Ultrasonic Ringtone Control for Pocket and Quiet-Place Audibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile communication systems fail to effectively adjust ringtone volume to counterbalance ambient noise and attenuation, leading to missed notifications, especially when the phone is in a pocket or bag, and do not adequately adapt to changing environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A mobile communication apparatus and accessory device that uses an ultrasonic signal to detect ambient noise and assess attenuation, allowing the main device to adjust the ringtone volume, pitch, and other properties to ensure the signal is perceivable, by transmitting a data packet with noise power values and using the accessory device to emit and receive ultrasonic signals for accurate noise assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ringtone volume is increased to counterbalance ambient noise and attenuation, then the ringtone becomes audible in noisy environments or when the phone is in a pocket, but the ringtone becomes annoying and embarrassing in quiet places
Solution Approach 1:
The ringtone volume is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The system automatically adapts the volume level based on real-time detection of ambient noise characteristics and phone position, allowing the volume to increase in noisy environments and decrease in quiet places, thus resolving the contradiction between ensuring audibility and avoiding annoyance
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms using microphones to detect ambient noise levels and proximity sensors to determine phone position. This feedback information is continuously processed to automatically adjust the ringtone volume, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to changing environmental conditions and resolves the volume adjustment contradiction
2Reliability
If manual adjustment of ringer volume is required to suit different environments, then the ringtone can be optimized for each situation, but the user cannot consistently adjust it due to attention being occupied with more important matters
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting environmental conditions and adjusting the ringtone volume without requiring user intervention. The microphones and proximity sensors continuously monitor the environment, and the processing unit automatically optimizes the volume settings, freeing the user from the burden of manual adjustment while maintaining optimal ringtone performance
Solution Approach 2:
Automatic feedback-based adjustment using environmental sensors eliminates the need for continuous manual user input. The system continuously monitors ambient noise and phone position, automatically adapting the ringtone settings in real-time without requiring the user to pay attention or perform adjustment actions
3Reliability
If external devices are used to reproduce the ringtone, then the ringtone can be heard more easily, but the devices do not fit the silence of quiet places or counterbalance ambient acoustic noise effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The ringtone transmission characteristics are made dynamic, with the system automatically adjusting volume, frequency, and other parameters based on real-time environmental detection. This allows the same device to effectively transmit ringtones in both noisy and quiet environments by adapting its output characteristics to match the ambient conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes multiple transmission parameters including volume level, frequency spectrum, and temporal characteristics based on detected environmental conditions. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system achieves effective ringtone transmission across diverse environments without requiring separate external devices for different situations
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
The solution ensures that ringtone notifications are consistently audible, reducing the risk of missing calls or messages by accurately adjusting the ringtone volume and properties based on real-time environmental conditions, even when the phone is in a muffling environment or moving with the user.
Implementation Method 1
uses an ultrasonic signal to detect ambient noise and assess attenuation
Implementation Method 2
assess the attenuation that the ultrasonic signal undergoes on the basis of the power of the received ultrasonic signal
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a mobile communication apparatus (105), an accessory device (102), and a method for adjusting one physical property of an acoustic signal (104), wherein the apparatus (105) comprises a ringtone generator means (407,408) adapted to generate the acoustic signal (104), ultrasound receiver means (401,402) apt to receive an ultrasonic signal (103), and processing means (403) configured for detecting at least a physical parameter and/or a content of said ultrasonic signal (103), determining, on the basis of said at least one physical parameter and/or content of said ultrasonic signal (103), attenuation information that can quantify the attenuation suffered by the ultrasonic signal (103) and/or the acoustic signal (104), determining, on the basis of said attenuation information, said physical property of the acoustic signal (104) to be generated, and generating said acoustic signal (104) having said determined property, so that the probability to hear said acoustic signal (104) increases.