Patent Publication Number: US-2009232319-A1

Title: Audio playing apparatus and method thereof

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 97109141, filed in Taiwan, Republic of China on Mar. 14, 2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an audio playing apparatus, and more particularly to an audio playing apparatus for auto-adjusting the volume according to background sounds. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, audio playing apparatuses play sounds with a volume which is preset by a user. As a result, a suitable volume played by the audio playing apparatus in a quiet environment would be too soft to be heard clearly by a user in a noisy environment. Conversely, a suitable volume played by the audio playing apparatus for a user in a noisy environment would be too loud in a quiet environment. Thus, causing inconvenience to users. 
     Specifically, users must constantly adjust the volume of audio playing apparatuses for different background sound environments. Thus, automatic adjusting volume control is an important issue for audio playing devices and the like. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Provided is an audio playing apparatus, comprising a sound detecting module, a transforming module, a controlling module and an output module. Wherein the sound detecting module is used for acquiring a sound of background sounds and generating a background sound signal, the transforming module is coupled to the sound detecting module for transforming background sounds sound signal to a background sound value, and the controlling module is coupled to the transforming module for adjusting the volume of an audio signal according to a predetermined manner and the background sounds sound value and generating an output signal. The output module is coupled to the controlling module for playing the output signal. 
     Provided is also an audio playing method, comprising acquiring a sound of background sounds and generating a background sound signal, transforming the background sounds sound signal to generate a background sound value, adjusting the volume of an audio signal according to a predetermined manner and background sound value to generate an output signal, and playing the output signal. 
     A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustrative diagram of the audio playing apparatus in the present invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is an illustrative diagram of the transforming module of the audio playing apparatus in the present invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is an illustrative diagram of the controlling module of the audio playing apparatus in the present invention; 
         FIG. 2C  is an illustrative diagram of the output module of the audio playing apparatus in the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating the audio playing method in the present invention; 
         FIG. 4A  is a flowchart illustrating the step S 32  of the audio playing method in the present invention; 
         FIG. 4B  is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the step S 34  of the audio playing method in the present invention; 
         FIG. 4C  is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the step S 34  of the audio playing method in the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an illustrative diagram of the audio playing apparatus  10  in the present invention is shown. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the present invention is an audio playing apparatus  10 , comprising a sound detecting module  12 , a transforming module  14 , a controlling module  16 , and an output module  18 . The sound detecting module  12  is used for acquiring a sound of background sounds and generating a background sound signal S B . In one embodiment, the detecting module  12  is a sensor used for acquiring the sound of background sounds from the background sounds and further generating a background sound signal S B . The transforming module  14  is coupled to the sound detecting module  12  and transforms the background sound signal S B  to a background sound value S V . The controlling module  16  is coupled to the transforming module  14  and is used for adjusting the volume of an audio signal S A  according to a predetermined manner and the background sound value S V  and generating an output signal S O . The output module  18  is coupled to the controlling module  16  and used for playing the output signal S O . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2A , an illustrative diagram of the transforming module  14  of the audio playing apparatus  10  in the present invention is shown. As shown in  FIG. 2A , the transforming module  14  comprises a filter  141 , an amplifier  142  and an analog-to-digital converter  143 . The filter  141  is used for filtering the sound of the background sound signal S B  to generate a filtering signal S F . The amplifier  142  is coupled to the filter  141  for amplifying the filtering signal S F  to generate an amplifying signal S M . The analog-to-digital converter  143  is coupled to the amplifier  142  for converting the amplifying signal S M  to generate the background sound value S V . 
     In one embodiment, the predetermined manner is to predetermine a gain value. The controlling module  16  is used for adjusting the volume of the audio signal S A  according to the background sound value and the gain value and generating the output signal S O . In addition, in another embodiment, the predetermined manner is to predetermine a critical value and a gain value, and the controlling module  16  determines whether the background sound value S V  is larger than the critical value. If the determination is yes, the controlling module  16  adjusts the volume of the audio signal S A  according to the gain value and generates the output signal S O . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2B , an illustrative diagram of the controlling module  18  of the audio playing apparatus  10  in the present invention is shown. As shown in  FIG. 2B , the controlling module  16  comprises a comparator  161  and an adjuster  162 . The comparator  161  is used for comparing the background sound value S V  with the critical value and generating a comparative result C 1 . The adjuster  162  is coupled to the comparator  161  and adjusts the audio signal S A  according to the comparative result C 1  and the gain value. The adjuster  162  adjusts the audio signal S A  according to the gain value when the background sound value S V  is larger than the critical value. 
     In another embodiment, the controlling module  16  comprises a reference table, and the predetermined manner is to consult the reference table. The reference table comprises a plurality of background sound values S V  and a plurality of their respective corresponding gain values. In one embodiment, the controlling module  16  consults the reference table to adjust the volume of the audio signal S A , and generates the output signal S O . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2C , an illustrative diagram of the output module  18  of the audio playing apparatus  10  in the present invention is shown. As shown in  FIG. 2C , the output module  18  comprises a digital-to-analog converter  181  and a loudspeaker  182 . The digital-to-analog converter  181  is used for converting the output signal from digital mode to an analog mode. The loudspeaker  182  is coupled to the digital-to-analog convert and used for playing the output signal S O  in analog mode. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a flowchart illustrating the audio playing method in the present invention is shown. As shown in  FIG. 3 , one of the embodiments of the present invention is to disclose an audio playing method, which comprises:
     S 30 , acquiring a sound of background sounds and generating a background sound signal, for example, with a sensor.   Step  32 , transforming the background sound signal to generate a background sound value;   Step  34 , adjusting the volume of an audio signal according to a predetermined manner and the background sound value to generate an output signal; and   Step  36 , playing the output signal by converting the output signal from digital mode to an analog mode and then playing the output signal in analog mode with a loudspeaker   

