Limiting the damaging effects of loud music from audio systems, particularly from automobile audio systems

• US 20040007916A1
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Burkes, Philip Bernard, Awada, Faisal M., Brown, Joe Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 6,895,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/165 Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence

Abstract

Minimizing the damaging effects of loud music but with minimal reduction in aesthetic quality of the music. When music presented through an audio is sampled in order to determine average frequency, music having very low average frequencies is predictably likely to be played louder than sampled music having higher average frequencies. This unexpected observation is based upon a human factor, i.e. rock and related music that is ordinarily composed and presented at relatively low frequencies, e.g. 500 to 1000 Hz is likely to be played on the audio system at very high volume because of the tastes of its listeners. An audio system for a data processor controlled presentation of music with a set up for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music comprising an implementation for predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented in combination with measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period. Then, based on the above recognition, there is provided a device for automatically limiting the music being presented to an audio volume below a predetermined level when said measured average frequency for said sampling period is below said minimum average frequency.

Claims

1. In an audio system for a data processor controlled presentation of music a set up for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music comprising:

means for predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented;

means for measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period; and

means for automatically limiting the music being presented to an audio volume below a predetermined level when said measured average frequency for said sampling period is below said minimum average frequency.

2. The audio system of claim 1 further including means enabling a user to selectively enable and disable said means for automatically limiting said volume.

3. An automobile having incorporated therein an audio system for a data processor controlled presentation of music a set up for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music comprising:

means for predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented;

means for measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period; and

means for automatically limiting the music being presented to an audio volume below a predetermined level when said measured average frequency for said sampling period is below said minimum average frequency.

4. The audio system of claim 3 further including means enabling a user to selectively enable and disable said means for automatically limiting said volume.

5. The audio system of claim 3 further including:

means for measuring subsequently presented music to determine whether said subsequently presented music is below said minimum average; and

means for unlimiting the audio volume of the subsequently presented music if said measured average frequency for said sampling period is no longer below said minimum average frequency.

6. The audio system of claim 4 wherein said minimum frequency is a selected frequency in the range of from 500 to 1000 Hz.

7. The audio system of claim 4 wherein said audio system includes a compact disc player, said music is recorded on a compact disc played in said player, said compact disc having an indication of said minimum average frequency for a sampling period.

8. The audio system of claim 6 wherein said means for limiting said audio volume limit said volume to a level providing less than 85 decibels.

9. A method for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music presented through a data processor controlled audio system comprising:

predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented;

measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period; and

automatically limiting the music being presented to an audio volume below a predetermined level when said measured average frequency for said sampling period is below said minimum average frequency.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of enabling a user to selectively enable and disable the step of automatically limiting said volume.

13. The method of claim 10 further including the steps of:

measuring subsequently presented music to determine whether said subsequently presented music is below said minimum average; and

unlimiting the audio volume of the subsequently presented music if said measured average frequency for said sampling period is no longer below said minimum average frequency.

11. A method for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music presented through a data processor controlled audio system in an automobile comprising:

predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented;

measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period; and

automatically limiting the music being presented to an audio volume below a predetermined level when said measured average frequency for said sampling period is below said minimum average frequency.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the step of enabling a user to selectively enable and disable the step of automatically limiting said volume.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said minimum frequency is a selected frequency in the range of from 500 to 1000 Hz.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said audio system includes a compact disc player, said music is recorded on a compact disc played in said player, and including the step of indicating said minimum average frequency for a sampling period in said compact disc.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of limiting said audio volume limits said volume to a level providing less than 85 decibels.

17. A computer program having code recorded on a computer readable medium for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music presented through a data processor controlled audio system comprising:

means for predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented;

means for measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period; and

means for automatically limiting the music being presented to an audio volume below a predetermined level when said measured average frequency for said sampling period is below said minimum average frequency.

18. The computer program of claim 17 further including means enabling a user to selectively enable and disable said means for automatically limiting said volume.

19. A computer program having code recorded on a computer readable medium for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music presented through a data processor controlled audio system in an automobile comprising:

means for predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented;

means for measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period; and

means for automatically limiting the music being presented to an audio volume below a predetermined level when said measured average frequency for said sampling period is below said minimum average frequency.

20. The computer program of claim 19 further including means enabling a user to selectively enable and disable said means for automatically limiting said volume.

21. The computer program of claim 19 further including:

means for measuring subsequently presented music to determine whether said subsequently presented music is below said minimum average; and

means for unlimiting the audio volume of the subsequently presented music if said measured average frequency for said sampling period is no longer below said minimum average frequency.

22. The computer program of claim 20 wherein said minimum frequency is a selected frequency in the range of from 500 to 1000 Hz.

23. The computer program of claim 20 wherein said audio system includes a compact disc player, said music is recorded on a compact disc played in said player, said compact disc having an indication of said minimum average frequency for a sampling period.

24. The computer program of claim 22 wherein said means for limiting said audio volume limits said volume to a level providing less than 85 decibels.

25. An automobile having incorporated therein an audio system for a data processor controlled presentation of music a set up for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music comprising:

an implementation for predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented;

a device for measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period; and

a device for automatically limiting the music being presented to an audio volume below a predetermined level when said measured average frequency for said sampling period is below said minimum average frequency.

26. The audio system of claim 25 further including a device enabling a user to selectively enable and disable said means for automatically limiting said volume.

27. The audio system of claim 25 further including:

a device for measuring subsequently presented music to determine whether said subsequently presented music is below said minimum average, and

a device for unlimiting the audio volume of the subsequently presented music if said measured average frequency for said sampling period is no longer below said minimum average frequency.

28. The audio system of claim 26 wherein said minimum frequency is a selected frequency in the range of from 500 to 1000 Hz.

29. The audio system of claim 26 wherein said audio system includes a compact disc player, said music is recorded on a compact disc played in said player, said compact disc having an indication of said minimum average frequency for a sampling period.

30. The audio system of claim 28 wherein said means for limiting said audio volume limit said volume to a level providing less than 85 decibels.