869 results about "Surround sound" patented technology

Disclosed is a wireless surround sound speaker system wherein a transmitter broadcasts a variety of FM signals that correspond to the individual speaker channels commonly found in a surround sound system. Receivers, individually equipped with signal receiving, conditioning and amplification components, are configured to receive any one of the broadcast signals in a remote location and are used to drive a conventional loudspeaker in that location. Powered by wall socket or via DC battery packs, the receivers, used in conjunction with the transmitter, provide surround sound capabilities without the need for complex and difficult wiring.

The invention relates to mobile audio playback devices and methods of its operation for enhanced music and sound experience for mobile devices. To provide stereo and surround sound, the present invention provides an audio playback device with a receiving means for receiving multi-channel audio data, obtaining means connected to the receiving means, for obtaining first channel audio data from the multi-channel audio data for playback on the audio playback device, and playback means having at least one loudspeaker, and being connected to the obtaining means for outputting the first channel audio data. The other not selected audio channels or all received audio data may be transferred to other terminals for playback or may be discarded.

A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. The graphics pipeline renders and prepares images for display at least in part in response to polygon vertex attribute data and texel color data stored as a texture images in an associated memory. An efficient texturing pipeline arrangement achieves a relatively low chip-footprint by utilizing a single texture coordinate / data processing unit that interleaves the processing of logical direct and indirect texture coordinate data and a texture lookup data feedback path for “recirculating” indirect texture lookup data retrieved from a single texture retrieval unit back to the texture coordinate / data processing unit. Versatile indirect texture referencing is achieved by using the same texture coordinate / data processing unit to transform the recirculated texture lookup data into offsets that may be added to the texture coordinates of a direct texture lookup. A generalized indirect texture API function is provided that supports defining at least four indirect texture referencing operations and allows for selectively associating one of at least eight different texture images with each indirect texture defined. Retrieved indirect texture lookup data is processed as multi-bit binary data triplets of three, four, five, or eight bits. The data triplets are multiplied by a 3×2 texture coordinate offset matrix before being optionally combined with regular non-indirect coordinate data or coordinate data from a previous cycle / stage of processing. Values of the offset matrix elements are variable and may be dynamically defined for each cycle / stage using selected constants. Two additional variable matrix configurations are also defined containing element values obtained from current direct texture coordinates. Circuitry for optionally biasing and scaling retrieved texture data is also provided.

The present invention relates to a method for selecting auditory signal components for reproduction by means of one or more supplementary sound reproducing transducers, such as loudspeakers, placed between a pair of primary sound reproducing transducers, such as left and right loudspeakers in a stereophonic loudspeaker setup or adjacent loudspeakers in a surround sound loudspeaker setup, the method comprising the steps of (i) specifying azimuth angle range within which one of said supplementary sound reproducing transducers is located or is to be located and a listening direction; (Ii) based on said azimuth angle range and said listening direction, determining left and right interaural level difference limits and left and right interaural time difference limits, respectively; (iii) providing a pair of input signals for said pair of primary sound reproducing transducers; (iv) pre-processing each of said input signals, thereby providing a pair of pre-processed input signals; (v) determining interaural level difference and interaural time difference as a function of frequency between said pre-processed signals; and (vi) providing those signal components of said input signals that have interauial level differences and interaural time differences in the interval between said left and right interaural level difference limits, and left and right interaural time difference limits, respectively, to the corresponding supplementary sound reproducing transducer. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the above method and systems of such devices.

A universal four-channel multimedia computer speaker system is connectable to audio sub-system control circuits (e.g., “sound cards”) of both the four-channel type and the conventional two-channel (stereo) type. With the audio sub-system control circuit being of a four-channel type, the universal four-channel audio system functions as a conventional multimedia computer four-channel surround sound audio system. With a four audio channel multimedia computer work and the audio sub-system control circuit being of a conventional two-channel (stereo) type, the universal four-channel audio system is configured to provide one pair of wide-band speakers (e.g., the front) with distinct audio playback according to respective right-front and left-front audio channels in a four or two audio channel multimedia computer work such as a game, music, etc. The universal four-channel audio system is configured to provide at the rear speakers distinct audio playback that are generated from the right-front and left-front audio channels in the four or two audio channel multimedia computer work. With respect to the rear speakers, the universal four-channel audio system includes a proxy audio signal component that provides respective right and left rear proxy audio signals to proximate the typical sound of actual right and left rear audio signals carried on a four audio channel multimedia computer work or simulated surround signals generated from conventional two channel multimedia work.

A panner is provided that incorporates a surround sound decoder. The panner takes as input the desired panning effect that a user requests, separates sounds using surround sound decoding, and places the separated sounds in the desired places in an output sound field.

