METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR UNIFIED AUDIO CONTROL ON A PERSONAL COMPUTER

• US 20070071257A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ledbetter, Carl, Kaneko, Steve, Magendanz, Chad, Adams, Aditha, Crosier, Dale, Bear, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,245,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/119
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

A system and method for improved audio controls on a personal computer is provided. The system and method provide a unified architecture for audio controls across hardware and software interfaces of the personal computer. An intelligent facility may automatically change audio controls for users to simply interact with various communications and media applications. To this end, a configurable audio controller intelligently handles various aspects of the system'"'"'s audio devices by following various rules that may be based at least in part on user-configurable settings and a current operating state. The present invention also provides audio controls so that a user may easily change audio settings such as the volume of an audio output device. There are many applications that may use the present invention for automatic control of audio devices based upon the user'"'"'s context.

Claims

1. At a computer system, a method for controlling audio devices in a computer system, comprising the steps of:

receiving an event indicating a change in the state of a first audio device at the computer system;

communicating the event to a configurable audio controller;

determining a change in a setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other audio device from among a plurality of audio devices in response to the indicated state change of the first audio device; and

changing the setting of the audio stream being delivered to the at least one other audio devices as a result of the determination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the event indicating a change in the state of a first audio device at the computer system comprises receiving an event generated by a system component, receiving an event generated by an audio control, receiving an event corresponding to an incoming telephone call, receiving an event corresponding to disconnecting a telephone call, receiving an event corresponding to plugging in a headset, or receiving an event corresponding to unplugging a headset.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a change in a setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other audio devices comprises using rules for changing a setting of an audio stream based upon one or more events, or using configuration settings.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other audio devices comprises at least one of changing the setting of an input audio device and changing the setting of an output audio device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other audio devices comprises changing an indicator that uses at least one member of the set comprising visual, audible, and tactile representations.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a change in a setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other audio device from among a plurality of audio devices comprises following rules based on configuration settings and current operating state of the computer system to determine the change.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other audio device comprises communicating with the input and output audio drivers of the audio stream to alter an attribute of the audio stream.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein communicating with the input and output audio drivers of the audio stream to alter an attribute of the audio stream comprises communicating with the input and output audio drivers of the audio stream to alter the volume of the audio stream.

6. At a computer system, a computer program product for implementing a method for controlling audio devices in a computer system, the computer program product comprising one or more computer storage computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when by a processor, cause the comptuer system to perform the following:

receive an event indicating a change in the state of a first audio device at the computer system;

communicate the event to a configurable audio controller;

determine a change in a setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other audio device from among a plurality of audio devices in response to the indicated state change of the first audio device; and

change the setting of the audio stream being delivered to the at least one other audio devices as a result of the determination.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein receiving the event indicating a change in the state of a first audio device at the computer system comprises receiving an event generated by a system component, receiving an event generated by an audio control, receiving an event corresponding to an incoming telephone call, receiving an event corresponding to disconnecting a telephone call, receiving an event corresponding to plugging in a headset, or receiving an event corresponding to unplugging a headset

8. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein determining a change in a setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other a audio devices comprises using rules for changing a setting of an audio stream based upon one or more events, or using configuration settings.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein changing the setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other audio devices comprises at least one of changing the setting of an input audio device and changing the setting of an output audio device.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein changing the setting of an audio stream being delivered to at least one other audio devices comprises changing an indicator that uses at least one member of the set comprising visual, audible, and tactile representations.

11. In a computing device for unified audio control, a system comprising:

an audio controller having control logic, the control logic configured to;

receive events that indicate a change in the state of audio devices at the computer system; and

change settings of audio streams being delivered to audio output devices in response to events indicating a change in the state of audio devices at the computer system; and

an operating system operably coupled to the audio controller, the operating system having event handling logic, the event handling logic configured to;

receive events from audio drivers that indicate a change in the state of audio devices at the computer system; and

communicate received events to the audio controller.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising an audio change control operably coupled to the operating system for inputting a command to change settings of audio streams.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the audio change control comprises at least one of a speaker mute button for muting an audio output device and a volume control for adjusting the volume of an audio output device.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the audio change control comprises an indicator that uses at least one member of the set comprising visual, audible, and tactile representations.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein a button corresponding to the audio control resides on a computer housing, on a computer keyboard, on a computer monitor, on a communications panel, or on a remote control.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the audio controller comprises a component with configuration settings.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the audio controller comprises a component with rules for changing a setting of an audio output device in response to an event.