User protection in a multimode personal communication device

• US 9,332,103 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tennant, Bryce, Weigold, Kenton, Warsaw, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, ASHISH
• Application Number:
  US14/161,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20150207910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/007 Protection circuits for transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/38 TPC being performed in particular situations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Portable communication device (100) generates a telephony audio stream and at least a second audio stream. Responsive to the occurrence of a telephony session, the second audio stream is re-routed from a loudspeaker (234) to a handset speaker (230) in the PCD (100) having a low capacity audio output capability. Upon termination of the telephony session, the second audio stream is re-routed from the handset speaker (230) to the loudspeaker (234). Subsequent to such re-routing, an audio output drive level of the second audio stream is caused to gradually increase over a period of time in accordance with a predetermined ramp function. A series of warning tones are reproduced to warn the user of the potential for high volume audio.

Claims

1. A method for preventing acoustic shock in a portable communication device (PCD), comprising

providing in the PCD a plurality of audio streams including a telephony audio stream and at least a second audio stream;

reproducing the second audio stream using a loudspeaker in the PCD having a high capacity audio output capability;

responsive to the occurrence of a telephony session, re-routing the second audio stream from the loudspeaker to a handset speaker in the PCD having a low capacity audio output capability, and reproducing the telephony audio stream and the second audio stream using the handset speaker;

upon termination of the telephony session, re-routing the second audio stream from the handset speaker to the loudspeaker;

subsequent to said re-routing gradually increasing an audio output drive level of the second audio stream over a period of time in accordance with a predetermined ramp function until the audio output drive level of the second audio stream corresponds with the predetermined output drive level setting for the second audio stream; and

during said period of time, selectively reproducing with the loudspeaker a series of warning tones at the audio output drive level for the second audio stream as determined by the predetermined ramp function.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second audio stream is discontinuous so as to include one or more intervals of audio content and intervals of silence, the method further comprising selectively reproducing the warning tones with the loudspeaker only during the intervals of silence.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second audio stream is discontinuous so as to include one or more intervals of audio content and intervals of silence, and wherein the method further comprises suspending reproduction of the warning tones during the intervals of audio content, and instead reproducing the audio content at the audio output drive level as determined by the ramp function.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at the telephony device a wireless communications signal from a land mobile radio (LMR) communication system which includes the second audio stream.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at the telephony device a wireless communication signal from a base station of a cellular communication system which includes the telephony audio stream.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing at the device a third audio stream;

upon termination of the telephony session, routing the third audio stream to the loudspeaker; and

gradually increasing the audio output drive level of the third audio stream in accordance with the predetermined ramp function.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising selectively reproducing with the loudspeaker a series of warning tones upon said termination of the telephony session, and reproducing the warning tones at a tone audio output drive level determined by one of an output drive level of the second audio stream and the output drive level of the third audio stream.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the tone audio output drive level corresponds to the louder of the second audio stream and the third audio stream.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selectively reducing during the telephony session a maximum allowed RF transmit power level of at least one transmitter included in said PCD.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising gradually increasing the maximum allowed RF transmit power level during said period of time following termination of the telephony session.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising disposing said loudspeaker and said handset speaker in a shared cavity.

12. A method for protecting a user of a portable communication device (PCD), comprising

generating in the PCD a plurality of audio streams including a telephony audio stream and at least a second audio stream;

reproducing the second audio stream using a loudspeaker in the PCD having a high capacity audio output capability;

responsive to the occurrence of a telephony session, re-routing the second audio stream from the loudspeaker to a handset speaker in the PCD having a low capacity audio output capability, and exclusively reproducing the telephony audio stream and the second audio stream using the handset speaker;

upon termination of the telephony session, re-routing the second audio stream from the handset speaker to the loudspeaker;

subsequent to said re-routing gradually increasing an audio output drive level of the second audio stream over a period of time in accordance with a predetermined ramp function until the audio output drive level of the second audio stream corresponds with the predetermined output drive level setting for the second audio stream; and

during said period of time, selectively increasing a maximum allowed RF transmit power level of at least one transmitter included in the PCD.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising selectively decreasing said maximum RF transmit power level during said telephony session.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising gradually increasing the maximum allowed RF transmit power level during said period of time following termination of the telephony session.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising selectively reproducing with said loudspeaker during said period of time a series of warning tones at an audio output drive level determined by the predetermined ramp function.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second audio stream is discontinuous so as to include one or more intervals of audio content and intervals of silence, the method further comprising selectively reproducing the warning tones with the loudspeaker only during the intervals of silence.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second audio stream is discontinuous so as to include one or more intervals of audio content and intervals of silence, and wherein the method further comprises suspending reproduction of the warning tones during the intervals of audio content, and instead reproducing the audio content at the audio output drive level as determined by the ramp function.

18. A portable communication device (PCD), comprising

at least one processing device configured to

generate a plurality of audio streams including a telephony audio stream and at least a second audio stream;

cause the second audio stream to be reproduced using a loudspeaker in the PCD having a high capacity audio output capability;

responsive to the occurrence of a telephony session, cause the re-routing of the second audio stream from the loudspeaker to a handset speaker in the PCD having a low capacity audio output capability, and causing the telephony audio stream and the second audio stream to be reproduced using the handset speaker;

re-route the second audio stream from the handset speaker to the loudspeaker upon termination of the telephony session;

subsequent to said re-routing gradually cause an audio output drive level of the second audio stream to increase over a period of time in accordance with a predetermined ramp function until the audio output drive level of the second audio stream corresponds with the predetermined output drive level setting for the second audio stream; and

during the period of time, cause the loudspeaker to reproduce a series of warning tones at the audio output drive level for the second audio stream as determined by the predetermined ramp function.

19. A portable communication device (PCD) with user protection, comprising at least one processing device configured to

generate in the PCD a plurality of audio streams including a telephony audio stream and at least a second audio stream;

cause the second audio stream to be reproduced using a loudspeaker in the PCD having a high capacity audio output capability;

responsive to the occurrence of a telephony session, cause re-routing of the second audio stream from the loudspeaker to a handset speaker in the PCD having a low capacity audio output capability, and to exclusively reproduce the telephony audio stream and the second audio stream using the handset speaker;

upon termination of the telephony session, cause re-routing of the second audio stream from the handset speaker to the loudspeaker;

subsequent to said re-routing, cause a gradual increase in an audio output drive level of the second audio stream over a period of time in accordance with a predetermined ramp function until the audio output drive level of the second audio stream corresponds with the predetermined output drive level setting for the second audio stream; and

during the period of time, cause the loudspeaker to reproduce a series of warning tones at a tone audio output drive level determined by the predetermined ramp function.

20. The PCD according to claim 19, wherein said at least one processing device is further configured to selectively increase during the period of time, a maximum allowed RF transmit power level of at least one transmitter included in the PCD.

21. A method for protecting a user of a portable communication device (PCD), comprising:

generating in the PCD at least one audio stream;

reproducing the at least one audio stream using a loudspeaker in the PCD having a high capacity audio output capability;

responsive to the initiation of a low audio listening session in which only a low capacity audio output capability is selected for reproduction of audio, selectively decreasing an output drive level for a loudspeaker and a maximum allowed RF transmit power level of at least one transmitter device included in the PCD; and

selectively increasing the output drive level for the loudspeaker and a maximum allowed RF transmit power level of the at least one transmitter device included in the PCD during a period of time following termination of the low audio listening session.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising gradually increasing the maximum allowed RF transmit power level during a period of time following termination of the low audio listening session.