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

• US 6,912,501 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2001
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US09/934,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20020013698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 381/1, 381/2, 381/10, 381/20, 381/22, 704/500, 704/501, 704/503, 352/9, 352/10, 352/11
• US Class Current: 704/500
• 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 system for providing a user with voice-to-remaining audio (VRA) adjustment capability comprising:

a decoder system simultaneously receiving a first prerecorded signal, the first signal recorded to comprise substantially vocal signal information and a second prerecorded signal, the second signal recorded to comprise substantially information other than the vocal signal information of the first signal, wherein the first signal and the second signal are received separately by the decoder system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first signal is a first digital bit stream and the second signal is a second digital bit stream.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first signal and the second signal include one or more channels of spatial information.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first adjustment device, operationally coupled to the decoder, that adjusts an amplitude of a decoded first signal based on input from the user; and

a second adjustment device, operationally coupled to the decoder, that adjusts an amplitude of a decoded second signal based on input from the user.

5. A system comprised of a plurality of systems as described in claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of systems is used by a corresponding one of each of a plurality of users, and wherein each of the plurality of users separately adjusts each of its own amplitudes of decoded first and second signals independently of other ones of the plurality of users.

6. A method of providing a user with voice-to-remaining audio (VRA) adjustment capability comprising:

receiving at a decoder system a first prerecorded signal, the first signal recorded to comprise substantially vocal signal information; and

simultaneously receiving at the decoder system a second prerecorded signal, the second signal recorded to comprise substantially information other than the vocal signal information of the first signal, wherein the first signal and the second signal are received separately by the decoder system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first signal is a first digital bit stream and the second signal is a second digital bit stream.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first signal and the second signal each include one or more channels of spatial information.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

adjusting, at a first adjustment device, an amplitude of a decoded first signal based on input from the user; and

adjusting, at a second adjustment device, an amplitude of a decoded second signal based on input from the user.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

decoding the first signal at the decoder to produce a decoded first signal;

decoding the second signal at the decoder to produce a decoded second signal; and

separately adjusting the decoded first and decoded second signals.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein separate adjustments of the decoded first and decoded second signals are based on an input from the user.