Prioritization of audio streams for platform adaptive audio decoding

• US 8,498,723 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sampat, Kuntal Dilipsinh, Bhagatwala, Hiren, Gupta, Samir, Kulkarni, Prajakt V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US11/431,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20070266168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,638 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 369 1- 12, 381/119, 370/267, 370/522
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355

Abstract

This disclosure describes audio techniques that exploit a prioritization scheme of audio streams of a software application, such as a video game that execute on a mobile device. The priority of the audio streams are defined by a content creator of the application. In addition, priority of an additional audio stream not associated with the application (such as an audio alert) is also defined. A mobile device includes a processor that executes the application and an audio decoding unit that receives a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on a mobile device, receives an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application, and combines a subset of the prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio streams according to priority to form a common audio stream.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on a mobile device;

receiving an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application; and

combining (i) a subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams associated with the application with (ii) the additional prioritized audio stream, according to priority, to form a common audio stream, wherein the subset is selected from the prioritized audio streams based on a processing speed of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating audio output based on the common audio stream.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein combining a subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio stream according to priority comprises:

including one or more higher priority audio streams of the application in the common audio stream; and

excluding one or more lower priority audio streams of the application from the common audio stream.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio streams of the application correspond to different audio channels of the video game and wherein:

the higher priority audio streams include audio streams that are needed for a user to effectively play the video game; and

the lower priority audio streams include audio streams that are not needed for a user to effectively play the video game.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising decoding the subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising decoding the prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the common audio stream.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating audio output based on the common audio stream following the processing of the common audio stream.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio stream not associated with the application comprises an audio alert not associated with the video game.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of prioritized audio streams of the application and the additional prioritized audio stream defines a unique priority.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset is selected from the prioritized audio streams based on the processing speed and memory capacity of the mobile device.

11. A method comprising:

defining priorities of audio streams of an application;

defining priority of an audio alert not associated with the application;

supplying the application to a first mobile device that defines a first platform having a first processing speed, wherein the first mobile device uses a first subset of the audio streams of the application to define combined audio output of the application and the alert, wherein the first subset is selected from the audio streams based on the first processing speed; and

supplying the application to a second mobile device that defines a second platform having a second processing speed, wherein the second mobile device uses a second subset of the audio streams of the application to define combined audio output of the application and the alert, wherein the second subset is selected from the audio streams based on the second processing speed, and wherein the first processing speed is different from the second processing speed, and wherein the first subset is different than the second subset.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first platform defines less memory than the second platform and wherein the first subset is smaller than the second subset due to the less memory.

39. The method of claim 11, wherein the first subset is selected from the audio streams based on the first processing speed and a first memory capacity of the first mobile device, and wherein the second subset is selected from the audio streams based on the second processing speed and a second memory capacity of the second mobile device.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable instructions that upon execution in a mobile device cause the mobile device to:

receive a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on a mobile device;

receive an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application; and

combine (i) a subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams associated with the application with (ii) the additional prioritized audio stream, according to priority, to form a common audio stream, wherein the subset is selected from the prioritized audio streams based on a processing speed of the mobile device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to create audio output based on the common audio stream.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to combine the subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio stream according to priority by:

including one or more higher priority audio streams of the application in the common audio stream; and

excluding one or more lower priority audio streams of the application from the common audio stream.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio streams correspond to different audio channels of the video game and wherein:

the higher priority audio streams include audio streams that are needed for a user to effectively play the video game; and

the lower priority audio streams include audio streams that are not needed for a user to effectively play the video game.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to decode the subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to decode the prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to process the common audio stream.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the mobile device to generate audio output based on the common audio stream following the processing of the common audio stream.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio stream not associated with the application comprises an audio alert not associated with the video game.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of prioritized audio streams of the application and the additional prioritized audio stream defines a unique priority.

40. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the subset is selected from the prioritized audio streams based on the processing speed and memory capacity of the mobile device.

23. A device comprising:

a processor that executes an application; and

an audio decoding unit that receives a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on a mobile device, receives an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application, and combines (i) a subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams associated with the application with (ii) the additional prioritized audio stream, according to priority, to form a common audio stream, wherein the subset is selected from the prioritized audio streams based on a processing speed of the mobile device.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit creates audio output based on the common audio stream.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit combines the subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio streams according to priority by:

including one or more higher priority audio streams of the application in the common audio stream; and

excluding one or more lower priority audio streams of the application from the common audio stream.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio streams correspond to different audio channels of the video game and wherein:

the higher priority audio streams include audio streams that are needed for a user to effectively play the video game; and

the lower priority audio streams include audio streams that are not needed for a user to effectively play the video game.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit decodes the subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit decodes the prioritized audio streams prior to forming the common audio stream.

29. The device of claim 23, wherein the audio decoding unit processes the common audio stream.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the audio decoding unit generates audio output based on the common audio stream following the processing of the common audio stream.

31. The device of claim 23, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio stream not associated with the application comprises an audio alert not associated with the video game.

32. The device of claim 23, wherein the device comprises a mobile wireless communication device capable of executing video game applications.

33. The device of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of prioritized audio streams of the application and the additional prioritized audio stream defines a unique priority.

41. The device of claim 23, wherein the subset is selected from the prioritized audio streams based on the processing speed and memory capacity of the mobile device.

34. A mobile electronic device comprising:

means for executing an application;

means for receiving a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on the mobile electronic device;

means for receiving an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application; and

means for combining (i) a subset of the plurality of prioritized audio streams associated with the application with (ii) the additional prioritized audio stream, according to priority, to form a common audio stream, wherein the subset is selected based on a processing speed of the mobile electronic device.

35. The mobile electronic device of claim 34, wherein means for combining comprises:

means for including one or more higher priority audio streams of the application in the common audio stream; and

means for excluding one or more lower priority audio streams of the application from the common audio stream.

36. The mobile electronic device of claim 34, wherein the application comprises a video game and the audio stream not associated with the application comprises an audio alert not associated with the video game.

37. The mobile electronic device of claim 34, wherein each of the plurality of prioritized audio streams of the application and the additional prioritized audio stream defines a unique priority.

42. The mobile electronic device of claim 34, wherein the subset is selected from the prioritized audio streams based on the processing speed and memory capacity of the mobile device.