User terminal apparatus, electronic device, and method for controlling the same

• US 9,609,427 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2013
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeong, Dae-yeon, Lee, Young-sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Disler
• Application Number:
  US13/925,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20140093100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 381104-109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/00 Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/001 Digital control of analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/002 Control of digital or coded signals H03G3/3089 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

A user terminal apparatus connected to an electronic device, and a method thereof, are provided. The apparatus includes a communicator that performs communication with the electronic device, an audio processor that processes an audio source to be transmitted to the electronic device, and a controller that adjusts a sound level of the audio source based on a reference volume unit of the electronic device, and controls the adjusted audio source to be transmitted to the electronic device in a streaming method.

Claims

1. A user terminal apparatus connected to an electronic device, the user terminal apparatus comprising:

a communicator that performs communication with the electronic device;

an audio processor that processes an audio source to be transmitted to the electronic device; and

a processor configured to control the audio processor to;

determine a reference volume unit based on a measurement value of a standard sound, the standard sound received from the electronic device,

adjust a sound level of the audio source based on the determined reference volume unit of the electronic device, and

control the adjusted audio source to be transmitted to the electronic device in a streaming method,

wherein the reference volume unit is a volume that corresponds to a Volume Unit (VU) at an audio output terminal of the electronic device.

2. The user terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the audio processor comprises a sound measurer that measures the level of a standard sound received from the electronic device, and

wherein the audio processor determines the reference volume unit based on a measurement value measured by the sound measurer, and

wherein the processor controls the audio processor to adjust the sound level of the audio source based on the determined reference volume unit.

3. The user terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communicator receives the reference volume unit transmitted from the electronic device before transmitting the audio source to the electronic device, and

wherein the processor controls the audio processor to adjust the sound level of the audio source based on the received reference volume unit.

4. The user terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a memory that maps and stores device identification information and the reference volume unit,

wherein, if the identification information is received from the electronic device, the processor searches for the reference volume unit that is mapped on the identification information in the memory, and controls the audio processor to adjust the sound level of the audio source based on a found reference volume unit.

5. An electronic device connected to a user terminal apparatus, the electronic device comprising:

a communicator that performs communication with the user terminal apparatus;

an audio outputter that outputs an audio signal; and

a processor that operates to receive an audio source, of which a sound level has been adjusted based on a reference volume unit of the electronic device, from the user terminal apparatus in a streaming method, and to output the received audio source,

wherein the processor operates to;

transmit a standard sound to determine the reference volume unit to the user terminal apparatus, and

receive the audio source, of which the sound level has been adjusted based on the reference volume unit determined according to a measurement value of the standard sound, from the user terminal apparatus,

wherein the reference volume unit is a volume that corresponds to a Volume Unit (VU) at an audio output terminal of the electronic device.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the processor operates to:

receive the audio source in a Real time Transport Protocol (RTP) packet form, and

transmit the standard sound using a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet before the audio source is received.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a memory that stores the reference volume unit,

wherein the processor operates to transmit the reference volume unit stored in the memory to the user terminal apparatus, and to receive the audio source, of which the sound level has been adjusted based on the reference volume unit, from the user terminal apparatus.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the processor operates to transmit identification information of the electronic device to the user terminal apparatus, and to receive the audio source, of which the sound level has been adjusted based on the reference volume unit determined by the identification information, from the user terminal apparatus.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the electronic device comprises a head unit device of a vehicle, and the user terminal apparatus comprises a mobile terminal.

10. A method for controlling a user terminal apparatus connected to an electronic device, the method comprising:

performing communication with the electronic device;

measuring a level of a standard sound received from the electronic device;

determining a reference volume unit based on the measured measurement value;

adjusting a sound level of an audio source based on the determined reference volume unit of the electronic device; and

transmitting the audio source, of which the sound level has been adjusted, to the electronic device in a streaming method,

wherein the reference volume unit is a volume that corresponds to a Volume Unit (VU) at an audio output terminal of the electronic device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adjusting of the sound level of the audio source comprises:

measuring a level of a standard sound received from the electronic device;

determining the reference volume unit based on the measured measurement value; and

adjusting the sound level of the audio source based on the determined reference volume unit.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adjusting of the sound level of the audio source comprises:

receiving the reference volume unit transmitted from the electronic device; and

adjusting the sound level of the audio source based on the received reference volume unit.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adjusting of the sound level of the audio source comprises:

receiving identification information from the electronic device;

searching for the reference volume unit that is mapped on the identification information; and

adjusting the sound level of the audio source based on a found reference volume unit.

14. A method for controlling an electronic device connected to a user terminal apparatus, the method comprising:

performing communication with the user terminal apparatus;

transmitting a standard sound to determine a reference volume unit to the user terminal apparatus; and

receiving an audio source, of which a sound level has been adjusted based on the reference volume unit of the electronic device, from the user terminal apparatus in a streaming method, wherein the receiving of the audio source comprises;

receiving, from the electronic device, the audio source of which the sound level has been adjusted based on the reference volume unit determined according to a measurement value of the standard sound, and

outputting the received audio source,

wherein the reference volume unit is a volume that corresponds to a Volume Unit (VU) at an audio output terminal of the electronic device.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the receiving of the audio source comprises receiving the audio source in a Real time Transport Protocol (RTP) packet form, and

wherein the transmitting of the standard sound to the user terminal apparatus comprises transmitting the standard sound using a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet before the audio source is received.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting identification information of the electronic device to the user terminal apparatus,

wherein the receiving the audio source comprises receiving the audio source of which the sound level has been adjusted based on the reference volume unit determined by the identification information.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the electronic device comprises a head unit device of a vehicle, and the user terminal apparatus comprises a mobile terminal.