     Referring to  FIG. 4A , a flowchart illustrating the step S 32  of the audio playing method in the present invention is shown. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the step S 32  further comprises:
     Step  321 , filtering the background sound signal to generate a filtering signal;   Step  322 , amplifying the filtering signal to generate an amplifying signal; and   Step  323 , converting the amplifying signal to generate the background sound value by converting an analog mode amplifying signal to a digital mode background sound value.   

     In one embodiment, the predetermined manner in the step S 34  is to predetermine a gain value, and the step S 34  is to adjust the volume of the audio signal according to the background sound value and the gain value to generate the output signal. In another embodiment, the predetermined manner in the step S 34  is to predetermine a critical value and a gain value, and the step S 34  determines whether the background sound value is larger than the critical value, and if yes, it adjusts the volume of the audio signal according to the gain value to generate the output signal, if no, there is no further step. Referring to  FIG. 4B , a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the step S 34  of the audio playing method in the present invention is shown. As shown in  FIG. 4B , in this embodiment, the step S 34  comprises:
     Step  341 , comparing the background sound value with the critical value and generating a comparative result;   Step  342 , adjusting the audio signal according to the comparative result and the gain value.   In the step S 342 , the audio signal is adjusted according to the gain value when the background sound value is larger than the critical value, and the audio signal will not be adjusted when the background sound value is lower than the critical value.   

     Referring to  FIG. 4C , a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the step S 34  of the audio playing method in the present invention is shown. As shown in  FIG. 4C , in another embodiment, the predetermined manner is to consult a reference table. In the embodiment, the step S 34  comprises:
     Step  343 , storing a reference table in advance, wherein the reference table comprises a plurality of background sound values and a plurality of their respective corresponding gain values; and   Step  344 , by consulting the reference table, the volume of the audio signal is adjusted to generate the output signal.   

     As discussed above, the audio playing apparatus and method in the present invention is to acquire sounds from background sounds at first, and to generate a corresponding audio signal based on the volume of the sound acquired from the background sounds, and then to adjust the playing volume based on the magnitude of the audio signal in order to meet the purpose of auto-adjusting the volume in accordance with background sounds. As a result, eliminating prior art inconveniences for the users concerning volume adjustment. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.