MOBILE DEVICE WITH AUTOMATIC VOLUME CONTROL

• US 20140329567A1
• Filed: 05/01/2013
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Application Number:
  US13/874,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20140329567A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user

Abstract

A mobile device includes a speaker configured to produce output, a proximity sensor configured to generate distance data, an orientation sensor configured to generate orientation data, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit calculates a distance between the mobile device and a region proximate to a user'"'"'s ear based on the distance data, calculates an angular orientation of the mobile device with respect to the region based on the orientation data, and adjusts the speaker output based on the calculated distance and angular orientation.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a speaker configured to produce output;

a proximity sensor configured to generate distance data;

an orientation sensor configured to generate orientation data; and

a processing circuit configured to;

calculate a distance between the mobile device and a region proximate to a user'"'"'s ear based on the distance data;

calculate an angular orientation of the mobile device with respect to the region based on the orientation data; and

adjust the speaker output based on the calculated distance and angular orientation.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the speaker output is adjusted according to a change in the distance between the mobile device and the region or a change in the angular orientation of the mobile device with respect to the region.

11. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the speaker output is adjusted in order to maintain a substantially constant volume at the user'"'"'s ear.

12. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the speaker output is adjusted in order to maintain a substantially constant audio frequency profile at the user'"'"'s ear.

13. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein adjusting the speaker output includes adjusting a directional output of the speaker.

16. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the directional output of the speaker is adjusted by varying an excitation of at least one of a plurality of transducers.

18. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the speaker comprises components configured to provide both ultrasound output and audible sound output.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein adjusting the speaker output includes switching between ultrasound output and audible sound output.

25. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to measure an ambient noise level, and wherein adjusting the speaker output is further based on the ambient noise level.

30. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine a target location of the mobile device in relation to the region, and wherein adjusting the speaker output is further based on the target location.

33. The mobile device of claim 30, wherein the target location is determined in order to reduce interaction of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the mobile device with a user'"'"'s head.

35. The mobile device of claim 30, wherein adjusting the speaker output comprises adjusting a volume level of the speaker to a preferred volume level at the target location.

42. The mobile device of claim 30, wherein adjusting the speaker output comprises adjusting a frequency profile of the speaker to a preferred frequency profile at the target location.

46. The mobile device of claim 30, wherein adjusting the speaker output comprises adjusting a frequency profile of the speaker to a non-preferred frequency profile at a location other than the target location.

47. The mobile device of claim 46, wherein the non-preferred frequency profile has at least one of more noise than a preferred frequency profile, more low frequency content than a preferred frequency profile, more high frequency content than a preferred frequency profile, and more frequency distortion than a preferred frequency profile.

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60. A method of optimizing speaker output of a mobile device, comprising:

generating distance data based on a signal from a proximity sensor of the mobile device;

generating orientation data based on a signal from an orientation sensor of the mobile device;

calculating a distance between the mobile device and a region proximate to a user'"'"'s ear based on the distance data;

calculating an angular orientation of the mobile device with respect to the region based on the orientation data; and

adjusting the speaker output based on the calculated distance and angular orientation.

68. The method of claim 60, wherein the speaker output is adjusted according to a change in the distance between the mobile device and the region or a change in the angular orientation of the mobile device with respect to the region.

70. The method of claim 60, wherein the speaker output is adjusted in order to maintain a substantially constant volume at the user'"'"'s ear.

71. The method of claim 60, wherein the speaker output is adjusted in order to maintain a substantially constant audio frequency profile at the user'"'"'s ear.

77. The method of claim 60, wherein the speaker comprises components configured to provide both ultrasound output and audible sound output, and wherein adjusting the speaker output includes switching between ultrasound output and audible sound output.

82. The method of claim 60, further comprising adjusting output of at least one additional speaker of the mobile device based on the calculated distance and angular orientation.

89. The method of claim 60, further comprising determining a target location of the mobile device in relation to the region, and wherein adjusting the speaker output is further based on the target location.

94. The method of claim 89, wherein adjusting the speaker output comprises adjusting a volume level of the speaker to a preferred volume level at the target location.

101. The method of claim 89, wherein adjusting the speaker output comprises adjusting a frequency profile of the speaker to a preferred frequency profile at the target location.

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178. A mobile device, comprising:

a speaker configured to produce output;

a proximity sensor configured to generate distance data; and

a processing circuit configured to;

calculate a distance between the mobile device and a user based on the distance data;

determine a target location of the mobile device in relation to the user;

compare the calculated distance and the target location; and

adjust the speaker output based on the comparison between the calculated distance and the target location.

179. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein the calculated distance includes three-dimensions of distance information.

183. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein the speaker output is adjusted in order to maintain a substantially constant volume at the user'"'"'s ear.

184. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein the speaker output is adjusted in order to maintain a substantially constant audio frequency profile at the user'"'"'s ear.

185. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein adjusting the speaker output includes adjusting a directional output of the speaker.

199. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein the target location is based on at least one of a fixed distance from the user, a variable distance from the user, a distance from a region proximate to the user'"'"'s ear, and a user setting.

205. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein the target location is determined in order to reduce attenuation by a user'"'"'s head of electromagnetic radiation directed to the mobile device.

206. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein adjusting the speaker output comprises adjusting a volume level of the speaker to a preferred volume level at the target location.

207. The mobile device of claim 206, wherein the preferred volume level is based on at least one of a user setting and hearing characteristics of a representative user.

210. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein adjusting the speaker output comprises adjusting a volume level of the speaker to a non-preferred volume level at a location other than the target location.

213. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein adjusting the speaker output comprises adjusting a frequency profile of the speaker to a preferred frequency profile at the target location.

217. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein adjusting the speaker output comprises adjusting a frequency profile of the speaker to a non-preferred frequency profile at a location other than the target location.

229. The mobile device of claim 178, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to adjust a setting of the mobile device based on the calculated distance.

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