METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTI-STAGE ADAPTIVE VOLUME CONTROL

摘要

A method and apparatus for adaptively controlling the audio output (122) of a communication device (114) according to the noise characteristics of the receiver listening environment (119). An output volume for the communication device (114) is set by a user (e.g., listener 118). The communication device (114) can intermittently sample ambient noise (116) of its environment (119). A minimum signal to noise threshold can be established for audio output (122). A total adjustment for the audio output (122) is established based on the ambient noise (116), the user set output volume, and the minimum signal to noise threshold. The total adjustment is a product of a software volume adjustment (230) and a hardware gain adjustment (240). The software volume adjustment (230) and the hardware gain adjustment (240) is adaptively applied when the communication device (114) outputs audio (122).

主权项

1. A method for adaptively controlling audio output of a communication device comprising:
receiving a wirelessly conveyed speech communication at a communication device from another communication device, wherein said conveyed speech communication is part of a real-time communication session; in response to receiving the speech communication, determining a total adjustment needed for the speech communication as part of an adaptive volume control (AVC) function of the communication device; in response to determining the total adjustment, determining a software volume adjustment and a hardware gain adjustment, wherein a combination of the software volume adjustment and the hardware gain adjustment result in the total adjustment, wherein the software volume adjustment is a signal scaling adjustment of signal amplitude prior to the signal being conveyed to an output audio amplifier of the communication device, wherein the hardware gain adjustment is an adjustment to a gain of the output audio amplifier; in response to determining the software volume adjustment and the hardware gain adjustment, applying the software volume adjustment and the hardware gain adjustment to the speech communication; and in response to the applying, outputting audio of the speech communication from an audio transducer of the communication device, wherein the total adjustment is automatically determined and applied.