Audio system with parental maximum volume control

• US 10,120,640 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayes, Jr., Kenneth Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Jamal, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US15/360,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20170075651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 381104, 381107, 381109, 381302
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 11/00 Limiting amplitude; Limiting rate of change of amplitude ; Clipping in general
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/02 Manually-operated control H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence

Abstract

A user interface (104) of an audio system (100) enables adjustment of a volume level of an audio signal being reproduced on at least a portion of the audio system to a desired maximum volume level. The user interface further enables the desired maximum volume level to be selected as a set maximum volume level. A processor (102) electrically interconnected with the user interface limits the volume at which audio programs are reproduced on at least a portion of the audio system to said set maximum volume level. An audio signal is generated, a volume level of the audio signal is adjusted to a desired maximum volume level in response to a user input, and the desired maximum volume level is established as a set maximum volume level for audio programs played on at least a portion of the audio system (100).

Claims

1. An audio system, comprising:

means for adjusting in response to a user input a volume level of an audio signal to a desired maximum volume level;

means for generating the audio signal corresponding to the volume level during the adjustment of the volume level to the desired maximum volume level;

means for establishing, before the adjustment, a default maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for audio programs played on at least a portion of the audio system, the default maximum volume not exceeding a midrange of capabilities of the audio system; and

means for establishing, after the adjustment, the desired maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for audio programs played on at least said portion of the audio system, the desired maximum volume level not exceeding the midrange of capabilities of the audio system.

2. The audio system recited in claim 1, wherein the adjusting means comprises a user interface including a keypad disposed in a rear seat of a vehicle.

3. The audio system recited in claim 1, comprising a display that is adapted to provide a visual indication of at least one of the set maximum volume level and a current volume level.

20. The audio system recited in claim 1, wherein the default maximum volume level is in the midrange of capabilities of the audio system.

4. An audio system, comprising:

means for adjusting a volume level of an audio signal to a desired maximum volume level;

means for generating an audio signal corresponding to the volume level during the adjustment of the volume level to the desired maximum volume level; and

means for establishing;

before the adjustment, a default maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for audio programs played on at least a portion of the audio system, the default maximum volume level being less than a highest volume level that the audio system is capable of; and

after the adjustment, the desired maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for audio programs played on at least said portion of the audio system.

5. The audio system recited in claim 4, wherein the means for generating the audio signal comprises means for generating an audio tone.

6. The audio system recited in claim 4, wherein the system is adapted to allow the set maximum volume level to be established only in response to the entrance of a predetermined authorization code.

7. The audio system recited in claim 4, comprising a set of headphones adapted to play audio programs subject to the desired maximum volume level.

8. The audio system recited in claim 7, wherein the set of headphones is adapted to connect to the audio system via a wired communication link.

9. The audio system recited in claim 7, wherein the set of headphones is adapted to connect to the audio system via an infrared communication link.

10. The audio system recited in claim 4, wherein said establishing means comprises means for establishing:

before the adjustment, a default maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for reproduction of audio programs on a portion of the audio system, but not for reproduction of audio programs on a remainder of the audio system, the default maximum volume level being less than a highest volume level that the audio system is capable of; and

after the adjustment, the desired maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for reproduction of audio programs played on said portion of the audio system, but not for reproduction of audio programs on a remainder of the audio system, the audio system further comprising means for enabling a user to select said portion of the audio system for which said set maximum volume level is established.

11. The audio system recited in claim 4, wherein the adjusting means comprises a user interface including a keypad disposed in a rear seat of a vehicle.

12. A method of operating an operating system, the method comprising:

establishing a default maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for audio programs played on at least a portion of the audio system, the default maximum volume level being in a midrange of capabilities of the audio system;

adjusting, after the establishing step, a volume level of an audio signal to a desired maximum volume level;

generating the audio signal corresponding to the volume level during the adjustment of the volume level to the desired maximum volume level; and

setting, after the adjusting step, the desired maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for audio programs played on at least said portion of the audio system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the generated audio signal comprises an audible tone.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the set maximum volume level is allowed to be established only in response to entrance of a predetermined authorization code.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising the further step of providing a set of headphones adapted to play audio programs subject to the desired maximum volume level.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising the further step of connecting the set of headphones to the audio system via a wired communication link.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising the further step of connecting the set of headphones to the audio system via an infrared communication link.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the establishing step includes establishing the default maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for reproduction of audio programs on a portion of the audio system, but not for reproduction of audio programs on a remainder of the audio system, and the setting step includes setting, after the adjusting step, the desired maximum volume level as a set maximum volume level for reproduction of audio programs played on said portion of the audio system, but not for reproduction of audio programs on the remainder of the audio system, the method further comprising the step of enabling a user to select said portion of the audio system for which said set maximum volume level is established.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of providing a visual indication of at least one of the set maximum volume level and a current volume level.