Use of voice-to-remaining audio (VRA) in consumer applications

• US 6,311,155 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2000
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hearing Enhancement Company, LLC
• Inventors: Saunders, William R., Vaudrey, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Korzuch, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US09/580,206
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/200, 704/201, 704/225, 381/10, 381/5, 381/27, 381/28, 381/59, 381/17
• US Class Current: 704/225
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00992 Circuits for stereophonic or quadraphonic recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10592 specifically adapted for recording or reproducing multichannel signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/89 using three or more audio channels, e.g. triphonic or quadraphonic
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/01 Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/11 Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field H04S2420/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

A method for providing multiple users with voice-to-remaining audio (VRA) adjustment capability includes receiving at a first decoder a voice signal and a remaining audio signal and simultaneously receiving at a second decoder, the voice signal and the remaining audio signal, wherein the voice signal and the remaining audio signal are received separately; and separately adjusting by each of the decoders, the separately received voice and remaining audio signals.

Claims

1. A movie theatre system that outputs a motion picture to each of a plurality of listeners in a manner that permits individualized audio volume adjustment for the plurality of listeners located in an audience of the movie theatre environment, comprising:

a video device that displays the video portion of the motion picture to the audience;

a speaker system that emits the corresponding audio portion of the motion picture to the audience;

one or more elements of a storage medium that stores the video portion of the motion picture, the corresponding audio portion of the motion picture, a first audio signal being substantially a vocal signal and having one or more channels of spatial information, and a second audio signal including substantially audio content other than the audio content of the first audio signal and having one or more channels of spatial information;

a transmitter that transmits the first and second audio signals from the one or more elements of the storage medium in synchronization with the transmission of the video portion and the corresponding audio portion of the motion picture, to a plurality of personal listening devices, wherein each of the plurality of personal listening devices is associated with each of the plurality of listeners in the theatre audience, and each of the personal listening devices comprises;

a first receiver that receives the transmitted first audio signal independently of the speaker system;

a second receiver that receives transmitted second audio signal independently of the speaker system;

a first adjustment device that adjusts the first audio signal based on inputs from the user;

a second adjustment device that adjusts the second audio signal based on inputs from the user;

an audio signal combining device that combines the first audio signal'"'"'s spatial information channels with corresponding spatial information channels of the second audio signal, to produce a combined audio signal; and

one or more transducers that receives the combined audio signal, converts the combined audio signal to sounds, and outputs the sounds so they may be heard by each of the plurality of listeners associated with each of the plurality of personal listening devices in the theatre audience;

wherein the system permits each of the plurality of listeners to adjust the first and second audio signals independently of other ones of the plurality of listeners in the audience.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal is a monaural signal.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal is a stereo signal, the stereo signal having left and right spatial information channels.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal is a surround signal, the surround signal having spatial information channels that include left, center, right, and one or more surround channels.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal is a multiple channel surround signal, the multiple channel surround signal having spatial information channels including left, left center, center, right center, right, and one or more surround channels.

6. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first and second adjustment devices are volume controllable active amplifiers.

7. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first and second adjustment devices are volume controllable passive attenuators.

8. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first adjustment and the second adjustment devices are combined into a single volume control device.

9. The system as in claim 8, wherein when the volume control device is moved in one direction, volume of the first audio signal increases while the volume of the second signal decreases, and when the volume control device is moved in the other direction, the volume of the second signal increases while the volume of the first signal decreases.

10. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first receiver receives a first digital bit stream that includes the first audio signal and the second receiver receives a second digital bit stream that includes the second audio signal, the system further comprising:

a first decoder that decodes the first digital bit stream; and

a second decoder that decodes the second digital bit stream.

11. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first receiver and the second receiver are integrated into a single receiver.

12. The system as in claim 11, wherein the single receiver receives a single digital bit stream that includes the first audio signal and the second audio signal, the system further comprising:

a single decoder that decodes the single digital bit stream.

13. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first and second receivers receive wireless transmissions.

14. The system as in claim 1, wherein the personal listening devices are at least one of stereo headphones, a monaural earphones, hearing aids, and assistive listening devices.

15. The system as in claim 1, wherein the personal listening devices are body-worn receivers, the body-worn receivers providing the combined audio signal to one or more electro-acoustic transducers.

16. The system as in claim 1, further comprising at least one of a wave guide and an amplifier to enhance the combined audio signal.

17. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a processor that computes the ratio of the volume of the first audio signal to the volume second audio signal, wherein at least one of the first adjustment device, the second adjustment device, and the audio signal combining device automatically adjusts for and maintains the ratio of the first audio signal volume to the second audio signal volume.

18. The system as in claim 17, wherein the processor computes the standard deviation of the audio signal over a finite time period.

19. The system as in claim 17, wherein the ratio is stored in a memory for use by the audio signal combining device.

20. The system as in claim 17, wherein the first and second adjustment devices are controlled by the user through a graphical user interface.

21. The system as in claim 17, wherein the first adjustment device and the second adjustment device are coupled to a single user controllable volume adjustment device, the single user controllable volume adjustment device operating to adjust the volume of the combined audio signal through so that movement of the single user controllable volume adjustment device in a first direction increases the volume of the first audio signal level and decreases the volume of the second audio signal, and movement in a second direction increases the volume of the second audio signal and decreases the volume of the first audio signal.

22. The system as in claim 1, wherein the corresponding audio portion of the motion picture is stored as first audio signal and second audio signal.

23. A computer, comprising:

the system as in claim 1, wherein the first and second adjustment devices are operated using at least one of computer software and hardware.

24. The system as in claim 1, wherein the personal listening devices are at least one of a wireless communication device, a body-worn “

computer,”

a personal audio playback device, and a television.

25. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a third adjustment device that adjusts the volume of the combined audio signal.

26. The system as in claim 25, wherein the third adjustment device includes a user-controllable switch that instantaneously achieves an original production mixture of the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

27. The system as in claim 25, wherein the third adjustment device includes a surround processor that converts the combined audio signal to an audio signal having a predetermined number of spatial information channels.

28. The system as in claim 27, wherein the surround processor converts the combined audio signal having left, center, right, right surround and left surround spatial information channels to a signal having only left and right spatial information channels.

29. The system as in claim 1, wherein the second audio signal includes at least a portion of the first audio signal.

30. A method of operating a movie theatre system that outputs a motion picture to each of a plurality of listeners in a manner that permits individualized audio volume adjustment for the plurality of listeners located in an audience of the movie theatre environment, comprising:

displaying the video portion of the motion picture to the audience;

outputting the corresponding audio portion of the motion picture to the audience using a speaker system;

providing one or more elements of a storage medium that stores the video portion of the motion picture, the corresponding audio portion of the motion picture, a first audio signal being substantially a vocal signal and having one or more channels of spatial information, and a second audio signal including audio content other than the audio content of the first audio signal and having one or more channels of spatial information;

transmitting the first and second audio signals from the one or more elements of the storage medium in synchronization with the transmission of the video portion and the corresponding audio portion of the motion picture;

receiving the transmitted first and second audio signals using a plurality of personal listening devices that are independent of the speaker system, wherein each of the plurality of personal listening devices is associated with each of the plurality of listeners in the theatre audience,

adjusting the first audio signal based on inputs from the user;

adjusting the second audio signal based on inputs from the user;

combining the first audio signal'"'"'spatial information channels with corresponding spatial information channels of the second audio signal, to produce a combined audio signal;

converting the combined audio signal to sounds using one or more transducers; and

outputting the sounds so they may be heard by each of the plurality of listeners;

wherein the method permits each of the plurality of listeners to adjust the first and second audio signals independently of other ones of the plurality of listeners.

