Method and apparatus for automatically adjusting an electronic device output in response to an incoming telephone call

• US 6,690,778 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2002
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kahn, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, WING F
• Application Number:
  US10/050,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20030133551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 379/102-1-1, 379/110.01, 379/90.01
• US Class Current: 379/110.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/82 Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination for detecting caller identity H04M1/573

Abstract

An electronic device automatically adjusts an output signal emanating from an output of the device. The device includes a telephony interface for receiving a telephony transmission. The device detects a ring signal from the telephony transmission, and automatically adjusts the output signal of the device. The adjusted output signal can be used to notify an operator of a detected ring signal or to attenuate the output signal of the device to allow for ease of hearing the telephone transmission. In one embodiment, the device can automatically restore the output signal following completion of the telephone transmission or an action by a user of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of automatically adjusting an active audio signal emanating from an electronic device, comprising the steps of:

providing user preference settings;

receiving an incoming call status;

detecting when the incoming call status corresponds to an incoming call;

adjusting the active audio signal to an attenuated volume level according to the user preference settings when the incoming call status corresponds to an incoming call;

after adjusting the audio output signal volume level, determining whether conditions exist for restoring the active audio signal to an unadjusted volume level; and

when conditions exist for restoring the active audio signal to an unadjusted volume level, restoring the active audio signal to an unadjusted volume level;

wherein the conditions for restoring the active audio signal to an unadjusted volume level comprise a ring signal ending.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

setting an INCOMING CALL LEVEL using a user interface;

after detecting an incoming call, determining if the current audio output signal volume level is greater than the INCOMING CALL LEVEL; and

terminating the method for automatically adjusting the active audio signal emanating from an output of an electronic device if the current volume level is not greater than the INCOMING CALL LEVEL.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the active audio signal is adjusted by providing a control signal corresponding to a volume adjustment signal from a remote control device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step comprises the step of:

adjusting the active audio signal by a relative reduction.

5. A machine readable electronic carrier, having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed by a machine, the machine implements a method for automatically adjusting an output signal of an electronic device in response to an incoming telephone call, the method comprising the steps of:

providing user preference settings;

receiving an incoming call status;

detecting when the incoming call status corresponding to an incoming call;

adjusting the output signal upon detection of an incoming call to comprise at least one of a video alert signal and an active audio signal with an attenuated volume level according to the user preference settings;

after attenuating the active audio signal, determining whether conditions exist for restoring the active audio signal to an unattenuated condition; and

when the conditions exist for restoring the active audio signal to an unattenuated condition, restoring the active audio signal to an unattenuated condition;

wherein the conditions for restoring the active audio signal to an unadjusted volume level comprise a ring signal ending.

6. A receiver configured to receive an input signal comprising at least an audio signal and provide an output signal comprising at least an audio signal, the receiver comprising:

a telelephony interface providing an incoming call status;

a control interface providing a user selected desired volume level for the output audio signal;

a processing unit configured to execute a program to detect an incoming call status corresponding to an incoming call and to provide an output signal comprising an audio signal with an amplitude corresponding to the desired volume level in the absence of an incoming call and corresponding to at least one of a video alert signal and an attenuated volume level upon detection of an incoming call, wherein the attenuated volume level is maintained to coincide with an audible ring signal of the incoming call only.

7. The receiver of claim 6, wherein the user selected desired volume level is a relative reduction of the audio output signal.

8. The receiver of claim 6 wherein the processing unit is further configured to compare the current volume level with a threshold volume level upon detection of an incoming call and set the attenuated volume level to the lesser of the current volume level and the threshold volume level.

9. The receiver of claim 8 wherein the threshold volume level is set using the control interface.

10. The receiver of claim 9 wherein the output signal can be set using the control interface to further comprise an optional video alert when an incoming call is detected.