Digital signal processor

• US 6,785,657 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Socionext Inc.
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hatanaka, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARPER, V PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/725,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20010018657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 327/309, 330/51, 340/2.2, 358/426.04, 381/107, 455/560, 704/211, 704/215, 704/219, 704/500, 704/503
• US Class Current: 704/503
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4396 by muting the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/607 for more than one sound signal, e.g. stereo, multilanguages H04N5/602 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9265 with processing of the sound signal

Abstract

A digital signal processor includes a coded audio data generation unit for generating coded audio data; an audio data generation unit for generating audio data; a signal switching unit for outputting one of the coded audio data and the audio data respectively supplied from the coded audio data generation unit and the audio data generation unit, and switching the output between these data; and a signal switching control unit for detecting the periodicity of the coded audio data outputted from the coded audio data generation unit, and controlling the signal switching unit so as to switch the output at the boundary of periods of the coded audio data.

Claims

1. A digital signal processor for switching its output between plural digital audio data, according to an output switching instruction, comprising:

a coded audio data generation unit operable to generate coded audio data;

an audio data generation unit operable to generate audio data;

a signal switching unit operable to output one of the coded audio data and the audio data respectively supplied from the coded audio data generation unit and the audio data generation unit, and operable to switch the output between these the coded audio data and the audio data; and

a signal switching control unit operable to detect a position of the coded audio data within a period of the coded audio data generated by the coded audio data generation unit, and operable to receive the output switching instruction,

wherein, upon receipt of the output switching instruction, the signal switching control unit detects the position of the coded audio data within the period and controls the signal switching unit to switch the output between the coded audio data and the audio data at the conclusion of the period.

2. The digital signal processor of claim 1, wherein said signal switching control unit controls the coded audio data generation unit or the audio data generation unit so that the generation of coded audio data or audio data, which is to be output after the signal switching unit switches the output between the coded audio data and the audio data, is started simultaneously with the signal switching unit switching the output between the coded audio data and audio data.

3. The digital signal processor of claim 2,

wherein said audio data generation unit performs soft muting on the audio data so as to gradually reduce the output level of the audio data, immediately before the output from the signal switching unit is switched from the audio data to the coded audio data; and

performs soft muting on the audio data when the output from the signal switching unit is switched from the coded audio data to the audio data and, thereafter, gradually increases the audio output level.

4. The digital signal processor of claim 1,

wherein said audio data generation unit performs soft muting on the audio data so as to gradually reduce the output level of the audio data, immediately before the output from the signal switching unit is switched from the audio data to the coded audio data;

and

performs soft muting on the audio data when the output from the signal switching unit is switched from the coded audio data to the audio data and, thereafter, gradually increases the audio output level.

5. The digital signal processor according to claim 1, wherein the signal switching control unit is operable to detect the end of the period of the coded audio data generated by the coded audio data generation unit based on a state indication signal supplied from the coded audio data generation unit.

6. The digital signal processor according to claim 1, wherein the signal switching control unit sends a start instruction signal to one of the coded audio data generation unit and the audio data generation unit before the signal switching control unit instructs the signal switching unit to switch the output between the coded audio data and the audio data.

7. A digital signal processor according to claim 1, wherein the output switching instruction is generated by a user.

8. A digital signal processor for switching its output between plural digital audio data, according to an output switching instruction comprising:

a first coded audio data generation unit operable to generate first coded audio data;

a second coded audio data generation unit operable to generate second coded audio data;

a signal switching unit operable to output one of the first and second coded audio data respectively supplied from the first and second coded audio generation units, and operable to switch the output between the first and second coded audio data; and

a signal switching control unit operable to control the signal switching unit switching the output between the first and second coded audio data and operable to receive the output switching instruction;

wherein, upon receipt of the output switching instruction, said signal switching control unit detects a position of the first or second coded audio data within a period of the first or second coded audio data output from the signal switching unit, and controls the signal switching unit so as to switch the output between the first and second coded audio data when the period of the first coded audio data ends.

9. The digital signal processor according to claim 8, wherein the signal switching control unit is operable to detect the end of the period of the first coded audio data generated by the first coded audio data generation unit based on a state indication signal supplied from the first coded audio data generation unit.

10. The digital signal processor according to claim 8, wherein the signal switching control unit sends a start instruction signal to one of the first coded audio data generation unit and the second coded audio data generation unit before the signal switching control unit instructs the signal switching unit to switch the output between the first coded audio data and the second coded audio data.

11. A digital signal processor according to claim 8, wherein the signal switching control unit controls the first or second coded audio data generation units so that the generation of first or second coded audio data, which is to be output after the signal switching unit switches the output between the first and second coded audio data, is started simultaneously with the signal switching unit switching the output between the first and second coded audio data.

12. A digital signal processor according to claim 8 wherein the output switching instruction is generated by a user.

13. A digital signal processor for switching its output between plural digital audio data, according to an output switching instruction, comprising:

a first signal generation unit operable to generate first digital data,

at least one second signal generation unit operable to generate second digital data;

a signal switching unit operable to output one of the of first and second digital data supplied from the first and second signal generation units, and operable to switch the output between the first and second digital data; and

a signal switching control unit operable to control the timing of switching the output of the signal switching unit between the first and second digital data;

wherein the signal switching unit outputs periodic data, and when the signal switching control unit receives an output switching instruction, the signal switching control unit detects a position of the periodic data within a period and controls the signal switching unit to switch the output of the signal switching unit at a time when the period of the periodic data has ended.

14. The digital signal processor according to claim 13 wherein the signal switching control unit is operable to detect the end of the period of the periodic data based on a state indication signal supplied from the first signal generation unit.

15. The digital signal processor according to claim 13, wherein the signal switching control unit sends a start instruction signal to one of the first signal generation unit and the at least one second signal generation unit before the signal switching control unit instructs the signal switching unit to switch the output between the first and second digital data.

16. A digital signal processor according to claim 13 wherein the signal switching control unit controls the first signal generation unit or the at least one second signal generation unit so that the generation of first or second digital data, which is to be output after the signal switching unit switches the output between the first and second digital data, is started simultaneously with the signal switching unit switching the output between the first and second digital data.

17. A digital signal processor according to claim 13 wherein the output switching instruction is generated by a user.

18. A digital signal processing method for switching its output between plural digital audio data, comprising:

receiving an output switching instruction at a signal switching control unit;

detecting a position of coded audio data within a period of coded audio data output by a coded audio data generation unit upon receipt of the output switching instruction;

outputting a switching signal to a signal switching unit at the conclusion of the period; and

switching the output of the signal switching unit between the coded audio generated by the coded audio data generation unit and audio data generated by an audio data generation unit based on the switching signal.

19. A digital signal processing method for switching its output between plural digital audio data, comprising:

receiving an output switching instruction at a signal switching control unit;

detecting a position of coded audio data within a period of coded audio data output by a first coded audio data generation unit upon receipt of the output switching instruction;

outputting a switching signal to a signal switching unit at the conclusion of the period; and

switching the output of the signal switching unit between the coded audio generated by the first coded audio data generation unit and coded audio data generated by a second coded audio data generation unit based on the switching signal.