2176 results about "Volume control" patented technology

Techniques for controlling zone group and zone group characteristics such as audio volume in a multi-zone system are disclosed. The multi-zone system includes a number of multimedia players, each preferably located in a zone. A controller may control the operations of all of the zone players remotely from any one of the zones. Two or more zone players may be dynamically grouped as a zone group for synchronized operations. According to one aspect of the techniques, a zone group configuration can be managed, updated, modified via an interactive user interface provided in a controlling device. The zone group configuration may be saved in one of zone players. According to another aspect of the techniques, the audio volume control of a zone group can be performed individually or synchronously as a group.

A home-based remote care solution provides sensors including a basic health monitor (BHM) that is a measurement and feedback system. The BHM operates with low power integrated communications combined with an in-home, low power mesh network or programmable digital assistant (PDA) with cell phone technology. A cognitive system allows remote monitoring of the location and the basic health of an individual. The BHM measures oxygen saturation (SaO2), temperature of the ear canal, and motion, including detection of a fall and location within a facility. Optionally, the BHM measures CO2, respiration, EKG, EEG, and blood glucose. No intervention is required to determine the status of the individual and to convey this information to care providers. The cognitive system provides feedback and assistance to the individual while learning standard behavior patterns. An integrated audio speaker and microphone enable the BHM to deliver audio alerts, current measurements, and voice prompts. A remote care provider can deliver reminders via the BHM. The device may be worn overnight to allow monitoring and intervention. Through the ability to inquire, the cognitive system is able to qualify events such as loss of unconsciousness or falls. Simple voice commands activate the device to report its measurements and to give alerts to care providers. Alerts from care providers can be in a familiar voice to assist with compliance to medication regimens and disease management instructions. Simple switches allow volume control and manual activation. The device communicates with a series of low-power gateways to an in-home cognitive server and point-of-care (POC) appliance (computer). Alone the BHM provides basic feedback and monitoring with limited cognitive capabilities such as low oxygen or fall detection. While connected to the cognitive server, full cognitive capabilities are attained. Full alerting capability requires the cognitive server to be connected through an Internet gateway to the remote care provider.

Methods and related circuit for automatic volume-tracking and controlling of an audio signal. The audio signal has a plurality of sampled audio data, and the method includes: for each of the audio data, calculating a mean-volume data according to neighboring audio data; if the mean-volume data is larger than a recorded max-mean data, then updating the max-mean data, otherwise keeping the max-mean data not updated; and recording whether the max-mean data is updated. After performing aforementioned steps for a predetermined number of audio data, if the max-mean data is still not updated, then updating the max-mean data according to current mean-volume data. Thus the max-mean data can reflects local maximum volume of the audio signal, and the invention can control the volume of the audio signal accordingly.

A method and system for selectively and variably attenuating audio data are disclosed. A high-volume control value as selected by a user is first received, and this high-volume control value defines a volume output level for high amplitude audio samples. An attenuation factor is then determined by utilizing the high-volume control value. Each sample from an incoming audio data stream is conditionally attenuated with the attenuation factor such that high amplitude audio data get compressed while low amplitude audio data remain unaffected. Finally, the attenuated samples are sent to an output.

An energy-efficient consumer device audio power output stage provides improved battery life and reduced power dissipation. A power supply having a selectable operating mode supplies the power supply rails to the power amplified output stage. The operating mode is controlled in conformity with the audio signal level, which may be determined from a volume control setting of the device and / or from a signal level detector that determines the amplitude of the signal being amplified. The power supply may be a charge pump in which the operating mode uses a capacitive divider to provide for selection of a power supply output voltage that is a rational fraction of the power supply output voltage in a full-voltage operating mode.

An entertainment system comprising a base unit with a transceiver for interacting, at times, with a control unit via a communications link, and a control unit for controlling the base unit, the control unit being dockable with the base unit to establish direct electrical connection between them, and including a transceiver for interacting with the control unit via said link when undocked. The control unit is a separate aspect of the invention or system. The base unit may contain a tuner, preferably with bandless tuning capability, and may be designed to receive into a universal docking arrangement a digitally controllable auxiliary audio source such as a portable MP3 player or other device. The base unit may further provide alarm clock functionality with numerous features including a “fail-safe” volume control system and fail-safe alarm time setting capability.

