Systems and methods for automatically adjusting the volume of an audio source

• US 7,110,558 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2000
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBN Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation), Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Elliott, Brig Barnum
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): MICHALSKI, JUSTIN I
• Application Number:
  US09/699,922
• Time in Patent Office: 2,150 Days
• Field of Search: 381/105, 381/107, 381/104, 381/109, 381/56, 381/102, 381/108, 700/94, 348/14.05
• US Class Current: 381/105
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/32 the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level

Abstract

A system adjusts audio levels so as to maintain a constant perceived audio level at a user'"'"'s location. The system includes a sensor (110) and an audio device (120). The sensor (110) receives a first audio signal, receives at least one data packet (1000) comprising a second audio signal, determines whether a difference between an average volume level of the first audio signal and the second audio signal exceeds a threshold value, generates a response data packet (1200) including a volume adjustment command when the difference between the average volume level of the first audio signal and the second audio signal exceeds the threshold value, and transmits the response data packet (1200). An audio device (120) transmits the first audio signal, transmits the at least one data packet (1000) to the sensor (110), receives the response data packet (1200), and adjusts an audio level based on the response data packet (1200).

Claims

1. A method for adjusting an audio volume of an audio device, comprising:

receiving a first audio signal from the audio device at a location physically separate from the audio device;

receiving a data packet from the audio device at said location, the data packet comprising a second audio signal that is sampled at the audio device;

determining whether a difference between the first audio signal and the second audio signal exceeds a threshold value; and

adjusting the audio volume of the audio device when the difference between the first audio signal and the second audio signal exceeds the threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data packet further comprises a volume level value, and

wherein the determining includes:

determining an average volume level of the first audio signal,

determining an average volume level of the second audio signal,

multiplying the average volume level of the second audio signal with the volume level value to produce an adjusted average volume level,

comparing the average volume level of the first audio signal to the adjusted average volume level, and

determining whether a difference between the average volume level of the first audio signal and the adjusted average volume level exceeds the threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining includes:

determining whether the audio volume is to be increased or decreased.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting includes:

generating a data packet comprising a volume adjustment command, the volume adjustment command including a flag indicating that the audio volume is to be increased or decreased,

transmitting the data packet containing the volume adjustment command to the audio device, and

adjusting the audio volume based on the flag.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data packet further includes a reactivity setting value, and

wherein the adjusting occurs when a time period since a previous audio volume adjustment equals or exceeds the reactivity setting value.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the threshold value is set by a user.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, based on the determining whether a difference between the first audio signal and the second audio signal exceeds the threshold value, an amount to adjust the audio volume of the audio device, and

wherein the adjusting includes;

adjusting the audio volume based on the amount.

8. A system for adjusting an audio volume of an audio device, comprising:

means for receiving at least one first audio signal from the audio device at a location physically separated from the audio device;

means for receiving a data packet from the audio device at said location, the data packet comprising at least one second audio signal that is sampled at the audio device;

means for determining whether a difference between the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal exceeds a threshold value; and

means for adjusting the audio volume of the audio device when the difference between the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal exceeds the threshold value.

9. A system for adjusting audio volume, comprising:

a sensor configured to;

receive a first audio signal,

receive at least one data packet comprising a second audio signal that is sampled at an audio device, said audio device being physically separated from said sensor,

determine whether a difference between an average volume level of the first audio signal and the second audio signal exceeds a threshold value,

generate a response data packet when the difference between the average volume level of the first audio signal and the second audio signal exceeds the threshold value, the response data packet including a volume adjustment command, and

transmit the response data packet; and

the audio device configured to;

transmit the first audio signal,

transmit the at least one data packet to the sensor,

receive the response data packet, and

adjust an audio volume based on the response data packet.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one data packet includes a volume setting value, and

wherein, when determining, the sensor is configured to:

multiply the average volume level of the second audio signal by the volume setting value to produce an adjusted average volume level, and

compare the average volume level of the first audio signal with the adjusted average volume level.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the sensor is further configured to:

determine whether the audio volume of the audio device is to be increased or decreased.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the response data packet further includes a flag indicating that the audio volume of the audio device is to be increased or decreased, and

wherein the audio device is configured to adjust the audio volume based on the flag.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one data packet includes a reactivity setting value, and

wherein the sensor generates the response data packet when a time period since a previous transmission of a response packet equals or exceeds the reactivity setting value.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the sensor is further configured to:

determine an amount of audio volume adjustment, and

store the amount in the response data packet.

15. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling at least one processor to perform a method for determining whether to adjust a volume of a remote audio device, the method comprising:

receiving at least one first audio signal from the remote audio device;

receiving a data packet comprising at least one second audio signal that is sampled at the remote audio device;

determining a difference between the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal;

comparing the difference to a threshold value;

generating a volume adjustment command when the difference exceeds the threshold value; and

transmitting the volume adjustment command to the remote audio device.

16. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling at least one processor to perform a method for adjusting a volume level, the method comprising:

transmitting at least one first audio signal from a source;

generating a data packet, the data packet comprising at least one second audio signal that is sampled at the source of the first audio signal;

transmitting the data packet to a remote device;

receiving a volume adjustment command from the remote device, the volume adjustment command comprising a flag indicating that the volume level is to be increased or decreased; and

adjusting the volume level at the source in response to the flag.

17. A method for adjusting an audio level of an audio device, comprising:

receiving a first audio signal at a remote sensing device;

transmitting the received first audio signal to the audio device from the remote sensing device;

multiplying, at the audio device, a second audio signal by a volume setting value to produce an adjusted second audio signal;

determining, at the audio device, a difference between the first audio signal and the adjusted second audio signal;

comparing the difference to a threshold value; and

adjusting the audio level of the audio device when the difference exceeds the threshold value.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the determining includes:

determining whether the audio level is to be increased or decreased.

19. A system for adjusting an audio level, comprising:

a sensor configured to;

receive at least one first audio signal,

generate a data packet, the data packet comprising the at least one first audio signal, and

transmit the data packet; and

an audio device configured to;

receive the data packet,

retrieve at least one second audio signal,

determine average volume levels of the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal,

multiply the average volume level of the at least one second audio signal with a volume setting value to produce an adjusted average volume level,

compare a difference between the average volume level of the first audio signal and the adjusted average volume level to a threshold value, and

adjust the audio level when the difference exceeds the threshold value.

20. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling at least one processor to perform a method for adjusting an audio level, the method comprising:

receiving a data packet from a remote device, the data packet comprising a first audio signal captured by the remote device;

determining an average volume level of the first audio signal;

determining an average volume level of a second audio signal;

multiplying the average volume level of the second audio signal by a volume setting value to produce an adjusted average volume level;

determining a difference between the average volume of the first audio signal and the adjusted average volume level;

comparing the difference to a threshold value; and

adjusting the audio level when the difference exceeds the threshold value.

21. A method for adjusting an audio volume of an audio device, comprising:

receiving a first audio signal from the audio device at a location physically separated from the audio device, the first audio signal comprising a plurality of sub-bands;

receiving a data packet at the location, the data packet comprising a second audio signal comprising a plurality of sub-bands that are sampled at the audio device;

determining, for each sub-band, whether a difference between a sub-band of the first audio signal and a corresponding sub-band of the second audio signal exceeds a threshold value; and

adjusting the audio volume of a sub-band at the audio device when the difference between a sub-band of the first audio source and the corresponding sub-band of the second audio signal exceeds the threshold value.