Method and apparatus for object-oriented digital audio signal processing using a chain of sound objects
US5592588A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 10, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jan 7, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 10, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2220/2516
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An object-oriented audio signal processing system is disclosed. The signal processing system is capable of converting virtually any sound resource into a format which can be used by associated sound hardware to produce a sound. A signal processing system incorporating the invention comprises one or more chains formed by a plurality of sound objects serially connected. A sound object is a specialized task which performs a particular operation such as, for example, sample rate conversion of a sound resource, decompression of a sound resource, mixing multiple sound resources or retrieving sound resources from a software application. The sound objects are preferably modular and use substantially the same calling conventions and interface. A chain of sound objects processes digital audio signals into an output which can be maintained in a storage area, e.g. memory or disk or played on sound hardware. Chains which are formed to play sound on sound hardware preferably include a sound hardware object which is linked to the sound hardware. Preferably, objects other than sound hardware objects are sound hardware-independent, i.e. they do not have "knowledge" about specific sound hardware.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.