KR100999647B1 - System and method for automatically controlling volume - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and system for automatically controlling the volume of a sound source playback terminal are provided, and more specifically, a method and system for automatically controlling the volume of a sound source playback terminal according to the magnitude of external noise is provided.

The method for automatically controlling the volume according to the external noise includes (a) measuring and storing the external noise and the reproduced volume at a predetermined time period to construct a library, and (b) the volume of the reproduced volume by the user. If the control occurs, storing the size of the external noise at the time of the control of the playback volume and the size of the controlled playback volume in the library; and (c) if the size of the external noise is changed to more than a predetermined size, the library And controlling the size of the playback volume on the basis of.

External noise, volume control, sound source playback

Description

Volume automatic control method and system {SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING VOLUME}

The present invention relates to a method and system for automatically controlling the volume of a sound source playback terminal, and more particularly, to a method and system for automatically controlling the volume of a sound source playback terminal according to the amount of external noise.

Portable sound source playback apparatuses include cassette players, CD players, MP3 players, portable multimedia players (PMPs), mobile phones, portable game consoles, and wired / wireless headsets. In particular, with the recent development of semiconductor technology, it is possible to manufacture a memory card that can store a small and large amount of data. As a result, the MP3 player, a device for playing MP3 files compressed with audio data, has been miniaturized. Growing.

The portable sound source reproducing apparatus is mainly used for the purpose of listening to music when the user mainly performs outdoors, especially when moving. In general, the portable sound source reproducing apparatus adjusts the volume through a gain control value set by the user.

Therefore, when the user sets the gain control value small in accordance with the quiet environment, the user may not normally hear the audio signal when the user moves to a noisy environment.

On the contrary, if the gain control signal is set largely in accordance with a noisy environment, when the user moves to a quiet environment, the sound source reproducing device may output loud sound more than necessary to cause damage to others. There is a problem.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-0076959 discloses a configuration for converting external noise into a digital signal and amplifying and outputting an audio signal using an average value of the digital signal. Discloses a configuration for variably adjusting the output level of a ringtone based on a noise level value detected from a microphone of a portable terminal.

This conventional technique adjusts the volume level of the terminal output based on the level value of the external noise, that is, the magnitude of the external noise. However, since a preferred volume exists separately for each user, and the conventional technology adjusts the volume based only on a level value of external noise, there is a problem in that it does not provide an optimal volume that may be different for each user.

In addition, each sound source may have a unique output, which may result in different outputs for each sound source even if the terminal provides the same output value. However, the conventional technique does not take into account the unique output that may be different for each sound source, so that it may provide a proper output for listening to a specific sound source, but may provide an output unsuitable for listening due to an output that is too large or too small for another sound source. There was a problem.

An embodiment of the present invention collects data by measuring the size of the external noise and the corresponding playback volume, and automatically adjusts the volume of the playback volume of the portable sound source playback apparatus according to the change of the external noise using the collected data. It is intended to provide a method and system.

As a technical means for achieving the above-described technical problem, the first aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of (a) measuring and storing the magnitude of the external noise and the reproduction volume at a predetermined time period to configure the library, (b) When the control of the volume of the playback volume occurs by the user, storing the size of the external noise at the time of the control of the playback volume and the size of the controlled playback volume in the library; and (c) the size of the external noise to be preset If the above change, it may provide a method for automatically controlling the volume according to the external noise comprising the step of controlling the size of the playback volume on the basis of the library.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the library is generated for each playback sound source file, and includes the name of the playback sound source file, the playback volume and the magnitude of external noise, and the step (c) is performed when the magnitude of the external noise is changed. It may be performed based on a library matching the sound source being used.

In addition, the second aspect of the present invention includes an external noise measurement unit for measuring the external noise at a predetermined time period, the measured external noise, the sound source file information and the volume of the sound file being reproduced when the external noise is measured A system for automatically controlling the volume according to external noise including a database storing a library and a volume adjusting unit for adjusting a volume of a playback volume using the library when the size of the external noise changes by more than a predetermined size. Can provide.

In addition, in the second aspect of the present invention, the volume control unit adjusts the size of the playback volume by searching for the volume of volume matching the size of the changed external noise from the library, or the size of external noise included in the library. And a volume of the volume corresponding to the changed external noise using the relationship between the volume of the volume and the volume of the reproduced volume.

According to the above-described problem solving means of the present invention, a library is generated by collecting the external noise of the portable sound source playback terminal and the corresponding information and volume of the sound source being reproduced at regular intervals, and the magnitude of the external noise changes You can adjust the volume of the playback volume using the data in the library.

