Remote automatic volume control apparatus
US6584201B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 7, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jun 24, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03G1/02
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An automatic remote control device and method which compensates for ambient, environmental noise changes and sudden changes in program material volume. The microphones and circuitry associated with the volume control apparatus are located in an autonomous, preferably portable, remote control unit that will work with any existing audio/video device that is configured to respond to a remote control input. In one embodiment, the remote control device comprises a microprocessor, at least one directional microphone for receiving a sound level emitted from a sound-emitting device, and at least one omni-directional microphone for receiving the total noise level in the vicinity of the remote control device. The microprocessor located in the remote control device utilizes the received sound level and the total received noise level to calculate a reference sound-to-noise ratio. If a volume up/down control is pressed by the operator, the remote control device sends the appropriate signal to the sound-emitting device to increase or decrease the sound level, and a new reference sound-to-noise ratio is calculated. If the volume up/down control has not been used, a timed polling loop periodically…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.