Apple patent hints at volume controls in Safari

Apple Insider has spotted a a newly released patent filed by Apple back in late 2007 that shows volume controls that can be integrated into various Web browsers. Described as a way to control "audio signals which may or may not be welcomed by the user" the patent depicts a new panel that sits in the top, right-hand corner of a user's browser and allows per-site controls over incoming audio signals. There's also a mute button that can cut out just the sounds from the browser entirely while leaving sound from other desktop applications untouched.

According to the patent, the key goal is to add a volume control overlay over sites that do not provide it, as well as a system that will remember the user's preferences between browsing sessions. This would be useful in Flash-heavy sites where the controls may be hidden away, or entirely absent. It would also let users create custom sound profiles, so you could have YouTube videos on your computer at work always start out at a low volume level, or your Internet alarm clock site always play at 100 percent.

The patent also describes situations where users can create specific rules that will change how audio can be played back based on whatever other applications are running. So you could theoretically set it to mute all your browser audio only when you're listening to music in iTunes, or using an audio-centric application like Skype, then bring the sound back as soon as you're not getting audio output from those applications. Apple has done something similar on the iPhone by interrupting music when you're getting a phone call, or slightly lowering the volume on notification sounds when you're using other apps.

What makes this patent filing notable is that it's not just for Safari, and is listed as being applicable to multiple browsers, which means it could either be a part of an upcoming OS or as a standalone application. As the usual disclaimer goes though, patents are often filed for technologies that never make it to market.

I've embedded the entire patent after the page break. (Thanks to Patents.com and Scribd for that.)

Update: Several readers have pointed out that Windows Vista has had a similar feature since its release called Volume Mixer that lets you pick out the maximum volume level for each application. However it's worth noting that in Apple's proposed implementation, the user would be able to control it on a per-site basis.

The browser audio controls would sit in the corner of the browser, and allow users to mute sound from sites they're visiting.

(Credit: Apple/CNET)

Apple Patent -- Web Browser Audio Controls

Publish at Scribd or explore others: How-to-Guides & Manu audio patent

[monkeyfun14]

Eh I hate people who patent broad things.

So this basically eliminates any other browser doing this if it passes through forcing people using Windows to use sluggish safari for Windows.

[fausey14]

i totally agree with all these comments, apple is trying to think of new ways to make a browser better but what they are doing is they are going to make the new safari a memory hog, exspecially with the volume controls, what apple should be doing is making it the lightest browser out their.

[ace10134]

Yea, how can that be a patent? Honestly, Apple needs to die out already.

[profdavidson]

This is just another example of apples asinine and retarded way of being in the computer industry. Applying for patents for anything more complicated than a clock widget, and being a$$holes every time someone does anything near their stuff. Palm-pre has to be sued because of iphone. Do i have to use their %@!**# toy if I want to have multi-touch controls AND a keyboard and use some other service than AT&T? Burn in hades apple. Their hegemonic bastages who can't stand competition, yet manage to keep their users in the stone age. (blueray, DRM, etc) I remember when they "introduced" widgets, and people half-died, when automator had long had that on the PC.

I hate to see them join the browser wars, they could screw it up. firefox, opera, and crome have all encouraged building off of each others features. (especially crome anyway) Apple muddies anything it dips its hands in.

"Don't Be Evil" Google sort of people, they're not.

[SNOOP_ROCA]

Yo u guys gotta chill out, it's not a major patent, God, go getta life people (this excludes Monkeyfun because he has a valid arguement) U guys must sit at ur computers and think of ways to bash Apple, or any other company... Seriously, go outside, I promise you you'll be COMPLETELY fine when you come back in LOL....

I HATE FANBOYS

[tsi26]

meh...pretty much useless as I can turn down the speakers either with the volume control on my speakers or in the system volume control itself...thankyouverymuch. If this is in relation to the iphone 'safari'...i'm pretty sure i can turn down the volume on the device there too. why is this even news?

[monkeyfun14]

Its for operating volume on certain sites

Lets say you have a flash game running with a annoying song or sound that can't be turned off and you want to play your music. This is when it's useful.

[Chapmaniac]

What's next, Apple, a patent on brightness and contrast controls?

[monkeyfun14]

Shh don't give them ideas ;)

[ikramerica--2008]

On a per window basis? I guess that's considered patentable these days... :(

[ebpda9]

The idea is great, especially for MySpace. The idea is old however; Vista had it since launch, however you cannot turn it down based on the website, only by the application.

[Josh.Lowensohn]

Yeah thanks, forgot to mention that. Just added to the end.

[Dalkorian]

Maybe, but you have to suffer being raped by someone's fista. No thanks.

[tundey]

I like the idea since I usually don't want my browser's sounds overwhelming my music player. But why patent the idea? Does that mean Google can't implement it in chrome? Apple suck! I hope the patent office rejects the application.

And it's "mute" not "moot". I wonder if that renders their application moot :)

[ikramerica--2008]

No, it's because the stupid patent office would grant it to someone else, meaning then Apple couldn't use it in OS X.

That's the stupidity of the whole thing. Apple is not required to charge for the use of the patent by others though. They can (and should) simply notify other companies that they are using a patented technology, have them sign a contract for $1 or whatever, and move on.

The stupid patent law, by making it so easy to patent "duh" ideas, requires every company to try to be first just so that they can't be barred from using the "duh" idea in the future.

[tappy727]

Apple could have just published the idea which would preclude it from being patented in the future because an invention can only be patented if it is new and non-obvious. Publishing is much cheaper than patenting.

[whizkid454]

I really don't see how this is newsworthy. Sorry.

[Chapmaniac]

I don't even see how this is patent-worthy.

[Josh.Lowensohn]

Putting system-level controls in a cross-platform browser is a big deal. It means Apple wants to keep users in the browser, and make it more of a dashboard and control center for other activities.

[msjonker]

Our patent system is a mess...

[Vegaman_Dan]

I love the idea of being able to set some sites to mute when loading- sites like NASCAR.com have auto playing clips that are at full volume and may take a bit loading before they play so you get hit unawares.

[Dalkorian]

Sites like that have trained me to hit the mute button on my keyboard at work before surfing around. I don't like announcing when I'm just goofing off at work. That said, I'm not sure this should be patentable (but when has that ever stopped anyone).

[make_or_break]

Sites like that have typically train me not to visit them again. Having such an app that actually remembers such setting would be nice, but heck, I typically surf with my computer's speakers turned off anyways, hitting the 'on' button only as needed (via wired volume puck to my speakers).

As for this patent nonsense: it's Apple being Apple (sigh). Another resource hog to tie down the computer even further.

[Angmarr]

Not a bad Idea, but nothing is gonna save that crappy browser Safari - Almost as bad as IE!

You apple fans wanna do something really worth while SWITCH TO FIREFOX!

[monkeyfun14]

Interestingly enough
Safari is fast on OSX slow and buggy on Windows I personally think its a marketing technique.

[ikramerica--2008]

Safari is hardly slow in Windows. Maybe your machine is somehow crippling it via settings...

[monkeyfun14]

@ikr

Safari is crap on Windows

AMD Athlon X2 5000+
4GB of Ram

Yeah it browses fast but the browser it self is a cpu and memory hog.

[ikramerica--2008]

You said it was slow. Now you say it's not. Did something change in 2.5 hours?

Whatever. Keep bashing all things Apple.

[monkeyfun14]

I said it was fast on OSX

[kelmon]

Sorry but why would I want to use Firefox over Safari? I can see the point of it on Windows and Linux but on OS X the cross-platform nature of the application means that it fails to behave like over Mac applications. If I need Firefox's rendering then Camino is the browser to use but at the moment Safari delivers the best overall browsing experience.

I also fail to see how using Firefox does anything worth while. Will doing so save a puppy or something?

[Dalkorian]

by kelmon April 24, 2009 2:53 AM PDT
I also fail to see how using Firefox does anything worth while. Will doing so save a puppy or something?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes. Every time you use a browser other than Firefox, God kills a puppy. God is in fact killing a puppy right now for me because I'm using Safari (my favorite on a Mac - but I prefer FF otherwise).

;-)

[FruitSpikeAndMoon]

Firefox's key "selling points" are customizability and top-tier speed.

Benchmark-wise, new versions of Chrome, Safari, and Firefox keep trading the lead. Any of the three are viable options from the speed perspective. Chrome is generally the fastest, with Firefox and Safari sometimes in the lead.

However, Firefox's add-on library is unbeatable. Nothing else comes close.

Basically, Firefox > Safari because the speed is similar and you can customize Firefox. So of the two, use Firefox. If you're purely focused on speed, use Chrome or be prepared to switch browsers often.

[alex-cnet]

There are times I really want this feature. Sometimes there are annoying ads that play noise, or flash games with stupid music. I should not have to use my mp3 player and mute my computer to play a flash game. I'm actually surprised there isn't a Firefox add-on for this (there probably is, fill me in).

[Angmarr]

Nothing exactly thus far i can find BUT

If you are annoyed by any media content (wmp, quick time, Divx, ect.) then get this. It will stop the auto streaming and allow you to play the content outside of the browser in the media player of your choice.
MediaPlayerConnectivity ( I <3 this 1)
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/446
This is how i get by by not installing "Quick time" - just a personal choice not to download Quick Time

IF you also want to Block Flash ads, then get these 2. I haven't used either of them of them, but I know that Flash Block is Good.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/433

experimental - Mute Flash ..... your on your own with this 1 = )
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5453

Trust me, if this Safari this becomes a hit, Firefox will have it AND make it better!

[ace53698]

Cnet is turning into a Mac vs. Windows discussion on every single comment board. Why can't people post about the article, why does everything have to turn into a platform debate?

[Angmarr]

LOL

[wizardb]

Funny to see all the Apple Jacks out a yipping and yappin it.'s their stupid company that's trying to patent air again dam this whole patent mess makes me want to punk a bunch of low life greedy dickheads!!!

[jtaylorhoopla]

Okay, so I am a apple fan, but that does not mean i hate everything microsoft in any way. i am currently a (happy) user of a dell xps laptop, and when i get the money, Will be switching to a macbook.

I use safari for windows, and it does not hog my cpu or ram at all. Right now it is using: 281,500k that is with 9 tabs open, including javascript heavy sites(twitter, gmail, etc.) Im also uploading a 200mb file and is only using 30 cpu. considering I have 4gb of ram and a Core 2 Duo processor, I think thats pretty good, Firefox with the same amount of usage uses quite a bit more. I also prefer Safari's text rendering( I have it changed to heavy)

About this patent, they better not charge anything for other companies to use it, that would be so stupid. its something vista (kinda) has, but Its such a small feature I probably wouldn't even use.

[databrain]

Up next, apple patents the power on button for your imac or macbook!