31. The method as in claim 30, wherein at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal is a monaural signal.

32. The method as in claim 30, wherein at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal is a stereo signal, the stereo signal having left and right spatial information channels.

33. The method as in claim 30, wherein at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal is a surround signal, the surround signal having spatial information channels that include left, center, right, and one or more surround channels.

34. The method as in claim 30, wherein at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal is a multiple channel surround signal, the multiple channel surround signal having spatial information channels including left, left center, center, right center, right, and one or more surround channels.

35. The method as in claim 30, wherein the adjusting steps are performed using volume controllable active amplifiers.

36. The method as in claim 30, wherein the adjusting steps are performed using are volume controllable passive attenuators.

37. The method as in claim 30, wherein the adjusting steps are performed using a single volume control device.

38. The method as in claim 37, wherein when the volume control device is moved in one direction, volume of the first audio signal increases while the volume of the second signal decreases, and when the volume control device is moved in the other direction, the volume of the second signal increases while the volume of the first signal decreases.

39. The method as in claim 30, wherein the receiving step receives a first digital bit stream that includes the first audio signal and a second digital bit stream that includes the second audio signal, the method further comprising:

decoding the first digital bit stream; and

decoding the second digital bit stream.

40. The method as in claim 30, wherein the receiving step is performed using a single receiver.

41. The method as in claim 40, wherein the receiving step receives a single digital bit stream that includes the first audio signal and the second audio signal, the method further comprising:

decoding the single digital bit stream.

42. The method as in claim 30, wherein the transmissions received in the receiving step are wireless transmissions.

43. The method as in claim 30, wherein the personal listening devices are at least one of stereo headphones, a monaural earphones, hearing aids, and assistive listening devices.

44. The method as in claim 30, wherein the personal listening devices are body-worn receivers, the body-worn receivers providing the combined audio signal to one or more electro-acoustic transducers.

45. The method as in claim 30, further comprising enhancing the combined audio signal using at least one of a wave guide and an amplifier.

46. The method as in claim 30, further comprising:

computing the ratio of the volume of the first audio signal to the volume second audio signal; and

automatically adjusting for and maintaining the ratio of the first audio signal volume to the second audio signal volume.

47. The method as in claim 46, wherein the computing step computes the standard deviation of the audio signal over a finite time period.

48. The method as in claim 46, further comprising storing the ratio in a memory for use by the audio signal combining device.

49. The method as in claim 46, wherein the adjusting steps are performed by the user through a graphical user interface.

50. The method as in claim 46, wherein the adjusting step is performed using a single user controllable volume adjustment device, the single user controllable volume adjustment device operating to adjust the volume of the combined audio signal through so that movement of the single user controllable volume adjustment device in a first direction increases the volume of the first audio signal level and decreases the volume of the second audio signal, and movement in a second direction increases the volume of the second audio signal and decreases the volume of the first audio signal.

51. The method as in claim 30, wherein the corresponding audio portion of the motion picture is stored as first audio signal and second audio signal.

52. The method as in claim 30, wherein the adjusting steps are performed using at least one of computer software and hardware.

53. The method as in claim 30, wherein the personal listening devices are at least one of a cellular telephone, a wireless communication device, a body-worn computer, a personal data assistant, a personal audio playback device, a television and a DVD player.

54. The method as in claim 30, further comprising adjusting the volume of the combined audio signal.

55. The method as in claim 54, wherein the adjustment of the combined audio signal includes using a user-controllable switch that instantaneously achieves an original production mixture of the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

56. The method as in claim 54, wherein the adjustment of the combined audio signal includes converting the combined audio signal to an audio signal having a predetermined number of spatial information channels.

57. The method as in claim 56, wherein the converting step converts the combined audio signal having left, center, right, right surround and left surround spatial information channels to a signal having only left and right spatial information channels.

58. The method as in claim 30, wherein the second audio signal includes at least a portion of the first audio signal.