Audio level control

• US 20070177743A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Mertens, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,600,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/107
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/607 for more than one sound signal, e.g. stereo, multilanguages H04N5/602 takes precedence

Abstract

A device (1) is arranged for controlling the sound levels of a group of audio channels including a user selected main channel (MC) and at least one auxiliary channel (AC1; AC2). The audio channels can be rendered simultaneously. The device comprises automatic level adjustment means (12, 13) for adjusting the sound level of the at least one auxiliary channel relative to the main channel. The level adjustment means (12, 13) may be arranged for adapting the respective sound levels to the content or signal characteristics of each associated audio channel.

Claims

1. A device (1) for controlling the sound levels of a group of audio channels comprising a main channel (MC) and at least one auxiliary channel (AC1) which can be rendered simultaneously, the device comprising:

user controlled selection means (14, 16) for selecting the main channel, and

automatic level adjustment means (12, 13) for adjusting the sound level of the at least one auxiliary channel relative to the main channel.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the selection means (14, 16) are arranged for selecting successive available channels in response to user input (Se1).

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the level adjustment means (12, 13) are arranged for providing pre-set relative sound levels.

4. The device according to claim 3, further arranged for altering the pre-set relative sound levels by the user.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the level adjustment means (12, 13) are arranged for adapting the respective sound levels to the content of each associated audio channel (AC1, AC2).

6. The device according to claim 5, further arranged for adapting the respective sound levels to user preferences regarding the content.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the level adjustment means (12, 13) are arranged for adapting the respective sound levels to the signal characteristics of each associated audio channel (AC1, AC2).

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the level adjustment means (12, 13) are arranged for speech detection.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the level adjustment means (12, 13) are further arranged for speech analysis.

10. The device according to claim 5, wherein the level adjustment means (12, 13) are arranged for temporarily adjusting the sound level of a channel (MC, AC1, AC2) in response to the content and/or signal characteristics of at least one channel (MC;

AC1).

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the level adjustment means (12, 13) are arranged for gradually adjusting the sound level.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the level adjustment means (12, 13) are arranged for clipping, compressing and/or filtering audio signals contained in the channels.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main channel (MC) and the at least one auxiliary channel (AC1) are rendered by different transducers (2, 3, 4).

14. The device of claim 13, further provided with transducer selecting means for selecting a transducer (2, 3, 4) which renders the main channel (MC) and/or the at least one auxiliary channel (AC1, AC2).

19. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said device is included in at least one of an audio system, a home entertainment system, and a television system.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein the main channel (MC) is rendered by a transducer (AC1) which is located centrally relative to the system.

15. (canceled)

16. A remote control unit (6) for use with the device for controlling the sound levels of a group of audio channels having a main channel (MC) and at least one auxiliary channel (AC1) which can be rendered simultaneously, the device including user controlled selection means (14, 16) for selecting the main channel, and automatic level adjustment means (12, 13) for adjusting the sound level of the at least one auxiliary channel relative to the main channel, the remote control unit comprising selection interface components (62, 63) for selecting the main channel (MC).

17. The remote control unit according to claim 16, further comprising a first sound level interface component (61) for setting a ratio of sound levels of rendered channels (MC, AC1, AC2).

18. The remote control unit according to claim 16, further comprising second sound level interface components (64, 65) for manually adjusting the sound levels of rendered channels (MC, AC1, AC2).

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

23. A method of controlling the sound levels of a group of audio channels having a main channel (MC) and at least one auxiliary channel (AC1) which can be rendered simultaneously, the method comprising:

selecting, under user control, the main channel, and

automatically adjusting the sound level of the at least one auxiliary channel (AC1) relative to the main channel.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the sound level of the at least one auxiliary channel (AC1;

AC2) is set using a plurality of pre-set relative sound levels.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the respective sound levels of the at least one auxiliary channel (AC1;

AC2) are adapted to the content of each associated audio channel.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the respective sound levels of the at least one auxiliary channel (AC1;

AC2) are adapted to the signal characteristics of each associated audio channel.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein speech detection is used.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein at least one of formant detection, prosody detection and keyword detection is used.

29. (canceled)