Software application output volume control
View Patent ↗Apparatus comprises means for independently controlling the output volume levels of a plurality of software applications associated with the apparatus; means responsive to a user command to change a master volume level for changing the volume levels of each of the software applications in the same sense; and when one of the plurality of software applications is at a maximum volume level, means responsive to a user command to increase the master volume level for increasing the volume levels of each of the other software applications which are not at the maximum level.
1. Apparatus, the apparatus having at least one processor and at least one memory having computer-readable code stored thereon which when executed controls the at least one processor:
independently to control the output volume levels of a plurality of software applications associated with an apparatus;
to cause a master volume level indicator, comprising a slider with a slider marker, to be displayed;
to respond to a user command to change a master volume level by changing the volume levels of each of the software applications in the same sense; and
when one of the plurality of software applications is at a maximum volume level, to respond to a user command to increase the master volume level by increasing the volume levels of each of the other software applications which are not at the maximum level, wherein the master volume indicator has an additional region beyond a maximum volume position and wherein increasing the master volume level when one of the plurality of software applications is at a maximum volume level comprises causing the master volume slider marker to be moved into the additional region.
2. An apparatus according to claims 1 , wherein the master volume slider marker automatically returns to the maximum volume position when the user command to increase the master volume level ceases.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable code when executed controls the at least one processor to cause indications of the output volume levels of the plurality of software applications to be displayed, and optionally wherein the software application volume level indicators are sliders with slider markers.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the user commands to change or increase the master volume level are received via a touch sensitive display of the apparatus.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the user command to change or increase the master volume level is received at a hardware key of the apparatus.
6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the user command to change or increase the master volume level is received at a hardware key of an external device.
7. An apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the user command to change or increase the master volume level is received at a hardware key, and wherein the indications of the output volume levels of the plurality of software applications are displayed as an overlay in response to the user command to change or increase the master volume level.
8. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein when the overlay is caused to be displayed, user commands other than commands received at a hardware key of the apparatus do not result in any change in volume levels.
9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the software applications are installed on the apparatus.
10. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rate at which the volume levels of each of the software applications which are not at the maximum level increase is dependent upon the distance by which the master volume slider marker exceeds the maximum volume position.
11. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable code when executed controls the at least one processor to cause indications of the output volume levels of one or more sounds to be displayed, wherein the one or more sounds are only responsive to the means responsive to a user command to increase the master volume level for increasing the volume levels of each of the other software applications which are not at the maximum level when actively in use.
12. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable code when executed controls the at least one processor to cause indications of the output volume levels of one or more sounds to be displayed, wherein the one or more sounds are not responsive to the means responsive to a user command to increase the master volume level for increasing the volume levels of each of the other software applications which are not at the maximum level.
13. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more sounds are one or more profile dependent sounds.
14. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable code when executed controls the at least one processor to cause indications of the output volume levels of external devices in communication with the apparatus to be displayed, wherein the external devices are not responsive to the means responsive to a user command to increase the master volume level for increasing the volume levels of each of the other software applications which are not at the maximum level.
15. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a subclass of the plurality of software applications exists, wherein the computer-readable code when executed controls the at least one processor to cause individual indications of the output volume levels for the software applications comprising the subclass to be displayed and to cause an indication relating to the output volume level of this subclass of software applications to be displayed.
16. A method comprising:
independently controlling the output volume levels of a plurality of software applications associated with an apparatus;
causing a master volume level indicator, comprising a slider with a slider marker, to be displayed;
responding to a user command to change a master volume level by changing the volume levels of each of the software applications in the same sense; and
when one of the plurality of software applications is at a maximum volume level, responding to a user command to increase the master volume level by increasing the volume levels of each of the other software applications which are not at the maximum level, wherein the master volume indicator has an additional region beyond a maximum volume position and wherein increasing the master volume level when one of the plurality of software applications is at a maximum volume level comprises causing the master volume slider marker to be moved into the additional region.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-readable code, which, when executed by computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to perform a method comprising:
independently controlling the output volume levels of a plurality of software applications associated with an apparatus;
causing a master volume level indicator, comprising a slider with a slider marker, to be displayed;
responding to a user command to change a master volume level by changing the volume levels of each of the software applications in the same sense; and
when one of the plurality of software applications is at a maximum volume level, responding to a user command to increase the master volume level by increasing the volume levels of each of the other software applications which are not at the maximum level, wherein the master volume indicator has an additional region beyond a maximum volume position and wherein increasing the master volume level when one of the plurality of software applications is at a maximum volume level comprises causing the master volume slider marker to be moved into the additional region.