Computer audio system and method

• US 20070168062A1
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tempo Semiconductor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SigmaTel Incorporated (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Torrini, Antonio, Shkolnyy, Konstantin, Wheeler, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

A computer audio system and method is disclosed. The system includes an input to receive a digital audio input signal and a splitter to split the digital audio input signal into a plurality of digital audio signals. The system also includes a plurality of digital signal processing software modules corresponding to a detected number of hardware audio interfaces.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an input to receive a digital audio input signal;

a splitter to split the digital audio input signal into a plurality of digital audio signals; and

a plurality of digital signal processing software modules corresponding to a detected number of hardware audio interfaces, the plurality of digital signal processing modules responsive to corresponding ones of the plurality of digital audio signals.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an enumerator to detect a number of the hardware audio interfaces.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of digital signal processing modules are dynamically created based on an output of the enumerator.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a first of the digital signal processing modules includes a first sample rate converter.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first sample rate converter adjusts the sample rate of one of the plurality of digital audio signals by a first adjustment amount, and wherein a second of the digital signal processing modules includes a second sample rate converter to adjust the sample rate of another of the plurality of digital audio signals by a second adjustment amount.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second adjustment amount is different from the first adjustment amount.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a first of the digital signal processing modules includes a first digital filter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a second of the digital signal processing modules includes a second digital filter, and wherein one or more filter characteristics of the first digital filter are different from corresponding filter characteristics of the second digital filter.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a first of the digital signal processing modules includes an audio virtualizer.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving a digital audio input signal;

detecting a number of hardware interfaces;

splitting the digital audio input signal into a plurality of digital audio signals corresponding to the detected number of hardware interfaces; and

dynamically creating a number of digital signal processing software modules corresponding to the plurality of digital audio signals.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

querying a hardware module to detect the number of hardware interfaces.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the hardware module is a computer audio hardware.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting the sample rate of a first of the plurality of digital audio signals to a first sample rate.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

adjusting the sample rate of a second of the plurality of digital audio signals to a second sample rate, wherein the second sample rate is different from the first sample rate.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

adjusting the sample rate of a third of the plurality of digital audio signals to a third sample rate, wherein the third sample rate different from the first sample rate and the second sample rate.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first sample rate is about 48 kilohertz.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

filtering a first of the plurality of digital audio signals based on a first set of filtering characteristics.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

filtering a second of the plurality of digital audio signals based on a second set of filtering characteristics.

19. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor;

a hardware module responsive to the processor, the hardware module including a plurality of hardware interfaces,

a device driver to control the processor, wherein the device driver includes;

a splitter to split a received digital audio input signal into a plurality of digital audio signals; and

a plurality of digital signal processing software modules corresponding to a detected number of the plurality of hardware audio interfaces, each of the plurality of digital signal processing modules responsive to one of the plurality of digital audio signals.

20. The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of hardware interfaces includes an analog speaker interface, a headphone interface, and a Sony/Philips Digital Interface (SPDIF).