System and Method for Selectively Switching Between a Plurality of Audio Channels
A system and method for selectively switching between a plurality of audio channels are provided. The system and method of the present disclosure will enable a user to listen to desired audio content, e.g., music with a total lack of distraction while selectively allowing certain important and selected sounds to interrupt the audio content. The system for selectively switching between a plurality of audio channels includes an audio content device (ACD) for supplying audio content on a first channel; at least one microphone input device for generating an acoustic signal from sound external to the system on a second channel; an audio signal processing control unit (ASPCU) for receiving the audio content on the first channel and the acoustic signal on the second channel and for selectively switching between the first and second channel; and an audio output device (AOD) for audibly producing sounds from the selected channel.
The present application is a continuation patent application and claims priority under the laws and rules of the United States, including 35 USC §120, to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/967,404 filed on Oct. 18, 2004. The contents of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/967,404 is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to data processing and audio communication systems, and more particularly, to system and methods for selectively switching between a plurality of audio channels.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ARTAudio and video content devices have become more numerous in the past several years with device proliferation and miniaturization. Content devices (both audio and video) have become increasingly portable, and various devices including portable DVD players, cellular telephones, portable radios and televisions, MP3 audio players, network audio players, CD players, portable computers, tape cassette players, PDAs, minidisk players, among others, are now commonplace. The users of these devices take these devices into a variety of environments and use the devices for both business and pleasure. The device users frequently have a desire to enjoy the audio content in virtual exclusion of sounds other then the desired audio content.
Recently, digital noise reduction sound processing, and better headphone designs to isolate sound, have allowed audio headphone users to enhance their audio content listening experience. However, increasingly, the audio headphone devices are used in environments where various noise channels outside the contained headphone environment exist simultaneously. For instance, in an automobile, one source of sound would be the sound coming from the audio device (in this example music content), while another source would be the sounds from outside the car, while a third would be the sounds from within the car. The user frequently has a desire and a need to be able to process all of these distinct sound channels, but the challenge is in processing only the channels that the user has the need to listen to at the specific time the user needs to listen to them. By example, if a user were driving a car, the user may want to only listen to music content in a sealed environment, meaning that only music could be heard to the exclusion of all other sounds and the experience could be further enhanced with digital noise reduction processing. However, prudency and in many cases the laws of the various individual states (in the United States) and other countries require that the user be able to hear certain outside noises while driving. For instance, the sound of a car horn or the sound of an emergency vehicle are two noises that the user would want to (and in many cases be required by law) to hear. Moreover, the user may also have a need to hear other occupants of his vehicle, but in this case, only when it is important for them to be heard.
Therefore, a need exists for systems and methods for selectively switching between various audio channels, for example, between desired audio content and predetermined sound patterns. A need also exists for a system which switches between a plurality of audio channels where one of the audio channels is remote from the user.
SUMMARYA system and method for selectively switching between a plurality of audio channels with or without user input are provided. The system will receive and audibly produce desired audio content to a user, but will interrupt the audio content when predetermined sound patterns are detected and subsequently play the sound patterns to the user. The system and method of the present disclosure will allow the user to hear external noises (e.g., horns, emergency vehicles, people, etc) outside the user's listening environment, when needed by means of selective switched sound processing. The selective sound processing will selectively allow certain sounds or voices to immediately interrupt and override the audio content, e.g., music. The resulting experience with the system and method of the present disclosure is one where the user can enjoy audio content with a total lack of distraction, until the system and method selectively allows certain important and selected sounds to interrupt the audio content.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for selectively switching between audio channels is provided. The apparatus includes a first audio input connection for receiving audio content; a second audio input connection for receiving an acoustic signal; a controller for receiving the audio content and acoustic signal and for determining whether to output the audio content or acoustic signal; and an output connection for outputting the determined signal. The apparatus further includes a switching mechanism having a first and second position controlled by the controller, wherein in the first position the first audio input connection is coupled to the output connection and in the second position the second audio input connection is coupled to the output connection.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for selectively switching between a plurality of audio channels is provided. The system includes an audio content device (ACD) for supplying audio content on a first channel; at least one microphone input device for generating an acoustic signal from sound external to the system on a second channel; an audio signal processing control unit (ASPCU) for receiving the audio content on the first channel and the acoustic signal on the second channel and for selectively switching between the first and second channel; and an audio output device (AOD) for audibly producing sounds from the selected channel.
