Methods and devices for creating and modifying sound profiles for audio reproduction devices

Abstract

Method and devices for processing signals based on sound and haptic profiles are provided. A reproduction device can request a sound profile or haptic profile based on user information, device information, media metadata or a combination. The sound or haptic profiles can be customized and shared across multiple devices. User interfaces allow for the input of information that allows the reproduction device or a server in the cloud to select, modify, store, and analyze sound profiles. Deeper analysis allows for the improvement of sound and haptic profiles for individuals and groups. Intensity scoring of a music library can also be conducted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of utilizing sound profiles to enhance audio reproduction, comprising the steps of:
 receiving a submitted sound profile from a submitting user, the submitted sound profile comprising a submitting identifier, submitting device information, and the submitting user's preselected reproduction parameters for modifying the reproduction of audio data;   storing the submitted sound profile in a database with other sound profiles according to the submitting identifier, the submitting device information, and the submitting user's preselected reproduction parameters for modifying the reproduction of audio data;   receiving a request for a sound profile from a requesting user, the request comprising request information;   wherein the request information comprises a requesting identifier and requesting device information;   wherein the requesting user is different than the submitting user;   searching the database for a sound profile based on the request information;   selecting the submitted sound profile according to the request information;   serving the selected sound profile to a transmitter; and   transmitting the modified selected sound profile to the requesting user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing the selected sound profile to any other sound profiles in the database previously submitted by the requesting user;   modifying the selected sound profile's preselected reproduction parameters for modifying the reproduction of audio data to more closely match a reproduction parameter in the any other sound profiles previously submitted by the requesting user contained in the database; and   wherein the serving the selected sound profile comprises serving the modified selected sound profile.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the submitted sound profile further comprises matching reproduction parameters of the requesting user to reproduction parameters of the submitting user for a genre or song that is different than the requesting device information or the submitting device information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the submitting identifier comprises the submitted genre of audio to which the submitted sound profile applies, the requesting identifier comprises a requested genre that is the same as in the submitted genre, and the selecting of the submitted sound profile is due to the requesting genre matching the submitted genre. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the submitting identifier comprises submitted song identification information to which the submitted sound profile applies, the requesting identifier comprises a requested song identification information that is the same as in the submitted song identification information, and the selecting of the submitted sound profile is based on the requesting song identifier matching the submitted song identifier. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the submitting identifier comprises submitted geographic identification information to which the submitted sound profile applies, the requesting identifier comprises a requested geographic information that is the same as in the submitted geographic information, and the selecting of the submitted sound profile is based on requesting the geographic information matching the submitted geographic information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the submitting identifier comprises submitted demographic identification information to which the submitted sound profile applies, the requesting identifier comprises a requested demographic information that is the same as in the submitted demographic information, and the selecting of the submitted sound profile is based on requesting the demographic information matching the submitted demographic information. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the submitted demographic information further comprises information about the submitting user's generational cohort, and the demographic information about the requesting user comprises information about the requesting user's generational cohort. 
     
     
         9 . A method of enhancing audio reproduction for a population of users through the use of sound profiles, comprising the steps of:
 maintaining a database of users in a computer system;   wherein the database comprises user identifications and user reproduction parameter associated with the user identifications;   maintaining a preselected collection of default sound profiles;   wherein each default sound profile in the collection of default sound profiles contains audio identifying information and preselected reproduction parameters for modifying the reproduction of audio data;   receiving a new user reproduction request from a new requesting user, the new user reproduction request comprising new user audio identifying information and new user device information, wherein the new user device information comprises a new user identification;   using the new user requesting audio identifying information to search the preselected collection of default sound profiles;   selecting a default sound profile form the preselected collection of default sound profiles whose audio identifying information most closely match the new user audio identifying information;   modifying the selected default sound profile's preselected reproduction parameters for modifying the reproduction of audio data based on the new user device information;   transmitting the modified selected default sound profile to the new requesting user; and   storing the new user identification, new user audio identifying information, and the modified selected default sound profile to the database of users.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the audio identifying information comprises the identity of a specific song. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the audio information comprises a sample of the audio to be reproduced. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the audio information comprises an intensity score. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 maintaining a library of audio files, wherein the library comprises the audio files and audio identifying information associated with the audio files;   using the new user requesting audio identifying information to search the library of audio files and select an audio file whose associated audio identifying information corresponds to the new user requesting audio identifying information;   serving the audio file corresponding to the new user requesting audio identifying information to the transmitter with the modified selected sound profile; and   transmitting the audio file corresponding to the new user requesting audio identifying information to the transmitter.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising transmitting additional audio files that correspond to the audio identifying information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the transmitting of the audio file corresponding to the audio identifying information to the requesting user occurs in a streaming fashion. 
     
     
         16 . A method of utilizing haptic profiles to enhance reproduction, comprising the steps of:
 receiving a submitted haptic profile from a submitting user, the submitted haptic profile comprising a submitting identifier, submitting device information, and the submitting user's preselected haptic reproduction parameter for modifying a haptic reproduction;   storing the submitted haptic profile in a database with other haptic profiles according to the submitting identifier, the submitting device information, and the submitting user's preselected haptic reproduction parameter for modifying the haptic reproduction;   receiving a request for a haptic profile from a requesting user, the request comprising request information;   wherein the request information comprises a requesting identifier and requesting device information;   wherein the requesting user is different than the submitting user;   searching the database for a haptic profile based on the request information;   selecting the submitted haptic profile according to the request information;   comparing the selected haptic profile to any other haptic profiles in the database previously submitted by the requesting user;   modifying the selected haptic profile's preselected haptic reproduction parameters for modifying the haptic reproduction to more closely match a haptic reproduction parameter in the any other haptic profiles previously submitted by the requesting user contained in the database;   serving the selected haptic profile to a transmitter; and   transmitting the modified selected haptic profile to the requesting user.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing the selected haptic profile to any other haptic profiles in the database previously submitted by the requesting user;   modifying the selected haptic profile's preselected haptic reproduction parameters for modifying the haptic reproduction to more closely match a haptic reproduction parameter in the any other haptic profiles previously submitted by the requesting user contained in the database; and   wherein the serving the selected haptic profile comprises serving the modified selected haptic profile.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the any other haptic profiles in the database is a null set. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the submitting user's preselected haptic reproduction parameter for modifying a haptic reproduction is a gain parameter. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the submitting identifier comprises submitted demographic identification information to which the submitted haptic profile applies, the requesting identifier comprises a requested demographic information that is the same as in the submitted demographic information, and the selecting of the submitted haptic profile is due to requesting the demographic information matching the submitted demographic information.