Method and apparatus for accommodating primary content audio and secondary content remaining audio capability in the digital audio production process

• US 20020040295A1
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benhov GmbH, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Michael A. Vaudrey, William R. Saunders
• Inventors: Saunders, William R., Vaudrey, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,772,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/03 Application of parametric coding in stereophonic audio systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

The invention enables the inclusion of voice and remaining audio information at different parts of the audio production process. In particular, the invention embodies special techniques for VRA-capable digital mastering and accommodation of VRA by those classes of audio compression formats that sustain less losses of audio data as compared to any codecs that sustain comparable net losses equal or greater than the AC3 compression format. The invention facilitates an end-listener'"'"'s voice-to-remaining audio (VRA) adjustment upon the playback of digital audio media formats by focusing on new configurations of multiple parts of the entire digital audio system, thereby enabling a new technique intended to benefit audio end-users (end-listeners) who wish to control the ratio of the primary vocal/dialog content of an audio program relative to the remaining portion of the audio content in that program.

Claims

1. A method of operating a VRA-capable codec system, comprising:

accepting a parallel input configuration of one or more PCPV/PCA signals and one or more SCRA signals;

compressing the PCPV/PCA signals and the SCRA signals;

multiplexing the compressed PCPV/PCA and SCRA signals along with corresponding associated data that defines specific compression algorithms and syntaxing methods used for processing the PCPV/PCA and SCRA signals, the multiplexed signals being stored as a VRA-capable file, or transmitted to a corresponding demultiplexer that separates the PCPV/PCA and SCRA signals, routes them to the appropriate decompression algorithms, and outputs the signals to a storage medium or to a a VRA volume-adjustable output device.