Method and apparatus for mixing priority and non-priority audio signals

• US 8,391,501 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Khawand, Charbel, Yagunov, Mikhail U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUTHERS, DOUGLAS JOHN
• Application Number:
  US11/610,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20080144858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,274 Days
• Field of Search: 381/56, 381/119, 381/74, 381/73.1, 381 80- 82, 381/98, 379/373.04
• US Class Current: 381/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

An audio processor (202) receives a non-priority audio signal (302) and a priority audio signal (304). The priority audio signal occupies a frequency band (408). The audio processor filters (320) the non-priority audio signal by suppressing frequency content in the same frequency region occupied by the priority signal, creating a filtered non-priority signal (412). The filtered non-priority signal and the priority signal are combined (328) and played over an audio transducer (110).

Claims

1. A method of mixing audio signals at an audio processor, comprising:

receiving at the audio processor a priority audio signal occupying at least one frequency band;

receiving at the audio processor at least one non-priority audio signal having a bandwidth greater than the at least one frequency band;

stop-band filtering the at least one non-priority audio signal to provide at least one filtered non-priority audio signal, wherein the at least one frequency band is suppressed in the non-priority audio signal by the stop-band filtering and frequencies outside the at least one frequency band are not suppressed by the stop-band filtering; and

combining the priority audio signal and the at least one filtered non-priority audio signal to provide an output signal.

2. A method of mixing audio signals as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

determining the at least one frequency band from the priority audio signal upon receiving the priority audio signal.

3. A method of mixing audio signals as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one frequency band of the priority audio signal is known at the audio processor prior to receiving the priority audio signal at the audio processor.

4. A method of mixing audio signals as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

providing the output signal to an audio transducer.

5. A method of mixing audio signals as defined in claim 1, wherein the audio processor is disposed in a mobile communication device, and receiving at the audio processor the priority audio signal comprises:

receiving an alert tone for alerting a user of the mobile communication device.

6. A method of mixing audio signals as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving at the audio processor at least one non-priority audio signal comprises:

receiving at least one audio playback signal.

7. A method of mixing audio signals as defined in claim 6, wherein the at least one audio playback signal is derived from an audio file.

8. A method of mixing audio signals as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

pre-processing at least one of the non-priority audio signals to enhance the audio content of the at least one non-priority audio signal.

9. A method of mixing audio signals as defined in claim 1, wherein the priority audio signal is a first priority audio signal, the method further comprising:

receiving at the audio processor a second priority audio signal concurrently with receiving the first priority audio signal, the second priority audio signal occupying at least one frequency band; and

filtering the at least one non-priority audio signal to suppress frequency content of the at least one non-priority audio signal in the at least one frequency band of the second priority audio signal to provide at least one filtered non-priority audio signal.

10. A mobile communication device, comprising:

an audio processor having a plurality of audio input channels;

a speaker coupled to the audio processor;

at least one non-priority audio signal source operatively coupled to the audio processor for providing at least one non-priority audio signal; and

a priority audio signal source operatively coupled to the audio processor for providing a priority audio signal, the priority audio signal occupying at least one frequency band that is less than a bandwidth of the at least one non-priority audio signal;

wherein the audio processor stop-band filters the at least one non-priority audio signal to provide at least one filtered non-priority audio signal, wherein the at least one frequency band is suppressed in the non-priority audio signal by the stop-band filtering and frequencies outside the at least one frequency band are not suppressed by the stop-band filtering; and

wherein the audio processor combines the at least one filtered non-priority audio signal and the priority audio signal to provide an output signal to the speaker.

11. A mobile communication device as defined in claim 10, wherein the priority audio signal source is an alert signal source.

12. A mobile communication device as defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one non-priority audio signal source is at least one audio playback signal source.

13. A mobile communication device as defined in claim 12, wherein the at least one audio playback signal source is an audio file stored on the mobile communication device.

14. A mobile communication device as defined in claim 10, wherein the audio processor determines the at least one frequency band of the priority audio signal from the priority audio signal when it is received at the audio processor.

15. A mobile communication device as defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one frequency band is characterized prior to receiving the priority audio signal at the audio processor.

16. A mobile communication device as defined in claim 10 wherein the priority audio signal source is a first priority audio signal source, the mobile communication device further comprises:

a second priority audio signal source operatively coupled to the audio processor for providing a second priority audio signal, the priority audio signal occupying at least one frequency band;

wherein the audio processor filters the at least one non-priority audio signal by suppressing frequency content of the at least one non-priority audio signal in the at least one frequency band of the second priority audio signal to provide at least one filtered non-priority audio signal.