A method implemented by processing and other audio components of an electronic device provides a smart audio output volume control, which correlates a volume level of an audio output to that of an audio input that triggered generation of the audio output. According to one aspect, the method includes: receiving an audio input that triggers generation of an audio output response from the user device; determining an input volume level corresponding to the received audio input; and outputting the audio output response at an output volume level correlated to the input volume level. The media output volume control level of the device is changed from a preset normal level, including from a mute setting, to the determined output level for outputting the audio output. Following, the media output volume control level is automatically reset to a pre-set volume level for normal media output.

Techniques for controlling the volumes of multiple audio output devices using a collective (master) volume control and an individual volume control for each audio output device. In one set of embodiments, each individual volume control can be configured to indicate the current absolute volume level of its corresponding audio output device. When the master volume control is manually adjusted, the individual volume controls can be automatically adjusted in a manner proportional to the manual adjustment of the master volume control. In addition, when an individual volume control is manually adjusted to a setting or value that exceeds the master volume control, the master volume control can be automatically adjusted to be equal to, or greater than, the manually adjusted setting for the individual volume control. In this scenario, the other individual volume controls can remain unchanged.

A bridge device, in communication with a smart device, functions to command one or more controllable appliances in response to communications received from the smart device. The bridge device also includes input elements by which the bridge device can be used to directly command common functional operations of the one or more controllable appliances.In this manner, common functional operations, such as volume control, playback pause / resume control, etc., may be made readily available without necessitating the use of the smart device, whilst the more sophisticated GUI provided by the smart device remote control app may be advantageously utilized when more complex or less frequently used command functions are to be performed.

An ergonomic water conserving faucet assembly that pivots around a cognitive central point providing touchless water temperature, flow rate, volume control and spray pattern adjustment through multiple, hygienic means. The assembly comprises a pivotable, ergonomic, ball-shaped spout that may be used statically or hand held; a retractable water delivery hose connecting the spout to a water source; a water mixing valve at the water source delivering water of preselected temperature; solenoid valves controlling flow; proximity and object detection sensors mapping the sink area and detecting input signals; speech sensors with microphone for voice control; an LED display of water temperature; internal speakers delivering audible prompts; and an electronic controller recognizing speech and supervising operations.

The present disclosure involves a method of automatic volume adjustment based on context and location. A determination is made that a mobile computing device has been placed in a vehicle. The determination may be made by detecting that the mobile computing device has been plugged into a dock inside the vehicle, or by detecting that a movement speed of the mobile computing device is within a normal speed range of the vehicle. The mobile computing device has a programmable audio output volume. In response to the determination, the audio output volume of the mobile computing device is automatically increased to a predefined audio output volume. In some embodiments, the volume setting of the mobile computing device is recorded before the volume is automatically increased, and the mobile computing device restores the original volume setting after the mobile computing device is taken out of the vehicle.

An audio / video (A / V) device having a volume control function for external audio reproduction units by using volume control buttons of a remote controller is provided. The A / V device includes speakers, an audio output port for externally outputting an audio signal, an audio signal processing unit for reproducing and amplifying the audio signal and applying the amplified audio signal to the speakers or the audio output port, a memory unit for storing volume control values, and a control unit for applying to the audio signal processing unit any of the volume control values stored in the memory based on whether the external audio reproduction unit is plugged in the audio output port. The control unit controls the audio signal processing unit to adjust the volume control values for the audio output port by the volume control buttons when the external audio reproduction unit is plugged in the audio output port.

The invention relates to the measurement and control of the perceived sound loudness and / or the perceived spectral balance of an audio signal. An audio signal is modified in response to calculations performed at least in part in the perceptual (psychoacoustic) loudness domain. The invention is useful, for example, in one or more of: loudness-compensating volume control, automatic gain control, dynamic range control (including, for example, limiters, compressors, expanders, etc.), dynamic equalization, and compensating for background noise interference in an audio playback environment. The invention includes not only methods but also corresponding computer programs and apparatus.

