Time zone equalizer

• US 5,566,237 A
• Filed: 02/03/1994
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dobbs-Stanford Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dobbs-Stanford Corporation
• Inventors: Christian, Kevin S., Dobbs, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US08/191,512
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 455/181.1, 455/267, 455/171.1, 333/28 T, 333/28 R, 381/101, 381/102, 381/103, 381/98
• US Class Current: 381/103
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/025 Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands

Abstract

An audio selection circuit (10) having time selectable equalization, comprising a plurality of inputs (24, 26) for coupling the audio selection circuit to a plurality of audio signal sources, a variable equalization circuit (32) having an equalization input and an equalization output, the variable equalization circuit (32) providing variable attenuation in a plurality of frequency bands to an audio signal coupled to the equalization input, processing means (12) operatively coupled to the plurality of inputs (24, 26) and to the variable equalization circuit (32), memory means (12) operatively coupled to the processing means (12) and timebase means (14) operatively coupled to the processing means (12), the timebase means (14) enabling the processing means (12) to determine a time of day, wherein the processing means (12) is operative to couple one of the plurality of inputs (24, 26) to the equalization input and to vary the attenuation of the variable equalization circuit (32) when the time of day is equal to or past a stored time of day stored in the memory (12), the coupling of one of the plurality of inputs (24, 26) and the varying of the attenuation being done according to parameters stored in the memory. Other systems, devices and methods are disclosed.

Claims

1. An audio selection circuit having time selectable equalization, comprising:

a variable equalization circuit having an equalization input and an equalization output, said variable equalization circuit providing variable attenuation in a plurality of frequency bands to an audio signal coupled to said equalization input;

processing means operatively coupled to said variable equalization circuit;

memory means operatively coupled to said processing means;

wherein said memory means stores data, said data consisting essentially of an equalization profile or profiles and an activating time of day, and

timebase means operatively coupled to said processing means, said timebase means enabling said processing means to determine a time of day;

wherein said memory means is indexed by said time of day allowing said processing means to alter said audio signal according to an equalization profile read from said memory means when said time of day is equal to or past a predetermined time of day.

2. The audio selection circuit of claim 1 wherein said variable equalization circuit additionally provides variable gain in said plurality of frequency bands to said audio signal coupled to said equalization input.

3. The audio selection circuit of claim 1 wherein said variable equalization circuit comprises a plurality of active bandpass filters coupled in parallel.

4. The audio selection circuit of claim 1 wherein said variable equalization circuit comprises two stereo channels, each of said stereo channels having a separate equalization input and a separate equalization output.

5. The audio selection circuit of claim 1 wherein said processing means comprise a digital microprocessor.

6. An audio selection circuit having time selectable equalization, comprising:

an input for coupling said audio selection circuit to an audio signal source;

a variable equalization circuit coupled to said input and having an equalization output, said variable equalization circuit providing variable attenuation in a plurality of frequency bands to an audio signal coupled to said input;

a processing means operatively coupled to said input and to said variable equalization circuit;

a memory means operatively coupled to said processing means;

wherein said memory means stores data, said data consisting essentially of a sequence of equalization profiles and an activating time of day, and

a timebase means operatively coupled to said processing means, said timebase means enabling said processing means to determine a time of day;

wherein said memory means is indexed by time of day;

wherein said processing means varies the equalization of said audio signal with each of said sequence of equalization profiles when said time of day is equal to a predetermined time of day.

7. The audio selection circuit of claim 6 wherein said variable equalization circuit additionally provides variable gain in said plurality of frequency bands to said audio signal coupled to said input.

8. The audio selection circuit of claim 6 wherein said variable equalization circuit comprises a plurality of active bandpass filters coupled in parallel.

9. The audio selection circuit of claim 6 wherein said variable equalization circuit comprises two stereo channels, each of said stereo channels having a separate input and a separate equalization output.

10. The audio selection circuit of claim 6 wherein said processing means comprise a digital microprocessor.

11. A method of time selectable equalization of an audio signal, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an input for coupling to an audio signal source;

(b) providing a variable equalization circuit having an equalization input and an equalization output, said variable equalization circuit providing variable attenuation in a plurality of frequency bands to an audio signal coupled to said equalization input;

(c) inputting a data set into a memory, said data set consisting essentially of an equalization profile and an activating time of day;

(d) determining an actual time of day;

(e) indexing said memory to retrieve said equalization profile when said actual time of day is equal to or past a predetermined time of day.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein step (d) is performed by periodically referencing a crystal time base.