Abstract:
Disclosed is a method of volume controlling, including: (a) receiving a volume adjusting command; (b) determining if the volume corresponding to the volume adjusting command is in a predetermined volume range; (c) if the volume corresponding to the volume adjusting command is in the predetermined volume range, utilizing the volume adjusting command to adjust a current volume; (d) if the volume corresponding to the volume adjusting command does not fall in the predetermined volume range, then (d1) utilizing the volume adjusting command to adjust the current volume; and (d2) computing the using time for the current volume, and adjusting the current volume referring to the predetermined volume range when the using time reaches a predetermined value.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method of volume controlling, and particularly relates to a method of volume computing using time to adjust a current volume according to a predetermined volume. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Portable electronic devices have become increasingly popular as technology becomes more sophisticated. Specifically, MP3 (Mpeg Layer 3) players have had considerable success in the market. Users enjoying music from their MP3 players can be seen everywhere. 
     Since the user of an MP3 player usually listens to music via an earphone for a long time, there is a potential problem of hearing damage if the sound level is too high. Controlling the volume level of an MP3 player is therefore very important. Current MP3 players do not have such controlling mechanisms, however. 
     Similarly, a handheld device may have a minimum volume level to enable users to hear sound, for example Internet broadcasts or videoconference streaming. In such a case, a minimum volume level needs to be set. 
     Therefore, a new invention is needed to solve these problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One objective of the present invention is to provide a volume controlling method, which determines if a requested volume lies in a particular range and computes a time of using the requested volume to bring the requested volume to within a predetermined range. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a volume controlling method, which determines if a requested volume is larger than a predetermined volume, and computes a time of using the requested volume to adjust the requested volume by increments to be less than a predetermined volume. 
     The present invention discloses a method of volume controlling, which comprises: (a) receiving a volume adjusting command; (b) determining if the volume corresponding to the volume adjusting command is in a predetermined volume range; (c) if the volume corresponding to the volume adjusting command is in the predetermined volume range, utilizing the volume adjusting command to adjust a current volume; (d) if the volume corresponding to the volume adjusting command does not fall in the predetermined volume range, then (d1) utilizing the volume adjusting command to adjust the current volume; and (d2) counting a using time for the current volume, and adjusting the current volume by increments with reference to the predetermined volume range when the using time reaches a predetermined value. 
     The predetermined volume range can be from a predetermined volume larger than the current volume to infinity, and the step (d2) increases the current volume. Alternatively, the predetermined volume range can be from 0 to a predetermined volume less than the current volume, and the step (d2) decreases the current volume. 
     The disclosed invention also discloses a method of volume controlling, which comprises: receiving an instruction for adjusting a current volume to a first volume; determining if the first volume is less than a predetermined volume, if yes, adjusting the current volume to the first volume, if no, adjusting the current volume to the first volume and counting the time for using the first volume; then adjusting the current volume to a second volume less than the first volume if the time for using the first volume is larger than a first predetermined value. 
     If the second volume is still larger than the predetermined volume, the above mentioned method can further count a time for using the second volume, then adjust the current volume to a third volume less than the second volume if the time for using the second volume is larger than a second predetermined value. 
     The disclosed invention also discloses a method of volume controlling, which comprises: receiving an instruction for adjusting a current volume to a first volume; determining if the first volume is larger than a predetermined volume, if yes, adjusting the current volume to the first volume, if no, adjusting the current volume to the first volume and counting the time for using the first volume; and adjusting the current volume to a second volume larger than the first volume if the time for using the first volume is larger than a predetermined value. 
     If the second volume is less than the predetermined volume, the above mentioned method can further compute a time for using the second volume, then the current volume is adjusted to a third volume larger than the second volume if the time for using the second volume is larger than a predetermined value. 
     According to the above-mentioned method, a user&#39;s hearing can be prevented from damage due to unsuitable volume levels. Furthermore, the above-mentioned method can be applied to other audio displaying apparatus to control the volume to lie in a suitable range. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a first preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a second preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart corresponding to the first and second preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart corresponding to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a first preferred embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , this embodiment classifies the volume to 10 degrees, where degree 0 is soundless. In the following example, the current volume is assumed to be degree 4, and the safe volume is set to degree 5. Then, an instruction for adjusting the current volume to a first volume is received (for example, degree 9) and the volume controlling method according to the present invention will determine if the first volume is less than or equal to the safe volume. If yes, the current volume is adjusted to the first volume and the volume controlling method ends. If the first volume is larger than 5 (as in this example), the current volume is adjusted to the first volume and a counter is started to monitor a time t for using the first volume. If the time t reaches a predetermined value T 1 , the current volume is adjusted to a second volume smaller than the first volume (for example, degree 7 in this embodiment) and it is determined if the second volume is less than or equal to the safe volume. If yes, the volume controlling method ends, if no, a time t for using the second volume is counted. If the time t is larger than a predetermined value T 2 , the current volume is adjusted to a third volume less than the second volume (for example, degree 4 in this embodiment) and it is determined if the third volume is less than or equal to the safe volume. If no, similar steps are repeated to lower the volume, if yes, the volume controlling method ends. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a second preferred embodiment according to the present invention. The difference between the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  and this second preferred embodiment is that the first embodiment adjusts the volume to be less than a specific volume, and the second embodiment adjusts the volume to be larger than a specific volume. 