Example techniques are provided for controlling volume of A / V devices using an improved volume control. The volume control may be implemented as a slider, where the sliding element is temporarily slid in response to user input (e.g., touched and dragged by the user), but then automatically “snaps” back to the center of the slider's range when the user input ends (e.g., is released by the user). Movement of the element from the center is interpreted as a relative volume adjustment, with the rate of volume change being proportional to the distance between the center of the range and the temporary position of the element. An indicator is provided indicating the rate, to provide user feedback. The volume control may be utilized as a master volume control in a home automation system.

A remote control device for operating an electronic device having an means. The remote control device is configured to be grasped for operation by both hands of a user and is comprised of a body having a lower part an upper part and a continuous sidewall extending between said lower and upper parts. One or more operation areas are positioned on the body and are equipped with a plurality of channel operation buttons, the channel operation buttons being arranged on the body and numbered to correspond with a user's fingers such that when the remote control is grasped in both of the user's hands, each of the user's fingers are comfortably positioned upon one of the plurality of operation buttons so as to facilitate control of the electronic device such that selection may be rapidly and conveniently changed by depressing the desired button with the finger which rests upon the operation button which corresponds to the desired selection. Additional basic control buttons, such as volume control, are easily reached by the user's fingers while grasping the body or bodies. The remote control device also includes channel operation means capable of generating a code signal which corresponds to one or more of the channel operation buttons when one or more of the channel operation buttons are depressed. An infrared beam emitter or wired connection is also provided for producing a signal beam to engage the infrared beam receiver of the television set to change a channel.

The invention is a reminder system for a medicament inhaler in which a plurality of different audio signals can be selected for use as an alarm signal by the user. The system may also include automatic daylight savings time adjustment and a volume control. The system can be formed as part of a medicament inhaler or as an attachment for a medicament inhaler.

A mobile audio device (for example, a cellular telephone, personal digital audio player, or MP3 player) performs Audio Dynamic Range Control (ADRC) and Automatic Volume Control (AVC) to increase the volume of sound emitted from a speaker of the mobile audio device so that faint passages of the audio will be more audible. This amplification of faint passages occurs without overly amplifying other louder passages, and without substantial distortion due to clipping. Multi-Microphone Active Noise Cancellation (MMANC) functionality is, for example, used to remove background noise from audio information picked up on microphones of the mobile audio device. The noise-canceled audio may then be communicated from the device. The MMANC functionality generates a noise reference signal as an intermediate signal. The intermediate signal is conditioned and then used as a reference by the AVC process. The gain applied during the AVC process is a function of the noise reference signal.

A shower head assembly includes a hollow handle and a head. A base plate is engaged with the head and a rotatable member is connected to the head and a fixed plate is secured to the rotatable member. Two tubular members are located between the fixed plate and the base plate. Two springs are received in two respective interiors of the two tubular members and biased between the fixed plate and the base plate. A pattern plate having a plurality of pattern holes is fixed to the rotatable member. A filtering assembly including a cap, an adjusting member with a plurality of ribs, a first filter, a separation ring with a plurality of holes and a second filter. A bolt extends through the filtering assembly and connecting the filtering assembly to the pattern plate. A volume control device is engaged with a connection hole defined through a wall of the handle so as to control water volume through the handle.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an electronic device and method providing a plurality of playback indicators for controlling playback of a media object. Playback indicators include playback progress, download progress and volume control indicators. In one example embodiment, the method for controlling playback of a media object on an electronic device includes: receiving an input to initiate playback of the media object using the electronic device; displaying, on a display of the electronic device, a circular progress bar having an inner boundary, an outer boundary, and a first circular progress bar width disposed between the inner boundary and the outer boundary; and during the playback of the media object, radially filling the width of the circular progress bar to graphically depict a playback progress for the media object.

