Method and apparatus for using a sound sensor to adjust the audio output for a device
First Claim
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1. A method for using a sound sensor to adjust the audio output of a device, comprising:
- determining an initial ambient sound level for an environment in proximity to the device during a boot sequence for the device, wherein determining the initial ambient sound level comprises using the sound sensor to determine the initial ambient sound at power-on, before other noise-producing components in the device begin generating noise;
subsequent to the boot sequence, using the sound sensor to determine an ambient sound level for the environment in proximity to the device; and
adaptively adjusting a volume setting for the device based on the determined initial ambient sound level; and
after adaptively adjusting the volume setting based on the determined initial ambient sound, adaptively adjusting the volume setting for the device based on the determined ambient sound level.
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses a sound sensor to adjust the audio output of a device. During operation, the system uses the sound sensor to determine an ambient sound level for the environment in the proximity of the device. The system then adjusts a volume setting for the device adaptively based on the determined ambient sound level. Adaptively adjusting the volume setting allows the device to adapt to its audio environment and ameliorates potentially-disruptive audio outputs.
251 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for using a sound sensor to adjust the audio output of a device, comprising:
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determining an initial ambient sound level for an environment in proximity to the device during a boot sequence for the device, wherein determining the initial ambient sound level comprises using the sound sensor to determine the initial ambient sound at power-on, before other noise-producing components in the device begin generating noise; subsequent to the boot sequence, using the sound sensor to determine an ambient sound level for the environment in proximity to the device; and adaptively adjusting a volume setting for the device based on the determined initial ambient sound level; and after adaptively adjusting the volume setting based on the determined initial ambient sound, adaptively adjusting the volume setting for the device based on the determined ambient sound level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for using a sound sensor to adjust the audio output of a device, the method comprising:
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determining an initial ambient sound level for an environment in proximity to the device during a boot sequence for the device, wherein determining the initial ambient sound level comprises using the sound sensor to determine the initial ambient sound at power-on, before other noise-producing components in the device begin generating noise; subsequent to the boot sequence, using the sound sensor to determine an ambient sound level for the environment in proximity to the device; adaptively adjusting a volume setting for the device based on the determined initial ambient sound level; and after adaptively adjusting the volume setting based on the determined initial ambient sound, adaptively adjusting the volume setting for the device based on the determined ambient sound level. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus that uses a sound sensor to adjust the audio output of a device, comprising:
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a sound sensor configured to determine an initial ambient sound level for an environment in proximity to the device during a boot sequence for the device, wherein determining the initial ambient sound level comprises determining the initial ambient sound at power-on, before other noise-producing components in the device begin generating noise; wherein the sound sensor is further configured to determine an ambient sound level for the environment in proximity to the device subsequent to the boot sequence; and an adjusting mechanism configured to adaptively adjust a volume setting for the device based on the determined initial ambient sound level, wherein, after adaptively adjusting the volume setting based on the determined initial ambient sound, the adjusting mechanism is further configured to adaptively adjust the volume setting for the device based on the determined ambient sound level. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification