Kernel-mode audio processing modules

• US 7,667,121 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2008
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• 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:
  US12/019,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20080134865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/609
• 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 a data packet including audio data;

determining a difference between a current reference time and a presentation time of the data packet, wherein the current reference time is used by the module and at least one other module stored on the computer-readable media to maintain synchronization between the module and the at least one other module, and wherein the presentation time indicates a time that the audio data is to be played back;

recording the determined difference;

rendering the data packet if the presentation time is equal to or earlier than the current reference time; and

queuing the data packet until the presentation time is equal to the current reference time if the presentation time is later than the current reference time.

2. 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 acts including:

making a get parameters interface available to a calling component; and

returning an indication of the difference to the component in response to the component calling the get 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 recording 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 at a module a data packet including audio data;

determining a difference between a current reference time and a presentation time of the data packet, wherein the current reference time is used by the module and at least one other module to maintain synchronization between the module and the at least one other module, and wherein the presentation time indicates a time that the audio data is to be played back;

recording the determined difference;

rendering the data packet if the presentation time is equal to or earlier than the current reference time; and

queuing the data packet until the presentation time is equal to the current reference time if the presentation time is later than the current reference time.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

making a get parameters interface available to a calling component; and

returning an indication of the difference to the component in response to the component calling the get parameters interface.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4, wherein the recording 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 audio data;

determining a difference between a current reference time and a presentation time of the data packet, wherein the current reference time is used by the module and at least one other module to maintain synchronization between the module and the at least one other module, and wherein the presentation time indicates a time that the audio data is to be played back;

recording the determined difference;

rendering the data packet if the presentation time is equal to or earlier than the current reference time; and

queuing the data packet until the presentation time is equal to the current reference time if the presentation time is later than the current reference time.

8. The computing device as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of instructions further causes the processor to perform acts including:

making a get parameters interface available to a calling component; and

returning an indication of the difference to the component in response to the component calling the get parameters interface.

9. The computing device as recited in claim 7, wherein the recording 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.