According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a headphone for selectively switching between a plurality of audio channels is provided. The headphone includes an audio content device (ACD) for supplying audio content on a first channel; at least one microphone input device for generating an acoustic signal from sound external to the headphone on a second channel; an audio signal processing control unit (ASPCU) for receiving the audio content on the first channel and the acoustic signal on the second channel and for selectively switching between the first and second channel; and first and second speakers for audibly producing sounds from the selected channel.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for selectively switching between a plurality of audio channels in an audio device is provided. The method includes the steps of supplying audio content on a first channel of the audio device; generating an acoustic signal from sound external to the audio device on a second channel; receiving the audio content on the first channel and the acoustic signal on the second channel and selectively switching between the first and second channel; and audibly producing sounds from the selected channel. The method further includes the steps of determining if the acoustic signal matches a predetermined pattern; and if the acoustic signal matches the predetermined pattern, selecting the second channel to be audibly produced, wherein the predetermined pattern is digitized human speech or digitized emergency sounds.
The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail. Throughout the figures like reference numerals represent like elements.
A system and method for selectively switching between a plurality of audio channels are provided. The system and method of the present disclosure will enable a user to listen to desired audio content, e.g., music with a total lack of distraction while selectively allowing certain important and selected sounds to interrupt the audio content.
Referring to
The ACD 102 may be any device that produces and delivers an audio signal to the ASPCU 104. Conventional audio content devices include but are not limited to portable DVD players, cellular or mobile telephones, portable radios and televisions, MP3 audio players, network audio players, CD players, portable computers, tape cassette players, personal digital assistants (PDAs), minidisk players, among others. It should be noted that some ACD devices are analog signal devices, while other are based on digital signal processing.
The audio content device (ACD) 102 may be coupled to the ASPCU 104 via hardwired 108 or wireless connection 110. If a hardwired connection is employed, the ACD 102 will include the appropriate output connection 112, e.g., an RCA jack, a USB port, a FireWire port (IEEE 1394), serial port, parallel port, etc. If a wireless connection 110 is employed, the ACD 102 will include a wireless port 114 with an appropriate encoder and transmitter to wirelessly transmit audio content to the ASPCU 104. The wireless connection will operate under any of the various known wireless protocols including but not limited to Bluetooth™ interconnectivity, infrared connectivity, radio transmission connectivity including computer digital signal broadcasting and reception commonly referred to as Wi-X or 80211.X (where x denotes the type of transmission), or any other type of communication protocols or systems currently existing or to be developed for wirelessly transmitting data.
To receive the audio content from the ACD 102, the ASPCU 104 will include at least one audio input port, e.g., an audio input port 116 for hardwired connections and/or a wireless input port 118 for wireless connections. It is to be appreciated that if a wireless connection is employed, the wireless input port 118 of the ASPCU 104 will include conventional circuitry to process the incoming audio content, e.g., a receiver, decoder, demodulator, etc. It is also to be appreciated that depending on the type of ACD 102 used, the input ports 116, 118 of the ASPCU 104 may include further circuitry, e.g., analog-to-digital converters (ADC), digital-to-analog converters (DAC), for converting the incoming signals to an appropriate format to be either processed and/or audibly produced for a user.
The ASPCU 104 is adapted to received and process sounds and/or acoustic signals other then the desired audio content from the ACD 102. The ASCPCU 104 will listen for predetermined sounds and, if necessary, interrupt the audio content being received from the ACD 102 and play the externally generated sound to the user. The ASPCU 104 includes a second audio input port 120 adapted to receive sounds and/or acoustic signals generated externally from system 100. Preferably, a microphone input device (MID) 122 will be coupled to the second audio port 120 for receiving sound and generating an acoustic signal to the ASPCU 104. The MID 122 may be coupled to the ASPCU 104 by the various hardwired and wireless connections described above. If a wireless MID 122 is employed, the wireless MID will include an encoder/modulator for generating an electrical acoustic signal from sound and a transmitter/antenna combination to transmit the acoustic signal to the ASPCU 104. Correspondingly, in the wireless embodiment, the second audio input port 120 will include a receiver and decoder for receiving and decoding the transmitted signal.
The ASPCU 104 will include a microprocessor 124 for receiving the acoustic signal from the MID 122 and for determining whether the acoustic signal should interrupt the audio content being played to allow the user to hear the acoustic signal. Preferably, an output of the MID 122 will be coupled to the ASPCU 104 by an analog-to-digital converter 126 for converting the acoustic signal generated by the MID into a digital form that can be processed by the microprocessor 124. The ASPCU 104 will further include a switching mechanism 128 having at least a first input coupled to the audio input port 116, 118, a second input coupled to the MID 122 and an output coupled to the AOD 106. The switching mechanism 128, e.g., a relay, transistor, etc, is controlled by the microprocessor 124 to allow the audio content from the ACD 102, e.g., a first channel, or the acoustic signal from the MID 122, e.g., a second channel, to be played to the user. Initially, upon starting of the
ASPCU 104, the switching mechanism 128 will default to the first position to allow any audio content received by the audio input port 116, 118 to be transmitted to the AOD 106 to be played to the user, via an audio output port 135. During use, the microprocessor 124 will continuously monitor acoustic signals coming from the MID 122. If any acoustic signal matches a predetermined digital pattern, the microprocessor 124 will transmit an output signal to the switching mechanism 128 to set the switching mechanism 128 to the second position. In the second position of the switching mechanism 128, the acoustic signal picked up by the MID 122 will be output to the AOD 106 and played to the user.
