper housing structure, a sensor input component that detects environmental attribute data indicative of an environmental attribute of the environment of the electronic device, and a movement output component that adjusts the position of the upper housing structure with respect to the lower housing structure through rotation about the hinge structure based on the detected environmental attribute data for changing the reflection of the sound waves in the environment. 
     As yet another example, a product is provided that may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium and computer-readable instructions, stored on the computer-readable medium, that, when executed, are effective to cause a computer to detect environmental attribute data indicative of an environmental attribute of an ambient environment of the computer and adjust a physical attribute of the computer based on the environmental attribute data, wherein the physical attribute includes a position of an element of an audio output component of the computer with respect to the ambient environment of the computer, and wherein the environmental attribute includes geometry of the ambient environment, location of the user with respect to the audio output component, geometry of an ear of the user, and otoacoustic emission of an ear of the user. 
     This Summary is provided only to present some example embodiments, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described in this document. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the features described in this Summary are only examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Unless otherwise stated, features described in the context of one example may be combined or used with features described in the context of one or more other examples. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures, and Claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The discussion below makes reference to the following drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an illustrative audio playback system with an electronic device and at least one auxiliary assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device and multiple auxiliary assemblies of the system of  FIG. 1  in a particular system environment; 
         FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view, taken from line IIA-IIA of  FIG. 2 , of a portion of the system of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of an example feedback loop of the system of  FIGS. 1-2A ; 
         FIG. 4  is a view of a portion of the device of the system of  FIGS. 1, 2, and 2A ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a cross-sectional view, taken from line IVA-IVA of  FIG. 4 , of a portion of the device of  FIGS. 1, 2, 2A, and 4 ; 
         FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional view, taken from line IVB-IVB of  FIG. 4 , of a portion of the device of  FIGS. 1, 2, 2A, and 4 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an illustrative process for enhancing a listening experience. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments described herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that these various embodiments are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Other embodiments will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. 
     In addition, for clarity purposes, not all of the routine features of the embodiments described herein are shown or described. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous embodiment-specific decisions may be required to achieve specific design objectives. These design objectives will vary from one embodiment to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine engineering undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. 
     Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enhancing a user&#39;s listening experience by adjusting physical attributes of an audio playback system based on detected environmental attributes of the system&#39;s environment are provided and described with reference to  FIGS. 1-5 . 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an illustrative system  1  with an electronic device  100  and at least one auxiliary assembly  200 , while  FIGS. 2 and 2A  are various views of a particular system  1  implemented within a particular environment E. Electronic device  100 , on its own or in cooperation with one or more auxiliary assemblies  200 , may be configured to detect various environmental attributes of the current environment of system  1  and to adjust various physical system attributes of system  1  based on the detected environmental attributes before or while a sound wave emitting subassembly of electronic device  100  emits sound waves into the environment of system  1 , where such physical system attribute adjustment may enhance the experience of a system user listening to the emitted sound waves. 
     System  1  may be configured to detect any suitable environmental attributes of a current environment of system  1 , including, but not limited to, the geometry (e.g., size and/or shape) of a room or defined space of the environment, the location and/or orientation of one or more system users within the environment relative to the sound wave emitting subassembly of device  100  (e.g., distance of a user from sound wave emitting subassembly and/or orientation of the ears with respect to the sound wave emitting subassembly), the specific identity or class identity of one or more system users within the environment, the geometry (e.g., size and/or shape) and/or the exposition of the ears of one or more system users within the environment relative to the sound wave emitting subassembly of device  100 , the otoacoustic emissions (e.g., spontaneous otoacoustic emissions and/or evoked otoacoustic emissions) of the ears of one or more system users within the environment, the ambient noise level or other audio qualities of the environment distinct from any sound waves emitted by system  1 , any audio qualities of the environment including the sound waves emitted by system  1 , and/or the like. Electronic device  100  and/or any auxiliary assembly  200  of system  1  may include any suitable input component(s) (e.g., environmental attribute sensor input component(s)) that may be operative to detect any suitable environmental attribute of the environment of system  1  (e.g., cameras, ultrasonic sensors, infrared light sensors, microphones, temperature sensors, etc.) and/or may include any suitable communication component that may be operative to receive any suitable data indicative of any suitable environmental attribute of the environment of system  1  from any suitable remote data source (e.g., a data server (not shown) that may be operative to share data indicative of any suitable architectural characteristics of the environment and/or data indicative of a particular user&#39;s ear structure or preferred audio equalization settings). 
     Before or while a sound wave emitting subassembly (e.g., any suitable transducer or driver that may be operative to receive audio data electrical signals and convert or transduce the received electrical signals into corresponding sound waves) of electronic device  100  may emit sound waves into the environment of system  1 , system  1  may be configured to adjust, based on any detected environmental attributes of the environment of system  1 , any suitable physical system attributes of system  1 , including, but not limited to, the orientation of any element(s) of the sound wave emitting subassembly of device  100  with respect to any element(s) of the environment (e.g., the ears of a system user) in any one or more degrees of freedom (e.g., about any one or more axes of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system for the environment), the geometry (e.g., size and/or shape) of any element(s) of the sound wave emitting subassembly of device  100 , the location and/or orientation of any suitable sound wave reflecting component of device  100  and/or of any auxiliary assembly  200  relative to the sound wave emitting subassembly of device  100  and/or relative to any element(s) of the environment (e.g., the ears of a detected system user), the magnitude of any suitable movement (e.g., vibration, force, movement, actuator stroke, etc.) of any suitable movement output component, such as a movement output component embedded within or coupled to a sound wave reflecting component of device  100  and/or of any auxiliary assembly  200 , and/or the like. In some embodiments, adjustment of one or more physical system attributes of system  1  may be based not only on any detected environmental attribute(s) of the environment of system  1  but also on any suitable characteristics of the sound waves emitted into the environment of system  1  by the sound wave emitting subassembly of device  100 . Any physical system attribute adjustment may be made by system  1  to enhance the experience of a system user listening to the sound waves emitted by the sound wave emitting subassembly of device  100 . Electronic device  100  and/or any auxiliary assembly  200  of system  1  may include any suitable output component(s) (e.g., physical or mechanical output components) that may be operative to be moved for adjusting any suitable physical system attributes of system  1  (e.g., sound reflecting surfaces, motors, piezoelectric actuators, etc.). 
