Kernel-mode audio processing modules

• US 7,633,005 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2008
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Puryear, Martin G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher; Marlon T
• Application Number:
  US12/019,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/645
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/183 Channel-assigning means for polyphonic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/225 Portamento, i.e. smooth continuously variable pitch-bend, without emphasis of each chromatic pitch during the pitch change, which only stops at the end of the pitch shift, as obtained, e.g. by a MIDI pitch wheel or trombone
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/281 Reverberation or echo
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/291 SCSI, i.e. Small Computer System Interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/295 Packet switched network, e.g. token ring
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 7/002 using a common processing for different operations or calculations, and a set of microinstructions (programme) to control the sequence thereof

Abstract

Multiple kernel-mode audio processing modules or filters are combined to form a module or filter graph. The graph is implemented in kernel-mode, reducing latency and jitter when handling audio data (e.g., MIDI data) by avoiding transfers of the audio data to user-mode applications for processing. A variety of different audio processing modules can be used to provide various pieces of functionality when processing audio data.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a module including a plurality of instructions for execution in kernel-mode that, when executed in kernel-mode by one or more processors of a computer, causes the one or more processors to perform acts including:

receiving at the module a data packet including an audio data message;

checking a message type of the audio data message using a message filter to determine if the message type comprises one of one or more selected MIDI message types; and

forwarding the audio data message to a next module for processing responsive to determining that the message type of the audio data message comprises one of the one or more selected MIDI message types;

or

forwarding the audio data message to an allocator module for re-allocation of the memory space used by the data packet to one or more additional data packets responsive to determining that the message type of the audio data message does not comprise one of the one or more selected MIDI message types.

2. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more selected MIDI message types are received by the module via a set parameters interface.

3. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the forwarding to the next module only if the data packet matches one or more of:

a particular one or more notes, a particular one or more channels, and a particular one or more channel groups.

4. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a data packet including an audio data message;

checking a message type of the audio data message using a message filter to determine if the message type comprises one of one or more selected MIDI message types; and

forwarding the audio data message to a next module for processing responsive to determining that the message type of the audio data message comprises one of the one or more selected MIDI message types;

or

forwarding the audio data message to an allocator module for re-allocation of the memory space used by the data packet to one or more additional data packets responsive to determining that the message type of the audio data message does not comprise one of the one or more selected MIDI message types.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4, wherein the one or more selected MIDI message types are received via a set parameters interface.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4, wherein the forwarding to the next module is only performed if the data packet matches one or more of:

a particular one or more notes, a particular one or more channels, and a particular one or more channel groups.

7. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

one or more computer-readable media coupled to the processor and having stored thereon a module including a plurality of instructions for execution in kernel-mode that, when executed in kernel-mode by the processor, causes the processor to perform acts including;

receiving at the module a data packet including an audio data message;

checking a message type of the audio data message using a message filter to determine if the message type comprises one of one or more selected MIDI message types; and

forwarding the audio data message to a next module for processing responsive to determining that the message type of the audio data message comprises one of the one or more selected MIDI message types;

or

forwarding the audio data message to an allocator module for re-allocation of the memory space used by the data packet to one or more additional data packets responsive to determining that the message type of the audio data message does not comprise one of the one or more selected MIDI message types.

8. The computing device as recited in claim 7, wherein the one or more selected MIDI message types are received by the module via a set parameters interface.

9. The computing device as recited in claim 7, wherein the forwarding to the next module is only performed if the data packet matches one or more of:

a particular one or more notes, a particular one or more channels, and a particular one or more channel groups.