Playing audio files at high priority

• US 6,354,748 B1
• Filed: 03/09/1995
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Vrvilo, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Daniel H.
• Application Number:
  US08/401,197
• Time in Patent Office: 2,560 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.01, 395/650, 395/600, 395/162, 395/800, 395/330, 395/561, 395/200.04, 395/2.92, 395/503, 395/2.87, 846/45, 364/DIG.1, 364/DIG.2, 364/514.A, 348/12, 348/15, 370/235, 370/261
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/08 Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13003 Constructional details of switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 Conference call
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13337 : Picturephone, videotelephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet

Abstract

An application programming interface (API), implemented on a general-purpose host processor, receives functions calls from an application to control the play of an audio file. The API translates the function calls into host-to-board messages and transmits the host-to-board messages to an audio task, implemented on a digital signal processor. The audio task plays the audio file based on the host-to-board messages received from the API at a higher priority than one or more other audio files. The API and audio task allow the application to select a Microsoft®-standard Wave file for play at a higher priority than other Wave files. By using the API, the application has control of the number of times the file is played back and when playing stops. The application gets notification of playback complete from the audio task via the API.

Claims

1. A computer-based subsystem for processing audio signals, comprising:

(a) an application programming interface (API); and

(b) an audio task, wherein;

the API is implemented on a general-purpose host processor of a computer system;

the audio task is implemented on a digital signal processor of the computer system;

the API receives one or more function calls from an application to control the play of an audio file;

the application is implemented on the general-purpose host processor;

the audio file is stored in a storage device of the computer system;

the API translates the function calls into one or more host-to-board messages;

the API transmits the host-to-board messages to the audio task; and

the audio task plays the audio file based on the host-to-board messages received from the API at a higher priority than one or more other audio files preempting playback of the other audio files.

2. The subsystem of claim 1, wherein the audio file is a Microsoft®

-standard Wave file.

3. The subsystem of claim 1, wherein the API is a Microsoft®

Windows™

operating system dynamic link library.

4. The subsystem of claim 1, wherein:

the host-to-board messages comprises an open-file message;

the open-file message indicates a path name for the audio file;

the audio task opens the audio file in response to the open-file message received from the API; and

the audio task transmits a callback message to the API in response to the open-file message.

5. The subsystem of claim 4, wherein:

if the open-file message is successful, then the callback message indicates that the audio file is valid; and

if the open-file message is unsuccessful, then the callback message indicates one of;

(1) the audio file cannot be opened;

(2) the audio file comprises unexpected file data;

(3) the audio file comprises data of an invalid audio type;

(4) the audio file is of an invalid file type;

(5) the audio file comprises a bad format type;

(6) the audio file comprises a bad header type;

(7) an on-board resource error occurred;

(8) the audio file comprises data at an unsupported rate;

(9) the audio file comprises data at an unsupported sample size; and

(10) a high-priority audio channel is already in use.

6. The subsystem of claim 1, wherein:

the host-to-board messages comprises a play-file message;

the play-file message comprises;

(1) a first parameter indicating a path name for the audio file;

(2) a second parameter indicating how many times to play the audio file;

(3) a third parameter;

(4) a fourth parameter indicating a volume level at which to play the audio file; and

(5) a fifth parameter indicating an output device for playing the audio file; and

the audio task plays the audio file in response to the play-file message received from the API.

7. The subsystem of claim 6, wherein:

the third parameter is ignored;

a value of 1 for the fifth parameter indicates that the output device is an on-board speaker;

a value of 2 for the fifth parameter indicates that the output device is a line-out device; and

a value of 4 for the fifth parameter indicates that the output device is a head phone device.

8. The subsystem of claim 1, wherein:

the host-to-board messages comprises a stop-file message; and

the audio task stops play of the audio file in response to the stop-file message received from the API.

9. The subsystem of claim 1, wherein the audio task transmits a play-done message to the API at completion of playing of the audio file.

10. The subsystem of claim 1, wherein:

the audio file is a Microsoft®

-standard Wave file;

the API is a Microsoft®

Windows™

operating system dynamic link library;

the host-to-board messages comprises an open-file message;

the open-file message indicates a path name for the audio file;

the audio task opens the audio file in response to the open-file message received from the API;

the audio task transmits a callback message to the API in response to the open-file message;

the host-to-board messages comprises a play-file message;

the play-file message comprises;

(1) a first parameter indicating the path name for the audio file;

(2) a second parameter indicating how many times to play the audio file;

(3) a third parameter;

(4) a fourth parameter indicating a volume level at which to play the audio file; and

(5) a fifth parameter indicating an output device for playing the audio file;

the audio task plays the audio file in response to the play-file message received from the API;

the host-to-board messages comprises a stop-file message;

the audio task stops play of the audio file in response to the stop-file message received from the API; and

the audio task transmits a play-done message to the API at completion of playing of the audio file.