     Electronic device  100  of system  1  may be any portable, wearable, mobile, or hand-held electronic device configured to emit sound waves, detect environmental attributes of its environment, and/or adjust physical attributes of system  1  to enhance a user&#39;s experience listening to the emitted sound waves. Alternatively, electronic device  100  may not be portable at all, but may instead be generally stationary. Electronic device  100  can include, but is not limited to, an audio player, game player, other media player, radio, medical equipment, domestic appliance, transportation vehicle instrument, musical instrument, cellular telephone (e.g., an iPhone™ available by Apple Inc.), other wireless communication device, personal digital assistant, remote control, pager, computer (e.g., a desktop, laptop, tablet, server, etc.), monitor, television, stereo equipment, set up box, set-top box, wearable device (e.g., an Apple Watch™ by Apple Inc.), boom box, modem, router, printer, and combinations thereof. Electronic device  100  may include any suitable control circuitry or processor  102 , memory  104 , communications component  106 , power supply  108 , input component  110 , and output component  112 . Electronic device  100  may also include a bus  114  that may provide one or more wired or wireless communication links or paths for transferring data and/or power to, from, or between various other components of device  100 . Device  100  may also be provided with a housing  101  that may at least partially enclose one or more of the components of device  100  for protection from debris and other degrading forces external to device  100 . In some embodiments, one or more of the components may be provided within its own housing (e.g., input component  110  may be an independent keyboard or mouse within its own housing that may wirelessly or through a wire communicate with processor  102 , which may be provided within its own housing). In some embodiments, one or more components of electronic device  100  may be combined or omitted. Moreover, electronic device  100  may include other components not combined or included in  FIG. 1 . For example, device  100  may include any other suitable components or several instances of the components shown in  FIG. 1 . For the sake of simplicity, only one of each of the components is shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Memory  104  may include one or more storage mediums, including for example, a hard-drive, flash memory, permanent memory such as read-only memory (“ROM”), semi-permanent memory such as random access memory (“RAM”), any other suitable type of storage component, or any combination thereof. Memory  104  may include cache memory, which may be one or more different types of memory used for temporarily storing data for electronic device applications. Memory  104  may store media data (e.g., audio (e.g., music) and image and other media files), software (e.g., applications for implementing functions on device  100  (e.g., media playback applications and system environment processing applications)), firmware, preference information (e.g., media playback preferences), lifestyle information (e.g., food preferences), exercise information (e.g., information obtained by exercise monitoring equipment), transaction information (e.g., information such as credit card information), wireless connection information (e.g., information that may enable device  100  to establish a wireless connection), subscription information (e.g., information that keeps track of podcasts or television shows or other media a user subscribes to), contact information (e.g., telephone numbers and e-mail addresses), calendar information, any other suitable data, or any combination thereof. 
     Communications component  106  may be provided to allow device  100  to communicate with one or more other electronic devices or servers or subsystems (e.g., one or more auxiliary assemblies (e.g., assembly  200  of  FIG. 1  and/or any one or more of assemblies  200   a - 200   f  of  FIGS. 2 and 2A )) using any suitable communications protocol(s). For example, communications component  106  may support Wi-Fi (e.g., an 802.11 protocol), Ethernet, Bluetooth™, near field communication (“NFC”), radio-frequency identification (“RFID”), high frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems), infrared, transmission control protocol/internet protocol (“TCP/IP”) (e.g., any of the protocols used in each of the TCP/IP layers), hypertext transfer protocol (“HTTP”), BitTorrent™, file transfer protocol (“FTP”), real-time transport protocol (“RTP”), real-time streaming protocol (“RTSP”), secure shell protocol (“SSH”), any other communications protocol, or any combination thereof. Communications component  106  may also include circuitry that can enable device  100  to be electrically coupled to another device or server or subsystem (e.g., one or more auxiliary assemblies  200 ) and communicate with that other device, either wirelessly or via a wired connection (e.g., directly or via any suitable intermediate communication set-ups (e.g., servers, routers, towers, etc.)). 
     Power supply  108  may provide power to one or more of the components of device  100 . In some embodiments, power supply  108  can be coupled to a power grid (e.g., when device  100  is not a portable device, such as a desktop computer). In some embodiments, power supply  108  can include one or more batteries for providing power (e.g., when device  100  is a portable device, such as a cellular telephone). As another example, power supply  108  can be configured to generate power from a natural source (e.g., solar power using solar cells). 
     One or more input components  110  may be provided to permit a user to interact or interface with device  100  (e.g., to provide any suitable user control data) and/or to detect any suitable environmental attributes of the environment of system  1  certain information about the ambient environment. For example, input component  110  can take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, a touch pad, trackpad, dial, click wheel, scroll wheel, touch screen, one or more buttons (e.g., a keyboard), mouse, joy stick, track ball, switch, photocell, force-sensing resistor (“FSR”), encoder (e.g., rotary encoder and/or shaft encoder that may convert an angular position or motion of a shaft or axle to an analog or digital code), microphone, camera, scanner (e.g., a three-dimensional scanner that may identify the three-dimensional geometry (e.g., shape and/or size) of any suitable structure (e.g., the ear of a user), a barcode scanner or any other suitable scanner that may obtain product identifying information from a code, such as a linear barcode, a matrix barcode (e.g., a quick response (“QR”) code), or the like), proximity sensor (e.g., capacitive proximity sensor), biometric sensor (e.g., a fingerprint reader or other feature recognition sensor, which may operate in conjunction with a feature-processing application that may be accessible to electronic device  100  for authenticating or otherwise identifying or detecting a user), line-in connector for data and/or power, force sensor (e.g., any suitable capacitive sensors, pressure sensors, strain gauges, sensing plates (e.g., capacitive and/or strain sensing plates), etc.), ultrasonic sensor, thermal and/or temperature sensor (e.g., thermistor, thermocouple, thermometer, silicon bandgap temperature sensor, bimetal sensor, etc.) for detecting the temperature of a portion of electronic device  100  or an ambient environment thereof, a performance analyzer for detecting an application characteristic related to the current operation of one or more components of electronic device  100  (e.g., processor  102 ), motion sensor (e.g., single axis or multi axis accelerometers, angular rate or inertial sensors (e.g., optical gyroscopes, vibrating gyroscopes, gas rate gyroscopes, or ring gyroscopes), linear velocity sensors, and/or the like), magnetometer (e.g., scalar or vector magnetometer), pressure sensor, light sensor (e.g., ambient light sensor (“ALS”), infrared (“IR”) sensor, etc.), acoustic sensor, sonic or sonar sensor, radar sensor, image sensor, video sensor, any suitable device locating subsystem or global positioning system (“GPS”) detector or subsystem, radio frequency (“RF”) detector, RF or acoustic Doppler detector, RF triangulation detector, electrical charge sensor, peripheral device detector, event counter, and any combinations thereof. Each input component  110  can be configured to provide one or more dedicated control functions for making selections or issuing commands associated with operating device  100 . 
