# US 6,298,247 B1 · Method and apparatus for automatic volume control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,298,247 B1 - Document ID: US6298247B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/476,480 - Filed: 1999-12-30 - Granted: 2001-10-02 - Earliest claimed: 1999-12-30 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Vladimir Alperovich; Eric Valentine; Walt Evanyk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6298247B1 ## CPC - H04M 1/6016: {in the receiver circuit} - H04M 1/6008: {in the transmitter circuit} - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract An apparatus (100) is disclosed for automatically controlling the volume level of an audio signal transmitted to or received by a mobile station and/or terminal within a telecommunications network, the apparatus including a noise measuring device (102), a volume controller (104) communicably coupled to the noise measuring device, and a memory module (108) communicably coupled to the noise measuring device. In a wireless telecommunications network, the memory module may comprise a subscriber identity module (SIM) and contain preferred volume levels for given levels of noise for that particular subscriber. A method is also disclosed for automatically controlling the volume level of an audio signal transmitted to or received by a phone terminal and/or mobile station within a telecommunications network, comprising the steps of obtaining measurements of a background noise signal, obtaining a preferred volume level corresponding to the measurement of a background noise signal, and automatically adjusting the volume level of the audio signal to the preferred volume level. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for automatically controlling a volume level of an audio signal transmitted to or received by a mobile station within a telecommunications network for one or more subscribers, the apparatus comprising: a noise measuring device for measuring a noise external to communication with the mobile station; a volume controller communicably coupled to the noise measuring device for adjusting the gain of the audio signal transmitted to or received by the mobile station based on a volume control data corresponding to the subscriber and the noise, and for updating the volume control data corresponding to the subscriber and the noise whenever the subscriber manually adjusts a volume level of the audio signal; and a memory module communicably coupled to the volume controller for storing the volume control data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory module comprises a database of preferred levels of volume corresponding to noise data associated with the one or more subscribers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications network is a wireline telecommunications network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications network is a wireline telecommunications network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory module is a SIM. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the volume controller filters the audio signal transmitted to or received by the mobile station. ### Claim 7 An apparatus for automatically controlling a volume level of an audio signal transmitted to or received by a mobile station within a wireless telecommunications network for one or more subscribers, the apparatus comprising: a noise measuring device for measuring a noise external to communication with the mobile station; a volume controller communicably coupled to the noise measuring device for adjusting the gain of the audio signal transmitted to or received by the mobile station based on an input from a subscriber identity module, and for updating the volume control data corresponding to the subscriber and the measurement of the noise whenever the subscriber manually adjusts a volume level of the audio signal; and the subscriber identity module communicably coupled to the noise measuring device for identifying the subscriber and in communication with the volume controller for providing the input to the volume controller, wherein the input is based on the volume control data corresponding to the subscriber and the measurement of the noise. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the subscriber identity module comprises a database of preferred levels of volume corresponding to noise data associated with the one or more subscribers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the volume controller adjusts the gain of the audio signal transmitted to or received by the mobile station. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the volume controller filters the audio signal transmitted to or received by the mobile station. ### Claim 11 A method of automatically controlling a volume level of an audio signal transmitted to or received by a mobile station within a telecommunications network for one or more subscribers, comprising the steps of: obtaining a measurement of a background noise signal; obtaining a preferred volume level corresponding to the subscriber and the measurement of the background noise signal; automatically adjusting the volume level of the audio signal to the preferred volume level; and updating the preferred volume level corresponding to the subscriber and the measurement of the background noise signal whenever the subscriber manually adjusts the volume level of the audio signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless telecommunications network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the telecommunications network is a wireline telecommunications network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the preferred volume level is stored in a database in a subscriber identity module. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of filtering the audio signal transmitted to or received by the mobile station. ### Claim 16 A method of automatically controlling the volume level of an audio signal transmitted to or received by a mobile station within a telecommunications network for one or more subscribers, comprising the steps of: receiving a first audio signal wherein the first audio signal comprises speech; receiving a second audio signal wherein the second audio signal comprises background noise; obtaining a preferred volume level corresponding to the subscriber and the level of the second audio signal; obtaining a third audio signal by filtering the first audio signal; automatically adjusting the volume level of the third audio signal to the preferred volume level; and updating the preferred volume level corresponding to the subscriber and the level of the second audio signal whenever the subscriber manually adjusts the volume level of the third audio signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless telecommunications network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the telecommunications network is a wireline telecommunications network. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the preferred volume level is stored in a database in a subscriber identity module.