Volume regulating and monitoring system

• US 20030002688A1
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Zadrozny, Wlodek W., Kanevsky, Dimitri, Basson, Sarah H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,003,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/041 Adaptation of stereophonic signal reproduction for the hearing impaired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/007 Protection circuits for transducers

Abstract

A volume controlling system and method for regulating the output volume of a headset in order to protect the hearing ability of a user. The system includes a volume sensor/controller for monitoring the volume output of the headset by adjusting the volume to be within a predetermined threshold. A warning indicator indicates to the user or a person monitoring the listening user that the volume is set too high. The method include the steps of comparing the received audio signal to the predetermined volume threshold and adjusting the volume accordingly. The method also includes the steps of notifying that the volume has been set at too high a level by providing a warning signal, such as an audible or visual alarm.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a volume output by a set of headphones to prevent harmful sound levels from damaging a user'"'"'s hearing, the system comprising:

a volume sensor/controller for determining sound levels from an audio source and comparing the predetermined sound levels to a volume threshold; and

a warning indicator for indicating that the determined sound level is outside the volume threshold.

2. A system for controlling volume output as described in claim 1, wherein the determined sound levels are represented as energy functions according to their respective frequencies.

3. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the volume sensor/controller comprises:

a volume calibrator for setting the volume threshold;

a volume/frequency measurement sensor for representing the determined sound levels as energy functions; and

a comparator for comparing the determined sound levels with the volume threshold and notifying the warning indicator that the volume threshold has been exceeded.

4. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the warning indicator is fixed to the headphones for indicating when the volume threshold has been exceeded.

5. A system as described in claim 4, wherein the warning indicator comprises a plurality of LED'"'"'s.

6. A system as described in claim 4, wherein the warning indicator comprises an LCD.

7. A system as described in claim 4, wherein the warning indicator comprises an audio indicator.

8. A volume sensor/controller as described in claim 3, wherein the volume calibrator comprises:

a category selector allowing the user to select between different volume controlling settings matching different user characteristics; and

a category data base for storing the sound characteristics for the volume controlling settings.

9. A volume calibrator as described in claim 8, wherein the category data base comprises:

a default user setting;

an age dependent setting;

a listener type setting; and

a manually controlled setting.

10. A category data base as described in claim 9, wherein the listener type setting is configured for setting the volume for a user having a form of hearing loss.

11. A system for controlling a volume output by a set of headphones to prevent harmful sound levels from damaging a user'"'"'s hearing, the system comprising a volume sensor/controller for:

determining sound levels from an audio source;

comparing the determined sound levels to a volume threshold; and

adjusting the volume output of the headphones to a level below the volume threshold if said determined sound level is above the volume threshold.

12. A system for controlling volume output as described in claim 11, wherein the determined sound levels are represented as energy f unctions according to their respective frequencies.

13. A system as described in claim 11, wherein the volume sensor/controller comprises:

a volume calibrator for setting the volume threshold and a volume control mode;

a volume/frequency measurement sensor for representing the determined sound levels as energy functions;

a comparator for comparing the determined sound levels with the volume threshold; and

an active volume controller for controlling the output volume by adjusting the output volume accordingly in an automatic volume control mode.

14. A volume sensor/controller as described in claim 13, wherein the volume calibrator comprises:

a volume control mode selector allowing the user to select between an automatic or manual volume control mode;

a category selector allowing the user to select between different volume controlling settings matching different user characteristics; and

a category data base for storing the sound characteristics for the volume controlling settings.

15. A volume calibrator as described in claim 14, wherein the category data base comprises:

a default user setting;

an age dependent setting;

a listener type setting; and

a manually controlled setting.

16. A category data base as described in claim 15, wherein the listener type setting is configured for setting the volume for a user having a form of hearing loss.

17. A volume sensor/controller as described in claim 13, wherein the active volume controller comprises:

a volume adjuster for adjusting the volume according to the compared energy value; and

a notifier for notifying the warning system that an adjustment was necessary.

19. A warning system as described in claim 18, wherein the warning indicator is provided by a PC.

20. A warning system as described in claim 19, wherein the PC includes a database for storing a user'"'"'s listening history.

21. A warning system as described in claim 18, wherein the warning indicator is provided on a remote hand held device.

22. A system as described in claim 18, further comprising wireless connection hardware for wirelessly connecting the headphones and the audio source.

24. A method as described in claim 23, further comprising sending a warning signal to a warning indicator when the audio signals are determined to be above the volume threshold.

25. A method of sending a warning signal as described in claim 24, wherein the warning signal is sent via a network.

26. A method as described in claim 24, further comprising storing each occurrence of sending the warning signal in a database.

18. A system for controlling a volume output to prevent harmful sound levels from damaging a user'"'"'s hearing, the system comprising:

a set of headphones;

a volume sensor/controller for determining a sound level corresponding to an audio source and comparing the sound level to a volume threshold; and

a warning indicator remote from the headphones, in communication with the volume sensor/controller, for indicating that the determined sound level is above the volume threshold.

23. A method for controlling a volume output of a set of headphones to prevent harmful sound levels from damaging a user hearing, the method comprising:

setting a volume threshold;

receiving audio signals from an audio source;

comparing the audio signals to the volume threshold; and

adjusting a volume output of the compared audio signal to be within the volume threshold.