The audio output device (AOD) 106 may be any device known in the art to audibly produce sound from electrical signals, for example, a speaker, headphones, an ear bud, etc. Preferably, the AOD 106 will include left 136 and right 138 speakers/ear devices for individual playing separate channels of audio content to produce stereo sound and/or for individual playing sound from the input channels of the ASPCU 104. The AOD 106 may further include an amplifier (not shown) for amplifying the signal to be played, or alternatively, the amplifier may be disposed in the ASPCU 104. The AOD 106 may receive the signals to be played wirelessly as described above, and in this embodiment, the output port 135 will have the necessary wireless components.
The ASPCU 104 may also include conventional digital noise reduction processing circuitry that will allow the ASPCU to process and reduce noise from both the ACD 102 and the MID 122.
As described above, the microprocessor 124 will be constantly monitoring the ACD 102 and the MID inputs for certain digital patterns, e.g., preselected sound patterns, that have been preset into the microprocessor's processing instructions. These executable instructions will be loaded into the microprocessor during an initialization routine from random access memory (ROM) 103. These digital patterns will represent audio sounds that have been digitized. This presetting to recognize certain audio sounds could be programmed from inception by the manufacturer of the system of the present disclosure, or alternatively, could be programmed by the user of the system who would program the ASPCU by means of a computer or other programming device coupled to the ASPCU via input/output port 134. These user-defined patterns will be stored in random access memory (RAM) 132, e.g., internal flash memory, compact flash cards, smartmedia cards, memory stick, a microdrive, etc. These present sounds could include but are not limited to various human voice patterns denoting various words, various human voice patterns denoting stress or emergency, various noise patterns denoting emergency sounds including police cars, ambulances, fire engines, or other sound patterns that the manufacturer, or alternatively, the user wants the ASPCU to recognize.
Conventional computer software programs exist that allow human speech patterns to be converted from a MID or other comparable device, to digital signals (or digital code) and then to allow those signals (code) to be recognized as human words, also known as speech recognition technology. However, since speech recognition technology requires a large amount of processing power, the system's reaction time to external sounds may be slower than required to be effective. Referring to
It is to be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software, firmware, special purpose processors, or a combination thereof. A system bus couples the various components shown in
It is to be further understood that because some of the constituent system components and method steps depicted in the accompanying figures may be implemented in software, the actual connections between the system components (or the process steps) may differ depending upon the manner in which the present disclosure is programmed. Given the teachings of the present disclosure provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the related art will be able to contemplate these and similar implementations or configurations of the present disclosure. When the user utilizes the system of the present disclosure, the user would normally be hearing only sound from the ACD 102 which would be delivered to the user via the AOD 106, e.g., a speaker or headphone. The ACD content would continue to be heard by the user until ASPCU 104, 204 recognizes one of the sound patterns that would come from the MID 122, and the microprocessor 124 of the ASPCU would instruct the switching mechanism 128 to stop the digital output, or alternatively the analog output, of the ACD and quickly switch the user to the MID output. The ASPCU 104, 204 will allow the user to set a time delay for the switch over from the ACD to the MID. After the switch occurs between the ACD 102 and MID 122, the ASPCU will switch back to the audio content from the ACD after either a time delay preprogrammed by the user or after the user manually instructed the ASPCU to switch again to the ACD. This manual instruction could be communicated by speech recognition which would allow the MID to signal the ASPCU and thus the ASPCU to switch back to the ACD or by means of a switch 142 that the user could press located on the AOD 106 or the ASPCU, or any other means that would instruct the ASPCU to make the switch between the MID and the ACD.
In another embodiment, instead of completely switching from the ACD 102 to the MID 122, the ASPCU 104, 204 may lower the volume of the audio content coming from the ACD and play the sounds from the MID at a higher volume.
Alternatively, the ASPCU may supply the audio content from the ACD 102 to one output channel, e.g., left speaker 136, and the sound from the MID 122 to the second output channel, e.g., right speaker 138 so the user may simultaneously hear both channels.