A panner is provided that incorporates a surround sound decoder. The panner takes as input the desired panning effect that a user requests, separates sounds using surround sound decoding, and places the separated sounds in the desired places in an output sound field.

The disclosed embodiments relates to orienting a sound field in relation to a user and a generated set of images. For instance, a system may include a sound subsystem, a location subsystem, and a speaker subsystem. The speaker subsystem may include a plurality of sensors and a plurality of speakers. The sound subsystem may include a surround sound circuit that may be connected to a signal source and the speaker subsystem. The location subsystem may receive position information reflective of the orientation of a user and provide a signal that may be used by the sound circuit to adjust the audio signal based on the orientation of the user.

A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. The graphics processor includes an embedded frame buffer for storing frame data prior to sending the frame data to an external location, such as main memory. A copy pipeline is provided which converts the data from one format to another format prior to writing the data to the external location. The conversion may be from one RGB color format to another RGB color format, from one YUV format to another YUV format, from an RGB color format to a YUV color format, or from a YUV color format to an RGB color format. The formatted data is either transferred to a display buffer, for use by the video interface, or to a texture buffer, for use as a texture by the graphics pipeline in a subsequent rendering process.

A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. The system achieves highly efficient full-scene anti-aliasing by implementing a programmable-location super-sampling arrangement and using a selectable-weight vertical-pixel support area blending filter. For a 2×2 pixel group (quad), the locations of three samples within each super-sampled pixel are individually selectable. A twelve-bit multi-sample coverage mask is used to determine which of twelve samples within a pixel quad are enabled based on the portions of each pixel occupied by a primitive fragment and any pre-computed z-buffering. Each super-sampled pixel is filtered during a copy-out operation from a local memory to an external frame buffer using a pixel blending filter arrangement that combines seven samples from three vertically arranged pixels. Three samples are taken from the current pixel, two samples are taken from a pixel immediately above the current pixel and two samples are taken from a pixel immediately below the current pixel. A weighted average is then computed based on the enabled samples to determine the final color for the pixel. The weight coefficients used in the blending filter are also individually programmable. De-flickering of thin one-pixel tall horizontal lines for interlaced video displays is also accomplished by using the pixel blending filter to blend color samples from pixels in alternate scan lines.

This document discloses systems and methods for enabling viewers to control and manage programming and to control external consumer electronic devices through the use of a STB or other device. This invention provides command information that is embedded into an EPG signal and transmitted from a headend or transmission facility through a distribution network to the end user. By way of example, the program data includes volume, lighting, internet or environmental tag information for controlling external devices, such as a surround sound entertainment system, home environment system, personal computer, etc. A set top box or other properly configured consumer electronics device either receives data from the external device to effect programming or transmits data to the external device to optimize the viewing experience or to supplement information produced by the EPG.

This invention is a method for binaural localization using a cascade of resonators and anti-resonators to implement an HRTF (head-related transfer function). The spectrum of the cascade reproduces the magnitude spectrum of a desired HRTF. The proposed method provides a considerably more computationally efficient implementation of HRTF filters with no detectable deterioration of output quality while saving memory when storing a large quantity of HRTFs due to the parameterization of its resonators and anti-resonators. Finally, the method offers additional flexibility since the resonators and anti-resonators can be manipulated individually during the design process, making it possible to interpolate smoothly between HRTFs, reduce spectral coloring or achieve higher accuracy at perceptually relevant frequency regions. These HRTF are useful in stereo enhancement and multi-channel virtual surround simulation.

A system and method for producing a binaural and localized audio signal to a user is provided. A signal processing method is provided for delivering spatialized sound in various ways using highly optimized inverse filters to deliver narrow localized beams of sound from the included speaker array. The inventive method can be used to provide private listening areas in a public space and provide spatialization of source material for a single user to create a virtual surround sound effect. In a binaural mode, a speaker array provides two targeted beams aimed towards the primary user's ears—one discrete beam for the left ear and one discrete beam for the right ear. In a privacy mode, a privacy zone could be created in which a primary audio beam would deliver a signal of interest to the user while secondary beams would be aimed at different angles to provide a masking noise.

Control of audio / video equipment is provided by an apparatus constructed like a computer, with audio and video subsystems. The audio subsystem includes a programmable analog mixer and several analog and digital multiplexers to route and mix multiple inputs to multiple outputs. Databases are stored in computer mass storage to record preferences for playback of digital versatile discs, compact discs and audio files stored in the mass storage device, such as MP3 files. The playback preferences may include video output format, language, surround sound mode, etc. for DVDs and surround sound effects for CDs and audio files.

In general, techniques are described for image generation for a collaborative sound system. A headend device comprising a processor may perform these techniques. The processor may be configured to determine a location of a mobile device participating in a collaborative surround sound system as a speaker of a plurality of speakers of the collaborative surround sound system. The processor may further be configured to generate an image that depicts the location of the mobile device that is participating in the collaborative surround sound system relative to the plurality of other speakers of the collaborative surround sound system.