     This embodiment also classifies the volume to 10 degrees, where degree 0 is soundless. The current volume is assumed to be degree 7, and the minimum volume for hearing is degree 6. Then, an instruction for adjusting the current volume to a first volume is received (for example, degree 3) and the volume controlling method according to the present invention will determine if the first volume is larger than or equal to the minimum volume. If yes, the current volume is adjusted to a first volume and the volume controlling method ends. If the first volume is less than degree 6 (as in this example), the current volume is adjusted to the first volume and a counter is started to monitor a time t for using the first volume. If the time t is larger than a predetermined value T 1 , the current volume is adjusted to a second volume larger than the first volume (for example, degree 5 in this embodiment) and it is determined if the second volume is larger than or equal to the minimum volume. If yes, the volume controlling method ends, if no, a time t for using the second volume is counted. If the time t is larger than a predetermined value T 2 , the current volume is then adjusted to a third volume larger than the second volume (for example, degree 7 in this embodiment) and it is determined if the third volume is larger than or equal to the minimum volume. If no, similar steps are repeated to increase the volume, if yes, the volume controlling method ends. 
     Besides an MP3 player, the above-mentioned volume controlling method can further be used in other portable electronic apparatus or any other audio displaying apparatus. 
     Also, the above-mentioned parameters such as volume adjusting amount, time t for using a new volume, the predetermined times T 1 , T 2 , and safe or minimum volume are not limited, and users can set their own limits according to their personal requirements. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart corresponding to the first and second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3  together to understand the present invention more clearly. The steps are as follows: 
     Step  301 : Receive a volume adjusting instruction. 
     Step  303 : Determine if the volume corresponding to the volume adjusting instruction is in a predetermined volume range. If yes, enter step  305 , if no, enter step  309 . 
     Step  305 : Adjust the current volume. 
     Step  307 : End the controlling method. 
     Step  309 : Utilize the volume adjusting instruction to adjust the current volume and count a time t for using the new volume. 
     Step  311 : Determine if t is larger than a predetermined time T. If no, enter step  313 , if yes, enter step  315 . 
     Step  313 : Count time continuously, and keep performing step  311  to determine if the time t is larger than a predetermined T. 
     Step  315 : Further adjust the current volume referring to the predetermined volume range. 
     Step  317 : Determine if the current volume is in the predetermined volume range. If no, enter step  319 , if yes, enter step  321 . 
     Step  319 : Count the time for using the current volume. GO back to step  311   
     Step  321 : End the volume controlling method. 
     In the embodiments shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , step  315  approaches the predetermined volume range gradually, but this is not meant to limit the scope of the present invention. Step  315  can directly adjust the current volume to be in the predetermined volume range, thereby the following steps  317 ,  319 ,  321  can be omitted, and this modification also falls in the scope of the present invention. Also, step  303  can further generate a warning message to warn the user if step  303  determines the current volume is not in the predetermined volume range. 
     Furthermore, if the method corresponds to the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the predetermined volume range is from 0 to a predetermined (safe) volume (degree 5 in  FIG. 1 ), and step  315  lowers the current volume. If the method corresponds to the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the predetermined (minimum) volume range is from a first predetermined volume (degree 6 in  FIG. 2 ) to infinity (or a second predetermined volume larger than a first predetermined volume), and the step  315  increases the current volume. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart corresponding to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  is that the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  determines if the new volume lies in a predetermined volume range, but the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4  determines whether the new volume is greater or smaller than a predetermined volume. The flow chart in  FIG. 4  comprises the following steps: 
     Step  401 : Receive a volume adjusting instruction for adjusting the current volume to a first volume. 
     Step  403 : Determine if the first volume is larger than the predetermined volume. If no, enter step  405 , if yes, enter step  409 . 
     Step  405 : Adjust the current volume to the first volume. 
     Step  407 : End this volume controlling method. 
     Step  409 : Adjust the current volume to the first volume and count a time t for using the new volume. 
     Step  411 : Determine if t is larger than a predetermined time t. If no, enter step  413 , if yes, enter step  415 . 
     Step  413 : Count time continuously, and keep performing step  411  to determine if the time t is larger than a predetermined T. 
     Step  415 : Adjust the current volume to a second volume less than the first volume. 
     Step  417 : Determine if the second volume is larger than the predetermined volume. If no, enter step  421 , if yes, enter step  419 . 
     Step  419 : Count time t for using the second volume. Go back to step  411 . 
     Step  421 : End this volume controlling method. 
     As in  FIG. 3 , step  415  can directly adjust the current volume to be less than a predetermined volume, thereby the following steps  417 ,  419 , and  421  can be omitted, which also falls in the scope of the present invention. Also, step  403  can further generate a warning message to warn the user if step  403  determines the current volume is not larger than the predetermined volume range. 
     Furthermore, if the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  is changed to correspond to the second preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , some steps should be amended as detailed below: 
     Step  403 : Determine if the first volume is less than the predetermined volume. If no, enter step  405 , if yes, enter step  409 . 
     Step  409 : Adjust the current volume to a first volume larger than a current volume and compute the using time t of the new volume. 
     Step  415 : Adjust the current volume to a second volume larger than a first volume. 
     Step  417 : Determine if the second volume is less than the predetermined volume. If no, enter step  421 , if yes, enter step  419 . 
     According to the above-mentioned method, the hearing of a user can be prevented from damage due to unsuitable volume levels. Furthermore, the above-mentioned method can be applied to other audio displaying apparatus to control the volume to lie in a suitable range. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.