Audio signal receiving apparatus, audio signal receiving method and audio signal transmission system

• US 8,116,476 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Inohara, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dao H
• Application Number:
  US12/335,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20090169030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 381/17, 381/74, 381/77, 381/80, 381/111, 369/30.23, 369/30.24, 369/47.11, 348/E5.099, 348/E5.104, 348/E5.108, 348/E5.112, 348/E5.128
• US Class Current: 381/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers for hearing aids H04R25/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

An audio signal receiving apparatus includes a sound source information receiving portion to receive sound source information containing sound source type information indicating a sound source type of the audio signal being transmitted through channels and externally connected equipment playback sound source information indicating a sound source type of the audio signal being played back by the externally connected equipment from externally connected equipment, an audio signal receiving portion to receive the audio signal from the externally connected equipment, and a playbackable sound source setting portion to determine and set a sound source type of the audio signal that can played back to a playbackable sound source based on the sound source information. The playbackable sound source setting portion sets a sound source type of the audio signal being played back by the externally connected equipment to the playbackable sound source as an externally connected equipment playback sound source.

Claims

1. An audio signal receiving apparatus to receive an audio signal transmitted from externally connected equipment through a plurality of channels, comprising:

a sound source information receiving portion to receive sound source information containing sound source type information indicating a sound source type of the audio signal being transmitted through each of the plurality of channels and externally connected equipment playback sound source information indicating a sound source type of the audio signal being played back by the externally connected equipment;

an audio signal receiving portion to receive the audio signal transmitted through each of the plurality of channels; and

a playbackable sound source setting portion to determine and set a sound source type of the audio signal able to be played back to a playbackable sound source based on the sound source information, wherein

the playbackable sound source setting portion sets the sound source type of the audio signal being played back by the externally connected equipment to the playbackable sound source.

2. The audio signal receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sound source selection portion to select a sound source to be played back from the playbackable sound source.

3. The audio signal receiving apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

when the sound source selection portion selects the audio signal corresponding to a first channel and the externally connected equipment playback sound source information changes to information indicating the audio signal corresponding to the first channel, the playbackable sound source setting portion stores a state of the audio signal receiving apparatus immediately before the change.

4. The audio signal receiving apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

when the externally connected equipment playback sound source information is information indicating the audio signal corresponding to a first channel and the sound source selection portion selects the audio signal corresponding to the first channel, the playbackable sound source setting portion inhibits selection of a band different from a band of the first channel being played back by the externally connected equipment.

5. The audio signal receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display portion to display prescribed information, wherein

the display portion displays information indicating a sound source of the audio signal being played back by the externally connected equipment and information indicating the sound source type being played back by the externally connected equipment.

6. The audio signal receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the playbackable sound source setting portion changes a displayed indication of the sound source type described in the externally connected equipment playback sound source information so as to indicate the sound source type being played back by the externally connected equipment.

7. The audio signal receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the audio signal receiving portion receives the audio signal corresponding to the sound source type described in the externally connected equipment playback sound source information, a control of the externally connected equipment by the audio signal receiving apparatus is inhibited.

8. An audio signal receiving method to receive an audio signal transmitted from externally connected equipment through a plurality of channels, comprising the steps of:

receiving sound source information containing sound source type information indicating a sound source type of the audio signal being transmitted through each of the plurality of channels and externally connected equipment playback sound source information indicating a sound source type of the audio signal being played back by the externally connected equipment from the externally connected equipment;

determining and setting a sound source type of the audio signal able to be played back to a playbackable sound source based on the sound source information, and setting a sound source of the audio signal being played back by the externally connected equipment to the playbackable sound source as an externally connected equipment playback sound source; and

receiving the audio signal from the externally connected equipment.

9. An audio signal transmission system including an audio signal transmitting apparatus to transmit an audio signal through a plurality of channels and an audio signal receiving apparatus to receive the audio signal transmitted from the audio signal transmitting apparatus, wherein

the audio signal transmitting apparatus includes:

a transmission control portion to transmit sound source information containing sound source type information indicating a sound source type of the audio signal being transmitted through each of the plurality of channels and externally connected equipment playback sound source information indicating a sound source type of the audio signal being played back by the audio signal transmitting apparatus to the audio signal receiving apparatus; and

an audio signal transmitting portion to transmit the audio signal to the audio signal receiving apparatus, and

the audio signal receiving apparatus includes;

a sound source information receiving portion to receive the sound source information containing sound source type information indicating the sound source type of the audio signal being transmitted through each of the plurality of channels and the externally connected equipment playback sound source information indicating the sound source type of the audio signal being played back by the audio signal transmitting apparatus from the audio signal transmitting apparatus;

an audio signal receiving portion to receive the audio signal from the audio signal transmitting apparatus; and

a playbackable sound source setting portion to determine and set a sound source type of the audio signal able to be played back to a playbackable sound source based on the sound source information, wherein

the playbackable sound source setting portion sets a sound source of the audio signal being played back by the audio signal transmitting apparatus to the playbackable sound source.