APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING VOLUME IN A PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20130165178A1
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Sang-Cheol
• Granted Patent: US 9,077,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/044 according to the level of ambient noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

An apparatus and method for adjusting the volume in a portable terminal. The apparatus includes an information collection unit and a volume adjustment unit. The information collection unit collects noise judgment information that is used for judging the extent of background noise. The volume adjustment unit estimates background noise using the collected information, and adjusts the volume according to the background noise.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjusting volume in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

an information collection unit configured to collect noise judgment information that is used for judging the extent of background noise; and

a volume adjustment unit configured to estimate background noise using the collected information, and adjust the volume according to the background noise.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, after adjusting the volume according to the background noise, the volume adjustment unit is configured to check if the background noise is eliminated and, if the background noise is eliminated, restore the adjusted volume to an original volume.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a memory configured to store control information including information about the volume to be adjusted according to a background noise level, and

wherein the volume adjustment unit configured to confirm the volume suitable to estimated noise information in the control information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information collection unit is configured to collect, as the noise judgment information, at least any one of background noise inputted through a microphone, weather information acquired through a weather information server, a vehicle state and model, and a movement speed.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, after adjusting the volume according to the background noise, when sensing a volume adjustment request by a user, the volume adjustment unit is configured to adjust the volume to the volume corresponding to the user'"'"'s request, and wherein the volume adjustment unit configured to update control information by the volume corresponding to the user'"'"'s request.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the volume adjustment unit is configured to simultaneously adjust at least one of items whose volume adjustment is possible and the volume for a function that is being currently executed.

7. A method for adjusting volume in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

collecting noise judgment information that is used for judging the extent of background noise;

estimating background noise using the collected information; and

adjusting the volume according to the background noise.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method comprises:

after adjusting the volume according to the background noise, checking if the background noise is eliminated; and

when the background noise is eliminated, restoring the adjusted volume to the original volume.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting the volume according to the background noise comprises:

loading control information including information about the volume to be adjusted according to a background noise level; and

confirming the volume suitable to estimated noise information in the control information.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the noise judgment information comprises at least any one of background noise input through a microphone, weather information acquired through a weather information server, a vehicle state and model, and a movement speed.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the method comprises:

after adjusting the volume according to the background noise, checking if a volume adjustment is requested by a user;

when sensing the volume adjustment request, adjusting the volume to the volume corresponding to the user'"'"'s request; and

updating control information by the volume corresponding to the user'"'"'s request.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting the volume according to the background noise comprises at least any one of simultaneously adjusting items whose volume adjustment is possible, and adjusting the volume for a function that is being currently executed.

13. An electronic device comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory ; and

one or more modules stored in the memory and configured to, when executed by the one or more processors;

collect noise judgment information that is used for judging the extent of background noise,

estimate background noise using the collected information, and

adjust a volume of the electronic device according to the estimated background noise.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein, after adjusting the volume according to the background noise, if the background noise is eliminated, the module is configured to restore the adjusted volume to an original volume.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the module is configured to use, as the noise judgment information, at least any one of background noise input through a microphone, weather information acquired through a weather information server, a vehicle state and model, and a movement speed.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the memory is configured to store control information including information about the volume to be adjusted according to a background noise level, and

the module is configured to confirm the volume suitable to estimated noise information in the control information.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein, after adjusting the volume according to the background noise, when sensing a volume adjustment request by a user, the module is configured to adjust the volume to the volume corresponding to the user'"'"'s request,

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the module is configured to update control information by the volume corresponding to the user'"'"'s request.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the module is configured to simultaneously adjust at least one of items whose volume adjustment is possible and the volume for a function that is being currently executed.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein the device comprises a mobile terminal.