A multi-channel surround sound system and method is described that allows automatic and independent calibration and adjustment of the frequency, amplitude and time response of each channel of the surround sound system. The disclosed auto-calibrating surround sound (ACSS) system includes a processor that generates a test signal represented by a temporal maximum length sequence (MLS) and supplies the test signal as part of an electric input signal to a loudspeaker. A microphone coupled to the processor receives the signal in a listening environment. The processor correlates the received sound signal with the test signal in the time domain and determines from the correlated signals a whitened response of the audio channel in the listening environment.

There is disclosed a method for setting up a Sound Projector such that it is suitable for a variety of functions, including surround sound. The method allows a semi-automatic or automatic set-up to be accomplished whereby the Sound Projector emits test signals and these are received by one or more microphones in order to detect the position and angles of the major reflecting surfaces in the room. In a preferred embodiment, the room is scanned by a moving directional sound beam and the first reflection of said sound beam is detected at a microphone in order to determine the distance of the reflective surfaces from the Sound Projector for all or most possible angles of sound beams.

A surround sound system for reproducing a spatial sound field in a sound control region within a room having at least one sound reflective surface. The system uses multiple steerable loudspeakers located about the sound control region, each loudspeaker having a plurality of different individual directional response channels being controlled by respective speaker input signals to generate sound waves emanating from the loudspeaker with a desired overall directional response. A control unit connected drives each of the loudspeakers and has pre-configured filters based on measured acoustic transfer functions for the room for filtering the input spatial audio signals to generate the speaker input signals for all the loudspeakers to generate sound waves with co-ordinated overall directional responses that combine together at the sound control region in the form of either direct sound or reflected sound from the reflective surface(s) of the room to reproduce the spatial sound field.

DTS Interactive provides low cost fully interactive immersive digital surround sound environment suitable for 3D gaming and other high fidelity audio applications, which can be configured to maintain compatibility with the existing infrastructure of Digital Surround Sound decoders. The component audio is stored and mixed in a compressed and simplified format that reduces memory requirements and processor utilization and increases the number of components that can be mixed without degrading audio quality. Techniques are also provided for “looping” compressed audio, which is an important and standard feature in gaming applications that manipulate PCM audio. In addition, decoder sync is ensured by transmitting frames of “silence” whenever mixed audio is not present either due to processing latency or the gaming application.

A surround sound reproduction system uses a series of filters and a system of main and sub-speakers to produce phantom rear surround sound channels or a phantom surround sound effect from a loudspeaker system or pair of loudspeaker systems located in front of the listener. The sound system includes left and right surround input signals, and left and right front input signals. Left and right sub-speakers, and left and right main speakers are located in front of a listening location. Spacing between respective main and sub-speakers is approximately equal to ear spacing for an average person. The input to the left sub-speaker comprises the right surround signal subtracted from the left surround signal each signal having previously passed through a front-to-back filter and a series of high and low pass filters. The input into the left main speaker comprises the left front signal added to the left surround signal after the left surround signal has passed through a front-to-back filter. The input into the right sub-speaker comprises the left surround signal subtracted from the right surround signal each signal having previously passed through a front-to-back filter and a series of high and low pass filters. The input into the right main speaker comprises the right front signal added to the right surround signal after the right surround signal has passed through a front-to-back filter.

A method and a system for simultaneously generating configurable three-dimensional (3D) sounds are provided. A 3D sound processing application (3DSPA) in operative communication with a microphone array system (MAS) is provided on a computing device. The MAS forms acoustic beam patterns and records sound tracks from the acoustic beam patterns. The 3DSPA generates a configurable sound field on a graphical user interface using recorded or pre-recorded sound tracks. The 3DSPA acquires user selections of configurable parameters associated with sound sources from the configurable sound field. The 3DSPA dynamically processes the sound tracks using the user selections to generate a configurable 3D binaural sound, surround sound, and / or stereo sound. The 3DSPA measures head related transfer functions (HRTFs) in communication with a simulator apparatus that simulates a human's upper body. The 3DSPA generates the binaural sound by processing the sound tracks with the HRTFs based on the user selections.

A handheld wireless device for controlling an electronic device. Ambient noise is automatically detected using a microphone and user preference parameters (e.g., volume) are adjusted, compensating for the detected noise. Plurality of signals are sent and received, operable to determine the location of the remote control, thereby operable to automatically tune various user preference parameters (e.g., surround sound). The remote control may be used as a telephone. When receiving a call, the caller information may be displayed using a popup window (e.g., on a television set). A call may be answered and the program may be paused / recorded / muted. The electronic device is automatically configured by identifying the user. A reader may read information on a payment card in a contactless manner. In one embodiment a radio frequency signal is used to reduce interference with LCD wavelength. The remote control may respond to a user command in order to be located.

