# US 9,438,194 B2 · Apparatus and method for dynamically adapting a user volume input range on an electronic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,194 B2 - Document ID: US9438194B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/502,918 - Filed: 2014-09-30 - Published: 2015-12-03 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-29 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Arvindh Krishnaswamy; Joseph M. Williams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438194B2 ## CPC - H03G 3/32: the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level - H03G: CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION ## Abstract Method of dynamically adapting user volume input range on mobile device having global volume range starts by receiving a volume input selection from a user that is level included in user volume input range. User volume input range is a portion of global volume range. Device's processor then detects ambient noise level surrounding device and adjusts user volume input range from current portion of global volume range to different portion of global volume range based on detected ambient noise level. Volume input selection remains at the same level included in user volume input range after user volume input range is adjusted. Processor may identify sound profile that corresponds to ambient noise level being detected and adjusts user volume input range to a different portion of the global volume range based on identified sound profile. Other embodiments are also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of dynamically adapting a user volume input range on a mobile device having a global volume range, the method comprising: receiving by a user interface a volume input selection from a user, wherein the volume input selection is a level included in the user volume input range, wherein the user volume input range is a portion of the global volume range that is less than an entire global volume range; detecting by a processor included in the mobile device an ambient noise level surrounding the mobile device, wherein detecting the ambient noise level includes detecting a change in the ambient noise level; and adjusting by the processor the user volume input range from a current portion of the global volume range to a different portion of the global volume range based on the ambient noise level being detected, wherein the volume input selection remains at a same level included in the user volume input range after the user volume input range is adjusted. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the global volume range includes a range of volumes between a lowest volume level and a loudest volume level, inclusively, that a speaker included in the mobile device can output without distorting audio. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: when the processor detects an increase in the ambient noise level, adjusting by the processor the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a higher volumes than the current portion of the global volume range, and when the processor detects a decrease in the ambient noise level, adjusting by the processor the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a lower volumes than the current portion of the global volume range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying by the processor a sound profile that corresponds to the ambient noise level being detected; and adjusting by the processor the user volume input range from the current portion of the global volume range to a different portion of the global volume range based on the identified sound profile. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: when the processor identifies the sound profile associated with an increase in the ambient noise level, adjusting by the processor the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a higher volumes than the current portion of the global volume range, and when the processor identifies the sound profile associated with a decrease in the ambient noise level, adjusting by the processor the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a lower volumes than the current portion of the global volume range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the user volume input range is displayed on the user interface as a meter having a plurality of levels, and wherein the volume input selection is one of the plurality of levels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: applying by the processor to multiple Digital Signal Processing (DSP) blocks the adjusted user input range. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting by the processor the user volume input range is dynamic and gradual, wherein the user volume input range a smoothly moving range across the portions of the global volume range. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method of dynamically adapting a user volume input range on a mobile device having a global volume range, the method comprising: receiving a volume input selection from a user, wherein the volume input selection is a level included in the user volume input range, wherein the user volume input range is a portion of the global volume range that is less than an entire global volume range; detecting an ambient noise level surrounding the mobile device, wherein detecting the ambient noise level includes detecting a change in the ambient noise level; and adjusting the user volume input range from a current portion of the global volume range to a different portion of the global volume range based on the ambient noise level being detected, wherein the volume input selection remains at a same level included in the user volume input range after the user volume input range is adjusted. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the global volume range includes a range of volumes between a lowest volume level and a loudest volume level, inclusively, that a speaker included in the mobile device can output without distorting audio. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein when the instructions are executed by the processor, the instructions further cause the processor to: adjust the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a higher volumes than the current portion of the global volume range when the processor detects an increase in the ambient noise level, and adjust the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a lower volumes than the current portion of the global volume range when the processor detects a decrease in the ambient noise level. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein when the instructions are executed by the processor, the instructions further cause the processor to: identify a sound profile that corresponds to the ambient noise level being detected; and adjust the user volume input range from the current portion of the global volume range to a different portion of the global volume range based on the identified sound profile. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein when the instructions are executed by the processor, the instructions further cause the processor to: adjust the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a higher volumes than the current portion of the global volume range when the processor identifies the sound profile associated with an increase in the ambient noise level, and adjust the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a lower volumes than the current portion of the global volume range when the processor identifies the sound profile associated with a decrease in the ambient noise level. ### Claim 14 A mobile electronic device comprising: a user interface for receiving a volume input selection from a user, wherein the volume input selection is a level included in a user volume input range, wherein the user volume input range is a portion of a global volume range that is less than an entire global volume range of the mobile electronic device; a sensor to sense ambient noise surrounding the mobile electronic device; a processor to receive the volume input selection from the user interface, to detect the ambient noise level surrounding the mobile electronic device based on data from the sensor, wherein detecting the ambient noise level includes detecting a change in the ambient noise level, and to adjust the user volume input range from a current portion of the global volume range to a different portion of the global volume range based on the ambient noise level being detected, wherein the volume input selection remains at the same level included in the user volume input range after the user volume input range is adjusted. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The mobile electronic device of claim 14, wherein the global volume range includes a range of volumes between a lowest volume level and a loudest volume level, inclusively, that a speaker included in the mobile electronic device can output without distorting audio. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The mobile electronic device of claim 14, wherein when the processor detects an increase in the ambient noise level, the processor to adjust the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a higher volumes than the current portion of the global volume range, and when the processor detects a decrease in the ambient noise level, the processor to adjust the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a lower volumes than the current portion of the global volume range. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The mobile electronic device of claim 14, wherein the processor to: identify a sound profile that corresponds to the ambient noise level being detected; and adjust the user volume input range from the current portion of the global volume range to a different portion of the global volume range based on the identified sound profile. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The mobile electronic device of claim 17, wherein when the processor identifies the sound profile associated with an increase in the ambient noise level, the processor to adjust the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a higher volumes than the current portion of the global volume range, and when the processor identifies the sound profile associated with a decrease in the ambient noise level, the processor to adjust the user volume input range to a portion of the global volume range that includes a lower volumes than the current portion of the global volume range. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The mobile electronic device of claim 14, wherein the user interface includes: buttons and a touch screen to receive the volume input selection from the user, and the touch screen to display the user volume input range as a meter having a plurality of levels, wherein the volume input selection is one of the plurality of levels. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The mobile electronic device of claim 14, wherein the processor to: apply to multiple Digital Signal Processing (DSP) blocks the adjusted user input range.