Selective mute / unmute control over applications running on a PC

• US 20070025335A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jain, Mukul, Patel, Labhesh, Tong, Aaron, Eppel, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,911,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A computer includes a sound card and a processor that runs one or more applications that cause the processor to generate audio signals coupled to the sound card. The processor is operable to execute code that provides a graphical user interface which allows a user to selectively mute the audio signals associated with a set of the one or more applications. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

audio circuitry; and

a processor that runs one or more applications that cause the processor to generate audio signals coupled to the audio circuitry, the processor being further operable to execute code that provides a graphical user interface which allows a user to selectively mute the audio signals associated with a set of the one or more applications.

2. The computer of claim 1 wherein the audio circuitry comprises a sound card.

3. The computer of claim 1 wherein the one or more applications include an application that provides an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone function.

4. The computer of claim 1 wherein the one or more applications include an Internet Protocol (IP) call management application.

5. The computer of claim 1 further comprising a button, activation of the button invoking the graphical user interface.

6. A computer comprising:

a processor that runs one or more applications that cause the processor to generate audio signals;

circuitry coupled to receive the audio signals and to generate audio outputs responsive thereto; and

means for selectively muting the audio outputs of the circuitry on a per application basis.

7. A processor-implemented method for controlling audio output of a personal computer (PC) comprising:

providing a graphical user interface that allows a user to selectively mute audio outputs associated with one or more applications running on the PC by selecting a set of the one or more applications, the set of selections comprising a mute setting; and

saving the mute setting.

8. The processor-implemented method of claim 7 further comprising:

enabling/disabling audio circuitry of the PC based on the mute setting.

9. The processor-implemented method of claim 7 further comprising:

dynamically overriding the mute setting in response to an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone call.

10. The processor-implemented method of claim 9 wherein dynamically overriding the mute setting comprises:

automatically muting all of the one or more applications, except any application associated with management or communication of the IP telephone call;

resetting the PC to the mute setting upon completion of the IP telephone call.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium and computer readable code embodied on the computer useable medium, execution of the computer readable code causing the computer program product to:

provide a graphical user interface that allows a user to selectively mute audio outputs associated with one or more applications running on a computer by clicking one or more boxes corresponding to the one or more applications, a set of clicked/unclicked boxes comprising a mute setting; and

save the mute setting to a memory.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein execution of the computer readable code further causing the computer program product to:

execute the mute setting by enabling/disabling audio signals sent to a sound card of the PC.

13. A processor-implemented method for controlling audio output of a personal computer (PC) comprising:

saving a user setting that identifies a selected set of applications running on the PC; and

muting audio media associated with a selected set of applications running on the PC.

14. The processor-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising:

dynamically overriding the user setting in response to an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone call.

15. The processor-implemented method of claim 14 wherein dynamically overriding the user setting comprises:

automatically muting all active applications on the PC except any application associated with management or communication of the IP telephone call.

16. The processor-implemented method of claim 15 further comprising:

resetting the PC to the user setting upon completion of the IP telephone call.

17. A computer comprising:

one or more processors to run a plurality of applications, one or more of the applications causing the processor to generate audio signals;

circuitry coupled to receive the audio signals and to generate audio outputs responsive thereto; and

a program for execution by the one or more processors, execution of the program causing the computer to generate a graphical user interface that allows a user to selectively mute audio outputs associated with the one or more applications by selecting a set of the one or more applications, the set of selections comprising a mute setting, the program further including a global override setting for dynamically overriding the mute setting in response to an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone call, wherein the computer automatically mutes all of the one or more applications, except any application associated with management or communication of the IP telephone call, during the IP telephone call.

18. The computer of claim 17 wherein the circuitry comprises a sound card.

19. The computer of claim 17 wherein the one or more applications include an application that provides an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone function.

20. The computer of claim 17 wherein the one or more applications include an Internet Protocol (IP) call management application.

21. The computer of claim 17 further comprising a button, activation of the button invoking the graphical user interface.