Interaction of sound, silent and mute modes in an electronic device

• US 10,387,109 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Coffman, Patrick, Borogove, Meriko, Bennett, Jonathan, Chapman, Gregory, Guetta, Anthony, Iyer, Deepak, Johnson, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US15/729,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20180143798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 381 56, 381104, 381105, 381107, 381109, 381 58, 381 77, 381 79, 700 94, 719318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308

Abstract

This is directed to controlling the output of audio based on the mode of an electronic device. In particular, this is directed to an electronic device having a sound mode, silent mode, and mute mode controlling the output of audio along different audio output routes. In the sound mode, all audio can be output, while only registered or authorized audio can be output in the silent mode. In the mute mode, no audio can be output. The sound and silent modes can be enabled using an interface of the device (e.g., a switch having two possible states), while the mute mode can be enabled using an accessory coupled to the device. To disengage the mute mode, a user can provide a corresponding instruction using the accessory, or providing an instruction on the device related to volume control. For example, a user can change the device volume using an on-device interface, or toggle a sound/silent switch to a sound mode.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising control circuitry, audio circuitry and an audio output route, the control circuitry operative to:

identify a current mode of the device, wherein the current mode comprises one of a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode;

in response to identifying that the current mode is the first mode, directing the audio circuitry to prevent media player application output to the audio output route but allow system generated audio content and notifications;

in response to identifying that the current mode is the second mode, direct the audio circuitry to provide registered audio to the audio output route for output; and

in response to identifying that the current mode is the third mode, direct the audio circuitry to provide the media player application output and the system generated audio content and notifications to the audio output route for output.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the second and third modes are enabled via an application programming interface that acts as a switch having two possible states, respectively, and the first mode is enabled via an accessory that is coupled to the device.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the first mode is mute mode, the second mode is silent mode, and the third mode is sound mode.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein when the current mode is the second mode, background music of a game application is prevented from being output through the audio output route.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein when the current mode is the second mode, hints or advice in the game application are allowed for output through the audio output route.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein when the current mode is the first mode, clock alarms are allowed through the audio output route.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein when the current mode is the first mode, telephone audio is allowed through the audio output route.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein an application programming interface is provided for an application developer to indicate whether or not its audio should be output in the second mode.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the registered audio is application program audio that has been associated with a category that is permitted to be output in the second mode.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein when the first mode is disabled, the device is in one of the second mode or the third mode.

11. A method for performed by an electronic device, the method comprising:

identifying a current mode of the device, wherein the current mode comprises one of a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode;

in response to identifying that the current mode is the first mode, directing audio circuitry to prevent media player application output to an audio output route but allow system generated audio content and notifications; and

in response to identifying that the current mode is the second mode, determining authorization of audio based on a tag associated with the audio and directing the audio circuitry to provide authorized audio to the audio output route for output; and

in response to identifying that the current mode is the third mode, directing the audio circuitry to provide the media player application output and the system generated audio content and notifications to the audio output route for output.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the second and third modes are enabled via an application programming interface that acts as a switch having two possible states, respectively, and the first mode is enabled via an accessory that is coupled to the device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first mode is mute mode, the second mode is silent mode, and the third mode is sound mode, and the mute mode is independent from and additive to the sound mode and silent mode, such that audio output is prevented when the mute mode is enabled, regardless of changes between the sound mode and the silent mode.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein when the current mode is the second mode, background music of a game application program is prevented from being output through the audio output route.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein when the current mode is the second mode, hints or advice in the game application program are allowed for output through the audio output route.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein when the current mode is the first mode, clock alarms are allowed through the audio output route.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein when the current mode is the first mode, telephone audio is allowed through the audio output route.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein an application programming interface is provided for an application developer to indicate whether or not its audio should be output in the second mode.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the authorized audio is application program audio that has been associated with a category that is permitted to be output in the second mode.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein when the first mode is disabled, the device is in one of the second mode or the third mode.