Mobile Audio Gain Map Selection for Loudness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices often have inconsistent and difficult-to-hear audio output volumes, especially in noisy environments, due to confusing volume control mechanisms and default volume settings that may not provide sufficient loudness for user feedback.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device system that uses alternate audio gain maps based on input source identifiers to adjust volume settings dynamically, ensuring louder audio output for navigation, notification, and alert information, even at low volume settings, by selecting an alternate audio gain map and aligning it with the ringer volume setting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If default volume settings are used for text-to-speech audio output, then the audio playback is simple to implement, but the volume level is insufficient and difficult to hear in noisy environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the volume parameter by introducing alternate audio gain maps with different gain values. Instead of using a single default volume setting, the system selects from multiple gain maps (e.g., first audio gain map for media, second audio gain map for TTS) to achieve appropriate loudness levels for different audio types and environments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If volume keys control different types of volume based on current context, then the volume control is adaptive to context, but the control mechanism becomes confusing to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the volume control system into separate audio gain maps for different audio types (media audio, TTS audio, notification audio). Each audio type has its own dedicated gain map, eliminating the confusion of context-dependent behavior while maintaining adaptability. The system clearly distinguishes between different audio streams and applies appropriate gain settings to each.
3Reliability
If a single audio gain map is used for all audio output, then the device complexity is low, but the audio output volume is inconsistent across different audio sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal audio processing framework that handles multiple audio types (media, TTS, notifications) through a common architecture. The audio service selectively applies different audio gain maps based on the input source type, achieving consistent and reliable audio output across all sources while managing complexity through a unified selection mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A method on a mobile device for providing an audio output to a user at a determined loudness level is described. A text input is received. A loudness level of an audio output, corresponding to the text input, is determined based on a volume setting of the mobile device and a non-linear adjustment of the volume setting. The audio output is provided to an audio output component at the determined loudness level.