Audio Player Volume Control Using Ambient Sound Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of audio playback devices face inconvenience in manually adjusting volume levels frequently due to changing ambient sound levels, as current methods rely on physical buttons or touch modules.

Innovation Solution

An audio player device equipped with a sound capturing unit, storage unit, and processing unit that automatically determines the output volume by matching environmental sound data to predefined volume settings, allowing for automatic adjustment without user intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual volume adjustment through physical buttons or touch modules is used, then the device structure remains simple, but user convenience deteriorates due to frequent manual adjustments needed when ambient sound changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolume adjustment convenienceVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio player device automatically adjusts its own output volume based on ambient sound levels detected by the sound capturing unit, eliminating the need for manual user intervention. The processing unit compares detected sound levels with stored reference data and autonomously selects appropriate volume settings, allowing the device to serve itself rather than requiring continuous user operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical volume adjustment (physical buttons or touch modules) with an automated electronic control system. The sound capturing unit, processing unit, and storage unit work together to detect ambient sound levels and automatically adjust volume through electronic signals, substituting the mechanical user interaction system with an automated sensing and control system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If automatic volume adjustment based on ambient sound is implemented, then user convenience is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolume adjustment convenienceVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The processing unit performs multiple functions: it processes audio playback, controls volume adjustment, and manages the automatic volume control algorithm by comparing detected sound levels with stored reference data. The sound capturing unit serves both as an ambient sound sensor and as part of the audio processing system, allowing existing components to fulfill multiple roles rather than requiring entirely separate dedicated systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If manual volume adjustment is used, then device complexity remains low, but time consumption increases due to frequent user intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolume adjustment efficiencyVSAvoidtime for volume adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The automatic volume control system operates continuously, with the sound capturing unit constantly monitoring ambient sound levels and the processing unit continuously comparing detected levels with reference data to maintain optimal volume settings. This continuous automated operation eliminates interruptions and time loss associated with manual volume adjustments, ensuring uninterrupted audio playback with consistently appropriate volume levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enhances user convenience by eliminating the need for manual volume adjustments with changing ambient noise levels and allows for learning user preferences to optimize volume settings.

Implementation Method 1

The processing unit is configured to control the sound capturing unit to receive environmental sound to generate captured sound data

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic-to-electrical transformation:

Data Source

PatentUS12124767B2Audio player device, and method for automatically adjusting an output volume of the audio player device

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 HEALTH & LIFE CO LTD

AI summary

An audio player device includes a sound capturing unit, an audio speaker unit, a storage unit and a processing unit. The storage unit stores multiple environmental volume ranges, and multiple volume setting values respectively corresponding to the environmental volume ranges. The processing unit obtains an environmental volume based on environmental sound received by the sound capturing unit, and selects a volume setting value that corresponds to an environmental volume range which covers the environmental volume to be an automatically-determined volume setting value. Then, the processing unit controls an output volume of the audio speaker unit according to the automatically-determined volume setting value.