A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. The graphics pipeline processes graphics commands at different rates depending upon the type of operation being performed. This makes it difficult to synchronize pipeline operations with external operations (e.g., a graphics processor with a main processor). To solve this problem, a synchronization token including a programmable data message is inserted into a graphics command stream sent to a graphics pipeline. At a predetermined point near the bottom of the pipeline, the token is captured and a signal is generated indicated the token has arrived. The graphics command producer can look at the captured token to determine which of multiple possible tokens has been captured, and can use the information to synchronize a task with the graphics pipeline. Applications include maintaining memory coherence in memory shared between the 3D graphics pipeline and a graphics command producer.

In an embodiment, a device controller initiates a dynamic discovery procedure to detect media output devices that are currently in proximity to a user. The device controller determines a first subset of the detected media output devices configured to present a first media type (e.g., video, audio, etc.) to the user and a second subset of the detected media output devices configured to present a second media type (e.g., audio, video, etc.) to the user. The device controller directs first and second portions of media to the first and second subsets conjunctive presentation. In another embodiment, the first and / or second subsets can include two or more devices, such that the same media type can be presented by multiple devices (e.g., to achieve a surround sound effect, a split-screen or cloned video effect, etc.).

A method and system for surround sound beam-forming using vertically displaced drivers provides a low cost alternative to present external surround array systems. A pair of vertically displaced speaker drivers is supplied with surround and main channel information in a controlled phase relationship with respect to each driver such that the surround channel information is propagated in a directivity pattern substantially differing from that of the main channel information. The main channel information is generally directed at a listening area, while the surround channel information is directed away from the listening area and is substantially attenuated in the direction of the listening area, so that the surround channel information is heard as a diffuse reflected field. An electronic network provides for control of the surround channel phase relationship and combining of main and surround signals for providing inputs to individual power amplifiers for each driver.

The invention discloses a headphone dynamic virtual replaying method based on 5.1 channel surround sound and an implementation device of the method. According to the method, the horizontal rotation angle of the head of a listener is detected in real time through a head trace tracking module; according to the parameters, all virtual loudspeakers of a 5.1 channel are simulated dynamically in real time; afterwards, conversion is performed, so that a binaural sound signal is obtained, and real-time rendering in the horizontal direction is achieved. The applied head trace tracking module is composed of a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a single-chip microcomputer and the like. With no need for a signal transmitting device, the horizontal rotation angle of the listener is calculated according to physical information change which is caused by head movement and obtained through the magnetic sensor and the acceleration sensor. The head trace tracking module can be directly installed on a headphone and powered by a battery or a USB interface. The binaural sound signal is replayed through the headphone after being subject to headphone-auditory meatus transmission characteristic equilibrium processing, and therefore a 5.1 channel surround sound effect similar to replaying of a loudspeaker can be achieved.

A multimedia fireplace console comprising a heating unit, a supporting device defining an air chamber, and an entertainment assembly which allows a user to enjoy a movie or music in 3d surround sound in a warm and comfortable environment. The heating unit is housed within the air chamber and is able to generate warm air to be blown towards the user through an air outlet. The entertainment assembly is further comprised of a sound system that is supported at a position that faces the user by the supporting device, which allows the sounds system to be heard at an optimal distance from the user. The support device is allows a displayed device such as a television to be support on a top surface and allows the television to be viewed at an optimal height.

A system is provided for setting various acoustic and visual parameters to improve the reproduction of audio signals and visual signals. The system incorporates a hand-held remote control device which operates the main surround sound unit (e.g., home theatre receiver and / or digital decoder) and the display device via electromagnetic link, for example. The remote control includes a sensor capable of detecting various types of signals emitted by a number of speakers, and a processor that makes adjustments to the signal provided to each of the speaker based on the signal received from that speaker.

Techniques of making a recording of or transmitting a sound field from either multiple monaural or directional sound signals that reproduce through multiple discrete loud speakers a sound field with spatial harmonics that substantially exactly match those of the original sound field. Monaural sound sources are positioned during mastering to use contributions of all speaker channels in order to preserve the spatial harmonics. If a particular arrangement of speakers is different than what is assumed during mastering, the speaker signals are rematrixed at the home, theater or other sound reproduction location so that the spatial harmonics of the sound field reproduced by the different speaker arrangement match those of the original sound field. An alternative includes recording or transmitting directional microphone signals, or their spatial harmonic components, and then matrixing these signals at the sound reproduction location in a manner that takes into account the specific speaker arrangement. The techniques are described for both a two dimensional sound field and the more general three dimensional case, the latter based upon using spherical harmonics.