In addition, by generating the volume of the volume according to the external noise to create a unique library for each user of the portable sound source playback device, and adjusts the volume of the playback volume using the generated library, the optimum volume size of each user preferred Can be provided.

In addition, since a unique library is generated for each sound source, it is possible to provide an optimal volume level for external noise in consideration of the unique output size of each sound source.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention, and like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only "directly connected" but also "electrically connected" with another element in between. . In addition, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, which means that it may further include other components, except to exclude other components unless otherwise stated.

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a portable sound source playback device having a volume automatic control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The portable sound source reproducing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a microphone unit 110, a sound source signal output unit 120, an information display unit 130, and a control button unit 140.

The microphone unit 110 collects and stores sound from the outside of the portable sound source reproducing apparatus 100. In particular, the microphone unit 110 may collect noise generated from the external noise source 300.

The external noise collected by the microphone unit 110 and the information and volume of the sound source file being played may be matched with each other to constitute a library, which may be stored in a database included in a volume automatic control system (not shown). Can be.

The sound source signal output unit 120 outputs the sound of the reproduced sound source, and the volume of the output sound may be adjusted by the user through the control button unit 140 or may be automatically adjusted according to the state of external noise.

That is, the volume of the sound source output from the sound source signal output unit 120 may be automatically adjusted according to the amount of external noise collected from the external noise source by the microphone unit 110. This automatic adjustment of volume can be performed based on the library stored in the database.

The sound output by the sound source signal output unit 120 is output as a sound through the sound reproducing unit 200 such as an earphone or a headset.

The information display unit 130 displays information and reproduction information of the sound source file reproduced by the sound source reproducing apparatus 100. For example, the information display unit 130 may display the name of the sound source file to be played, the total playing time and the section currently being played, and may also display the volume of the sound currently being played.

The control button unit 140 receives a user input for playing, selecting, or adjusting the volume of the sound source file from the user. Therefore, the user can select and play the sound source to be played through the control button unit 140, and can adjust the volume of the played sound source.

When the control button unit 140 receives a user input and the volume is adjusted, the adjusted volume may be stored in a database by configuring a library together with information of the currently playing sound source and information of external noise when the volume is adjusted. Can be.

2 is a flow chart showing the flow of the automatic volume control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In step S110, external noise transmitted from an external noise source of a portable sound source reproducing apparatus (not shown) is collected, and the size, type, etc. of the collected external noise are measured. Collection and measurement of such external noise may be performed simultaneously. The external noise source may include a vehicle, an airplane, a subway, a pedestrian, and the like, and the external noise may include all sounds except for the sound of a sound source reproduced by the portable sound source reproducing apparatus.

In step S120, the external noise information collected and measured in step S110 and the reproduction information of the sound source that was being reproduced at the time of collecting and measuring the external noise, that is, the name and volume of the sound source file, are stored in the database.

As described above, the external noise and the reproduction information of the sound source being reproduced may be stored in the database as a library configured to match each other.

In step S130, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed after measuring the external noise. In order to construct a database including external noise and reproduction information of sound sources, it is necessary to measure the external noise at a predetermined time.

Therefore, in operation S130, it may be determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed after the measurement of the external noise, and whether or not the external noise is to be measured again.

In step S140, when it is determined that the predetermined time has not elapsed in step S130, it is determined whether control of the volume by the user has been performed. That is, the portable sound source reproducing apparatus receives a control signal from the user and determines whether the volume of the sound source being reproduced is adjusted according to the received control signal.

As described above, the portable sound source reproducing apparatus includes a control button unit (not shown), and a user may input a control signal for the volume into the portable sound source reproducing apparatus by using the same.

In step S150, when it is determined that volume control by the user is performed in step S130, external noise is measured when the volume control is performed or immediately after the volume control is performed. That is, immediately or immediately after the volume control is performed, the external noise transmitted from the external noise source of the portable sound source reproducing apparatus (not shown) is collected, and the magnitude and type of the collected external noise are measured.

In step S160, the information of the external noise collected and measured in step S150 and the reproduction information of the sound source that was being reproduced at the time of collecting and measuring the external noise, that is, the name and volume of the sound source file, are stored in the database.

In this case, the magnitude of the external noise when the volume control by the user is performed and the reproduction information of the sound source after the volume control by the user are configured in a library and matched with each other and stored in the database.

Since the volume adjusted by the user is a volume selected by the user with respect to external noise, the volume adjusted by the user may be appropriate to listen to a sound source being played by the user. Therefore, in the sound source file, the external noise and the user's adjustment volume can be stored, and the information stored in the subsequent volume automatic adjustment can be used.