11. A computer-implemented process for processing audio signals, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, by an application programming interface (API), one or more function calls from an application to control the play of an audio file, wherein;

the API is implemented on a general-purpose host processor of a computer system;

the application is implemented on the general-purpose host processor; and

the audio file is stored in a storage device of the computer system;

(b) translating, by the API, the function calls into one or more host-to-board messages;

(c) transmitting, by the API, the host-to-board messages to an audio task, wherein the audio task is implemented on a digital signal processor of the computer system; and

(d) playing, by the audio task, the audio file based on the host-to-board messages received from the API at a higher priority than one or more other audio files preempting playback of the other audio files.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the audio file is a Microsoft®

-standard Wave file.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein the API is a Microsoft®

Windows™

operating system dynamic link library.

14. The process of claim 11, wherein:

step (c) comprises the step of transmitting, by the API, an open-file message of the host-to-board messages to the audio task, wherein the open-file message indicates a path name for the audio file; and

step (d) comprises the steps of;

(1) opening, by the audio task, the audio file in response to the open-file message received from the API; and

(2) transmitting, by the audio task, a callback message to the API in response to the open-file message.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein:

if the open-file message is successful, then the callback message indicates that the audio file is valid; and

if the open-file message is unsuccessful, then the callback message indicates one of;

(1) the audio file cannot be opened;

(2) the audio file comprises unexpected file data;

(3) the audio file comprises data of an invalid audio type;

(4) the audio file is of an invalid file type;

(5) the audio file comprises a bad format type;

(6) the audio file comprises a bad header type;

(7) an on-board resource error occurred;

(8) the audio file comprises data at an unsupported rate;

(9) the audio file comprises data at an unsupported sample size; and

(10) a high-priority audio channel is already in use.

16. The process of claim 11, wherein:

step (c) comprises the step of transmitting, by the API, a play-file message of the host-to-board messages to the audio task, wherein the play-file message comprises;

(1) a first parameter indicating a path name for the audio file;

(2) a second parameter indicating how many times to play the audio file;

(3) a third parameter;

(4) a fourth parameter indicating a volume level at which to play the audio file; and

(5) a fifth parameter indicating an output device for playing the audio file; and

step (d) comprises the step of playing, by the audio task, the audio file in response to the play-file message received from the API.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein:

the third parameter is ignored;

a value of 1 for the fifth parameter indicates that the output device is an on-board speaker;

a value of 2 for the fifth parameter indicates that the output device is a line-out device; and

a value of 4 for the fifth parameter indicates that the output device is a head phone device.

18. The process of claim 11, wherein:

step (c) comprises the step of transmitting, by the API, a stop-file message of the host-to-board messages to the audio task; and

step (d) comprises the step of stopping, by the audio task, play of the audio file in response to the stop-file message received from the API.

19. The process of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises the step of transmitting, by the audio task, a play-done message to the API at completion of playing of the audio file.

20. The process of claim 11, wherein:

the audio file is a Microsoft®

-standard Wave file;

the API is a Microsoft®

Windows™

operating system dynamic link library;

step (c) comprises the step of transmitting, by the API, an open-file message of the host-to-board messages to the audio task, wherein the open-file message indicates a path name for the audio file;

step (d) comprises the steps of;

(1) opening, by the audio task, the audio file in response to the open-file message received from the API; and

(2) transmitting, by the audio task, a callback message to the API in response to the open-file message;

step (c) comprises the step of transmitting, by the API, a play-file message of the host-to-board messages to the audio task, wherein the play-file message comprises;

(1) a first parameter indicating a path name for the audio file;

(2) a second parameter indicating how many times to play the audio file;

(3) a third parameter;

(4) a fourth parameter indicating a volume level at which to play the audio file; and

(5) a fifth parameter indicating an output device for playing the audio file;

step (d) comprises the step of playing, by the audio task, the audio file in response to the play-file message received from the API;

step (c) comprises the step of transmitting, by the API, a stop-file message of the host- to-board messages to the audio task;

step (d) comprises the step of stopping, by the audio task, play of the audio file in response to the stop-file message received from the API; and

step (d) comprises the step of transmitting, by the audio task, a play-done message to the API at completion of playing of the audio file.