Method and system for mixing audio streams in a computing system
First Claim
1. A method for generating an audio output signal from one or more audio streams produced by one or more audio sources operating on a general purpose computer system in which each audio source can selectively have input focus, comprising the steps:
- a. for each audio source, registering zero or more audio streams as sound focus audio streams;
b. determining which of the audio sources has sound focus based on the input focus and on the registration the audio streams of the audio sources as sound focus audio streams;
c. selecting the sound focus audio streams from the audio source that has the sound focus;
d. generating the audio output signal by mixing the selected sound focus audio streams of the audio source having the sound focus; and
e. converting the audio output signal to an audible sound.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosed invention constitutes a method and system, including an audio mixer, for selecting audio streams from one or more applications running on a computer system. An application can register its audio streams with the audio mixer either as sound focus audio streams or as priority audio streams. With respect to the sound focus audio streams, the audio mixer determines which of the applications has the sound focus and generates an audio output signal from those sound focus audio streams to drive the computer'"'"'s sound device and thereby to produce an audible sound for the user. Sound focus is determined when an application gains the input focus, opens an audio stream, closes an audio stream, or registers with the audio mixer. With respect to the priority audio streams, those priority audio streams are always selected by the audio mixer and are mixed with the sound focus audio streams from the application having sound focus to generate a composite audio output signal. The audio streams are scaled so that mixing audio streams does not normally exceed the volume limit of the sound device.
62 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for generating an audio output signal from one or more audio streams produced by one or more audio sources operating on a general purpose computer system in which each audio source can selectively have input focus, comprising the steps:
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a. for each audio source, registering zero or more audio streams as sound focus audio streams; b. determining which of the audio sources has sound focus based on the input focus and on the registration the audio streams of the audio sources as sound focus audio streams; c. selecting the sound focus audio streams from the audio source that has the sound focus; d. generating the audio output signal by mixing the selected sound focus audio streams of the audio source having the sound focus; and e. converting the audio output signal to an audible sound. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An audio mixer for mixing audio streams in a general purpose computing system, in which audio source can selectively have input focus, comprising:
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a. an audio output; b. audio inputs for receiving audio streams from a plurality of audio sources wherein zero or more audio streams are registered as sound focus audio streams; c. control inputs for receiving control signals including an input focus control signal and an audio source registration signal; d. a selection component connected to the audio inputs and the control inputs for receiving the sound focus audio streams and control signals for; i. determining which audio source possesses sound focus based on the input focus control signal and the audio source registration signal; and ii. connecting the sound focus audio streams from audio source possessing sound focus to the audio output to generate an audio output signal on the audio output of the audio mixer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for generating an audio output signal from one or more audio streams produced by one or more audio sources operating on a general purpose computer system in which each audio source can selectively have input focus, comprising the steps:
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a. for each audio source, registering zero or more audio streams as sound focus audio streams; b. determining which of the audio sources has sound focus based on the input focus and on the registration the audio streams of the audio sources as sound focus audio streams; c. selecting the sound focus audio streams from the audio source that has the sound focus; d. generating the audio output signal by mixing the selected sound focus audio streams of the audio source having the sound focus; and e. converting the audio output signal to an audible sound. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification