Volume control method and information processing apparatus

• US 20080155416A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Oitaira, Hitoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/976,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155416A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an audio output unit which outputs input audio data, a display, a user interface displaying unit which displays, on the display, a volume control user interface for controlling volume of the audio data output from the audio output unit, a storing unit which stores audio sample data, a volume controlling unit which controls the volume of the audio data output from the audio output unit in accordance with a volume control operation by a user via the volume control user interface, and an audio sample data supplying unit which supplies, to the audio output unit, the audio sample data stored in the storing unit during the volume control operation.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

an audio output unit which outputs input audio data;

a display;

a user interface displaying unit which displays, on the display, a volume control user interface for controlling volume of the audio data output from the audio output unit;

a storing unit which stores audio sample data;

a volume controlling unit which controls the volume of the audio data output from the audio output unit in accordance with a volume control operation by a user via the volume control user interface; and

an audio sample data supplying unit which supplies, to the audio output unit, the audio sample data stored in the storing unit during the volume control operation.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a determining unit which determines whether or not the volume control operation is started, determines, after the volume control operation is started, whether or not the volume control is ended, outputs, when the volume control operation is not ended, information based on the volume control operation, and ends, when the volume control operation is ended, supplying of the audio sample data from the audio sample data supplying unit to the audio output unit; and

a volume obtaining unit which, when it is determined that the volume control operation is started, obtains volume currently set to the audio output unit and outputs the obtained volume,

wherein, when the volume control operation is started, the volume controlling unit controls the volume of the audio data to the volume output from the volume obtaining unit, and when the volume control operation is not ended after the volume control operation is started, the volume controlling unit controls the volume of the audio data based on the information output from the determining unit.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the volume control user interface includes a volume indicator, and

the audio sample data supplying unit supplies the audio sample data to the audio output unit while the volume indicator is operated.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the volume indicator is a slider bar including a slider which is slidable by a user operation, and

the audio sample data supplying unit supplies the audio sample data to the audio output unit while the slider is draggable.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the volume indicator is a button which is clickable by a user operation, and

the audio sample data supplying unit supplies the audio sample data to the audio output unit while clicking of the button is continued.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the volume indicator is a dial which is rotatable by a user operation, and

the audio sample data supplying unit supplies the audio sample data to the audio output unit while the dial is draggable.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a call processing unit configured to receive audio data supplied via an IP telephone network connected to the information processing apparatus,

wherein the audio sample data include background noise.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storing unit stores a plurality of kinds of audio sample data.

9. A volume control method, comprising:

displaying, on a display, a volume control user interface for controlling volume of audio data output from an audio output unit;

determining whether or not a volume control operation by a user is started via the volume control user interface;

obtaining, when it is determined that the volume control operation is started, currently set volume;

starting output of audio sample with the obtained volume;

determining, after the volume control is started, whether or not the volume control operation is ended;

controlling, when it is determined that the volume control operation is not ended, the volume of the audio data to volume corresponding to a value controlled in the volume control operation;

outputting the audio sample with the controlled volume; and

ending output of the audio sample when it is determined that the volume control operation is ended.

10. The volume control method according to claim 9, wherein the displaying, on the display, the volume control user interface comprises:

displaying, on the display, a volume control user interface including a volume indicator, and

the determining whether or not the volume control operation is started comprises;

determining whether or not the volume control operation is started based on whether or not the volume indicator is operated, and determining whether or not the volume control operation is ended based on whether or not an operation of the volume indicator is ended.

11. The volume control method according to claim 10, wherein the displaying, on the display, the volume control user interface comprises:

displaying, on the display, a slider bar including a slider which is slidable by a user operation, and

the determining whether or not the volume control operation is started comprises;

determining whether or not the volume control operation is started based on whether or not the slider becomes draggable, and determining whether or not the volume control operation is ended based on whether dragging of the slider is continued.

12. The volume control method according to claim 10, wherein the displaying, on the display, the volume control user interface comprises:

displaying, on the display, a button which is clickable by an user operation, and

the determining whether or not the volume control operation is started comprises;

determining whether or not the volume control operation is started based on whether clicking of the button is started, and determining whether or not the volume control operation is ended based on whether the clicking of the button is continued.

13. The volume control method according to claim 10, wherein the displaying, on the display, the volume control user interface comprises:

displaying, on the display, a dial which is rotatable by a user operation, and

the determining whether or not the volume control operation is started comprises;

determining whether or not the volume control operation is started based on whether the dial becomes draggable, and determining whether or not the volume control operation is ended based on whether dragging of the dial is continued.