Smart way of controlling car audio system

• US 10,182,138 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Motika, Goutam, Rai, Keemat, Raja, Rajasekar, Mylavaram, Adiseshu
• Primary Examiner(s): Perez, Julio R
• Application Number:
  US14/991,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20170201610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for device control are provided. The apparatus determines that a user equipment (UE) connected to the apparatus receives a call. The apparatus determines a location of the UE. The apparatus adjusts a volume of at least one of a plurality of speakers based on the location of the UE and locations of the plurality of speakers while the UE receives the call.

Claims

1. A method of device control by an apparatus, comprising:

determining that a user equipment (UE) connected to the apparatus receives a call;

determining a location of the UE;

determining another UE connected to the apparatus is connected to a headphone; and

reducing a volume of at least one of a plurality of speakers closest to the location of the UE based on the determining the another UE is connected to the headphone while the UE receives the call.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the volume of the at least one of the plurality of speakers closest to the location of the UE is reduced to a second level when the another UE is unconnected to the headphone, the second level being different from a first level to which the volume of the at least one of the plurality of speakers closest to the location of the UE is reduced when the another UE is connected to the headphone.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, when determining that the another UE is unconnected to the headphone:

determining the location of the another UE; and

adjusting another volume of another speaker of the plurality of speakers based on the location of the another UE, wherein the volume of the at least one of the plurality of speakers is differently adjusted than the another volume of the another speaker.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the UE is a location relative to the locations of the plurality of speakers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the UE is determined based on detection of a wireless tag of the UE, the detection of the wireless tag indicating a specific location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the volume comprises:

reducing a volume of at least one of the plurality of speakers that does not correspond to the location of the another UE; and

maintaining a volume of at least another one of the plurality of speakers that corresponds to a location of the another UE.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating at least one of a plurality of microphones based on the location of the UE and locations of the plurality of microphones while the UE receives the call.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a notification indicating that the UE connected to the apparatus is receiving a call.

9. An apparatus for device control, comprising:

means for determining that a user equipment (UE) connected to the apparatus receives a call;

means for determining a location of the UE;

means for determining another UE connected to the apparatus is connected to a headphone; and

means for reducing a volume of at least one of a plurality of speakers closest to the location of the UE based on the determining the another UE is connected to the headphone while the UE receives the call.

10. The apparatus of claim 9,

wherein the volume of the at least one of the plurality of speakers closest to the location of the UE is reduced to a second level when the another UE is unconnected to the headphone, the second level being different from a first level to which the volume of the at least one of the plurality of speakers closest to the location of the UE is reduced when the another UE is connected to the headphone.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

means for determining the location of the another UE when the another UE is unconnected to the headphone; and

means for adjusting another volume of another speaker of the plurality of speakers based on the location of the another UE when the another UE unconnected to the headphone, wherein the volume of the at least one of the plurality of speakers is differently adjusted than the another volume of the another speaker.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the location of the UE is a location relative to the locations of the plurality of speakers.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the location of the UE is determined based on detection of a wireless tag of the UE, the detection of the wireless tag indicating a specific location.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for adjusting the volume is configured to;

reduce a volume of at least one of the plurality of speakers that does not correspond to the location of the another UE; and

maintain a volume of at least another one of the plurality of speakers that corresponds to the location of the another UE.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

means for activating at least one of a plurality of microphones based on the location of the UE and locations of the plurality of microphones while the UE receives the call.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

means for providing a notification indicating that the UE connected to the apparatus is receiving a call.

17. An apparatus for device control, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

determine that a user equipment (UE) connected to the apparatus receives a call;

determine a location of the UE;

determine another UE connected to the apparatus is connected to a headphone; and

reduce a volume of at least one of a plurality of speakers closest to a location of the UE based on the determination that the another UE is connected to the phone while the UE receives the call.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the volume of the at least one of the plurality of speakers closest to the location of the UE is reduced to a second level when the another UE is unconnected to the headphone, the second level being different from a first level to which the volume of the at least one of the plurality of speakers closest to the location of the UE is reduced when the another UE is connected to the headphone.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine the location of the another UE when the another UE is unconnected to the headphone; and

adjust another volume of another speaker of the plurality of speakers based on the location of the another UE when the another UE is unconnected to the headphone, wherein the volume of the at least one of the plurality of speakers is differently adjusted than the another volume of the another speaker.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the location of the UE is a location relative to the locations of the plurality of speakers.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor configured to adjust the volume is configured to:

reduce a volume of at least one of the plurality of speakers that does not correspond to the location of the another UE; and

maintain a volume of at least another one of the plurality of speakers that corresponds to the location of the another UE.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

activate at least one of a plurality of microphones based on the location of the UE and locations of the plurality of microphones while the UE receives the call.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

provide a notification indicating that the UE connected to the apparatus is receiving a call.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for device control by an apparatus, comprising code to:

determine that a user equipment (UE) connected to the apparatus receives a call;

determine a location of the UE;

determine another UE connected to the apparatus is connected to a headphone; and

reduce a volume of at least one of a plurality of speakers closest to the location of the UE based on the determination that the another UE is connected to the headphone while the UE receives the call.