SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADJUSTING VOLUME OF COMBINED AUDIO CHANNELS

• US 20110029874A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Profitt, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 8,434,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/722
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

Audio volume control systems and methods are operable to control volume of audio channels of a combined audio channel. An exemplary embodiment displays an audio channel control graphical user interface (GUI) on a display, displays on the audio channel control GUI a specified first volume level for a first audio channel of the combined audio channel, displays on the audio channel control GUI a specified second volume level for a second audio channel of the combined audio channel, and adjusts volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the specified first volume level for the first audio channel and the specified second volume level for the second audio channel.

Claims

1. A method for controlling volume of audio channels of a combined audio channel, the method comprising:

displaying an audio channel control graphical user interface (GUI) on a display;

displaying on the audio channel control GUI a specified first volume level for a first audio channel of the combined audio channel;

displaying on the audio channel control GUI a specified second volume level for a second audio channel of the combined audio channel; and

adjusting volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the specified first volume level for the first audio channel and the specified second volume level for the second audio channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

combining the first audio channel and the second audio channel to generate the combined audio channel.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

communicating the combined audio channel to a speaker, wherein the volume level of produced sound from the speaker corresponds to the volume level of the combined audio channel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first program stream with the first audio channel and a first video channel;

receiving a second program stream with the second audio channel and a second video channel;

presenting the first video channel on a main field area of a display; and

presenting the second video channel as a picture in picture (PIP) area of the display.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first program stream and the second program stream are received by a media device, wherein the display is a component of a media presentation device, and further comprising:

communicating the audio channel control GUI from the media device to the media presentation device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first program stream and the second program stream are received by a media device, wherein the display is a component of a media presentation device, and further comprising:

communicating the combined audio channel, the first video channel, and the second video channel from the media device to the media presentation device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program stream includes a third audio channel and the second program stream includes a fourth audio channel, wherein the combined audio channel is a first combined audio channel and the speaker is a first speaker, and further comprising:

displaying a specified third volume level for the third audio channel on the audio channel control GUI;

displaying a specified fourth volume level for the fourth audio channel on the audio channel control GUI; and

adjusting volume of a second combined audio channel in accordance with the specified third volume level for the third audio channel and the specified fourth volume level for the fourth audio channel.

8. The method of claim 7,

combining the third audio channel and the fourth audio channel to generate the second combined audio channel;

and

communicating the second combined audio channel to a second speaker, wherein the volume level of produced sound from the second speaker corresponds to the specified third volume level for the third audio channel and the specified fourth volume level for the fourth audio channel.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first program stream corresponds to a movie having video channel and at least the first audio channel and the third audio channel, and wherein the second program stream is a music track having only the second audio channel and the fourth audio channel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program stream includes a third audio channel and the second program stream includes a fourth audio channel, wherein the combined audio channel is a first combined audio channel and the speaker is a first speaker, and further comprising:

communicating only the third audio channel to a second speaker.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first change to the specified first volume level for the first audio channel on the displayed audio channel control GUI;

receiving a second change to the specified second volume level for the first audio channel on the displayed audio channel control GUI; and

adjusting volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the first changed specified first volume level for the first audio channel and the second changed specified second volume level for the second audio channel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the specified second volume level for a second audio channel on the audio channel control GUI displayed on the display comprises:

displaying a first virtual fader bar on the audio channel control GUI, wherein the first virtual fader bar indicates the specified first volume level for the first audio channel; and

displaying a second virtual fader bar on the audio channel control GUI, wherein the second virtual fader bar indicates the specified second volume level for the second audio channel.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a first change to the first virtual fader bar, wherein the first change to the first virtual fader bar changes the specified first volume level for the first audio channel;

receiving a second change to the second virtual fader bar, wherein the second change to the second virtual fader bar changes the specified second volume level for the second audio channel; and

adjusting volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the first change to the first virtual fader bar and the second change to the second virtual fader bar.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the specified second volume level for the second audio channel on the audio channel control GUI displayed on the display comprises:

displaying a virtual fader bar on the audio channel control GUI, wherein the first virtual fader bar indicates the specified first volume level for the first audio channel and the specified second volume level for the second audio channel.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a change to the virtual fader bar, wherein the change to the virtual fader bar concurrently changes the specified first volume level for the first audio channel and the specified second volume level for the second audio channel; and

adjusting volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the change to the virtual fader bar.

16. A system to control volume levels of audio channels of a combined audio channel, comprising:

a display operable to display an audio channel control graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the audio channel control GUI displays a specified first volume level for a first audio channel of the combined audio channel and displays a specified second volume level for a second audio channel of the combined audio channel;

a processor system operable to receive the specified first volume level for the first audio channel and the specified second volume level for the second audio channel; and

an interface to a sound system, wherein the interface is operable to communicate the combined audio channel to the sound system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the display, the processor, the interface and the sound system reside in a housing.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor and the interface reside in a media device, and wherein the display resides in a media presentation device communicatively coupled to the media device.

19. A method for controlling volume levels of a first audio channel and a second audio channel of a combined audio channel, the method comprising:

adjusting a volume level of the combined audio channel in accordance with a specified first volume level for the first audio channel and in accordance with a specified second volume level for the second audio channel, wherein the first volume level and the second volume level are displayed on an audio channel control graphical user interface (GUI);

combining the first audio channel and the second audio channel to generate the combined audio channel; and

communicating the combined audio channel to a speaker, wherein the volume level of produced sound from the speaker corresponds to the volume level of the combined audio channel.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying the audio channel control GUI on the display;

displaying on the audio channel control GUI the specified first volume level for the first audio channel of the combined audio channel; and

displaying on the audio channel control GUI the specified second volume level for the second audio channel of the combined audio channel.