US2003179887A1PendingUtilityA1

Automatic adjustments of audio alert characteristics of an alert device using ambient noise levels

46
Priority: Mar 19, 2002Filed: Mar 19, 2002Published: Sep 25, 2003
Est. expiryMar 19, 2022(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Thomas Cronin
H04M 19/044G08B 29/28H03G 3/32
46
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

The automatic adjustment of audio alert characteristics of an alert device using ambient noise levels is described. In one aspect of the invention, a machine-readable medium has executable instructions to cause a machine to perform a method to receive an audio sample of ambient noise and adjust a characteristic of the audio alert, such as, the volume level of the audio alert, based on the ambient noise level.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A machine-readable medium having executable instructions to cause a machine to perform a method comprising, 
 receiving an audio sample of ambient noise; and    adjusting a characteristic of an audio alert based on the audio sample.    
     
     
         2 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein the characteristic is a volume level of the audio alert.  
     
     
         3 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 2  wherein the audio sample includes a decibel level of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         4 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 3  wherein the adjusted volume level of the audio alert is greater than the decibel level of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         5 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein the audio sample includes a frequency of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         6 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 5  wherein an adjusted frequency of the audio alert differs from the frequency of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         7 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 6  wherein a volume level is increased based on where the lower frequency of the ambient noise is greater than the higher frequency of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         8 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein the receiving the audio sample further comprising: 
 receiving an analog audio sample of the ambient noise; and  
 converting the analog audio sample to a digital audio sample.  
 
     
     
         9 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 broadcasting the adjusted audio alert from an audio output.  
 
     
     
         10 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the audio output is an output speaker.  
     
     
         11 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 receiving said audio sample from an audio input.  
 
     
     
         12 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the audio input is a microphone.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising: 
 an audio input to receive an audio sample of ambient noise;    a processor to adjust a characteristic of an audio alert based on the audio sample of the ambient noise; and    a circuit coupling the audio input and the processor.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the characteristic is a volume level of the audio alert.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the audio sample includes a decibel level of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the adjusted volume level of the audio alert is greater than the decibel level of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the audio sample includes a frequency of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein an adjusted frequency of the audio alert differs from the frequency of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the audio sample is an audible tone of the ambient noise, an adjusted audible tone of the audio sample to differ from the audible tone of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the audio input being a microphone.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising 
 an audio output to broadcast the adjusted characteristic of the audio alert.  
 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus comprising: 
 an audio alert manager to adjust a characteristic of an audio alert based on an audio sample of ambient noise.    
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the characteristic is a volume level of the audio alert.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein the audio sample includes a decibel level of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the adjusted volume level of the audio alert is greater than the decibel level of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the audio sample includes a frequency of the ambient noise, the frequency of the ambient noise to differ from an adjusted frequency of the audio alert.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the audio sample includes an audible tone, an adjusted audible tone of the audio alert to differ from the audio sample of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 22  further comprises 
 an audio alert rule to instruct the audio alert manager of the characteristics of the audio alert to be adjusted based on the audio sample of the ambient noise level.  
 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 22  further comprises 
 an audio output to broadcast the adjusted characteristics of the audio alert.  
 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising, 
 receiving an audio sample of ambient noise; and    adjusting a characteristic of an audio alert based on the audio sample.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the characteristic is a volume level of the audio alert.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the audio sample includes a decibel level of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the adjusted volume level of the audio alert is greater than the decibel level of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the audio sample includes a frequency of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein an adjusted frequency of the audio alert differs from the frequency of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein a volume level is increased based on where the lower frequency of the ambient noise is greater than the higher frequency of the ambient noise.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the receiving the audio sample further comprising: 
 receiving an analog audio sample of the ambient noise; and  
 converting the analog audio sample to a digital audio sample.  
 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising: 
 broadcasting the adjusted audio alert from an audio output.  
 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the audio output is an output speaker.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising: 
 receiving said audio sample from an audio input.  
 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the audio input is a microphone.

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US2003179887A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.