Sound control circuit for a digital audiovisual reproduction system

• US 9,769,566 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2012
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nathan, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US13/459,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,968 Days
• Field of Search: 381102, 381104, 381107-109, 381123, 700 94, 463 35, 463 36, 463 39, 369 3006
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/007 Protection circuits for transducers
• 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

Abstract

Sound control circuit comprising a game port, installed on a digital audiovisual reproduction system managed by an operating system, characterized in that the game port in the sound control circuit is used to create an access to the configuration of the audiovisual reproduction system and/or additional management functions for the audiovisual reproduction system.

Claims

1. A sound control circuit connected to an amplifier and configured to support a plurality of input sources, comprising:

a game port installed on a jukebox device managed by an operating system,

wherein the game port is part of the sound control circuit, and the game port comprises pin connectors that are connected to electric switches arranged to enable access to configuration of the jukebox device, and to manage the jukebox device, said electrical switches being part of the jukebox device, and wherein the sound control circuit is configured to power off the amplifier during initializing of the jukebox device and to power on the amplifier after the initializing.

2. The sound control circuit according to claim 1, wherein a first pin on the game port is grounded through a first switch to provide a temperature alarm function for the jukebox device.

3. The sound control circuit according to claim 2, wherein a second pin on the game port is grounded through a second switch to increase volume.

4. The sound control circuit according to claim 3, wherein a third pin on the game port is grounded through a third switch to reduce the volume.

5. The sound control circuit according to claim 4, wherein a fourth pin on the game port is grounded through a fourth switch when a microphone is activated, to increase the microphone volume and reduce the volume of other audio sources that are managed by the jukebox device.

6. The sound control circuit according to claim 1, wherein first, second, third and fourth pins on the game port are grounded through a fifth switch for a short period to obtain access to system configuration modification functions.

7. The sound control circuit according to claim 1, wherein first, second, third and fourth pins on the game port are grounded through a fifth switch for a long period to cancel a musical selection being played, and other musical selections that are in a queue of songs to be played residing in a memory of the jukebox device.

8. The sound control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the sound control circuit constitutes different hardware than does an input control circuit connected to the jukebox device.

9. The sound control circuit according to claim 8, wherein both the sound control circuit and the input control circuit are configured (1) to access the configuration of the jukebox device, and (2) to manage the jukebox device, via respective peripherals connected to ports thereof.

10. The sound control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the game port is further configured to manage any two or more of:

sound signals provided by microphone input to the jukebox device, transmission of sound signals to loudspeakers from the jukebox device, and songs stored in a mass storage location of the jukebox device.

11. A digital jukebox device, comprising:

an operating system configured to manage operations of the jukebox device;

a sound control circuit configured to support a plurality of input sources for the jukebox device,

wherein the sound control circuit includes a game port, the game port comprising pin connectors operably connected to electrical switches of the jukebox device, the sound control circuit providing access to configurational and management-related settings of the jukebox device through the electrical switches, and wherein the sound control circuit is configured to power off the amplifier during initializing of the jukebox device and to power on the amplifier after the initializing.

12. The jukebox device according to claim 11, wherein a first pin on the game port is grounded through a first switch to provide a temperature alarm function for the jukebox device.

13. The jukebox device according to claim 12, wherein a second pin on the game port is grounded through a second switch to increase volume.

14. The jukebox device according to claim 13, wherein a third pin on the game port is grounded through a third switch to reduce the volume.

15. The jukebox device according to claim 14, wherein a fourth pin on the game port is grounded through a fourth switch when a microphone is activated, to increase the microphone volume and reduce the volume of other audio sources that are managed by the jukebox device.

16. The jukebox device according to claim 11, wherein first, second, third and fourth pins on the game port are grounded through a fifth switch for a short period to obtain access to system configuration modification functions.

17. The jukebox device according to claim 11, wherein first, second, third and fourth pins on the game port are grounded through a fifth switch for a long period to cancel a musical selection being played, and other musical selections that are in a queue of songs to be played residing in a memory of the jukebox device.

18. The jukebox device according to claim 11, wherein the sound control circuit constitutes different hardware than does an input control circuit connected to the jukebox device.

19. The jukebox device according to claim 18, wherein both the sound control circuit and the input control circuit are configured (1) to access the configuration of the jukebox device, and (2) to manage the jukebox device, via respective peripherals connected to ports thereof.

20. The jukebox device according to claim 11, wherein the game port is further configured to manage any two or more of:

sound signals provided by microphone input to the jukebox device, transmission of sound signals to loudspeakers from the jukebox device, and songs stored in a mass storage location of the jukebox device.