In step S170, it is determined whether the magnitude of the external noise has changed by more than a predetermined change amount. That is, it is determined whether the change in the magnitude of the external noise is equal to or exceeds the preset magnitude. When the magnitude of the external noise changes by more than a certain amount, the volume of the reproduced sound source should be adjusted in response to the change in the magnitude of the external noise, so the change in the magnitude of the external noise is measured based on the preset change amount.

In step S180, when the change in the magnitude of the external noise is equal to or exceeds the preset magnitude in step S170, the volume of the portable sound source reproducing apparatus is adjusted in response to the change in the magnitude of the external noise.

The volume to be adjusted is determined based on the size of the external noise and the reproduction information of the sound source being played. In particular, the volume may be determined based on the library stored in the database.

That is, when the size of the external noise is changed, the volume of the external noise included in the library matching the sound source being played may be searched and the volume of the portable sound source device may be adjusted based on the size of the found volume.

For example, if there is no library that matches the currently playing sound source and the current external noise level is 5 and the current playback volume level is 10, when the external noise rises to 10, the volume level is 15 or 20. Can be adjusted linearly.

In addition, if the playback volume of the external noise level of 10 is recorded as 14 in the library matching the currently playing sound source, when the external noise level rises to 10, the playback volume is not linearly adjusted but the library. It can be adjusted to 14 according to the record.

In addition, when the loudness corresponding to the changed external noise is not stored in the library, an appropriate loudness may be calculated using an interpolation method, and the playback volume may be adjusted according to the calculated loudness.

For example, the library stores data when the size of the external noise is 7 and the size of the playback volume is 12, and the size of the external noise is 8 and the size of the playback volume is 14, and the size of the current external noise is When the magnitude of the external noise is changed to 10 while the reproduction volume is 10 and the volume is 10, the reproduction volume corresponding to the external noise level 10 is calculated by using interpolation or extrapolation using data stored in the library described above. Can be.

In this case, the calculated reproduction volume value is not a slope of a straight line, and a curve of an equation of three or more orders may be applied to each section using the data value of the library.

That is, if the current value and the data value of two libraries exist, the third volume equation can be applied to calculate the playback volume.If the current value and four library data values exist, the fifth order equation is applied. The playback volume can be calculated.

Such a method may provide an appropriate playback volume to the user through the method using the library described above because the user's hearing does not sense a linear change in sound.

An example of the reproduction volume control described above is using a library matching the currently reproduced sound source. However, in some cases, only the size of the external noise and the volume of the playback volume may be stored in the library regardless of the type of the sound source, and the portable sound source reproducing apparatus for the external noise for all the sound sources by the above-described method using the stored library. The playback volume of can be adjusted.

In addition, when the reproduction volume is adjusted according to the change of the external noise, the maximum volume of the reproduction volume may be preset in order to protect the hearing of the user of the portable sound source reproduction apparatus.

In addition, even if the magnitude of external noise fluctuates rapidly, the reproduction volume may be preset so as not to change more than a predetermined level, or may be preset to change gradually. For this reason, even if the magnitude of external noise decreases abruptly, the magnitude of the reproduced volume can be prevented from rapidly increasing.

As described above, when adjusting the volume of the portable sound source device according to the change of the external noise, the library consisting of the information stored in the step (S120) and step (S160) may be the reference of the volume control.

3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the automatic volume control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Automatic volume control system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an external noise measurement unit 410, volume control determination unit 420, volume control unit 430 and the database 440.

The external noise measuring unit 410 collects and measures the noise of the outside of the portable sound source reproducing apparatus. The external noise includes all sounds except for the sound of the sound source reproduced and output by the portable sound source reproducing apparatus, and the external noise measuring unit 410 may collect and measure such external noise.

The external noise measuring unit 410 may measure external noise at a predetermined time period, and may include a device capable of receiving sound, for example, a microphone.

The external noise measurer 410 transmits the measured external noise information, for example, the magnitude of the external noise, to the database 440 and stores the information.

The volume control determiner 420 determines whether the magnitude of the external noise measured by the external noise measurer 410 has changed. In addition, when the magnitude of the external noise changes, the volume control determination unit 420 determines whether the amount of change in the magnitude of the external noise is enough to adjust the volume of the sound source being played.

For example, when the magnitude of the external noise is largely changed, the volume control determination unit 420 may determine whether the magnitude of the external noise is large enough to increase the volume of the sound source.

The determination of whether to adjust the volume may be performed based on whether the magnitude of the external noise is increased or decreased above the preset level. That is, when the magnitude of the external noise increases or decreases more than the preset change amount, it may be determined that the magnitude of the external noise has been changed to adjust the volume.

