METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OUTPUTTING AUDIO SIGNAL IN PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20110142260A1
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: JANG, Young-Bae
• Application Number:
  US12/962,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20110142260A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for outputting an audio signal in a portable terminal are provided. In the method, a touched coordinate of a screen is recognized. An output volume of each of a plurality of speakers is controlled according to the touched coordinate. An audio signal is output via the plurality of speakers whose output volume has been controlled.

Claims

1. A method for outputting an audio signal in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

recognizing a touched coordinate of a screen;

controlling an output volume of each of a plurality of speakers according to the touched coordinate; and

outputting audio signals via the plurality of speakers whose output volume has been controlled.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling of the output volume of each of the plurality of speakers comprises:

setting an output volume of a speaker positioned close to the touched coordinate to high; and

setting an output volume of a speaker positioned distant away from the touched coordinate to low.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a summation of the output volume of the plurality of speakers is the same regardless of the touched coordinate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of speakers are positioned at corners of the portable terminal or at regions neighboring the corners of the screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of speakers includes more than two speakers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when a left lower end region closest to a first speaker is touched, the output volume of the first speaker is determined as a maximum value, and when the other regions positioned relatively distant from the first speaker with respect to an x-axis and a y-axis are touched, the output volume of the first speaker may be determined as a minimum value.

7. An apparatus for outputting an audio signal in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of speakers for outputting an audio signal;

an input unit for recognizing a coordinate at which a screen is touched; and

a controller for controlling an output volume of each of the plurality of speakers according to the touched coordinate, and for controlling a function for outputting an audio signal via the plurality of speakers whose output volume has been controlled.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller sets an output volume of a speaker positioned close to the touched coordinate to high, and sets an output volume of a speaker positioned distant away from the touched coordinate to low.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller controls a summation of the output volume of the plurality of speakers to be the same regardless of the touched coordinate.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of speakers are positioned at corners of the portable terminal or at regions neighboring the corners of the screen.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of speakers includes more than two speakers.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein when a left lower end region closest to a first speaker is touched, the output volume of the first speaker is determined as a maximum value, and when the other regions positioned relatively distant from the first speaker with respect to an x-axis and a y-axis are touched, the output volume of the first speaker may be determined as a minimum value.