Data searching using spatial auditory cues

Abstract

Spatial auditory cues are produced while a user searches a database for stored information. The spatial auditory cues assist the user in quickly locating stored information by producing sounds that are perceived at specific physical locations in space around the user as the search proceeds. Each location may be associated with different information. Thus, using the techniques disclosed herein, a user can more easily recall stored information by remembering the locations of sound produced by particular spatial auditory cues. The spatial auditory cues may be used in conjunction with a visual search interface. A method of producing auditory cues includes receiving a search action at a user interface included in a device, translating the search action into a spatial auditory cue corresponding to a specific location within a space, and rendering the spatial auditory cue as an audio output signal.

1 . A method comprising:
 dividing an auditory space relative to a listener of a device into two or more distinct locations, according to type of information of a database item; and   rendering a spatial auditory cue associated with the type of information of the database item, such that to the listener the spatial auditory cue emanates from one of the two or more distinct locations.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of information is a category associated with the database item. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of information is a relatives category. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of information is a classmates category. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of information is a genre. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of information is an editable label on the database item. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one spatial auditory cue is a tag point. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein two or more distinct locations that span a physical space is a spatial region. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is horizontal to the listener of the device is a horizontal spatial region. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the horizontal spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is vertical to the listener of the device is a vertical spatial region. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the vertical spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is off-axis to the listener of the device is an off-axis spatial region. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the off-axis spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of information is browsed in a list in an initial spatial region. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising browsing in a different spatial region. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database item is a song. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rendering the spatial auditory cue is a result of scrolling through a list comprising the type of information. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a memory configured to store database items; and   a processor configured to divide an auditory space relative to a listener of the apparatus into two or more distinct locations according to type of information of the database items, and render a spatial auditory cue associated with the type of information of the database items, such that to the listener the spatial auditory cue emanates from one of the two or more distinct locations.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the type of information is a category associated with the database items. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the type of information is a relatives category. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the type of information is a classmates category. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the type of information is a genre. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the type of information is an editable label on the database items. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein at least one spatial auditory cue is a tag point. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein two or more distinct locations that span a physical space is a spatial region. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is horizontal to the listener of the apparatus is a horizontal spatial region. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the horizontal spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is vertical to the listener of the apparatus is a vertical spatial region. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the vertical spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is off-axis to the listener of the apparatus is an off-axis spatial region. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the off-axis spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the processor is configured to browse the type of information in a list in an initial spatial region. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the processor is configured to browse the type of information in a list in a different spatial region. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the database item is a song. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the processor is configured to render the spatial auditory cue as a result of scrolling through a list comprising the type of information. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for dividing an auditory space relative to a listener of the apparatus into two or more distinct locations, according to type of information of a database item; and   means for rendering a spatial auditory cue associated with the type of information of the database item, such that to the listener the spatial auditory cue emanates from one of the two or more distinct locations.   
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the type of information is a category associated with the database items. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the type of information is a relatives category. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the type of information is a classmates category. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the type of information is a genre. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the type of information is an editable label on the database items. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein at least one spatial auditory cue is a tag point. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein two or more distinct locations that span a physical space is a spatial region. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is horizontal to the listener of the apparatus is a horizontal spatial region. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the horizontal spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is vertical to the listener of the apparatus is a vertical spatial region. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the vertical spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is off-axis to the listener of the apparatus is an off-axis spatial region. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the off-axis spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the processor is configured to browse the type of information in a list in an initial spatial region. 
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein the processor is configured to browse the type of information in a list in a different spatial region. 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the database item is a song. 
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the processor is configured to render the spatial auditory cue as a result of scrolling through a list comprising the type of information. 
     
     
         55 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a ste of instructions executable by one or more processors, comprising:
 code to divide an auditory space relative to a listener of a device into two or more distinct locations, according to type of information of a database item; and   code to render a spatial auditory cue associated with the type of information of the database item, such that to the listener the spatial auditory cue emanates from one of the two or more distinct locations.   
     
     
         56 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein the type of information is a category associated with the database item. 
     
     
         57 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein the type of information is a relatives category. 
     
     
         58 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein the type of information is a classmates category. 
     
     
         59 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein the type of information is a genre. 
     
     
         60 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein the type of information is an editable label on the database item. 
     
     
         61 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein at least one spatial auditory cue is a tag point. 
     
     
         62 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein two or more distinct locations that span a physical space is a spatial region. 
     
     
         63 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is horizontal to the listener of the device is a horizontal spatial region. 
     
     
         64 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 63 , wherein the horizontal spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         65 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is vertical to the listener of the device is a vertical spatial region. 
     
     
         66 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 65 , wherein the vertical spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         67 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 65 , wherein a plurality of distinct locations that lie in a same plane that is off-axis to the listener of the device is an off-axis spatial region. 
     
     
         68 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 67 , wherein the off-axis spatial region spans less than three-hundred and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         69 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein the type of information is browsed in a list in an initial spatial region. 
     
     
         70 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 69 , further comprising browsing in a different spatial region. 
     
     
         71 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein the database item is a song. 
     
     
         72 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 55 , wherein rendering the spatial auditory cue is a result of scrolling through a list comprising the type of information.