     One or more output components  112  may be provided to present information (e.g., graphical, audible, and/or tactile information) to a user of device  100  and/or to adjust any physical system attribute of system  1 . For example, output component  112  can take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, a sound wave emitting subassembly (e.g., any suitable transducer or driver subassembly that may be operative to receive audio data electrical signals (e.g., of an audio or other suitable media file or streamed data that may be accessible to device  100 ) and to convert or transduce the received electrical signals into corresponding sound waves), a sound wave reflecting subassembly (e.g., any suitable physical or mechanical sound wave reflecting component(s) that may be operative to reflect sound waves in any suitable manner) that may be moved in one or more directions (e.g., with respect to a sound wave emitting subassembly), any suitable physical or mechanical movement output component that may be operative to be moved for adjusting any suitable physical system attribute(s) of system  1  (e.g., motors, piezoelectric actuators, etc.) and that may be embedded within or coupled to a sound wave reflecting component or any other suitable component of device  100 , data and/or power line-out, visual display (e.g., for transmitting data via visible light and/or via invisible light), antenna, infrared port, flash (e.g., light sources for providing artificial light for illuminating an environment of the device), tactile/haptic component (e.g., rumblers, vibrators, etc.), taptic component (e.g., components that are operative to provide tactile sensations in the form of vibrations), and any combinations thereof. 
     It should be noted that one or more input components  110  and one or more output components  112  may sometimes be referred to collectively herein as an input/output (“I/O”) component or I/O interface  111  (e.g., input component  110  and display  112  as I/O component or  1 /O interface  111 ). For example, input component  110  and display  112  may sometimes be a single I/O component  111 , such as a touch screen that may receive input information through a user&#39;s touch of a display screen and that may also provide visual information to a user via that same display screen, or such as a transducer that may receive audio input information from a user when operating as a microphone and that may provide audio information to a user when operating as a speaker. 
     Processor  102  of device  100  may include any processing circuitry operative to control the operations and performance of one or more components of electronic device  100 . For example, processor  102  may be used to run one or more applications, such as an application  103 . Application  103  may include, but is not limited to, one or more operating system applications, firmware applications, media playback applications and/or environmental attribute processing applications and/or physical system attribute adjustment applications (e.g., a combined listening enhancement application), media editing applications, pass applications, calendar applications, state determination applications (e.g., device state determination applications, auxiliary assembly state determination applications), biometric feature-processing applications, compass applications, health applications, thermometer applications, weather applications, thermal management applications, force sensing applications, device diagnostic applications, video game applications, or any other suitable applications. For example, processor  102  may load application  103  as a user interface program or any other suitable program to determine how instructions or data received via an input component  110  and/or via any other component of device  100  (e.g., environmental attribute data or auxiliary assembly state/capability data from any auxiliary assembly  200  via communications component  106 , etc.) may manipulate the one or more ways in which information may be stored on device  100  (e.g., in memory  104 ) and/or in which information may be provided to a user and/or in which physical system attributes may be adjusted via an output component  112  and/or in which auxiliary assembly control data may be provided to a remote subsystem (e.g., to one or more auxiliary assemblies  200  via communications component  106 ). Application  103  may be accessed by processor  102  from any suitable source, such as from memory  104  (e.g., via bus  114 ) or from another device or server (e.g., from auxiliary assembly  200  via communications component  106  and/or from any other suitable remote data source (e.g., remote data server) via communications component  106 ). Electronic device  100  (e.g., processor  102 , memory  104 , or any other components available to device  100 ) may be configured to process data and/or generate commands at various resolutions, frequencies, and various other characteristics as may be appropriate for the capabilities and resources of device  100 . Processor  102  may include a single processor or multiple processors. For example, processor  102  may include at least one “general purpose” microprocessor, a combination of general and special purpose microprocessors, instruction set processors, audio processing units or sound cards, graphics processors, video processors, and/or related chips sets, and/or special purpose microprocessors. Processor  102  also may include on board memory for caching purposes. Processor  102  may be implemented as any electronic device capable of processing, receiving, or transmitting data or instructions. For example, processor  102  can be a microprocessor, a central processing unit, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array, a digital signal processor, an analog circuit, a digital circuit, or combination of such devices. Processor  102  may be a single-thread or multi-thread processor. Processor  102  may be a single-core or multi-core processor. Accordingly, as described herein, the term “processor” may refer to a hardware-implemented data processing device or circuit physically structured to execute specific transformations of data including data operations represented as code and/or instructions included in a program that can be stored within and accessed from a memory. The term is meant to encompass a single processor or processing unit, multiple processors, multiple processing units, analog or digital circuits, or other suitably configured computing element or combination of elements. 
     Auxiliary assembly  200  may be any suitable assembly that may be configured to detect any suitable environmental attributes of the environment of system  1  and/or adjust any suitable physical system attributes of assembly  200 . Auxiliary assembly  200  may include any suitable control circuitry or processor  202 , which may be similar to any suitable processor  102  of device  100 , application  203 , which may be similar to any suitable application  103  of device  100 , memory  204 , which may be similar to any suitable memory  104  of device  100 , communications component  206 , which may be similar to any suitable communications component  106  of device  100 , power supply  208 , which may be similar to any suitable power supply  108  of device  100 , input component  210 , which may be similar to any suitable input component  110  of device  100 , output component  212 , which may be similar to any suitable output component  112  of device  100 , I/O interface  211 , which may be similar to any suitable I/O interface  111  of device  100 , bus  214 , which may be similar to any suitable bus  114  of device  100 , and/or housing  201 , which may be similar to any suitable housing  101  of device  100 . In some embodiments, one or more components of auxiliary assembly  200  may be combined or omitted. Moreover, auxiliary assembly  200  may include other components not combined or included in  FIG. 1 . For example, auxiliary assembly  200  may include any other suitable components or several instances of the components shown in  FIG. 1 . For the sake of simplicity, only one of each of the components is shown in  FIG. 1 . Auxiliary assembly  200  may be operative to communicate any suitable data  91  (e.g., environmental attribute data detected by auxiliary assembly  200  (e.g., by any input component  210  of auxiliary assembly  200 ) and/or data indicative of the current state of any components/features of auxiliary assembly  200  and/or data indicative of any functionalities/capabilities of auxiliary assembly  200 ) from communications component  206  to communications component  106  of electronic device  100  using any suitable communication protocol(s), while electronic device  100  may be operative to communicate any suitable data  99  (e.g., auxiliary assembly control data operative to adjust any physical system attributes of auxiliary assembly  200  (e.g., of any output component(s)  212  of auxiliary assembly  200 )) from communications component  106  to communications component  206  of auxiliary assembly  200  using any suitable communication protocol(s). 
       FIGS. 2 and 2A  show system  1  implemented within a particular environment E, where system  1  may include electronic device  1  and various auxiliary assemblies  200   a - 200   f , each of which may be similar to auxiliary assembly  200  and may include some or all of the components and/or functionality of assembly  200  of  FIG. 1 . As shown, environment E may include a space S at least partially defined by a back wall BW, a front wall (not shown), a left wall LW, a right wall RW, a floor FL, and a ceiling CL, where space may have a height H, a width W, and a depth P. Within space S, environment E may include a table T and other furniture N on floor FL, where electronic device  100  may be positioned on a top surface of table T. Moreover, as shown, environment E may include a first user U 1  and a second user U 2  within space S. It is to be appreciated that various elements of system  1  and/or environment E may not be to scale in  FIG. 2  in order to clearly show certain features thereof. Assemblies  200   a - 200   f  may be positioned in any suitable manner throughout environment E, such as, for example, assembly  200   a  may be positioned about a side of electronic device  100 , assembly  200   b  may be coupled to ceiling CL, assembly  200   c  may be coupled to left wall LW, assembly  200   d  may be worn by user U 1 , assembly  200   e  may be held by user U 1 , and assembly  200   f  may be resting on a top surface of furniture N but may be coupled to or configured as a drone or other suitable unmanned vehicle that may be moved or otherwise physically adjusted to any suitable position within space S. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 2A , device  100  may be presented as a laptop or notebook personal computing device as an example only, while many other electronic devices (with or without displays) are envisioned. However, in  FIGS. 2 and 2A , device  100  may include a “clamshell” form factor with a lower housing  101   l , an upper housing  101   u , and a hinge housing  101   h  that may rotatably couple lower housing  101   l  with upper housing  101   u . Lower housing  101   l  may provide support for any suitable components, such as a left or first sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a , a right or second sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   b , a sound wave reflecting output component  112   c , a movement output component  112   d  (e.g., a piezoelectric actuator), and a keyboard input component  110   a . Upper housing  101   u  may provide support for any suitable components, such as a camera input component  110   b , a microphone input component  110   c , a display output component  112   e , and a movement output component  112   f  (e.g., a piezoelectric actuator). Camera input component  110   b  and/or any other suitable sensing input components of device  100  and/or of any auxiliary assembly of system  1  may be operative to detect any suitable environmental attributes of environment E, such as the geometry (e.g., size and/or shape) of space S of environment E (e.g., height H, width W, and/or depth P), the location and/or orientation of user U 1  and/or user U 2  within environment E relative to sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  and/or sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   b  of device  100  (e.g., user U 1  proximate and facing output component  112   a  and user U 2  proximate yet facing away from output component  112   b  (e.g., in the direction M)), the specific identity or class identity of user U 1  and/or user U 2  within environment E, the geometry (e.g., size and/or shape) of the ears of user U 1  and/or of user U 2  (e.g., a three dimensional scan of the concha or other features of an ear that affect the frequency response of the ear) and/or the exposition of the ears of user U and/or of user U 2  (e.g., the lack of exposition of the ears of user U 2  due to user U 2  wearing a winter hat H over the user&#39;s ears), and/or the like. Microphone input component  110   c  and/or any other suitable sensing input components of device  100  and/or of any auxiliary assembly of system  1  may be operative to detect any suitable environmental attributes of environment E, such as the otoacoustic emissions (e.g., spontaneous otoacoustic emissions and/or evoked otoacoustic emissions) of the ears of user U 1  and/or user U 2 , the ambient noise level or other audio qualities of environment E distinct from any sound waves emitted by sound emitting subassembly output component  112   a  and/or by sound emitting subassembly output component  112   b , any audio qualities of environment E including any sound waves emitted by system  1  (e.g., emitted sound wave SW and/or reflected sound wave SWR or any other sound waves within environment E), and/or the like. 
     Hinge housing  110   h  may provide support for any suitable components, such as a movement output component  112   g , which may be operative to rotatably adjust (e.g., automatically without physical user interaction) the position of upper housing  101   u  with respect to lower housing  101   l  (e.g., to adjust the magnitude of angle θ therebetween) such that one or more surfaces of at least a portion of upper housing  110   h  and/or display output component  112   e  or otherwise may also be operative to function as a sound wave reflecting subassembly for reflecting sound waves emitted from sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  and/or from sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   b  in any suitable direction (e.g., a magnitude of rotatable adjustment of the position of upper housing  101   u  with respect to the position of lower housing  101   l  and sound wave emitting subassembly output components  112   a  and  112   b  by movement output component  112   g  may be a physical system attribute that may be adjusted for enhancing a user&#39;s listening experience). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 2A , sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  may provide any suitable transducer or driver that may be operative to receive audio data electrical signals (e.g., from processor  102 ), to convert or transduce the received electrical signals into corresponding sound waves, and to emit the sound waves (e.g., sound waves SW) out from housing  101  through one or more audio housing openings  101   o  and into environment E such that the sound waves (or reflections thereof (e.g., reflected sound waves SWR)) may be received at an eardrum of user U 1  and/or user U 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  may include a flexible diaphragm or membrane  152  that may be coupled at an outer periphery to a frame  154  and may include a former  152   f  at one or more intermediate positions with a moving coil  156  coupled thereto. A permanent magnet  158  may be positioned about moving coil  156 , for example, using frame  154 , at least one washer  157 , and a t-yoke  159 . The audio data electrical signals may be passed through coil  156  so as to generate an electromagnetic field that may produce an electromagnetic force that may be opposed by the main permanent magnetic field generated by permanent magnet  158  such that coil  156  may move membrane  152 , which may cause a disturbance in the air around membrane  152  for producing sound waves. At least some of these sound waves SW may be emitted through at least one audio housing opening  101   o  of housing  101 . Therefore, membrane  152  may be operative to move in a magnetic gap for vibrating and producing sound waves. Membrane  152  may be any suitable shape and size, but may be a thin, semi-rigid but flexible structure. In some particular embodiments, membrane  152  may be a laminate or other suitable combination of multiple layers or films of materials stacked on top of one another to provide a composite structure that may be operative to provide or otherwise enable the tonality desired for sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  to generate a target sound. 
     As also shown in  FIG. 2A , electronic device  100  may include a movement output component  112   h  coupled to sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a , such as to a portion of frame  154 , where movement output component  112   h  may be any suitable motor(s) or other suitable movement component(s) that may be operative to adjust any suitable physical attribute of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  (e.g., a physical attribute other than that which may be adjusted by the audio data electrical signals passed through coil  156  for generating the sound waves to be emitted). For example, movement output component  112   h  may receive any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data (e.g., from processor  102 ) that may be operative to control movement output component  112   h  to adjust the position and/or geometry of any suitable element(s) of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a , such as moving the entirety of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  up or down along an axis EA (e.g., to move sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  towards or away from housing opening  101   o  of housing  101 ), moving the entirety of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  left or right along axis WA (e.g., to move sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  adjacent housing opening  101   o  of housing  101 ), rotating the entirety of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  in either direction about axis EA (e.g., along path RP) or about axis WA or about another axis NA perpendicular to axes EA and WA, or the like, such that the entirety of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  may be moved in any suitable manner with respect to housing opening  101   o  of housing  101  for adjusting the orientation of any elements (e.g., membrane  152 ) with respect to housing opening  101   o  and ambient environment E (e.g., user U 1 ). Alternatively or additionally, movement output component  112   h  may receive any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data (e.g., from processor  102 ) that may be operative to control movement output component  112   h  to adjust the position and/or geometry of certain element(s) of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  with respect to other elements of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a , which may adjust an audio output characteristic of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a , such as by moving outer periphery portion  152   p   1  of membrane  152  towards or away from outer periphery portion  152   p   2  of membrane  152  along axis MA for tightening or loosening membrane  152  (e.g., for adjusting the tautness of membrane  152  (e.g., the tautness of the sound wave generating element of output component  112   a )). 
     As also shown in  FIG. 2A , electronic device  100  may include a movement output component/sound wave reflecting output component  112   i  that may be operative to move a structure  112  is with respect to housing  101  for adjusting the shape and/or size and/or number of audio housing openings  101   o  through which sound waves emitted by sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  may be able to travel. For example, structure  112   is  may be moved in either direction along an axis OA for aligning each opening  101   o  with a sound blocking portion of structure  112  is or with an audio structure opening  112   io  through structure  112   is , where such alignment may either reduce the size of an audio housing opening  101   o  through which sound waves may travel, taper or angle an orientation of an audio housing opening  101   o  through which sound waves may travel (e.g., provide an angle to a passageway provided by a combination of an opening  112   io  and an opening  101   o ), or block an audio housing opening  101   o . Therefore, the geometry of structure  112   is  and its openings  112   io  and the position of structure  112   is  (e.g., along axis OA) with respect to openings  101   o  of housing  101  may be operative to adjust not only one or more physical system attributes of structure  112   is  (e.g., its position within housing  101 ) but also one or more physical system attributes of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  (e.g., its geometry of sound wave passageways for emitting sound waves). 
     Additionally or alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 4 , electronic device  100  may include a movement output component/sound wave reflecting output component  412  that may be operative to adjust a geometry of a speaker grill structure  412   s  of speaker grill elements  412   i  that may be positioned above and/or under and/or within one or more audio housing openings  101   o  for adjusting the shape and/or size and/or position of one or more structure openings  4010  between adjacent elements  412   i  through which sound waves emitted by sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  may be able to travel for eventual receipt by one or more users. For example, structure  412   s  may be a structure of any suitable number and arrangement of elements  412   i  that may be operative to at least partially cover one or more audio housing openings  101   o  for protecting sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  from debris or other potentially harmful forces in the environment of device  100 . As a particular example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , structure  412   s  may include a four by four array of perpendicularly interlaced elements  412   i  (e.g., an orthogonal mesh), although it is to be understood that any suitable number of elements  412   i  may be provided in any suitable arrangement (e.g., crossing elements may not be interlaced over-under-over-under, as shown, but may be interlaced in any other suitable arrangement or may not be interlaced but may be laid on top of one another (e.g., all horizontal elements on top of all vertical elements, etc.). One, some, or each element  412   i  may be made of any suitable material, such as metal, glass, rubber, polymer, fiber, and/or the like. One, some, or each element  412   i  of structure  412   s  may be coupled to an element adjustment component  402  of output component  412 , and each element adjustment component  402  may be controllable by processor  102  (e.g., via any suitable signals that may be communicated therebetween (e.g., via bus  114 )). An element adjustment component  402  may be controllable to adjust a shape, a size, and/or a position of an associated element  412   i  of structure  412   s , which may adjust a shape, a size (e.g., dimension n), and/or a position of one or more structure openings  401   o  that may be adjacent to and at least partially defined by the adjusted element  412   i.    
     Adjustment component(s)  402  may be controlled to move one or more elements  412   i  with respect to one or more other elements  412   i  within structure  412   s  for adjusting any suitable physical characteristic of one or more openings  401   o . For example, an adjustment component  402  may receive any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data (e.g., from processor  102 ) that may be operative to control that adjustment component  402  to adjust the position of its associated element  412   i  in any suitable manner, such as by moving the entirety or at least a portion of element  412   i  in the +X direction or the −X direction along an X-axis (e.g., to move a vertical element closer to or farther away from an adjacent vertical element (e.g., for adjusting a dimension m of one or more openings  401   o )), moving the entirety or at least a portion of element  412   i  in the +Y direction or the −Y direction along a Y-axis (e.g., to move a horizontal element closer to or farther away from an adjacent horizontal element (e.g., for adjusting a dimension n of one or more openings  4010 )), moving the entirety or at least a portion of element  412   i  in the +Z direction or the −Z direction along a Z-axis (e.g., to pull portions of an interlaced mesh closer to or farther away from output component  112   a  and/or opening(s)  101   o ), rotating the entirety or at least a portion of element  412   i  in the S1 direction or the S2 direction about the Z-axis (e.g., to adjust the angular orientation of two or more elements (e.g., for adjusting the size of an angular dimension γ between crossing elements)), rotating the entirety or at least a portion of element  412   i  in the R1 direction or the R2 direction about the X-axis (e.g., to adjust the angular orientation of elements (e.g., rotating a horizontal element  412   i  about its center C for adjusting the size of dimension n of opening  401   o  between elements when a cross-sectional shape of one or more of the elements is non-circular (e.g., an isosceles triangle, as shown in  FIG. 4A , or any other suitable shape that may adjust dimension n when rotated about center C))), adjusting the tension between ends of element  412   i , and/or the like, for adjusting any suitable physical characteristic of one or more openings  4010 , where adjustment component  402  may be any suitable motor(s) and/or any other suitable mechanisms that may physically move an associated element  412   i  with respect to one or more other elements  412   i  and/or opening(s)  101   o  and/or output component  112 . Additionally or alternatively, an adjustment component  402  may receive any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data (e.g., from processor  102 ) that may be operative to control that adjustment component  402  to adjust a cross-sectional geometry of its associated element  412   i  in any suitable manner, such as by expanding or contracting a cross-sectional area of a horizontal element  412   i  (e.g., in a Y-Z plane) by inflating or deflating a hollow portion of the element (e.g., with water or air or any other suitable fluid) and/or by adjusting an electrical field stimulating the element, and/or the like, for adjusting any suitable physical characteristic of one or more openings  401   o  adjacent the element with the manipulated cross-section. As one particular example, as shown in  FIG. 4B , an element  412   i  may include an electrically conductive wire  413  extending along at least a portion of the length of the element that may be at least partially surrounded by an elastic material  414  (e.g., a low durometer silicone), which may be at least partially surrounded by an electrically conductive layer  415  (e.g., silver ink), such that when an electric field (e.g., differential charge) may be provided by component  402  via wire  413  and layer  415  to material  414 , material  414  may expand or contract, thereby changing the cross-sectional geometry of element  412   i  (e.g., material  414  may be used as an electroactive polymer). In some embodiments, as also shown in  FIG. 4B , two or more conductive layers  416  and  417  may be provided about different portions of material  414  of an element  412   i , such that different charges may be applied to different ones of layers  416  and  417  for adjusting the cross-sectional shape of element  412   i  in various ways (e.g., such that the top half of the cross-sectional shape may not expand as much as the bottom half of the cross-sectional shape, such that the cross-sectional shape may be adjusted from a circular cross-sectional shape to a more triangular or other suitable shape, which may or may not be rotated as described with respect to  FIG. 4A  or otherwise moved with respect to one or more other elements  412   i ), which may adjust the size and/or shape and/or taper angle of any opening  401   o  of a sound wave passageway of device  100 . Therefore, the geometry of structure  412   s  and its openings  4010   o  and the position of elements  412   i  of structure  412   s  with respect to opening(s)  101   o  of housing  101  may be operative to adjust not only one or more physical system attributes of structure  412   s  (e.g., the position of structure  412   s  within housing  101  and/or the relative position and/or size and/or shape and/or orientation of different elements  412   i  of structure  412   s ) but also one or more physical system attributes of sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  (e.g., its geometry of sound wave passageways  401   o  for emitting sound waves from device  100  into the environment). 
     As also shown in  FIGS. 2 and 2A , electronic device  100  may include movement output component/sound wave reflecting output component  112   c  that may be operative to move one or more structures  112   cs  with respect to housing  101  for adjusting the location and/or orientation and/or position of one or more sound reflecting surfaces of structure(s)  112   cs  relative to sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a , which may adjust the manner in which any sound waves emitted by sound wave emitting subassembly output component  112   a  may be reflected by sound wave reflecting output component  112   c  (e.g., adjust how sound wave SW may be reflected by a reflecting surface  112   rs  of at least one structure  112   cs  of output component  112   c  as reflected sound wave SWR (e.g., adjust angle Φ of the reflection)). Various structures  112   cs  and/or reflective surfaces of output component  112   c  may be moved in any suitable manner (e.g., in any one or more degrees of freedom) with respect to output component  112   a  (e.g., along a path LP about a hinge axis of component  112   c  or in any direction along axis LA or axis FA or an axis NA perpendicular to axes LA and FA) for positioning one or more reflective surfaces in any suitable manner for any suitable reflection of sound waves (e.g., as determined by any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data received by component  112   c  from processor  102 ). It is to be appreciated that component  112   c  may be configured to selectively be retracted into housing  101   l  (e.g., through housing opening  101   c ) for hiding component  112   c  when not in use. 
     As also shown, one or more reflective structures  112   cs  of component  112   c  may have embedded therein or otherwise coupled thereto one or more discrete movement output components  112   cm  (e.g., a piezoelectric actuator), where each one of such movement output components  112   cm  may be independently controlled (e.g., by any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data received processor  102 ) to adjust the magnitude of a discrete movement of the movement component (e.g., a discrete vibration, etc.) that may be operative to affect any sound wave(s) reflecting off of the reflective structure  112   cs  associated with the movement component. Similarly, movement component  112   f  of device  100  (e.g., behind display output component  112   e ) may be one or more discrete movement output components (e.g., a piezoelectric actuator), where each one of such movement output components may be independently controlled (e.g., by any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data received processor  102 ) to adjust the magnitude of a discrete movement of the movement component (e.g., a discrete vibration, etc.) that may be operative to affect any sound wave(s) reflecting off of a reflective surface associated with the movement component (e.g., a surface of display output component  112   e ). Similarly, movement component  112   d  of device  100  (e.g., within housing structure  101   l ) may be one or more discrete movement output components (e.g., a piezoelectric actuator) that may be independently controlled (e.g., by any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data received processor  102 ) to adjust the magnitude of a discrete movement of the movement component (e.g., a discrete vibration, etc.) that may be operative to affect any sound wave(s) emitted by output component  112   a  and/or to vibrate against table T for supplementing any sound wave(s) emitted by output component  112   a . Additionally, as shown, housing  101   l  may include a microphone input component  110   d  and/or any other suitable sensing input components that may be operative to detect any suitable environmental attributes of environment E, such as the otoacoustic emissions (e.g., spontaneous otoacoustic emissions and/or evoked otoacoustic emissions) of the ears of user U 1  and/or user U 2 , the ambient noise level or other audio qualities of environment E distinct from any sound waves emitted by sound emitting subassembly output component  112   a  and/or by sound emitting subassembly output component  112   b , any audio qualities of environment E including any sound waves emitted by system  1  (e.g., emitted sound wave SW and/or reflected sound wave SWR or any other sound waves within environment E), and/or the like. 
     Auxiliary assembly  200   a  may be removably coupled to a side of housing  101  of electronic device  100  and may include an output component  212   a  that may be similar to movement output component/sound wave reflecting output component  112   c , with or without one or more discrete movement components, such that assembly  200   a  may be operative to be positioned in any suitable manner to reflect or otherwise manipulate sound waves emitted from output component  112   b  in any suitable manner. Similarly, auxiliary assembly  200   b  may be coupled to ceiling CL and assembly  200   c  may be coupled to left wall LW and assembly  200   f  may be resting on a top surface of furniture N, each of which may be similar to movement output component/sound wave reflecting output component  112   c , with or without one or more discrete movement components, such that each assembly may be operative to be positioned in any suitable manner to reflect or otherwise manipulate any sound waves that may reach any suitable surface(s) of the assembly. 
     Auxiliary assembly  200   d  may be worn by user U 1  in any suitable manner, such as about the user&#39;s head, such that different portions of assembly  200   d  may physically interact with different portion of the user&#39;s head. For example, a first output component  212   b  of assembly  200   d  may be operative to be positioned adjacent user U 1 &#39;s left ear such that physical system attribute adjustment of output component  212   b  may physically manipulate the physical structure of user U 1 &#39;s left ear (e.g., based on any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data  99  from device  100 , which may adjust the shape of the ear to better receive sound waves (e.g., to change the frequency response of the ear to enhance the listening experience of user U 1 )). Assembly  200   d  may also include a microphone input component  210   a  that may be operative to detect any suitable environmental attributes of environment E, such as the otoacoustic emissions (e.g., spontaneous otoacoustic emissions and/or evoked otoacoustic emissions) of the left ear of user U 1 , the ambient noise level or other audio qualities of environment E distinct from any sound waves emitted by sound emitting subassembly output component  112   a  and/or by sound emitting subassembly output component  112   b , any audio qualities of environment E including any sound waves emitted by system  1  (e.g., emitted sound wave SW and/or reflected sound wave SWR or any other sound waves within environment E), and/or the like. Similarly a second output component  212   c  of assembly  200   d  may be operative to be positioned adjacent user U 1 &#39;s right ear such that physical system attribute adjustment of output component  212   c  may physically manipulate the physical structure of user U 1 &#39;s right ear (e.g., based on any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data  99  from device  100 , which may adjust the shape of the ear to better receive sound waves (e.g., to change the frequency response of the ear to enhance the listening experience of user U 1 )). Assembly  200   d  may also include a microphone input component  210   b  that may be operative to detect any suitable environmental attributes of environment E, such as the otoacoustic emissions (e.g., spontaneous otoacoustic emissions and/or evoked otoacoustic emissions) of the right ear of user U 1 , the ambient noise level or other audio qualities of environment E distinct from any sound waves emitted by sound emitting subassembly output component  112   a  and/or by sound emitting subassembly output component  112   b , any audio qualities of environment E including any sound waves emitted by system  1  (e.g., emitted sound wave SW and/or reflected sound wave SWR or any other sound waves within environment E), and/or the like. A third output component  212   d  of assembly  200   d  may be operative to be positioned against a back of user U 1 &#39;s head as a discrete movement output component such that physical system attribute adjustment of output component  212   d  may physically vibrate against the head of user U 1  in a particular manner to supplement the sensation of any sensed sound waves (e.g., based on any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data  99  from device  100 ), which may enhance the listening experience of user U 1 ). Assembly  200   e  may be a handheld assembly of user U 1  (e.g., a smartphone) that may be operative to communicate any suitable data to device  100  (e.g., the identify of user U 1 , the location of user U 1 , the shape of each ear of user U 1  (e.g., if prompted to provided such information by device  100 ), and/or the like. 
     Any one or more of assemblies  200   a - 200   f  may include any other suitable output components that may be operative to adjust any suitable physical attribute of that assembly (e.g., based on any suitable physical system attribute adjustment data  99  from device  100 ), such as a sound wave reflecting subassembly output component (e.g., any suitable physical or mechanical sound wave reflecting component(s) that may be operative to reflect sound waves in any suitable manner) and that may be moved in one or more directions within environment E (e.g., with respect to a sound wave emitting subassembly of device  100  and/or with respect to a user or otherwise), any suitable physical or mechanical movement output component that may be operative to be moved for adjusting any suitable physical system attribute(s) of the assembly (e.g., motors, piezoelectric actuators, etc.) and that may be embedded within or coupled to a sound wave reflecting component or any other suitable component of the assembly, and/or the like. Additionally or alternatively, each one of assemblies  200   a - 200   f  may include any suitable input component that may be operative to detect any suitable environmental attribute(s) of environment E (e.g., for providing any suitable detected environmental attribute data  91  for use by device  100 ). 
     Therefore, as may be illustrated in  FIG. 3  by a schematic diagram  300  of an example feedback loop of system  1  of  FIGS. 1-2A , processor  102  of device  100  (e.g., in conjunction with any other suitable processing of system  1  (e.g., by any processor  202  of any auxiliary assembly  200  or otherwise, which may be operative to also play back audio data therefrom)) may be operative to access audio data  93  representative of audio media to be played back by device  100  (e.g., from memory  104  or otherwise), any suitable desired (e.g., ideal) listening experience data  95  that may be indicative of preferred listening experience characteristics (e.g., for one or more particular users or for system  1  generally), such as sound wave frequency optimization, amplitude thresholds, and/or the like, and any suitable detected environment attribute data  91  (e.g., from any suitable input components  110  of device  100  and/or any suitable input components  210  of any auxiliary assembly  200  of system  1 , which may include one or more current physical system attributes of any suitable components of device  100  and/or of any assembly(ies)  200 ) that may be indicative of the current environmental attributes of the environment of system  1 . Processor  102  may be operative to process such data  91 ,  93 , and  95  (e.g., using any suitable application  103 ) to generate appropriate physical system attribute adjustment data  99  that may be provided to any suitable output components  112  and/or output component  412  (e.g., to component(s)  402 ) of device  100  and/or to any suitable output components  212  of any auxiliary assembly  200  of system  1  for adjusting one or more physical system attributes of system  1 . Processor  102  may also be operative to process such data  91 ,  93 , and  95  (e.g., using any suitable application  103 ) to generate appropriate audio data electrical signals  97  that may be applied to coils  156  of sound emitting subassembly output component  112   a  and/or to coils of sound emitting subassembly output component  112   b  for emitting sound waves indicative of audio data  93  that may then be received (e.g., without reflection or after reflection) by one or more users of the environment of system  1 . Then, new current environmental attributes of the environment of system  1  may be detected by input components  110 / 210  and provided as data  91  to processor  102  for processing in order to potentially update signals  97  and  99 . Therefore, system  1  may be operative to detect various environmental attributes of the current environment of system  1  and to adjust various physical system attributes of system  1  based on the detected environmental attributes before or while a sound wave emitting subassembly of electronic device  100  emits sound waves into the environment of system  1 , where such physical system attribute adjustment may enhance the experience of a system user listening to the emitted sound waves (e.g., by comparing actual environmental attributes with desired listening attributes of data  95  to reduce the error therebetween for achieving and maintaining a desired output condition). In the case of multiple users, as shown in  FIG. 2 , adjustments may be made to enhance the experience of each user (e.g., an adjustment of component  112   b  may be made to enhance the experience of user U 2  while adjustment of component  112   a  may be made to enhance the experience of user U 1 ). 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an illustrative process  500  for enhancing a listening experience of a user of an electronic device. At operation  502  of process  500 , sound waves may be emitted waves from an audio output component of the electronic device using audio data electrical signals. At operation  504  of process  500 , the electronic device may detect environmental attribute data indicative of an environmental attribute of an environment of the electronic device. At operation  506  of process  500 , a physical attribute of the electronic device may be adjusted using the physical attribute adjustment data, wherein the physical attribute of the electronic device includes at least one of the following: an orientation of the audio output component with respect to the environment; a position of a sound wave reflecting component with respect to the audio output component; a geometry of a sound wave passageway for the emitted sound waves; and a tautness of a membrane of the audio output component. 
     It is understood that the operations shown in process  500  of  FIG. 5  are only illustrative and that existing operations may be modified or omitted, additional operations may be added, and/or the order of certain operations may be altered. 
     Moreover, the processes described with respect to  FIGS. 1-5 , as well as any other aspects of the disclosure, may each be implemented by software, but may also be implemented in hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. They each may also be embodied as computer-readable code recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may be any data storage device that can store data or instructions which can thereafter be read by a computer system. Examples of the computer-readable medium may include, but are not limited to, read-only memory, random-access memory, flash memory, CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnetic tape, and optical data storage devices (e.g., memory  104  and/or memory  204  of  FIG. 1 ). The computer-readable medium can also be distributed over network-coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. For example, the computer-readable medium may be communicated from one electronic device to another electronic device using any suitable communications protocol (e.g., the computer-readable medium may be communicated to electronic device  100  via communications component  106 ). The computer-readable medium may embody computer-readable code, instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and may include any information delivery media. A modulated data signal may be a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. 
     It is to be understood that program modules and/or various processes or operations of system  1  may be provided as a software construct, firmware construct, one or more hardware components, or a combination thereof. For example, various processes or operations or modules of system  1  may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, that may be executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, a program module may include one or more routines, programs, objects, components, and/or data structures that may perform one or more particular tasks or that may implement one or more particular abstract data types. It is also to be understood that the number, configuration, functionality, and interconnection of the modules are merely illustrative, and that the number, configuration, functionality, and interconnection of existing modules may be modified or omitted, additional modules may be added, and the interconnection of certain modules may be altered. 
     At least a portion of one or more of the processes or operations or modules of system  201  may be stored in or otherwise accessible to device  100  in any suitable manner (e.g., in memory  104  of device  100  or via communications component  106  of device  100  and/or in memory  204  of device  200  or via communications component  206  of device  200 ). Each module of system  201  may be implemented using any suitable technologies (e.g., as one or more integrated circuit devices), and different modules may or may not be identical in structure, capabilities, and operation. Any or all of the processes or operations or modules or other components of system  201  may be mounted on an expansion card, mounted directly on a system motherboard, or integrated into a system chipset component (e.g., into a “north bridge” chip). System  201  may include any amount of dedicated sound processing memory. 
     Many alterations and modifications of the preferred embodiments will no doubt become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art after having read the foregoing description, it is to be understood that the particular embodiments shown and described by way of illustration are in no way intended to be considered limiting. Thus, references to the details of the described embodiments are not intended to limit their scope. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. It is also to be understood that various directional and orientational terms, such as “up” and “down,” “front” and “back,” “exterior” and “interior,” “top” and “bottom” and “side,” “length” and “width” and “depth,” “thickness” and “diameter” and “cross-section” and “longitudinal,” “X-” and “Y-” and “Z-,” and the like may be used herein only for convenience, and that no fixed or absolute directional or orientational limitations are intended by the use of these words.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20190315
Publication Date: 20200804
Grant Date: 20200804
Priority Date: 20160923
Inventors: WANG, PAUL X.
MARIC, IVAN S.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04R1/345", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2460/07", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/2803", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R29/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/1091", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/345", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R3/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/2803", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R29/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2460/07", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R3/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2460/07", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/2803", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R3/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R29/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/345", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/1091", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 65722157