Abstract:
A processor-based system may control the volume level of information played by said processor-based system. The system may allow the user to set one or more preset audio volume levels and the system automatically implements those levels. In one embodiment of the present invention, a remote control unit may have a microphone which records audio volume levels produced by the system and provides information which allows the system to determine whether the audio volume is within the desired ranges. If not, the audio levels may be adjusted. As a result, the audio levels may be monitored at a location proximate to the user&#39;s position with respect to the processor-based system.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   This invention relates generally to processor-based systems and particularly to controlling the volume level of audio information played on such systems. 
   Processor-based systems receive audio information in a variety of different fashions. Some processor-based systems have television tuner cards and receive television information from broadcast, cable or satellite sources, as examples. Other systems may receive audio through Internet connections. 
   In general, the initial volume level of the audio information received by the processor-based system is controlled by the content provider. The content provider may set the audio volume level to suit its own interests. For example, the content provider for commercial information may raise the audio level so that the persons receiving the audio may hear the audio even if they leave the room where the processor-based system is located. In other cases, content providers may believe that most listeners will desire to have a relatively high volume level when some listeners may prefer to have a lower volume level. Similarly, some users may prefer higher volume levels than others. 
   To some degree, the content provider is unable to accurately assess the appropriate volume level to set for the transmitted media. One reason for this is that the content provider can not judge the hearing ability and the personal likes and dislikes of each listener. In addition, the content provider has no way to determine how far the listener sits from the processor-based system. 
   Thus, traditionally, the content provider has set the audio level to suit the content provider&#39;s own interests. The listener can then adjust the audio level by varying controls on the processor-based system. In some cases, a remote control unit may be used to alter audio levels with a graphical user interface to reset the audio volume levels. 
   Thus, there is a continuing need for better ways to allow the listener to control the volume level of audio information received in processor-based systems. 
   SUMMARY 
   In accordance with one aspect, a method of controlling volume levels in a processor-based system includes obtaining an indicia of the volume level of audio information received by the system. That indicia is compared to a preset level and the volume level is automatically adjusted towards the preset level. 
   Other aspects are set forth in the accompanying detailed description and claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a graphical user interface which may be implemented by the system shown in  FIG. 1  in one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart for software for implementing one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart for implementing software in accordance with another aspect of one embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram for implementing one embodiment of the system shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   A processor-based system  10 , shown in  FIG. 1 , may include a processor-based unit  12 , a television receiver  14 , and a remote control unit (RCU)  16 . The RCU  16 , which may be battery powered, may control the operation of the processor-based unit  12  and the television receiver  14  by way of airwave transceivers  20  and  22  on the television receiver  14  and the processor-based unit  12  respectively. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the RCU  16  may include a transceiver  25  which communicates with the transceivers  20  and  22  through airwave broadcasts, such as infrared, radiowave, or ultrasonic signals. In this way, the RCU  16  may remotely control each of the processor-based unit  12  and the television receiver  14 . 
   The system  10  is illustrated as a set top computer system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Conventionally, a set top computer system uses a unit  12  which sits atop a television receiver  14  and may be controlled by a remote control unit  16 . However, the present invention is not in any way limited to this particular embodiment and may be applied to a variety of processor-based systems including desktop computers, laptop computers, and processor-based appliances. 
   The RCU  16  may include a microphone  24 , cursor controls  26  and a numeric keypad  28 . The numeric keypad  28  allows the user to make input commands such as channel selection commands or other input commands. The cursor controls  26  allow conventional mouse style commands. For example, the cursor controls  26  may allow the user to move through a variety of entries on an electronic programming guide, selecting a particular entry that is of interest. 
   A pushbutton  30  may provide a control signal which automatically causes a graphical user interface to be displayed on the screen  18  of the television receiver  14 . The graphical user interface  32 , shown in  FIG. 2 , may include a graphical slider  34 . A graphical volume tolerance range indicator having a high level  36  and a low level  38  are also indicated. A graphical decibel indicator  40  may be provided as well. The user can set the high and low levels of a volume tolerance range by simply moving the high and low slider indicator  34  using mouse-like controls via the cursor controls  26 . In this way, the user can reset a desired high and low volume level and the system may automatically implement those commands, in one embodiment of the present invention. 
   Software  42  for enabling the listener to set the volume levels and the tolerance range may begin by detecting a tolerance input request as indicated in diamond  44  in  FIG. 3 . The input request may be the result of the user&#39;s operation of the pushbutton  30 , in one embodiment of the present invention. 
   Upon receipt of the request, the graphical user interface  32  ( FIG. 2 ) is displayed as indicated in block  46 . The user is prompted to indicate a maximum volume. This may be done, for example, by highlighting the slider image  36 . The system may then automatically generate a series of time spaced tones of increasing volume, as indicated in block  50 . The user may provide an input command to indicate the volume level which the user desires not to exceed. This input command may be provided, for example, using the RCU  16 , by re-operating the pushbutton  30  or by using the cursor controls  26  to operate the mouse select feature (corresponding to the left mouse button). As tones progressively become louder, the slider image  36  moves upwardly. 
   When the user input signal is detected, as indicated in diamond  52 , the high volume level is stored as indicated in block  54 . In other words, the system stores that volume level that most closely corresponds to the volume of the tone produced when the select signal is received, for example from the pushbutton  30 . 
   Thereafter, the user may be prompted to indicate a minimum volume level as indicated in block  56 . A series of time spaced tones of decreasing volume, starting at the high volume level just set, are generated as indicated in block  58 . The slider image  38  moves downwardly as the tones decrease in volume. When a user select signal is detected, as indicated in diamond  60 , the low volume level value is stored, as indicated in block  62 . The recorded low volume level is the one that most closely corresponds to the volume of the tone produced when a select signal is received. 
   Referring next to  FIG. 4 , software  64  for controlling the volume level of audio received by the processor-based system begins by receiving audio information as indicated in block  66 . The audio information may be received from a variety of sources including the Internet, television broadcasts over the airwaves, satellite or cable and audio broadcasts over airwaves or by satellite, as examples. 
   The system then obtains an indicia of the volume level (block  68 ). This indicia can be obtained in a number of different ways. In one embodiment of the present invention, the RCU  16  includes a microphone  24 . The microphone  24  may receive the audio information generated by the television receiver  14  or the processor-based unit  12 . Since the RCU  16  is usually maintained in close association with the user, the RCU  16  microphone  24  provides a good indicia of how loud the information is when it reaches the user. This loudness information may then be retransmitted back to the processor-based unit  12  for operation with the software  64 . 
   Alternatively, indicia may be obtained from the received audio information itself. This information may then be analyzed within the processor-based unit  12 . 
   The indicia is then compared to the high volume level previously set by the user, as indicated in block  70 . Thereafter, the indicia is compared to the preset low volume level, as indicated in block  72 . A check at diamond  74  determines whether the currently detected volume level is within the user&#39;s tolerance range. If so, the flow ends. Otherwise the volume is adjusted. 
   For example, if the volume is below the user&#39;s tolerance range, the volume may be automatically increased in decibels and conversely if the volume is above the user&#39;s tolerance range the volume may be automatically decreased. In other words, the volume level is automatically adjusted toward a pre-set high or low level. In some embodiments of the present invention, instead of having a fixed, set limit, the volume may be progressively increased or decreased around the lower and upper levels, respectively. 
   That is, as the volume approaches the user&#39;s preset volume level, it may be progressively decreased at the high level and increased at the low level. As a result, the user may not notice an abrupt volume change at volume levels near the high and low levels. As the volume attempts to exceed the pre-set level, the volume may be damped or reduced toward the pre-set high level. Similarly, the volume may be progressively increased toward the low volume level when the volume is below the low level. 
   Referring next to  FIG. 5 , a hardware implementation for one embodiment of the invention includes a processor  78 . In one embodiment, the processor may be coupled to an accelerated graphics port (AGP) (see Accelerated Graphic Port Interface Specification, Rev. 1.0, published Jul. 31, 1996 by Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif.) chipset  80  for implementing an accelerated graphics port embodiment. The chipset  80  communicates with the AGP port  82  and the graphics accelerator  84 . The television  14  may be coupled to the video output of the graphics accelerator  84 . The chipset  80  also accommodates the system memory  86 . 
   The chipset  80  is also coupled to a bus  88 . The bus  88  couples to a television tuner/capture card  94  which is coupled to an antenna  96  or other video input port such as a cable input port, a satellite receiver/antenna or the like. The television tuner/capture card  94  selects a desired television and also performs a video capture function. One suitable video capture card is the ISVR-III video capture card available from Intel Corporation. 
   The bus  88  is also coupled to a bridge  90  which may couple a storage device such as a hard disk drive  92  or a flash memory. The drive  92  may store the software  42  and  64 . The bus  80  may also be coupled to an audio accelerator  98 . The audio accelerator  98  is in turn coupled to a coder/decoder (codec)  100 . The codec  100  may be coupled to a speaker  104  which may be integral with or coupled to the processor-based unit  12 . The sounds generated by the processor  78  are sent through the audio accelerator  98  and the codec  100  to the speaker  104 . The bridge  90  may also be coupled to the codec  100  through a tuner  102 . The codec  100  may be an AC&#39;97 codec compliant with the Codec AC&#39;97 Specification available from Intel Corporation (www.developer.intel.com/pc-supp/platform/ac97). 
   The bridge  90  may also be coupled to another bus  106 . The bus  106  may in turn be coupled to a serial input/output (SIO) device  110 . The device  110  may be coupled to an infrared interface  112 . The infrared interface may be an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) specification (http://www.irda.org) compliant infrared interface. Alternatively, the interface  112  may be implemented by other airwave communication techniques as well. The interface  112  may communicate via infrared signals with an infrared interface  114  on the RCU  16 . 
   The interface  114  on the RCU  16  communicates with a controller  116  which may be a processor such as a digital signal processor. The controller  116  communicates with the keypad  28 , the button  30 , and the controls  26  on the RCU  16  as well as with the memory  118 . The memory  118  may be conveniently implemented by a flash memory. Alternatively, the microphone that picks up sound levels produced by the system  10  may be in the unit  12  or any other component of the system  10 . 
   While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.