Vehicle Audio Volume Control by User Location

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Solution Overview

Problem

Centralized control systems in specific spaces, such as vehicles or rooms, face challenges in automatically adjusting speaker volumes when a user receives a call, as manual control can be cumbersome and may not suitably reduce interference for the calling user while maintaining audio experience for others.

Innovation Solution

The system determines the location of a user equipment (UE) receiving a call and adjusts the volume of nearby speakers to minimize interference, while maintaining volume levels for speakers farther away, and can also adjust microphone sensitivity and activate external microphones to enhance communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the volume of all speakers is reduced when a user receives a call, then the calling user experiences clear communication, but other users in the space lose audio enjoyment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeaker interference during callVSAvoidaudio experience for other users

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different volume adjustments to different speakers based on their spatial relationship to the calling user. Speakers closer to the calling user receive greater volume reduction than those farther away, creating a localized audio environment that prioritizes call clarity for the caller while preserving audio experience for others in different locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If manual control is used to adjust speaker volumes during calls, then individual user needs can be addressed, but the control process becomes cumbersome and complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeaker interference during callVSAvoidmanual control process

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects when a user is receiving a call and autonomously adjusts speaker volumes based on detected user locations and speaker positions. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention, allowing the system to resolve speaker interference issues automatically while maintaining optimal audio distribution throughout the space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors user equipment locations and call states, using this feedback to dynamically adjust speaker volumes. The feedback loop enables the system to respond automatically to changing conditions, such as when users move or when calls begin/end, maintaining optimal audio distribution without manual control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If speaker volume is uniformly adjusted based on UE location, then calling user clarity is improved, but the nuanced audio experience for multiple users in different locations is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation-based volume controlVSAvoidaudio experience for multiple users

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10182138B2Smart way of controlling car audio system

Publication Date: 2019.01.15 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for device control are provided. The apparatus determines that a user equipment (UE) connected to the apparatus receives a call. The apparatus determines a location of the UE. The apparatus adjusts a volume of at least one of a plurality of speakers based on the location of the UE and locations of the plurality of speakers while the UE receives the call.