Apparatus and method for adjusting sound volume for televisions and other audio systems

• US 20050238184A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gold Charm Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hsieh, Kuan-Hong
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/104
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3015 using diodes or transistors

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for adjusting sound volume for an audio system includes a controller (101) connected to an amplifier (40) of the audio system for controlling amplification of the amplifier, and a first circuit (102) for adjusting the sound volume. The controller includes a microprogrammed control unit (1010), a random-access memory (1012), and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (1014). The first circuit includes an attenuation circuit (1022) connected to a tuner (20) of the audio system for attenuating input audio signals, and a switch (1024). An input end of the switch is connected to the tuner, an output end of the attenuation circuit and the microprogrammed control unit; and an output end of the switch is connected to an audio processor (30). The apparatus enables a user to freely adjust an average level of sound produced by the audio system, and simultaneously avoid being bothered by loud transmissions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjusting sound volume for an audio system, the apparatus comprising:

a controller connected to an amplifier of the audio system for controlling amplification of the amplifier, the controller comprising;

microprogrammed control unit (MCU); and

first circuit for adjusting the sound volume, the first circuit comprising;

an attenuation circuit for attenuating input audio signals, the attenuation circuit comprising;

a first resistor, a first end of the first resistor being connected to a tuner of the audio system;

a second resistor, a first end of the second resistor being connected to a second end of the first resistor;

a first diode, the anode of the first diode being connected to the second end of the first resistor;

a second diode, the cathode of the second diode being connected to the cathode of the first diode;

a third diode, the cathode of the third diode and the anode of the second diode being connected to a second end of the second resistor in parallel;

a fourth diode, the anode of the fourth diode being connected to the anode of the third diode, the cathode of the fourth diode being connected to the second end of the first resistor;

a third resistor, a first end of the third resistor being connected to the cathode of the first diode;

a fourth resistor, a first end of the fourth resistor being connected to a second end of the third resistor, and a second end of the fourth resistor being connected to the anode of the fourth diode;

a transistor, the base of the transistor being connected to the second end of the third resistor, the emitter of the transistor being connected to the first end of the third resistor, and the collector of the transistor being connected to the second end of the fourth resistor; and

an integrated operational amplifier, the inverting input end of the integrated operational amplifier being connected to the second end of the first resistor, the non-inverting input end of the integrated operational amplifier being grounded, and the output end of the integrated operational amplifier being connected to the second end of the second resistor; and

a switch, an input end of the switch being connected to the tuner of the audio system, the output end of the integrated operational amplifier and the MCU, and an output end of the switch being connected to an audio processor of the audio system.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a Random-Access Memory (RAM) connected to the MCU, and a nonvolatile memory connected to the MCU.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the nonvolatile memory is a Read-Only Memory (ROM), an Erasable and Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus can run in either of the following two operating modes:

a normal mode and an attenuation mode.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first circuit can run in either of the following two operating modes:

a normal mode and an attenuation mode.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the apparatus is in the normal mode, the MCU controls the switch to switch the first circuit to the normal mode.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the audio signals are input to the switch, and then transmitted to the audio processor of the audio system.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein an output audio signal of the apparatus is the same as a corresponding input audio signal thereof.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the apparatus is in the attenuation mode, the MCU controls the switch to switch the first circuit to the attenuation mode.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the audio signals are input to the attenuation circuit, and then transmitted to the audio processor of the audio system via the switch.

11. A method for adjusting sound volume for an audio system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) determining whether an apparatus for adjusting sound volume is in an attenuation mode;

(b) controlling a switch to switch a circuit for adjusting sound volume to an attenuation mode, if the apparatus for adjusting sound volume is in the attenuation mode;

(c) attenuating an input audio signal, the attenuation being a first slight attenuation if the input audio signal is relatively “

weak”

according to a predefined criterion, the attenuation being a second significant attenuation greater than the first slight attenuation if the input audio signal is relatively “

strong”

according to the predefined criterion; and

(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) until the audio system is turned off.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the following step:

(b1) controlling the switch to switch the circuit for adjusting sound volume into a normal mode, if the apparatus for adjusting sound volume is not in the attenuation mode.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein step (b1) further comprises the following steps:

(b2) receiving an input audio signal; and

(b3) transmitting an unadjusted audio signal to an audio processor of the audio system.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising before step (c) the step of receiving an input audio signal.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising before step (d) the step of transmitting an attenuated audio signal to an audio processor of the audio system.

16. A method for controlling volume of input audio signals in an audio system, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving said input audio signals in said audio system;

attenuating volume of said input audio signals in case of detection of an original input volume scale of said input audio signals larger than a threshold value; and

enlarging volume-attenuating of said input audio signal in case of increment to difference between said original input volume scale of said input audio signals said threshold value.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said volume of said input audio signals has a curve relationship with said original input volume scale of said audio signals in said enlarging volume-attenuating step.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said curve relationship between said volume of said input audio signals and said original input volume scale of said audio signals conforms with a slope-decreasing curve.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a step of pre-attenuating volume of said input audio signals via a resistance to create a linear relationship between said attenuated volume of said input audio signals and said original input volume scale of said audio signals before said attenuating volume step.