METHODS AND RELATED CIRCUIT FOR AUTOMATIC AUDIO VOLUME LEVEL CONTROL

• US 20060013414A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ali SPA (Bessemer Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ali SPA (Bessemer Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: SHIH, Hsuan-Huei
• Application Number:
  US10/904,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013414A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/107
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3005 in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence

Abstract

Methods and related circuit for automatic volume-tracking and controlling of an audio signal. The audio signal has a plurality of sampled audio data, and the method includes: for each of the audio data, calculating a mean-volume data according to neighboring audio data; if the mean-volume data is larger than a recorded max-mean data, then updating the max-mean data, otherwise keeping the max-mean data not updated; and recording whether the max-mean data is updated. After performing aforementioned steps for a predetermined number of audio data, if the max-mean data is still not updated, then updating the max-mean data according to current mean-volume data. Thus the max-mean data can reflects local maximum volume of the audio signal, and the invention can control the volume of the audio signal accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for controlling volume automatically, comprising:

receiving an audio signal comprising a plurality of audio data, the audio signal being capable of providing each audio data according to a default order;

recording a max-mean data;

applying a volume-tracking process to each audio data of the audio signal, the volume-tracking process comprising;

when applying the volume-tracking process to the audio data, performing a volume detection step for selecting a plurality of audio data according to an order of the audio data in the audio signal, and calculating a corresponding mean-volume data according to the selected audio data;

comparing the mean-volume data with the value of the max-mean data;

if the mean-volume data is larger than the max-mean data, then performing an update step for updating the max-mean data according to the mean-volume data;

recording whether the max-mean data is updated;

when applying the volume-tracking process to an audio data, if the max-mean data has not been updated after applying the volume-tracking process to a predetermined number of audio data prior to the audio data, then updating the value of the max-mean data according to the mean-volume data corresponding to the audio data; and

performing a volume adjustment process after applying the volume-tracking process to an audio data for setting the volume of the audio data according to the value of the max-mean data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when applying the volume detection step to a different audio data, a different plurality of audio data is selected in response to the different audio data for calculating each mean-volume data corresponding to each audio data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein when performing the volume detection step, a mean is calculated according to absolute values of the selected audio signal for calculating the mean-volume data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein after applying the volume-tracking process to an audio data and when performing the volume adjustment process, the volume adjustment process comprises:

comparing the max-mean data with a default threshold volume data; and

if the max-mean data is larger than the threshold volume data, then decreasing volume when playing the audio data.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

when the max-mean data is smaller than the threshold volume data, maintaining volume when playing the audio data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when applying the volume detection step to an audio data, a predetermined number of audio data prior to the audio data are selected for calculating the mean-volume data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when applying the volume-tracking process to an audio data, if the max-mean data is not yet updated after applying the volume-tracking process to a predetermined number of audio data prior to the audio data, then updating the value of the max-mean data and recording that the max-mean data is updated.

8. A control circuit for controlling volume automatically, comprising:

a reception circuit for receiving an audio signal, the audio signal comprising a plurality of audio data, the audio signal capable of providing each audio data according to a default order;

a data register module for recording a max-mean data;

a volume-tracking module, comprising;

a volume detection module for selecting a plurality of audio data according to an order of each audio data in the audio signal, and calculating a corresponding mean-volume data according to the selected audio data;

a comparison module for receiving the mean-volume data, and comparing the mean-volume data with the value of the max-mean data;

an update module which is capable of updating the max-mean data according to the mean-volume data when the comparison module determines that the mean-volume data is larger than the max-mean data;

a continuation-status register module for recording whether the max-mean data has been updated according to the status of whether the update module has updated the max-mean data;

a decision module which updates the value of the max-mean data according to the mean-volume data corresponding to the audio data when the volume detection module processes an audio data, if the continuation-status register module indicates that the max-mean data is not yet updated after applying the volume-tracking process to a predetermined number of audio data prior to the audio data; and

a volume adjustment module which is capable of adjusting the volume of the audio data according to the value of the max-mean data after the volume-tracking module processes an audio data.

9. The control circuit of claim 8, wherein when processing a different audio data, the volume detection module selects a different plurality of audio data in response to the different audio data for calculating each mean-volume data corresponding to each audio data.

10. The control circuit of claim 8, wherein the volume detection module calculates a mean according to absolute values of the selected audio data for calculating the mean-volume data.

11. The control circuit of claim 8, wherein after the volume-tracking module processes an audio data and when the volume adjustment module adjusts the volume of the audio data, the volume adjustment module compares the max-mean data with a default threshold volume data, and if the max-mean data is larger than the threshold volume data, then the volume adjustment module decreases the volume of the audio data.

12. The control circuit of claim 11, wherein if the max-mean data is smaller than the threshold volume data, then the volume adjustment module does not change the volume of the audio data.

13. The control circuit of claim 8, wherein when dealing with an audio data, the volume detection module selects a predetermined number of audio data prior to the audio data for calculating the mean-volume data.

14. The control circuit of claim 8, wherein after the decision module updates the value of the max-mean data in the data register module, the continuation-status register module records that the max-mean data is updated.

15. A method for tracking dynamic volume, comprising:

receiving an audio signal comprising a plurality of audio data, the audio signal capable of providing each audio data according to a default order;

recording a max-mean data;

applying a volume-tracking process to each audio data of the audio signal, the volume-tracking process comprising;

when taking the volume-tracking process to an audio data, performing a volume detection step for selecting a plurality of audio data according to an order of the audio data in the audio signal, and calculating a corresponding mean-volume data according to the selected audio data;

comparing the mean-volume data with the value of the max-mean data;

if the mean-volume data is larger than the max-mean data, then performing an update step for updating an original value of the max-mean data according to the mean-volume data;

recording whether the max-mean data is updated or not; and

when taking the volume-tracking process to an audio data, if the max-mean data is not yet updated after taking the volume-tracking process to a predetermined number of audio data prior to the audio data, then updating the value of the max-mean data according to the mean-volume data corresponding to the audio data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein when taking the volume detection step to different audio data, different plurality of audio data are selected in response to the different audio data for calculating each mean-volume data corresponding to each audio data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein when performing the volume detection step, a mean is calculated according to absolute values of the selected audio signal for calculating the mean-volume data.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

if the max-mean data is smaller than the threshold volume data, then not changing the value of the max-mean data.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein when applying the volume detection step to an audio data, selecting a predetermined number of audio data prior to the audio data for calculating the mean-volume data.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

when applying the volume-tracking process to an audio data, if the max-mean data is not yet updated after applying the volume-tracking process to a predetermined number of audio data prior to the audio data, then updating the value of the max-mean data and recording that the max-mean data is updated.