Audio Data Processing Device for and a Method of Synchronized Audio Data Processing

• US 20080226103A1
• Filed: 09/06/2006
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Schobben, Daniel Willem
• Application Number:
  US12/066,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20080226103A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/309
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

An audio data processing device (100), comprising a first audio data storage unit (101) and a first processor unit (102), wherein the first audio data storage unit (101) is adapted to store first audio data, wherein the first processor unit (102) is coupled to the first audio data storage unit (101) and is adapted to process the first audio data so that the first audio data is reproducible by a first audio reproduction unit (103), wherein the first processor unit (102) is adapted to be synchronized with a second processor unit (105) coupled to a second audio data storage unit (104), and the second processor unit (105) being adapted to process second audio data stored in the second audio data storage unit (104) so that the second audio data is reproducible by a second audio reproduction unit (106) synchronized to a reproduction of the first audio data by the first audio reproduction unit (104).

Claims

1. An audio data processing device (100), comprising

a first audio data storage unit (101);

and

a first processor unit (102);

wherein the first audio data storage unit (101) is adapted to store first audio data representing a first audio signal;

wherein the first processor unit (102) is coupled to the first audio data storage unit (101) and is adapted to process the first audio data so that the first audio data is reproducible by a first audio reproduction unit (103);

wherein the first processor unit (102) is adapted to be time synchronized with a second processor unit (105) coupled to a second audio data storage unit (104), and the second processor unit (105) being adapted to process second audio data representing a second audio signal and stored in the second audio data storage unit (104) so that the second audio data is reproducible by a second audio reproduction unit (106) time synchronized to a reproduction of the first audio data by the first audio reproduction unit (104).

2. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

comprising the first audio reproduction unit (103).

3. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

comprising the second processor unit (105), the second audio data storage unit (104) and/or the second audio reproduction unit (106).

4. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the first audio data storage unit (101) and the second audio data storage unit (104) are provided as physically separate devices.

5. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the first processor unit (102) comprises a first synchronization interface (110), wherein the second processor unit (105) comprises a second synchronization interface (111), wherein the time synchronization is performed via the first synchronization interface (110) and via the second synchronization interface (111).

6. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 5,

wherein the time synchronization is performed via the first synchronization interface (110) and via the second synchronization interface (111) in a wired manner or in a wireless manner.

7. The audio data processing device (300) according to claim 5,

wherein the time synchronization is performed via a transmission of a synchronization control signal (303) between the first synchronization interface (301) and the second synchronization interface (302).

8. The audio data processing device (300) according to claim 5,

wherein the time synchronization is performed via a transmission of a time-stamped packet from the first synchronization interface (301) to the second synchronization interface (302) and by returning the time-stamped packet from the second synchronization interface (302) to the first synchronization interface (301).

9. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 5,

wherein the time synchronization is performed by means of a communication between the first synchronization interface (110) and the second synchronization interface (111).

10. The audio data processing device (200) according to claim 5,

comprising a synchronization unit (201) adapted to perform the time synchronization, wherein the first synchronization interface (110) is coupled to the synchronization unit (201), wherein the second synchronization interface (111) is coupled to the synchronization unit (201).

11. The audio data processing device (200) according to claim 10,

wherein the first synchronization interface (110) is coupled to the synchronization unit (201) to communicate in a wired manner or in a wireless manner, wherein the second synchronization interface (111) is coupled to the synchronization unit (201) to communicate in a wired manner or in a wireless manner.

12. The audio data processing device (400) according to claim 10,

wherein the synchronization unit is a remote control (401).

13. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the first audio data is processed so as to be reproducible by the first audio reproduction unit (103) to be perceived by a first ear of a human being.

14. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the second audio data is processed so as to be reproducible by the second audio reproduction unit (106) to be perceived by a second ear of a human being.

15. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the first audio data stored in the first audio data storage unit (101) is at least partially identical to the second audio data stored in the second audio data storage unit (104).

16. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the first audio data stored in the first audio data storage unit (101) is at least partially different from the second audio data stored in the second audio data storage unit (104).

17. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the first processor unit (102), the first audio data storage unit (101) and the first audio reproduction unit (103) are part of a first earpiece or of a first headphone.

18. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the second processor unit (105), the second audio data storage unit (104) and the second audio reproduction unit (106) are part of a second earpiece or of a second headphone.

19. The audio data processing device (600) according to claim 1,

comprising an audio amplitude detection unit (601) adapted to detect an audio amplitude of an environment of the audio data processing device (600) and adapted to initiate audio data reproduction by the first audio reproduction unit (103) and/or by the second audio reproduction unit (106) in case that the detected audio amplitude is below a predetermined threshold value.

20. The audio data processing device (600) according to claim 19,

wherein the audio amplitude detection unit (601) is adapted to initiate audio data reproduction with a reproduction amplitude determined based on the detected audio amplitude.

21. The audio data processing device (600) according to claim 19,

wherein the audio amplitude detection unit (601) is adapted to initiate audio data reproduction with audio content related to stationary background noise.

22. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

comprising an interface that is adapted to detachably connect at least a part of the components of the audio data processing device (100) to a docking station so as to supply the audio data processing device (100) with energy and/or with audio data and/or to perform the synchronization.

23. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the first audio data storage unit (101) is adapted to store audio data related to multiple audio channels, and wherein the first processor unit (102) is adapted to select the first audio data among the multiple audio channels for reproduction by the first audio reproduction unit (103).

24. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the second audio data storage unit (104) is adapted to store audio data related to multiple audio channels, and wherein the second processor unit (105) is adapted to select the second audio data among the multiple audio channels for reproduction by the second audio reproduction unit (106).

25. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the first processor unit (102) is adapted to process the first audio data based on a Head Related Transfer Function filtering.

26. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the second processor unit (105) is adapted to process the second audio data based on a Head Related Transfer Function filtering.

27. The audio data processing device (700) according to claim 1,

comprising a head rotation detection unit (701) adapted to detect a motion of the head of a human being utilizing the audio data processing device (700) and adapted to control the first processor unit (102) and/or the second processor unit (105) based on head rotation information detected by the head rotation detection unit (701).

28. The audio data processing device (100) according to claim 1,

realized as at least one of the group consisting of a portable audio player, a portable video player, a head mounted display, a mobile phone comprising earphones or headphones, a medical communication system, a body-worn device, a DVD player, a CD player, a harddisk-based media player, an internet radio device, a public entertainment device, an MP3 player, headphones, earphones, and a hearing aid device.

29. A method of processing audio data,

the method comprising:

processing, by means of a first processor unit (102), first audio data representing a first audio signal and stored in a first audio data storage unit (101) so that the first audio data is reproducible by a first audio reproduction unit (103);

processing, by means of a second processor unit (105), second audio data representing a second audio signal and stored in a second audio data storage unit (104) so that the second audio data is reproducible by a second audio reproduction unit (106);

time synchronizing the first processor unit (102) with the second processor unit (105) so that the second audio data is reproducible time synchronized to a reproduction of the first audio data.

30. A program element, which, when being executed by a processor, is adapted to control or carry out a method of processing audio data, the method comprising:

processing, by means of a first processor unit (102), first audio data representing a first audio signal and stored in a first audio data storage unit (101) so that the first audio data is reproducible by a first audio reproduction unit (103);

processing, by means of a second processor unit (105), second audio data representing a second audio signal and stored in a second audio data storage unit (104) so that the second audio data is reproducible by a second audio reproduction unit (106);

time synchronizing the first processor unit (102) with the second processor unit (105) so that the second audio data is reproducible time synchronized to a reproduction of the first audio data.

31. A computer-readable medium, in which a computer program is stored which, when being executed by a processor, is adapted to control or carry out a method of processing audio data, the method comprising:

processing, by means of a first processor unit (102), first audio data representing a first audio signal and stored in a first audio data storage unit (101) so that the first audio data is reproducible by a first audio reproduction unit (103);

processing, by means of a second processor unit (105), second audio data representing a second audio signal and stored in a second audio data storage unit (104) so that the second audio data is reproducible by a second audio reproduction unit (106);

time synchronizing the first processor unit (102) with the second processor unit (105) so that the second audio data is reproducible time synchronized to a reproduction of the first audio data.