Kernel-based digital audio mixer
First Claim
1. In a computer system having a processor, a method comprising the steps of:
- executing a multitasking operating system with the processor, the operating system having a kernel comprising kernel software;
executing a first task with the processor under control of the operating system;
while executing the first task, executing a second task with the processor under control of the operating system;
providing a first audio stream comprising a first series of digital audio samples representing a first audio signal, the first audio stream being affiliated with the first task;
while providing the first audio stream, providing a second audio stream comprising a second series of digital audio samples representing a second audio signal, the second audio stream being affiliated with the second task; and
by executing a portion of the kernel software with the processor, mixing the first and second audio streams to provide a mixed audio stream comprising a series of digital audio samples representing a superposition of the first and second audio signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for mixing multiple digital audio streams originating from or destined for multiple tasks in a computer system. In one aspect, a method is carried out in a computer system having a processor. The processor executes a multitasking operating system that has a kernel, executes a first task under control of the operating system, and while executing the first task executes a second task under control of the operating system. First and second audio streams are provided, each made up of a series of digital audio samples representing an audio signal and affiliated, respectively, with the first and second tasks. By executing a portion of the operating system kernel with the processor, the first and second audio streams are mixed to provide a mixed audio stream made up of a series of digital audio samples representing a superposition of the first and second audio signals.
92 Citations
28 Claims
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1. In a computer system having a processor, a method comprising the steps of:
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executing a multitasking operating system with the processor, the operating system having a kernel comprising kernel software; executing a first task with the processor under control of the operating system; while executing the first task, executing a second task with the processor under control of the operating system; providing a first audio stream comprising a first series of digital audio samples representing a first audio signal, the first audio stream being affiliated with the first task; while providing the first audio stream, providing a second audio stream comprising a second series of digital audio samples representing a second audio signal, the second audio stream being affiliated with the second task; and by executing a portion of the kernel software with the processor, mixing the first and second audio streams to provide a mixed audio stream comprising a series of digital audio samples representing a superposition of the first and second audio signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a computer system having a processor, a method comprising the steps of:
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executing a multitasking operating system with the processor, the operating system having a kernel comprising kernel software, the operating system providing a audio device supporting a single audio stream; executing a first task with the processor under control of the operating system; while executing the first task, executing a second task with the processor under control of the operating system; with the processor, requesting access from the first task to the audio device, the access requested from the first task being of a first access type; with the processor, requesting access from the second task to the audio device, the access requested from the second task being of a second access type, the second access type including the first access type; and by executing a portion of the kernel software with the processor, coupling the single audio stream of the audio device contemporaneously to the first and second tasks, the single audio stream being coupled to the first task according to the first access type, the single audio stream being coupled to the second task according to the second access type. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. In a computer system having a processor, a method comprising the steps of:
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executing a multitasking operating system with the processor, the operating system having a kernel, the kernel comprising kernel software, the kernel providing a mixing capability for mixing a plurality of component audio streams into a mixed audio stream, each of the component audio streams comprising a series of digital audio samples representing a component audio signal, the mixed audio stream comprising a series of digital audio samples representing a superposition of the component audio signals; executing a task with the processor under control of the operating system, the task being affiliated with an audio stream comprising a series of digital audio samples representing an audio signal capable of being used as a component audio signal of the superposition; establishing a connection between the audio stream affiliated with the task and the mixing capability of the kernel by designating the audio stream affiliated with the task as a component audio stream to be mixed into the mixed audio stream, the audio signal represented by the sample series of the audio stream so designated thus being used as a component audio signal of the superposition; with the connection between the audio stream affiliated with the task and the mixing capability of the kernel thus established, executing a portion of the kernel software with the processor to effect the mixing capability and thus to mix the audio stream affiliated with the task into the mixed audio stream; and with the audio stream affiliated with the task thus mixed into the mixed audio stream, providing the mixed audio stream as an output from the mixing capability. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. Apparatus comprising:
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a computer system having a processor; a multitasking operating system executed with the processor, the operating system having a kernel, the kernel comprising kernel software; a plurality of tasks comprising application software programs executed contemporaneously with the processor under control of the operating system, each task being affiliated with an audio stream comprising a series of digital audio samples representing an audio signal; and mixer means, comprising a portion of the kernel software executed with the processor, providing a mixing capability for mixing the audio streams affiliated with the tasks to provide a mixed audio stream comprising a series of digital audio samples representing a superposition of audio signals, the superposition having a plurality of components, each component being an audio signal represented by the sample series of an audio stream with which a task is affiliated. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification