Content Audio Adjustment

{
  "publication_number": "US2019372541A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Content Audio Adjustment",
  "abstract": "Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for optimizing user content consuming experience by recognizing and classifying different sounds while a user views a program. The system may have or may access information related to the program audio being presented, enabling it to distinguish between conversations occurring in the program audio and conversations between users in the viewing environment. The system may turn the program volume down on one or more sound producing devices if it detects a conversation. The system may turn the program volume up if it detects an interrupting noise. The system may also adjust the program content based on locations of various objects within the listening or viewing environment, and types of users in the environment.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method comprising: determining, by a computing device, content audio being sent to a speaker device for output in a user environment; detecting, via one or more microphones of a microphone array, environment audio from the user environment; determining filtered environment audio by filtering the environment audio to remove at least some of the determined content audio that is being sent to the speaker device for output in the user environment; and adjusting, based on the filtered environment audio, output of the content audio by the speaker device. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting output of the content audio comprises adjusting, based on a determination that a conversation is occurring between at least one person within the user environment and another person, a volume level of the content audio. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting output of the content audio comprises pausing the content audio based on a determination that a conversation is occurring between at least one person within the user environment and another person. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, based on the filtered environment audio, that a conversation is occurring between at least one person within the user environment and another person; and determining a location of the at least one person within the user environment, wherein the adjusting the output of the content audio is further based on the location of the at least one person. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, based on the environment audio, one or more locations where the content audio is output, wherein the adjusting the output of the content audio is further based on the one or more locations where the content audio is output, and wherein the adjusting the output of the content audio comprises lowering a volume level of the content audio. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting the output of the content audio comprises reducing a first volume level of the content audio on a speaker that is within a predetermined distance from a location of at least one person engaged in a conversation within the user environment, and increasing a second volume level of the content audio on a speaker that is outside of the predetermined distance from the location of the at least one person. 7. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting the volume level of the content audio is based on a volume level of the conversation. 8. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting the volume level of the content audio comprises adjusting a volume level of a hearing aid that is communicatively coupled with an output source of the content audio. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the computing device, user settings that indicate how a person prefers audio to be adjusted based on: an interfering noise type; a distance between the person and the interfering noise; and a type of content being output in the user environment; and determining, based on sounds made by the person, a location of the person within the user environment, wherein the adjusting the output of the content audio is based on the location of the person and the user settings. 10. A method implemented by one or more computing devices, comprising: receiving user settings that indicate how a person prefers audio to be adjusted based on a distance between the person and a source of an interfering noise; determining a location of a first audio output device in an environment; determining a threshold distance corresponding to the first audio output device; determining that the source of the interfering noise is within the threshold distance of the first audio output device; and based on the determining that the source of the interfering noise is within the threshold distance of the first audio output device, adjusting a volume level of the first audio output device, wherein the adjusting is further based on the user settings. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving information indicating expected content audio; receiving, via one or more microphones, environment audio; and determining the interfering noise based on the expected content audio and the environment audio. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the volume level of the first audio output device is further based on a location of a viewer watching a program in the environment. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the volume level of the first audio output device is further based on determining that a distance between a source of the interfering noise and a viewer satisfies a second threshold distance associated with the viewer. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the volume level of the first audio output device is further based on a volume level of the interfering noise. 15. The method of claim 10, further comprising: increasing a volume level of a second audio output device based on a location of the source of the interfering noise, a location of a viewer, and a location of the second audio output device, wherein the adjusting the volume level of the first audio output device comprises adjusting downwardly the volume level of the first audio output device based on the location of the source of the interfering noise, the location of the viewer, and the location of the first audio output device. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein a distance between the second audio output device and the source of the interfering noise satisfies a second threshold distance; and wherein a distance between the second audio output device and the viewer satisfies a third threshold distance. 17. The method of claim 11, further comprising: determining, based on a conversation identified within the environment audio, an age of a viewer within the environment, wherein the adjusting the volume level of the first audio output device is further based on the age of the viewer. 18. The method of claim 11, further comprising: determining, based on a comparison between the environment audio and the expected content audio, that a volume level of a conversation output from the first audio output device is below a threshold volume level; and wherein the adjusting the volume level of the first audio output device comprises adjusting the volume level of the first audio output device based on the determining that the volume level of the conversation output from the first audio output device is below the threshold volume level. 19 - 22. (canceled) 23. A method comprising: receiving by a computing device and from one or more microphones, combined audio, wherein the combined audio comprises: content audio being output by a speaker device in a user environment; and non-content audio corresponding to the user environment; and adjusting, based on a comparison of the combined audio with a volume threshold, volume or closed captioning corresponding to the content audio. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the comparison indicates that the content audio is below the volume threshold, and wherein adjusting comprises turning on closed captioning. 25. The method of claim 23, wherein the comparison indicates that the combined audio is below the volume threshold, and wherein adjusting comprises increasing a volume of the content audio."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Trying to watch an audiovisual program in a noisy environment (e.g., if others are in the room having a conversation) can be challenging as the viewer attempts to hear the program's audio over the conversation. Similarly, those having the conversation may also be bothered by the audio of the program. In such a situation, the program viewer and the conversants may all be resigned to having a less-than-optimal experience.\n\nThe following summary presents a simplified summary of certain features. The summary is not an extensive overview and is not intended to identify key or critical elements.\n\nA computing system may automatically adjust the volume of one or more sound generating devices, such as speakers in a room, for example, by increasing the volume of speakers near a person who is trying to watch an audiovisual program, and/or decreasing the volume of speakers near persons who are trying to have a conversation. A listening device comprising a microphone array may be present in the room in which a user is viewing a program. The listening device may have access to information about the program (e.g, audiovisual content) the user is viewing, such as the program's expected audio. The listening device may use the expected audio from the program and detected audio from the microphone to determine when a conversation is occurring between the user in the room and another person, as opposed to a conversation that is occurring within the program. The listening device may also determine the location of users and objects within the room based on the sounds they make.",
  "cpc": [
    "H03G 3/32",
    "G01S 19/14",
    "G01S 2205/02",
    "G01S 5/02",
    "G01S 5/16",
    "G01S 5/18",
    "G10L 2021/02166",
    "G10L 21/0208",
    "G10L 21/0316",
    "G10L 21/034",
    "G10L 25/48",
    "G10L 25/78",
    "H03G 3/3089",
    "H04R 2201/405",
    "H04R 2227/001",
    "H04R 2430/01",
    "H04R 3/005",
    "H04R 5/04"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G10L 21/0316",
    "G10L 25/78",
    "H03G 3/32",
    "H04R 5/04",
    "G10L 21/0216"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Comcast Cable Communications LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Sarah Friant",
    "Colleen Szymanik",
    "Myra Einstein"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-05-31",
  "publication_date": "2019-12-05",
  "priority_date": "2018-05-31",
  "application_number": "US-201815994085-A",
  "family_id": "68692472",
  "cited_by_count": 33,
  "citations": [
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    "US20140176813A1",
    "US9119009B1",
    "US20150104026A1",
    "US20150137998A1"
  ]
}