Asymmetric Volume Adjustment for Faster Precise Audio Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inefficiency and inconvenience when adjusting volume levels on devices, as they often require repeated adjustments between increasing and decreasing to find a preferred setting, consuming time and resources, and available methods may leave the volume either too high or too low.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where selecting a first button increases the volume by a first amount, and a second button decreases it by a different amount if selected within a threshold time, allowing for precise and efficient volume control by modifying the volume level in an asymmetric manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the volume level is increased by a fixed amount each time, then the volume adjustment is simple and consistent, but it may overshoot the desired volume level requiring repeated adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by implementing different volume adjustment amounts for increasing versus decreasing operations. When volume is increased, it adjusts by a first amount (e.g., 10%), but when decreased, it adjusts by a second amount (e.g., 5%). This asymmetric approach allows the system to quickly reach high volume levels while providing finer control when reducing volume, thereby reducing overshooting and the number of repeated adjustments needed.
2Ease of operation
If the volume level is decreased by a fixed amount each time, then the adjustment is consistent, but it may undershoot the desired volume level requiring additional increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements asymmetry by using different adjustment amounts for volume increase and decrease operations. This allows the system to maintain consistency in its adjustment logic while optimizing for different scenarios: larger steps when increasing volume for efficiency, and smaller steps when decreasing volume for precision, thereby eliminating the need for additional adjustments after undershooting.
3Measurement precision
If repeated volume adjustments are made to find the preferred setting, then the user can achieve the desired volume level, but this consumes time and increases device resource usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by implementing different volume adjustment amounts for increasing versus decreasing operations. When volume is increased, it adjusts by a first amount (e.g., 10%), but when decreased, it adjusts by a second amount (e.g., 5%). This asymmetric approach allows the system to quickly reach high volume levels while providing finer control when reducing volume, thereby reducing overshooting and the number of repeated adjustments needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of volume adjustment amount based on the direction of adjustment. By dynamically changing the adjustment parameter (first amount for increase, second amount for decrease), the system optimizes both the speed of reaching desired volume and the precision of fine-tuning, reducing the total number of adjustments required.
4Device complexity
If equal amounts are used for volume increase and decrease, then the control is symmetric and simple, but it may leave the volume either too high or too low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements asymmetry by using different adjustment amounts for volume increase and decrease operations. This allows the system to maintain simplicity in control logic while improving reliability: the asymmetric amounts prevent the volume from being consistently too high or too low by providing appropriate granularity for each direction of adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for controlling a volume level of a device are provided. For example, a first button corresponding to increasing a volume level of a device may be selected, and the volume level may be increased by a first amount (e.g., 10%). A second button corresponding to decreasing the volume level of the device may be selected. If the second button is determined to have been selected within a threshold period of time after the selection of the first button, the volume level may be decreased by a second amount (e.g., 5%). If the second button is determined to have not been selected within the threshold period of time after the selection of the first button, the volume level may be decreased by the first amount (e.g., 10%).