AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICE
FIG3 is a plan view showing example outputs of the audio output device of FIG1
FIG3 is a plan view, indicated generally by the reference numeral 20, showing example outputs of the audio output device 1. The plan view 20 includes the first to sixth loudspeakers directional 2 to 7 described above and the various audio outputs direction described above. As shown in the plan view 20, the first loudspeaker 2 provides an audio output in a reference direction. In the example of FIG3, the audio output in the reference direction is a first song (song N, as labelled in FIG3). Further, as shown in FIG3, a second song (song N+1) is provided in the 45 degree direction, a third song (song N+2) is provided in the 90 degree direction, a fourth song (song N+3) is provided in the 135 degree direction and a fifth song (song N+4) is provided in the 180 degree direction. Furthermore, a sixth song (song N-1) is provided in the 315 degree direction, a seventh song (song N-2) is provided in the 270 degree direction and an eighth song (song N-3) is provided in the 225 degree direction. Of course, the audio outputs shown in FIG3 are examples only. The eight songs shown in FIG3 may form part of a playlist of songs, with different songs being output in different directions. In one example embodiment, the first song (song N) is played louder than the other songs. The other songs may all be played at a similar volume or may themselves be output at different volumes. For example, the volume at which a song is output may be dependent on the angle between the reference direction and the direction in which the song is output (such that, for example, the songs N+3 and N-3 are played more quietly than the songs N+2 and N-2, with the songs N+2 and N-2 being played more quietly than the songs N+1 and N-1).
plan view
30
audio output device
38
first input means
4
third loudspeaker
20
plan view
40
second input means
3
second loudspeaker
32
sixth loudspeakers
['1. An apparatus comprising: means for controlling a plurality of audio outputs of a multi-directional audio output device; means for receiving a first user input for indicating a first direction, wherein based, at least in part, on the first user input, a first one of the plurality of audio outputs is configured to be output in the first direction and is defined as a first audio output; and means for receiving a second user input for indicating a change in an audio setup of the multi-directional audio output device.']