Process for adjusting the sound volume of a digital sound recording

• US 8,165,318 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nathan, Guy, Dion, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/513,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20060293773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: 381/102, 381/103, 381/106, 381/107, 381/104, 381/57, 381/321, 700/94
• US Class Current: 381/104
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10009 Improvement or modification of read or write signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3089 Control of digital or coded signals

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for adjusting the sound volume of a digital sound recording characterized in that it comprises:

• • a step consisting of determining, in absolute values, for a recording, the maximum amplitude values for sound frequencies audible for the human ear,
  • a step consisting of calculating the possible gain for a specified sound level setting, between the maximum amplitude value determined above and the maximum amplitude value for all frequencies combined,
  • a step consisting of reproducing the recording with a sound card by automatically adjusting the amplification gain level making it possible to obtain a sound level for the recording of a specified value so that it corresponds to the gain calculated for this recording.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the sound volume of a digital sound recording, the method comprising:

determining, in absolute values, for a recording, the maximum amplitude values for sound frequencies audible for the human ear;

calculating the possible gain for a specified sound level setting, between the maximum amplitude value and the maximum amplitude value for all frequencies combined; and

reproducing the recording by automatically adjusting the amplification gain level making it possible to obtain a sound level for the recording of a specified value so that it corresponds to the gain calculated for this recording,

wherein the reproduction step comprises a dynamic reproduction sound level adjustment step on the recording including authorizing a specified gain for the low-pitched and/or high-pitched sounds in the recording, the gain corresponding approximately to the attenuation applied during the reproduction of the recording.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting sound levels of digital sound recordings so as to obtain identical sound levels in the digital sound recordings, irrespective of differences in initially existing levels of the digital sound recordings.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

counting a number of samples of the recoding with a specified amplitude for each amplitude existing in the recording;

ordering the amplitudes of the number of samples found; and

storing in a memory the maximum amplitude, for all of the frequencies combined, and an amplitude for which an order number n in the classification carried out ranks less than a rank of the maximum amplitude.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein n is determined so that a degradation of the reproduction quality of the recording is not perceptible to the human ear.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein n is on the order of 10.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein n is 4 or 5.

7. A volume adjustment device comprising dynamic adjustment means for the reproduction sound levels of a recording, accounting for a specified gain for the low-pitched and/or high-pitched sounds in the recording, the specified gain corresponding approximately to a specified volume attenuation of the recording to be assigned during the reproduction of the recording to evaluate amplifier input gain, the specified gain being increased, when possible, without exceeding a sound level selected by the user and without exceeding a maximum gain set for low-pitched and/or high-pitched sounds.

8. The volume adjustment device of claim 7, wherein the dynamic adjustment means is further configured to adjust sound levels of digital sound recordings so as to obtain identical sound levels in the digital sound recordings, irrespective of differences in initially existing levels of the digital sound recordings.