Abstract: Method and apparatus for playing analog audio in an electronic audio system having multiple audio codecs, only one of which has a direct hardware connection to the analog audio source. First analog audio data is received from the analog audio source at a first audio codec, and converted to digital audio data using the first audio codec. The digital audio data is stored in a memory, and read back from the memory, transferred to a second audio codec. The digital audio data is then converted to second analog audio data using the second audio codec, and output from the second audio codec. An audio controller may be used to store the digital audio data in a loopback buffer within the memory, read the digital audio data from the loopback buffer, and may further be programmed to operate in a prepare loopback state, a loopback running state, and a recording state.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for playing analog audio in an electronic audio system having multiple audio codecs, only one of which has a direct hardware connection to the analog audio source (e.g., a CD-ROM drive). First analog audio data is received from the analog audio source at a first audio codec, and is converted to digital audio data using the first audio codec. The digital audio data is stored in a memory device, and read back from the memory device, and transferred to a second audio codec. The digital audio data is then converted to second analog audio data using the second audio codec, and output from the second audio codec. An audio controller may be used to store the digital audio data in a loopback buffer within the memory device, and to read the digital audio data from the loopback buffer. The audio controller can also mix the digital audio data with other digital audio data from the memory device. The method can be applied to a system having more than two codecs, i.e.

Abstract: A method of detecting video sequences involves creating on-the-fly candidate digital signatures uniquely characteristic of successive groups of frames in accordance with a predetermined algorithm. The candidate digital signatures are compared with at least one signature of a stored sequence created in accordance with the predetermined algorithm. A candidate is identified as corresponding to the stored sequence in the event of a positive match.

Abstract: A method of processing a video stream, involves contemporaneously selecting first and second pairs of frames in the video stream with a predetermined period. The second pairs of frames have a longer period than the first pair. For each of the first and second pairs of frames, there is determined a difference value representing the number of pixels whose value has changed between the first and second frames of the pair. A particular logic level is generated depending on whether this difference value exceeds a predetermined threshold.