Electronic Device and Sound Level Control Method

• US 20070242838A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ichinose, Masafumi
• Application Number:
  US11/573,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20070242838A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/107
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• 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

Abstract

To enable to control an audio sound to a suitable volume level corresponding to the using condition of electronic equipment.

In a portable disk device 2 that can be attached to a cradle 3, a connection detecting line DET connected to a control part 50 for detecting an attached state or an unattached state to the cradle and a pullup resistance 56, the control part 50 for controlling to set, if it is detected that the portable disk device 2 is in the unattached state, an audio sound to be emitted from the above portable disk device 2 to dedicated headphones 15 to a volume level based on a predetermined headphone volume value VH, and to switch, if being in the attached state is detected, an audio sound to be emitted from speakers 4L and 4R via the above cradle 3 from the volume level based on the headphone volume value VH to a volume level based on a line volume value VL larger than the above headphone volume value VH, and a DSP 53 are provided.

Claims

1. Electronic equipment being able to be attached to a cradle, comprising:

detecting means for detecting an attached state or an unattached state to said cradle; and

control means for controlling to set, if it is detected that said electronic equipment is in an unattached state to said cradle, an audio sound to be emitted from the above electronic equipment to a predetermined first volume level, and to switch if it is detected that it is in an attached state to said cradle, an audio sound to be emitted from said cradle from said first volume level to a predetermined second volume level larger than the above first volume level.

2. The electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein

said detecting means detects said unattached state by that the potential of a detecting terminal for detecting an attached state or an unattached state to said cradle is a predetermined threshold value or above, and detects said attached state by that the potential of the above detecting terminal is said threshold value or less, or detects said unattached state by that the potential of said detecting terminal is said threshold value or less, and detects said attached state by that the potential of the above detecting terminal is said threshold value or above.

3. The electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein:

said electronic equipment includes storage means to store a user volume level that was changed by hand by a user; and

said control means sets if said unattached state is detected, the sound to be emitted from said electronic equipment to said user volume level, and switches if the transition from said attached state to said unattached state is detected, the sound to be emitted from said electronic equipment from said second volume level to said user volume level.

4. The electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein:

said electronic equipment includes an audio output terminal for outputting said sound; and

in said audio output terminal, when said electronic equipment is attached to said cradle, an audio output from said audio output terminal is limited.

5. The electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein

said first volume level is a volume level to be emitted through headphones, and said second volume level is a volume level to be emitted through a speaker via said cradle.

6. A method for controlling a volume level of electronic equipment being able to be attached to a cradle, comprising the steps of:

detecting an attached state or an unattached state to said cradle; and

controlling to set, if it is detected that said electronic equipment is in an unattached state to said cradle, an audio sound to be emitted from the above electronic equipment to a predetermined first volume level, and to switch, if it is detected that it is in an attached state to said cradle, an audio sound to be emitted from said cradle from said first volume level to a predetermined second volume level larger than the above first volume level.

7. An electronic equipment system having electronic equipment and a cradle capable of attaching the above electronic equipment, wherein

said electronic equipment includes:

detecting means for detecting an attached state or an unattached state to said cradle, and

control means for controlling to set, if it is detected that said electronic equipment is in the unattached state to said cradle, an audio sound to be emitted from the above electronic equipment to a predetermined first volume level, and to switch, if it is detected that it is in the attached state to said cradle, an audio sound to be emitted from said cradle from said first volume level to a predetermined second volume level larger than the above first volume level.