Adjusting volume settings based on proximity and activity data

• US 10,048,929 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: VanBlon, Russell Speight, Mese, John Carl, Peterson, Nathan J., Weksler, Arnold S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US15/080,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20170277506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for adjusting volume settings based on proximity and activity data. A proximity module determines a proximity to an information handling device in response to detecting the information handling device. An activity module receives context data from the information handling device. The context data describes an activity state of a user of the information handling device. A volume module adjusts a volume setting as a function of the proximity to the information handling device and the activity state of the user.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first information handling device, the first information handling device comprising a mobile device;

a processor of the first information handling device;

a memory that stores code executable by the processor to;

determine a proximity of the first information handling device to a second information handling device in response to detecting the second information handling device, the second information handling device comprising a mobile device;

receive context data from the second information handling device, the context data comprising biometric data for a user of the second information handling device, the biometric data indicating an activity state of the user; and

adjust a volume setting of the first information handling device as a function of the proximity of the first information handling device to the second information handling device and the activity state of the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to determine, from the context data received from the second information handling device, whether the user'"'"'s activity state is a quiet state, the context data further comprising one or more of calendar data and location data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the code adjusts the volume setting of the first information handling device by decreasing a volume level below a predetermined volume level in response to determining that the user'"'"'s activity state is a quiet state.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the predetermined volume level is determined according to the determined proximity of the first information handling device to the second information handling device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to connect the first information handling device to the second information handling device using a short-range wireless communication protocol, the short-range wireless communication protocol selected from the group consisting of a Bluetooth®

protocol, a near field communication (“

NFC”

) protocol, an infrared protocol, and a Wi-Fi protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to:

determine a different proximity of the first information handling device to the second information handling device in response to detecting a change in the determined proximity; and

adjust the volume setting of the first information handling device as a function of the different proximity.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to:

receive different context data at the first information handling device from the second information handling device in response to determining a change in the activity state of the user of the second information handling device; and

adjust the volume setting of the first information handling device as a function of the user'"'"'s changed activity state.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to adjust the volume setting of the first information handling device in response to one of determining the proximity of the first information handling device to the second information handling device and detecting an event that generates an audible sound.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to adjust the volume setting of the first information handling device in response to determining the second information handling device is an authorized information handling device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to notify a user of the first information handling device that the volume setting has been changed in response to the volume setting being adjusted.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity of the first information handling device to the second information handling device is determined using one or more sensors, the one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of a Bluetooth®

communication sensor, a signal strength sensor, a location sensor, an altimeter, and a proximity sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second information handling device is selected from the group consisting of a wearable activity tracker, a smart phone, and a tablet computer.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the volume setting of the first information handling device is associated with one or more of a speakerphone volume, a notification volume, a ringer volume, a music volume, a video volume, a game volume, and a voice response volume.

14. A method comprising:

determining, by use of a processor, a proximity of a first information handling device to a second information handling device in response to detecting the second information handling device, the first and second information handling devices comprising a mobile devices;

receiving context data from the second information handling device, the context data comprising biometric data for a user of the second information handling device, the biometric data indicating an activity state of the user; and

adjusting a volume setting of the first information handling device as a function of the proximity of the first information handling device to the second information handling device and the activity state of the user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining, from the context data received from the second information handling device, whether the user'"'"'s activity state is a quiet state, the context data further comprising one or more of calendar data and location data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the volume setting of the first information handling device is adjusted by decreasing a volume level below a predetermined volume level in response to determining that the user'"'"'s activity state is a quiet state, the predetermined volume level being determined according to the determined proximity of the first information handling device to the second information handling device.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a different proximity of the first information handling device to the second information handling device in response to detecting a change in the determined proximity; and

adjusting the volume setting of the first information handling device as a function of the different proximity.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving different context data at the first information handling device from the second information handling device in response to determining a change in the activity state of the user of the second information handling device; and

adjusting the volume setting of the first information handling device as a function of the user'"'"'s changed activity state.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising resetting the volume setting of the first information handling device to a previous volume setting in response to determining one or more of the second information handling device is outside of a communication proximity of the first information handling device and the user'"'"'s activity state is not a quiet state.

20. A program product comprising a computer readable storage medium that is not a transitory signal that stores code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to perform:

determining a proximity of a first information handling device to a second information handling device in response to detecting the second information handling device, the first and second information handling devices comprising mobile devices;

receiving context data from the second information handling device, the context data comprising biometric data for a user of the second information handling device, the biometric data indicating an activity state of the user; and

adjusting a volume setting of the first information handling device as a function of the proximity of the first information handling device to the second information handling device and the activity state of the user.