AUDIO SYSTEM WITH PARENTAL MAXIMUM VOLUME CONTROL

• US 20130114828A1
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: HAYES, KENNETH EDWARD Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,537,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 11/00 Limiting amplitude; Limiting rate of change of amplitude ; Clipping in general
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/02 Manually-operated control H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence

Abstract

A user interface (104) of an audio system (100) enables adjustment of a volume level of an audio signal being reproduced on at least a portion of the audio system to a desired maximum volume level. The user interface further enables the desired maximum volume level to be selected as a set maximum volume level. A processor (102) electrically interconnected with the user interface limits the volume at which audio programs are reproduced on at least a portion of the audio system to said set maximum volume level. An audio signal is generated, a volume level of the audio signal is adjusted to a desired maximum volume level in response to a user input, and the desired maximum volume level is established as a set maximum volume level for audio programs played on at least a portion of the audio system (100).

Claims

1. An audio system for a vehicle having a plurality of speakers, the speakers including front speakers and other speakers, the system comprising:

a user interface that enables adjustment of a volume level of an audio signal being reproduced on at least a portion of the audio system to a desired maximum volume level, said interface further enabling said desired maximum volume level to be established as a set maximum volume level;

an audio signal generator that generates the audio signal corresponding to the volume level during the adjustment of the volume level to the desired maximum volume level; and

a processor electrically interconnected with said user interface and adapted to limit the volume level at which audio programs are reproduced on the front speakers to said set maximum volume level, the processor being adapted to limit the volume level on the front speakers but not on all of the speakers.

2. The audio system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted to allow said set maximum volume level to be established only upon receipt of a predetermined code from the user interface.

3. The audio system recited in claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a keypad disposed in a rear seat of a vehicle.

4. The audio system recited in claim 1, comprising a display that is adapted to provide a visual indication of at least one or set maximum volume level and the current volume level.

5. The audio system recited in claim 1, wherein the audio signal generator comprises a reference generator that is adapted to produce the audio signal.

6. The audio system recited in claim 5, wherein the audio signal comprises an audio tone.

7. The audio system recited in claim 1, wherein the audio signal comprises an audio program.

8. An audio system for a vehicle having a plurality of speakers, the system comprising:

a user interface that enables adjustment of a volume level of an audio signal being reproduced on at least a portion of the audio system to a desired maximum volume level, said interface further enabling said desired maximum volume level to be established as a set maximum volume level;

an audio signal generator that generates the audio signal corresponding to the volume level during the adjustment of the volume level to the desired maximum volume level; and

a processor electrically interconnected with said user interface and adapted to limit the volume level at which audio programs are reproduced on selected ones of the speakers to said set maximum volume level, the processor being adapted to limit the volume level on the selected speakers but not on all of the speakers, the selected speakers that are adapted to play audio programs subject to the maximum volume level being selectable by a user.

9. The audio system recited in claim 8, wherein the selected speakers comprise a set of headphones.

10. The audio system recited in claim 9, wherein the set of headphones is adapted to connect to the audio system via a wired communication link.

11. The audio system recited in claim 9, wherein the set of headphones is adapted to connect to the audio system via a wireless communication link.

12. The audio system recited in claim 11, wherein the wireless communication link comprises an infrared communication link.

13. A method of operating an audio system including a plurality of zones of speakers, the method comprising:

generating an audio signal;

adjusting in response to user input a volume level of the audio signal to a desired maximum volume level;

receiving a selection from a user of one of the zones of speakers to which the desired maximum volume is to be applied; and

establishing the desired maximum volume level as a maximum volume level for an audio program played on the selected zone of speakers of the audio system.

14. The method recited in claim 13, wherein said maximum volume level is established only in response to the entry of a predetermined authorization code.

15. The method recited in claim 13, comprising limiting the volume level of the audio program to a level that is equal to or less than said maximum volume level.

16. The method recited in claim 13, comprising playing the audio program over a speaker via a wired communication link.

17. The method recited in claim 13, comprising playing the audio program over a speaker via a wireless communication link.

18. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the wireless communication link comprises an infrared communication link.

19. The method recited in claim 13, wherein the user input is received via a user interface that comprises a keypad disposed in a rear seat of a vehicle.

20. The method recited in claim 13, comprising displaying a visual indication of at least one of said set maximum volume level and a current volume level.

21. The method recited in claim 13, wherein the audio signal comprises an audio tone.

22. The method recited in claim 13, wherein the audio signal comprises an audio program.