Prioritization of audio streams for platform adaptive audio decoding

• US 20070266168A1
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Prajakt, Sampat, Kuntal, Gupta, Samir, Bhagatwala, Hiren
• Granted Patent: US 8,498,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355

Abstract

This disclosure describes audio techniques that exploit a prioritization scheme of audio streams of a software application, such as a video game that execute on a mobile device. The priority of the audio streams are defined by a content creator of the application. In addition, priority of an additional audio stream not associated with the application (such as an audio alert) is also defined. A mobile device includes a processor that executes the application and an audio decoding unit that receives a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on a mobile device, receives an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application, and combines a subset of the prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio streams according to priority to form a common audio stream.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on a mobile device;

receiving an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application; and

combining a subset of the prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio stream according to priority to form a common audio stream.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating audio output based on the common audio stream.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising decoding the subset of the prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising decoding the prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the common audio stream.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating audio output based on the common audio stream following the processing of the common audio stream.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of prioritized audio streams of the application and the additional prioritized audio stream defines a unique priority.

3. The method of claim I, wherein combining a subset of the prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio stream according to priority comprises:

including one or more higher priority audio streams of the application in the common audio stream; and

excluding one or more lower priority audio streams of the application from the common audio stream.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio streams of the application correspond to different audio channels of the video game and wherein:

the higher priority audio streams include audio streams that are needed for a user to effectively play the video game; and

the lower priority audio streams include audio streams that are not needed for a user to effectively play the video game.

9. The method of claim 9, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio stream not associated with the application comprises an audio alert not associated with the video game.

11. A method comprising:

defining priorities of audio streams of an application;

defining priority of an audio alert not associated with the application;

supplying the application to a first mobile device that defines a first platform, wherein the first mobile device uses a first subset of the audio streams of the application to define combined audio output of the application and the alert; and

supplying the application to a second mobile device that defines a second platform, wherein the second mobile device uses a second subset of the audio streams of the application to define combined audio output of the application and the alert, wherein the first subset is different than the second subset.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first platform defines less memory than the second platform and wherein the first subset is smaller than the second subset due to the less memory.

13. A computer readable medium comprising executable instructions that upon execution in a mobile device cause the mobile device to:

receive a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on a mobile device;

receive an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application; and

combine a subset of the prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio stream according to priority to form a common audio stream.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to create audio output based on the common audio stream.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to combine the subset of the prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio stream according to priority by:

including one or more higher priority audio streams of the application in the common audio stream; and

excluding one or more lower priority audio streams of the application from the common audio stream.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio streams correspond to different audio channels of the video game and wherein:

the higher priority audio streams include audio streams that are needed for a user to effectively play the video game; and

the lower priority audio streams include audio streams that are not needed for a user to effectively play the video game.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to decode the subset of the prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to decode the prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to process the common audio stream.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to generate audio output based on the common audio stream following the processing of the common audio stream.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio stream not associated with the application comprises an audio alert not associated with the video game.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of prioritized audio streams of the application and the additional prioritized audio stream defines a unique priority.

23. A device comprising:

a processor that executes an application; and

an audio decoding unit that receives a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on a mobile device, receives an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application, and combines a subset of the prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio streams according to priority to form a common audio stream.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit creates audio output based on the common audio stream.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit combines the subset of the prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio streams according to priority by:

including one or more higher priority audio streams of the application in the common audio stream; and

excluding one or more lower priority audio streams of the application from the common audio stream.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio streams correspond to different audio channels of the video game and wherein:

the higher priority audio streams include audio streams that are needed for a user to effectively play the video game; and

the lower priority audio streams include audio streams that are not needed for a user to effectively play the video game.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit decodes the subset of the prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit decodes the prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

29. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit processes the common audio stream.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the audio decoding unit generates audio output based on the common audio stream following the processing of the common audio stream.

31. The device of claim 23, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio stream not associated with the application comprises an audio alert not associated with the video game.

32. The device of claim 23, wherein the device comprises a mobile wireless communication device capable of executing video game applications.

33. The device of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of prioritized audio streams of the application and the additional prioritized audio stream defines a unique priority.