Automatic muting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016342379-A1
Application number	US-201514715248-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 18, 2015
Priority date	May 18, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for altering a volume level of an electronic device may include receiving a user input indicative of triggering a remote find operation to locate a remote control, and in response to the user input, sending a remote find instruction to the remote control. The remote find instruction may trigger the remote control to emit a sound. Systems and methods may include, in response to the user input, sending a temporary quiet instruction to the home automation device. The quiet instruction may initiate a lowering of the volume level of the home automation device while the remote control is emitting the sound as a part of the remote find operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device, comprising:
receiving, by a television receiver, a user input indicative of triggering a remote find operation to locate a remote control; in response to the user input, sending, by the television receiver, a remote find instruction to the remote control, wherein the remote find instruction triggers the remote control to emit a sound; and in response to the user input, sending, by the television receiver, a temporary quiet instruction to the home automation device, wherein:
the quiet instruction initiates a lowering of the volume level of the home automation device while the remote control is emitting the sound as a part of the remote find operation.

2 . The method for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the user input, determining, by the television receiver, a sound level being output by the home automation device; comparing, by the television receiver, the sound level to a threshold sound level; and generating, by the television receiver, the quiet instruction based on the comparison.

3 . The method for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the user input, determining, by the television receiver, one or more additional home automation devices that are currently outputting sound; and sending, by the television receiver, additional temporary quiet instructions to the determined additional home automation devices.

4 . The method for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the user input, determining, by the television receiver, one or more additional home automation devices that are currently outputting sound above a threshold level; and sending, by the television receiver, additional temporary quiet instructions to the determined additional home automation devices that are currently outputting sound above the threshold level.

5 . The method for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the television receiver, a defined period of time has passed since sending the remote find instruction to the remote control; and based on the determination, sending, by the television receiver, a resume instruction to the home automation device to return the lowered volume level to an original volume level.

6 . The method for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 5 , further comprising:
based on the determination, sending, by the television receiver, a cease instruction to the remote control to stop emitting a sound.

7 . The method for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the television receiver, an indication from the remote control to cease the remote find operation; and in response to the indication, sending, by the television receiver, a resume instruction to the home automation device to return the lowered volume level to an original volume level.

8 . The method for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 1 , wherein:
the quiet instruction initiates the lowering of the volume level of the home automation device to a muted volume level.

9 . A system for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device, comprising:
a computer system, wherein the computer system is configured to:
receive a user input indicative of triggering a remote find operation to locate a remote control;
in response to the user input, send a remote find instruction to the remote control, wherein the remote find instruction triggers the remote control to emit a sound; and
in response to the user input, send a temporary quiet instruction to the home automation device, wherein:
the quiet instruction initiates a lowering of the volume level of the home automation device while the remote control is emitting the sound as a part of the remote find operation.

10 . The system for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 9 , wherein the computer system is configured to:
in response to the user input, determine a sound level being output by the home automation device; compare the sound level to a threshold sound level; and generate the quiet instruction based on the comparison.

11 . The system for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 9 , wherein the computer system is configured to:
in response to the user input, determine one or more additional home automation devices that are currently outputting sound; and send additional temporary quiet instructions to the determined additional home automation devices.

12 . The system for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 9 , wherein the computer system is configured to:
in response to the user input, determine one or more additional home automation devices that are currently outputting sound above a threshold level; and send additional temporary quiet instructions to the determined additional home automation devices that are currently outputting sound above the threshold level.

13 . The system for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 9 , wherein the computer system is configured to:
determine a defined period of time has passed since sending the remote find instruction to the remote control; and based on the determination, send a resume instruction to the home automation device to return the lowered volume level to an original volume level.

14 . The system for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 13 , wherein the computer system is configured to:
based on the determination, send a cease instruction to the remote control to stop emitting a sound.

15 . The system for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 9 , wherein the computer system is configured to:
receive an indication from the remote control to cease the remote find operation; and in response to the indication, send a resume instruction to the home automation device to return the lowered volume level to an original volume level.

16 . The system for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 9 , wherein:
the quiet instruction initiates the lowering of the volume level of the home automation device to a muted volume level.

17 . A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device, the instructions executable by one or more processors for at least:
receiving a user input indicative of triggering a remote find operation to locate a remote control; in response to the user input, sending a remote find instruction to the remote control, wherein the remote find instruction triggers the remote control to emit a sound; and in response to the user input, sending a temporary quiet instruction to the home automation device, wherein:
the quiet instruction initiates a lowering of the volume level of the home automation device while the remote control is emitting the sound as a part of the remote find operation.

18 . The computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for adjusting a volume level of a home automation device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions executable by one or more processors further comprises:
in response to the user input, determining a sound level being output by the home automation device; comparing the sound level t

Assignees

• Echostar Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Keipert Kurt
• Schafer Adam

Classifications

• H04N5/4403

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N2005/4428

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/60

  for the sound signals · CPC title

• G06F3/165 Primary

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title