Playback Group Volume Control Under Maximum Volume Limits
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media playback systems with maximum volume features often result in a suboptimal user experience due to misinterpretation of volume adjustment requests exceeding the maximum volume level, leading to inconsistent volume representations across controller and playback devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a maximum volume state variable in playback devices that calculates an alternate volume level based on the requested level, adjusting the actual volume to this alternate level, and sharing a representative volume level with other devices in the system, ensuring consistent volume representation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the playback device enforces a maximum volume limit, then harmful factors (excessive volume) are reduced, but the user experience deteriorates due to misinterpretation of volume adjustment requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a controller device as an intermediary between the user and the playback device. The controller handles volume adjustment requests and communicates with the playback device, which enforces the maximum volume limit. This mediator approach allows the playback device to maintain the volume limit while the controller manages user interactions, preventing the direct conflict between volume enforcement and user experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the controller receives volume adjustment requests from the user, processes them against the maximum volume setting, and communicates the actual volume changes back to the user. This feedback loop ensures that users are informed about the actual volume level applied, resolving the misinterpretation issue while maintaining the maximum volume constraint.
2Measurement precision
If the playback device shares the actual volume level with the controller, then measurement precision is improved, but inconsistency arises when the volume exceeds the maximum limit
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the playback device sharing its actual internal volume level (which may exceed the maximum), the system inverts the approach by having the controller determine and communicate the effective volume level to the user. The controller calculates what the volume would be if the maximum limit weren't applied, providing a consistent representation that doesn't reveal the internal clipping behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that receives the actual volume level from the playback device and translates it into a consistent representation for the user. When the volume exceeds the maximum, the controller adjusts the reported value to reflect the maximum limit, ensuring consistency without sacrificing the precision of actual measurements below the maximum.
Data Source
AI summary
A command to update a volume level of a group comprising a first and a second playback device to a requested group volume level is detected, the requested group volume level indicating respective requested volume levels for the first and second playback devices. Based on the command, (i) a first volume state variable of the first playback device is determined to be adjusted based on a first maximum volume state variable and (ii) a second volume state variable of the second playback device is determined to be adjusted based on a second maximum volume state variable. Based on the first and second maximum volume state variables, the volume level of the playback group is adjusted to an alternate group volume level different from the requested group volume level. An indication that the volume level of the playback group has been adjusted to the requested group volume level is provided.