Patent · US Expired

Audio mixer

US6459797B1 · kind B1 · utility

8Cited by
5References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 1, 1998
Grant dateOct 1, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 1, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04S3/00
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An audio mixer system is described for producing coded output in which at least a left audio signal, a right audio signal and a surround audio signal are encoded in two output channels so that the surround signal can be decoded from the difference of the two output channels. The system comprises means for generating position data designating a desired position for a sound source in a 360 degree sound field. Logic is provided for determining the relative volume of the sound source in the left, right and surround audio signals from the position data. A signed continuity factor is maintained so that the sign of the continuity factor is changed in response the desired position crossing a nominal position of the surround signal in the sound field and logic is provided for encoding the sound source data into the two output channels in accordance with the determined relative volume of the sound source in at least two of the left, right and surround signals each multiplied by the continuity factor. This reduces audible artifacts associated with phase discontinuities in the output signals either side of the surround speaker nominal position.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.