System and method for enhanced streaming audio
First Claim
1. An audio enhancement system comprising:
- a vertical image adjustment module configured to adjust a vertical image of input audio;
a bass enhancement module configured to enhance a bass response of the input audio to produce bass-enhanced input audio; and
a horizontal image enhancement module configured to enhance a horizontal image of the input audio by at least equalizing difference information present in the input audio to produce image-enhanced input audio;
wherein the vertically-adjusted, bass-enhanced, and image enhanced input audio is combined to produce output audio,wherein the vertical image adjustment module comprising one or more high pass filters configured to modify the input audio to create vertically-adjusted input audio; and
wherein the vertical image adjustment module, the bass enhancement module, and the horizontal image enhancement module are implemented at least in part by computer hardware.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for enhancement and management of streaming audio is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system provides a client-side decoder that is compatible with numerous audio formats, so that a user can enjoy relatively high-quality audio from various sources, even from sources that do not provide multi-channel or high-quality audio data. The system and method also include a management system for managing and controlling the use of licensed signal processing software to further enhance an audio stream. In one embodiment, the management system is used to manage a signal processing module that provides psychoacoustic audio processing to create a wider soundstage, an acoustic correction process to increase the perceived height and clarity of the audio image, and bass enhancement processing to create the perception of low bass from the small speakers or headphones typically used with multi-media systems and portable audio players.
204 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An audio enhancement system comprising:
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a vertical image adjustment module configured to adjust a vertical image of input audio; a bass enhancement module configured to enhance a bass response of the input audio to produce bass-enhanced input audio; and a horizontal image enhancement module configured to enhance a horizontal image of the input audio by at least equalizing difference information present in the input audio to produce image-enhanced input audio; wherein the vertically-adjusted, bass-enhanced, and image enhanced input audio is combined to produce output audio, wherein the vertical image adjustment module comprising one or more high pass filters configured to modify the input audio to create vertically-adjusted input audio; and wherein the vertical image adjustment module, the bass enhancement module, and the horizontal image enhancement module are implemented at least in part by computer hardware.
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2. An audio enhancement system comprising:
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a vertical image adjustment module configured to adjust a vertical image of input audio; a bass enhancement module configured to enhance a bass response of the input audio to produce bass-enhanced input audio; and a horizontal image enhancement module configured to enhance a horizontal image of the input audio by at least equalizing difference information present in the input audio to produce image-enhanced input audio; wherein the vertically-adjusted, bass-enhanced, and image enhanced input audio is combined to produce output audio, wherein the horizontal image enhancement module comprises a left-channel filter configured to filter sounds in a left signal channel of the input audio and a right-channel filter configured to filter sounds in a right signal channel of the input audio, and wherein the left-channel filter and the right-channel filter are configured to emphasize lower frequencies relative to higher frequencies; and wherein the vertical image adjustment module, the bass enhancement module, and the horizontal image enhancement module are implemented at least in part by computer hardware. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. An audio enhancement system comprising:
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a vertical image adjustment module configured to adjust a vertical image of input audio; a bass enhancement module configured to enhance a bass response of the input audio to produce bass-enhanced input audio; and a horizontal image enhancement module configured to enhance a horizontal image of the input audio by at least equalizing difference information present in the input audio to produce image-enhanced input audio; wherein the vertically-adjusted, bass-enhanced, and image enhanced input audio is combined to produce output audio, wherein the image enhancement module is configured to provide a common-mode transfer function and a differential-mode transfer function; and wherein the vertical image adjustment module, the bass enhancement module, and the horizontal image enhancement module are implemented at least in part by computer hardware. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method for enhancing audio, the method comprising:
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height-adjusting input audio to adjust a vertical image of the input audio; bass-enhancing the input audio to enhance a bass response of the input audio, wherein bass-enhancing produces bass-enhanced input audio; width-adjusting the input audio to enhance a width of an apparent sound stage associated with the input audio to produce width-adjusted input audio, wherein width-adjusting equalizes difference information present in the input audio; and providing the height-adjusted, bass-enhanced, and width-adjusted input audio as an output audio signal; wherein height adjusting comprises using one or more high pass filters to modify the input audio to produce height-adjusted input audio.
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9. A method for enhancing audio, the method comprising:
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height-adjusting input audio to adjust a vertical image of the input audio; bass-enhancing the input audio to enhance a bass response of the input audio, wherein bass-enhancing produces bass-enhanced input audio; width-adjusting the input audio to enhance a width of an apparent sound stage associated with the input audio to produce width-adjusted input audio, wherein width-adjusting equalizes difference information present in the input audio; and providing the height-adjusted, bass-enhanced, and width-adjusted input audio as an output audio signal; wherein said height-adjusting comprises filtering signals in a left signal channel of the input audio and filtering signals in a right signal channel of the input audio to change a perceived vertical location of the apparent sound stage as heard by a listener. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for enhancing audio, the method comprising:
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height-adjusting input audio to adjust a vertical image of the input audio; bass-enhancing the input audio to enhance a bass response of the input audio, wherein bass-enhancing produces bass-enhanced input audio; width-adjusting the input audio to enhance a width of an apparent sound stage associated with the input audio to produce width-adjusted input audio, wherein width-adjusting equalizes difference information present in the input audio; and providing the height-adjusted, bass-enhanced, and width-adjusted input audio as an output audio signal; wherein said width-enhancing comprises applying a common-mode transfer function and applying a differential-mode transfer function to the input audio.
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Specification