If the volume controller 430 determines that it is necessary to adjust the size of the sound source being reproduced due to the change of the external noise by the volume control determiner 420, the volume controller 430 is reproducing in response to the change of the size of the external noise. Adjust the size of the sound source.

The volume controller 430 may adjust the volume based on the size of the external noise and the reproduction information of the sound source being played, and in particular, may adjust the volume based on the library stored in the database 440.

That is, the volume controller 430 may receive a library corresponding to the sound source being reproduced from the database 440, and calculate an appropriate volume according to the current external noise based on the received library.

For example, when the volume of the volume corresponding to the current external noise is stored in the library received from the database 440, the volume controller 430 adjusts the volume of the portable sound source playback apparatus by the amount of the stored volume. Can be.

That is, when the size of the external noise is changed, the volume controller 430 searches the database 440 for the volume of the external noise included in the library matching the sound source being played, from the database 440, and based on the detected volume. You can adjust the volume of the portable sound source device.

In addition, even if the volume level corresponding to the magnitude of the external noise is not stored in the library, a volume level suitable for the magnitude of the current external noise is calculated based on the magnitude of the volume corresponding to the magnitude of the external noise stored in the library. Can be adjusted.

The database 440 configures and stores the measured external noise information, the reproduction information of the sound source at the time of measurement, the volume of the sound source adjusted by the user, and the information of the external noise at the time the volume is adjusted by the user as a library. .

That is, the database 440 stores the information of the external noise and the reproduction information of the sound source corresponding thereto in the form of a library, and provides the stored library to the volume controller 420 when the volume controller 430 requests it. .

Therefore, as the volume information corresponding to the external noise included in the library stored in the database 440 increases, the volume adjusting unit 430 may adjust the volume to an appropriate size for the external environment, that is, the external noise.

One embodiment of the present invention can also be implemented in the form of a recording medium containing instructions executable by a computer, such as a program module executed by the computer. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. In addition, computer readable media may include both computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Communication media typically includes computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave, or other transmission mechanism, and includes any information delivery media.

While the methods and systems of the present invention have been described in connection with specific embodiments, some or all of those elements or operations may be implemented using a computer system having a general purpose hardware architecture.

The foregoing description of the present invention is intended for illustration, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be easily modified in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. will be. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

The scope of the present invention is shown by the following claims rather than the above description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention. do.

1 is a view showing the configuration of a portable sound source playback device having a volume automatic control system according to an embodiment of the present invention,

2 is a flow chart showing the flow of the automatic volume control method according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an automatic volume control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (8)

In the method of automatically controlling the volume according to the external noise, (a) configuring the library by measuring and storing the magnitude of the external noise and the reproduction volume at predetermined time intervals, (b) when the control of the volume of playback volume occurs by a user, storing the magnitude of external noise and the controlled volume of playback volume in the library at the time of controlling the volume of playback; (c) controlling the size of the playback volume based on the library when the size of the external noise is changed to more than a preset size; Including, The library is generated for each playback sound source file, Wherein (c) step is performed based on the library matching the sound source being reproduced when the magnitude of the external noise is changed. The method of claim 1, And the library includes a name of a reproduced sound source file, a reproduced volume, and a magnitude of external noise. The method of claim 1, Step (c) is (c1) adjusting the size of the reproduced volume to the size of the stored volume when the volume of the volume matching the size of the changed external noise is found in the library; Volume automatic control method comprising a. The method of claim 1, Step (c) is (c2) when the loudness corresponding to the changed external noise is not found in the library, the loudness corresponding to the changed external noise is calculated using the data included in the library, and Adjusting the volume of the playback volume to the calculated volume; Volume automatic control method comprising a. The method of claim 1, In the step (c), The volume of the reproduction volume is automatically controlled to be controlled to change gradually. In a system that automatically controls the volume according to external noise, External noise measuring unit for measuring the external noise at a predetermined time period, A database for storing a library including an external noise measured by the external noise measuring unit, information of a sound source file being reproduced when the external noise is measured, and a volume of the volume; Volume control unit for adjusting the volume of the playback volume using the library when the size of the external noise changes more than a predetermined size Including, The library is generated for each playback sound source file, The volume control unit automatically adjusts the volume of the reproduction volume based on the library matching the sound source being reproduced when the magnitude of the external noise is changed. The method of claim 6, The volume control unit is a volume automatic control system for adjusting the size of the playback volume by searching the volume of the volume matching the size of the changed external noise from the library. The method of claim 6, And the volume control unit adjusts the volume of the reproduced volume by calculating a volume of a volume corresponding to the changed external noise by using a relationship between the magnitude of the external noise and the volume of the volume included in the library.

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