Volume regulating and monitoring system

• US 7,003,123 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Zadrozny, Wlodek W., Kanevsky, Dimitri, Basson, Sarah H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Ping
• Application Number:
  US09/892,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 381/72, 381/74, 381/58, 381/56, 381/309, 381/104, 381/105, 381/106, 381/107, 381/109
• US Class Current: 381/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/041 Adaptation of stereophonic signal reproduction for the hearing impaired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/007 Protection circuits for transducers

Abstract

A volume controlling system and method for regulating the output volume of a headset in order to protect the hearing ability of a user. The system includes a volume sensor/controller for monitoring the volume output of the headset by adjusting the volume to be within a predetermined threshold. A warning indicator indicates to the user or a person monitoring the listening user that the volume is set too high. The method include the steps of comparing the received audio signal to the predetermined volume threshold and adjusting the volume accordingly. The method also includes the steps of notifying that the volume has been set at too high a level by providing a warning signal, such as an audible or visual alarm.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a volume output by a set of headphones to prevent harmful sound levels from damaging a user'"'"'s hearing, the system comprising:

a volume sensor/controller for determining sound levels from an audio source and comparing the predetermined sound levels to a volume threshold, the volume sensor/controller comprising;

a volume calibrator for setting the volume threshold, the volume calibrator comprising;

a category selector allowing the user to select between different volume controlling settings matching different user characteristics; and

a category data base for storing the sound characteristics for the volume controlling settings, the category data base comprising;

a default user setting;

an age dependent setting;

a listener type setting; and

a manually controlled setting;

a volume/frequency measurement sensor for representing the determined sound levels as energy functions; and

a comparator for comparing the determined sound levels with the volume threshold and notifying a warning indicator that the volume threshold has been exceeded; and

a warning indicator for indicating that the determined sound level is outside the volume threshold.

2. A system for controlling volume output as described in claim 1, wherein the determined sound levels are represented as energy functions according to their respective frequencies.

3. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the warning indicator is fixed to the headphones for indicating when the volume threshold has been exceeded.

4. A system as described in claim 3, wherein the warning indicator comprises a plurality of LED'"'"'s.

5. A system as described in claim 3, wherein the warning indicator comprises an LCD.

6. A system as described in claim 3, wherein the warning indicator comprises an audio indicator.

7. A category data base as described in claim 1, wherein the listener type setting is configured for setting the volume for a user having a form of hearing loss.

8. A system for controlling a volume output by a set of headphones to prevent harmful sound levels from damaging a user'"'"'s hearing, the system comprising:

a volume sensor/controller for determining sound levels from an audio source, comparing the determined sound levels to a volume threshold, and adjusting the volume output of the headphones to a level below the volume threshold if said determined sound level is above the volume threshold, the volume sensor/controller comprising;

a volume calibrator for setting the volume threshold and a volume control mode, the volume calibrator comprising;

a volume control mode selector allowing the user to select between an automatic or manual volume control mode;

a category selector allowing the user to select between different volume controlling settings matching different user characteristics; and

a category data base for storing the sound characteristics for the volume controlling settings, the category data base comprising;

a default user setting;

an age dependent setting;

a listener type setting; and

a manually controlled setting;

a volume/frequency measurement sensor for representing the determined sound levels as energy functions;

a comparator for comparing the determined sound levels with the volume threshold; and

an active volume controller for controlling the output volume by adjusting the output volume accordingly in an automatic volume control mode.

9. A system for controlling volume output as described in claim 8, wherein the determined sound levels are represented as energy functions according to their respective frequencies.

10. A category data base as described in claim 8, wherein the listener type setting is configured for setting the volume for a user having a form of hearing loss.

11. A volume sensor/controller as described in claim 8, wherein the active volume controller comprises:

a volume adjuster for adjusting the volume according to the compared energy value; and

a notifier for notifying a warning system that an adjustment was necessary.

12. A system for controlling a volume output by a set of headphones to prevent harmful sound levels from damaging a user'"'"'s hearing, the system comprising:

a volume/frequency measurement sensor for determining sound levels from an audio source and representing the determined sound levels as energy functions;

a volume calibrator for setting a volume threshold and a volume control mode, the volume calibrator including a category data base for storing sound characteristics for volume control settings, the category data base including a default user setting, an age dependent setting, a listener type setting and a manually controlled setting;

a comparator for comparing the determined sound levels to the volume threshold; and

an active volume controller for adjusting the volume output of the headphones to a level below the volume threshold, if a determined sound level is above the volume threshold, and for controlling the volume output by adjusting the volume output of the headphones, according to the volume control mode, in an automatic volume control mode.

13. A system for controlling volume output as described by claim 12, wherein the listener type setting is configured for setting the volume for a user having a form of hearing loss.

14. A system for controlling volume output as described by claim 12, wherein the volume calibrator further comprises a volume control mode selector for allowing the user to select an automatic or a manual control mode.

15. A system for controlling volume output as described by claim 12, wherein the volume calibrator further comprises a category selector for allowing a user to select different volume controlling settings matching different user characteristics.