IP Library Granted Patent US 9,780,750
Granted Patent B2
US 9,780,750 · App. 14/385,632 · Granted Oct 3, 2017

Audio signal output device and audio output system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,780,750
App. No.
14/385,632
Granted
Oct 3, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An audio signal output device ( 1 ) includes an audio signal output portion ( 15 ), a volume setting information acquisition portion ( 15 ), and a control portion ( 10 ). The control portion is configured to calculate the output volume of an external device on the basis of volume information of content and volume setting information of the external device and perform control of lowering the output volume of the external device in the case where the output volume is higher than a prescribed volume threshold.

Claims (28)

1. An audio signal output device comprising:

an audio signal output portion that outputs an audio signal of content to an external device;

a volume setting information acquisition portion that acquires volume setting information of the external device; and

a control portion that acquires an audio signal level of the content and lowers the volume setting information of the external device in a case where the audio signal of the content to be output from the audio signal output portion is output without conversion and lowers the audio signal level in a case where the audio signal of the content is output with conversion when an output volume of the external device corresponding to the audio signal level and the volume setting information is higher than a prescribed threshold.

2. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control portion sequentially compares the output volume with the prescribed threshold before the content is reproduced.

3. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control portion lowers the volume setting information of the external device only during a specified time period in which the output volume is higher than the prescribed threshold in the case where the audio signal of the content is output without conversion, and lowers the audio signal level of the content only during the specified time period in which the output volume is higher than the prescribed threshold in the case where the audio signal of the content is output with conversion.

4. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

when the output volume is higher than the prescribed threshold, the control portion lowers the volume setting information of the external device in a case where the audio signal of the content to be output from the audio signal output portion is in the form of a bitstream, and lowers the audio signal level in a case where the audio signal of the content is not in the form of a bitstream.

5. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control portion adjusts the volume setting information acquired from the external device and outputs the adjusted volume setting information to the external device in a case where the volume setting information of the external device is lowered.

6. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control portion controls the volume setting information acquisition portion to acquire the volume setting information based on change of the volume setting information in the external device.

7. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

the output volume of the external device corresponds to an amplification rate included in the audio signal level and an amplification rate included in the volume setting information of the external device.

8. The audio signal output device according to claim 7 , wherein

the control portion lowers the amplification rate included in the audio signal level of the content when the output volume is higher than the prescribed threshold.

9. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control portion lowers either the audio signal level or the volume setting information such that the output volume becomes substantially equal to the prescribed threshold when the output volume is higher than the prescribed threshold.

10. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control portion outputs a video signal of a setting screen and a test audio signal to the external device, and is capable of changing the prescribed threshold.

11. The audio signal output device according to claim 10 , wherein

the control portion is capable of changing the prescribed threshold by adjusting the output volume of the test audio signal output from the external device.

12. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control portion sequentially compares the output volume with the prescribed threshold before the content is reproduced during a prescribed time period from when the content starts to be reproduced to when a prescribed time elapses.

13. The audio signal output device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control portion notifies a user to select whether or not to perform control of lowering the output volume of the external device when the output volume is higher than the prescribed threshold.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2025
From: FUNAI GROUP CO., LTD
To: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 073121/0824 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2025
From: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD. (F/K/A FE-TECH CO., LTD.)
To: FEC IP LLC
Reel/Frame 073121/0883 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2014
From: ITO, YUICHI; TANIGUCHI, ATSUSHI; OTSUKA, SHIGEKI; HIRAI, KOTA
To: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 033751/0413 →