Systems and methods for adjusting volume of combined audio channels

• US 8,434,006 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Profitt, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuyetlien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chuang, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US12/533,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 715/722
• US Class Current: 715/722
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

Audio volume control systems and methods are operable to control volume of audio channels of a combined audio channel. An exemplary embodiment displays an audio channel control graphical user interface (GUI) on a display, displays on the audio channel control GUI a specified first volume level for a first audio channel of the combined audio channel, displays on the audio channel control GUI a specified second volume level for a second audio channel of the combined audio channel, and adjusts volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the specified first volume level for the first audio channel and the specified second volume level for the second audio channel.

Claims

1. A method for controlling volume of audio channels of a combined audio channel, the method comprising:

receiving a first program stream with a first audio channel and a first video channel associated with a first program of interest;

receiving a second program stream with a second audio channel and a second video channel associated with a second program of interest, wherein the second program of interest is different from the first program of interest;

communicating the first video channel and the second video channel to a display, wherein the first video channel is presented on a first field area of the display, and wherein the second video channel on a second field area of the display, wherein the first video channel and the second video channel are concurrently displayed on the display;

combining the first audio channel and the second audio channel into the combined audio channel, wherein at least one speaker presents as sound the combined audio channel corresponding to both of the first audio channel and the second audio channel, wherein the first audio channel is presented at a first volume level, and wherein the second audio channel is presented at a second volume level;

adjusting at least one of the first volume level of the first audio channel and the second volume level of the second audio channel, the adjusting comprising;

displaying an audio channel control graphical user interface (GUI) on the display as a virtual fader bar, wherein the virtual fader bar concurrently indicates a first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel and the second value associated with a second volume level for the second audio channel, wherein the first value and the second value are indicated relative to each other, and wherein the first value and the second value together equals a value of the combined audio channel;

displaying on the audio channel control GUI the first value associated with the first volume level of the first audio channel of the combined audio channel;

displaying on the audio channel control GUI the second value associated with the second volume level of the second audio channel of the combined audio channel; and

receiving commands from a remote control that causes adjustment of the first value to an adjusted first value of the combined audio channel by presenting a change to the virtual fader bar, wherein the change to the virtual fader bar concurrently changes the first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel and the second value associated with the second volume level for the second audio channel; and

adjusting volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the change to the virtual fader bar,

wherein the adjustment of the first value of the combined audio channel is graphically depicted on the virtual fader bar of the audio channel control GUI; and

wherein the at least one speaker presents as sound at the adjusted first volume level and the second volume level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the first video channel on a main field area of a display; and

presenting the second video channel as a picture in picture (PIP) area of the display,

wherein the first video channel and the second video channel are concurrently presented on the display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program stream and the second program stream are received by a media device, wherein the display is a component of a media presentation device, and further comprising:

communicating the audio channel control GUI from the media device to the media presentation device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program stream and the second program stream are received by a media device, wherein the display is a component of a media presentation device, and further comprising:

communicating the combined audio channel, the first video channel, and the second video channel from the media device to the media presentation device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program stream includes a third audio channel and the second program stream includes a fourth audio channel, wherein the combined audio channel is a first combined audio channel and the speaker is a first speaker, and further comprising:

combining the third audio channel and the fourth audio channel into a second combined audio channel, wherein at least one second speaker presents as sound the second combined audio channel corresponding to both of the third audio channel and the fourth audio channel, wherein the third audio channel is presented at a third volume level, and wherein the fourth audio channel is presented at a fourth volume level;

displaying a third value associated with a third volume level of the third audio channel on the audio channel control GUI;

displaying a fourth value associated with a fourth volume level of the fourth audio channel on the audio channel control GUI; and

receiving commands from the remote control that causes adjustment of the third value to an adjusted third value,

wherein the adjustment of the third value is graphically depicted on the audio channel control GUI, and

wherein the at least one second speaker presents as sound at the adjusted third volume level and the adjusted fourth volume level.

6. The method of claim 5,

communicating the second combined audio channel to a second speaker, wherein the volume level of produced sound from the second speaker corresponds to the adjusted value associated with the third volume level for the third audio channel and the adjusted value associated with the fourth volume level for the fourth audio channel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first program stream corresponds to a movie having the first video channel and at least the first audio channel and the third audio channel, and wherein the second program stream is a music track having only the second audio channel and the fourth audio channel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program stream includes a third audio channel and the second program stream includes a fourth audio channel, wherein the combined audio channel is a first combined audio channel and the speaker is a first speaker, and further comprising:

communicating only the third audio channel to a second speaker.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

graphically indicating a first change to the first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel on the displayed audio channel control GUI;

graphically indicating a second change to the second value associated with the second volume level for the second audio channel on the displayed audio channel control GUI; and

graphically indicating an adjusted volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the first changed first value and the second changed second value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first value and the second value on the audio channel control GUI displayed on the display comprises:

displaying a first virtual fader bar on the audio channel control GUI, wherein the first virtual fader bar indicates the first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel; and

displaying a second virtual fader bar on the audio channel control GUI, wherein the second virtual fader bar indicates the second value associated with the second volume level for the second audio channel.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a first change to the first virtual fader bar, wherein the first change to the first virtual fader bar changes the first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel;

receiving a second change to the second virtual fader bar, wherein the second change to the second virtual fader bar changes the second value associated with the second volume level for the second audio channel; and

adjusting volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the first change to the first virtual fader bar and the second change to the second virtual fader bar.

12. A system to control volume levels of audio channels of a combined audio channel, comprising:

a display operable to display a virtual fader bar on an audio channel control graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the virtual fader bar on the audio channel control GUI displays a first value associated with a first volume level for a first audio channel of the combined audio channel and displays a second value associated with a second volume level for a second audio channel of the combined audio channel, displaying a virtual fader bar on the audio channel control GUI, wherein the first virtual fader bar concurrently indicates the first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel and the second value associated with the second volume level for the second audio channel, wherein the first value and the second value are indicated relative to each other, wherein the first value and the second value together equals a value of the combined audio channel, and wherein the first audio channel is associated with a first program of interest, and wherein the second audio channel is associated with a second program of interest that is different from the first program of interest;

a remote interface operable to receive commands from a remote control, wherein the remote control commands allow navigation about the displayed audio channel control GUI to adjust volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with a change to the displayed virtual fader bar;

a processor system operable to cause an adjustment to the first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel in response to receiving a change to the virtual fader bar, wherein the adjustment corresponds to the received remote control commands, and wherein the change to the virtual fader bar concurrently changes the first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel and the second value associated with the second volume level for the second audio channel; and

an interface to a sound system, wherein the interface is operable to communicate the combined audio channel to the sound system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the display, the remote interface, the processor, the interface and the sound system reside in a housing.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the remote interface, the processor and the interface reside in a media device, wherein the display resides in a media presentation device communicatively coupled to the media device, and wherein the remote is operable to control the media device and the presentation device.