This disclosure describes systems and methods for monitoring and evaluating ventilatory parameters, analyzing those parameters and providing useful notifications and recommendations to clinicians. That is, modern ventilators monitor, evaluate, and graphically represent multiple ventilatory parameters. However, many clinicians may not easily recognize data patterns and correlations indicative of certain patient conditions, changes in patient condition, and / or effectiveness of ventilatory treatment. Further, clinicians may not readily determine appropriate ventilatory adjustments that may address certain patient conditions and / or the effectiveness of ventilatory treatment. Specifically, clinicians may not readily detect or recognize the presence of double triggering during ventilation. According to embodiments, a ventilator may be configured to monitor and evaluate diverse ventilatory parameters to detect double triggering and may issue notifications and recommendations suitable for a patient to the clinician when double triggering is implicated. The suitable notifications and recommendations may further be provided in a hierarchical format.

Audio signal processing relating to the measurement and control of the perceived sound loudness and / or the perceived spectral balance of an audio signal is useful, for example, in one or more of: loudness-compensating volume control, automatic gain control, dynamic range control (including, for example, limiters, compressors, expanders, etc.), dynamic equalization, and compensating for background noise interference in an audio playback environment. In various embodiments, modification parameters are derived for modifying the audio signal in order to reduce the difference between its specific loudness and a target specific loudness.

Methods and apparatus for downhole analysis of formation fluids by isolating the fluids from the formation and / or borehole in a pressure and volume control unit that is integrated with a flowline of a fluid analysis module and determining fluid characteristics of the isolated fluids. Parameters of interest may be derived for formation fluids in a static state and undesirable formation fluids may be drained and replaced with formation fluids that are suitable for downhole characterization or surface sample extraction. Isolated formation fluids may be circulated in a loop of the flowline for phase behavior characterization. Real-time analysis of the fluids may be performed at or near downhole conditions.

A fill adapter system for an infusion pump assembly. The system includes a reusable fill adapter base, the base including a volume control mechanism to adjust an available fill volume of a reservoir of the infusion pump assembly and a pump mechanism configured to pump air into a fluid vial. The system also includes a vial adapter assembly including a first needle configured to penetrate a septum of the fluid vial for fluidly coupling the pump mechanism to the fluid vial and a second needle having a first end configured to penetrate the septum of the fluid vial and a second end configured to penetrate a septum of the reservoir of the infusion pump assembly to allow transfer of fluid from the fluid vial to the reservoir of the infusion pump assembly in response to air being pumped into the fluid vial and a needle carriage adapted to carry the first needle and the second needle, wherein the needle carriage slidably attached to the interior of the vial adapter assembly, wherein the needle carriage adapted to slide from a vial end of the vial adapter to a receptacle end of the vial adapter.

Method and system for controlling operation of radiotelephone speaker volume and / or microphone gain. Using signals from one or more proximity sensors associated with the radiotelephone device, the device determines if a radiotelephone user is within a selected proximity zone for the device. If the user is within the proximity zone, the system adjusts the speaker volume control and / or the microphone gain control according to an estimated user-device distance. If the user is beyond the proximity zone, the system may adjust the speaker volume and / or microphone gain to its maximum value, may provide a notification that the user not within the proximity zone, or may disable the speaker and / or microphone. Several varieties of proximity sensors are used, individually and in combination.

The invention is directed to polyester processes that utilizes a pipe reactor in the esterification, polycondensation, or both esterification and polycondensation processes. Pipe reactor processes of the present invention have a multitude of advantages over prior art processes including improved heat transfer, volume control, agitation and disengagement functions. The pipe reactor processes and apparatus of the present invention are built and operated at a much lower cost than conventional polyester processes.

Techniques for controlling the volumes of multiple audio output devices using a collective (master) volume control and an individual volume control for each audio output device. In one set of embodiments, each individual volume control can be configured to indicate the current absolute volume level of its corresponding audio output device. When the master volume control is manually adjusted, the individual volume controls can be automatically adjusted in a manner proportional to the manual adjustment of the master volume control. In addition, when an individual volume control is manually adjusted to a setting or value that exceeds the master volume control, the master volume control can be automatically adjusted to be equal to, or greater than, the manually adjusted setting for the individual volume control. In this scenario, the other individual volume controls can remain unchanged.