AUDIO PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20130208928A1
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Onkyo Technology Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: ONKYO Corporation (Onkyo Home Entertainment Corp.)
• Inventors: SUNAGA, Tadaharu
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/307
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers for hearing aids H04R25/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

A ZONE4 left audio signal Z4L is output without releasing a connection of a surround left speaker SSL. When determining that a playback of the ZONE4 left audio signal Z4L is set by a user manipulation, a controller 2 controls switches S11b and S13b in an on state, and controls switches S11a, S13a, and S13c in an off state. Accordingly, the ZONE4 left audio signal Z4L is supplied from a DSP to an amplifier 12a through the switch S11b, amplified by the amplifier 12a, and supplied to a surround back left/ZONE4 left SP terminal 14b through the switch S13b. A surround left SP terminal 14a is an output terminal dedicated to a surround left audio signal, so that the ZONE4 left audio signal Z4L can be output without releasing the connection of the surround left speaker SSL.

Claims

1. An audio processing apparatus comprising:

a first amplifier that amplifies a surround audio signal or a fourth room audio signal, the surround audio signal being a surround left audio signal or a surround right audio signal, and the fourth room audio signal being a fourth room left audio signal or a fourth room right audio signal;

a second amplifier;

a third amplifier;

a first speaker terminal that outputs the surround audio signal;

a second speaker terminal that outputs a first extended audio signal or the fourth room audio signal, the first extended audio signal being a first extended left audio signal or a first extended right audio signal;

a third speaker terminal that outputs a second extended audio signal or a second room audio signal, the second extended audio signal being a second extended left audio signal or a second extended right audio signal, and the second room audio signal being a second room left audio signal or a second room right audio signal;

a fourth speaker terminal that outputs a third extended audio signal or a third room audio signal, the third extended audio signal being a third extended left audio signal or a third extended right audio signal, and the third room audio signal being a third room left audio signal or a third room right audio signal;

a first switch that switches whether the surround audio signal from the first amplifier is supplied to the first speaker terminal;

a second switch that switches whether the fourth room audio signal from the first amplifier is supplied to the second speaker terminal;

a third switch that switches whether the amplified first extended audio signal is supplied to the second speaker terminal;

a fourth switch that switches whether the amplified second extended audio signal or the amplified second room audio signal is supplied to the third speaker terminal;

a fifth switch that switches whether the amplified third extended audio signal or the amplified third room audio signal is supplied to the fourth speaker terminal; and

a switching controller that controls the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the fifth switch.

3. The audio processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first extended left audio signal is any one of a surround back left audio signal, a left outside audio signal, a left upside audio signal, and a left-central-side audio signal, the first extended right audio signal is any one of a surround back right audio signal, a right outside audio signal, a right upside audio signal, and a right-central-side audio signal, the second extended left audio signal is any one of the surround back left audio signal, the left outside audio signal, the left upside audio signal, and the left-central-side audio signal and is different from the first extended left audio signal, the second extended right audio signal is any one of the surround back right audio signal, the right outside audio signal, the right upside audio signal, and the right-central-side audio signal and different from the first extended right audio signal, the third extended left audio signal is any one of the surround back left audio signal, the left outside audio signal, the left upside audio signal, and the left-central-side audio signal and different from the first extended left audio signal and the second extended left audio signal, and the third extended right audio signal is any one of the surround back right audio signal, the right outside audio signal, the right upside audio signal, and the right-central-side audio signal and different from the first extended right audio signal and the second extended right audio signal.

2. An audio processing apparatus comprising:

a first amplifier that amplifies a surround audio signal or a third room audio signal, the surround audio signal being a surround left audio signal or a surround right audio signal, and the third room audio signal being a third room left audio signal or a third room right audio signal;

a second amplifier that amplifies a first extended audio signal, a second extended audio signal, a third extended audio signal, or a second room audio signal, the first extended audio signal being a first extended left audio signal or a first extended right audio signal, the second extended audio signal being a second extended left audio signal or a second extended right audio signal, the third extended audio signal being a third extended left audio signal or a third extended right audio signal, and the second room audio signal being a second room left audio signal or a second room right audio signal;

a first speaker terminal that outputs the surround audio signal;

a second speaker terminal that outputs the first extended audio signal;

a third speaker terminal that outputs the second extended audio signal or the second room audio signal;

a fourth speaker terminal that outputs the third extended audio signal or the third room audio signal;

a first switch that switches whether the surround audio signal from the first amplifier is supplied to the first speaker terminal;

a second switch that switches whether the third room audio signal from the first amplifier is supplied to the fourth speaker terminal;

a third switch that switches whether the first extended audio signal from the second amplifier is supplied to the second speaker terminal;

a fourth switch that switches whether the second extended audio signal or the second room audio signal from the second amplifier is supplied to the third speaker terminal;

a fifth switch that switches whether the third extended audio signal from the second amplifier is supplied to the fourth speaker terminal; and

a switching controller that controls the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the fifth switch.