In a further embodiment, upon the system 100 switching to the input from the
MID 122 or other external sound, the ASPCU 104 may instruct the audio content device 102 to pause from supplying the audio content, or if the source content is live, e.g., radio transmission, satellite transmission, television transmission, etc., the ASPCU 104 may buffer the received audio content in conventional memory buffers or RAM 132. When the system switches back to the audio content device or first channel, the ASPCU will either instruct the audio content device to unpause and resume supplying audio content from the point of interruption or, alternatively, will play the audio content stored in the memory buffer.
Referring to
An application of the embodiment shown in
Further, the user could also select certain key sounds (for instance, an alarm bell) so that when the ASPCU 304 recognizes this sound, sounds from within the users work environment would automatically replace the previous audio content the user had been listening to. In a further embodiment, the system 300 may employ multiple MIDs. For example, MID 332-2 may be placed remotely from where the user or ASPCU 304 is located. In this embodiment, the ASPCU may include multiplexing circuitry to receive multiple inputs from the multiple MIDS. Furthermore, the ASPCU may include a digital signal processor employing noise detection technology for is determining which of the plurality of MIDs is active and subsequently controlling the multiplexer to receive the active MID.
As another example of the advantages of the present disclosure,
In another less preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, no interior environment noises would interrupt the selected audio content. This application of the present disclosure would not only include automobiles but other transportation devices including boats, motorcycles/scooters, personal transportation devices such as the Segway device, aircraft, and other transportation devices.
While the disclosure has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method, comprising:
- providing a first audio content from an audio content device on a first channel to an audio output device;
- receiving a trigger signal, by the audio content device, on a second channel;
- processing the trigger signal to determine audio content on the second channel;
- switching, by a signal processor within the audio content device, from the first channel to the second channel;
- providing a second audio content on the second channel, by the audio content device, to the audio output device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching is performed by a switching mechanism having a first position and a second position controlled by the signal processor, wherein in the first position the first audio content is provided from the first channel and in the second position the second audio content is provided from the second channel.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio content device provides the first audio content and the second audio content to the audio content device through a hardwired port over a wire.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio content device provides the first audio content and the second audio content to the audio content device through a wireless port over a wireless connection.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal processor receives the trigger signal, determines if the trigger signal matches one of the predetermined signals stored in the memory storage device, and, if the trigger signal matches the one predetermined signals, positions the switching mechanism to a second position to provide the second audio content on the second channel from the audio content device to the audio output device.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- upon switching from the first channel to the second channel, the audio content device receiving manual instructions;
- switching back, by the signal processor, from the second channel to the first channel based on the manual instructions;
- providing first audio content from the first channel from the audio content device to the audio output device.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an audible signal based on the trigger signal to the audio content device.
8. A system, comprising:
- an audio output device;
- an audio content device, having: a memory storage device; a signal processor coupled to the memory storage device; a switching mechanism coupled to the signal processor; a first channel coupled to the switching mechanism; a second channel coupled to the switching device. wherein the signal processor configured to: provide a first audio content on the first channel to the audio output device; receive a trigger signal on the second channel; process the trigger signal to determine audio content on the second channel; switch from the first channel to the second channel; provide a second audio content on the second channel to the audio output device.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the switching mechanism includes a first position and a second position controlled by the signal processor, wherein in the first position the first audio content is provided from the first channel and in the second position the second audio content is provided from the second channel.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the audio content device provides the first audio content and the second audio content to the audio content device through a hardwired port over a wire.
11. The system of claim 8, wherein the audio content device provides the first audio content and the second audio content to the audio content device through a wireless port over a wireless connection.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein the signal processor receives the trigger signal, determines if the trigger signal matches one of the predetermined signals stored in the memory storage device, and, if the trigger signal matches the one predetermined signals, positions the switching mechanism to a second position to provide the second audio content on the second channel from the audio content device to the audio output device.
13. The system of claim 8, wherein the signal processor is further configured to:
- upon switching from the first channel to the second channel, receive manual instructions;
- switch back, by the signal processor, from the second channel to the first channel based on the manual instructions;
- provide first audio content from the first channel from the audio content device to the audio output device.
14. The system of claim 8, wherein the signal processor is further configured to provide an audible signal based on the trigger signal to the audio content device.
15. An audio content device, comprising:
- a memory storage device;
- a signal processor coupled to the memory storage device;
- a switching mechanism coupled to the signal processor;
- a first channel coupled to the switching mechanism;
- a second channel coupled to the switching device.
- wherein the signal processor configured to: provide a first audio content on the first channel to an audio output device; receive a trigger signal on the second channel; process the trigger signal to determine audio content on the second channel; switch from the first channel to the second channel; provide a second audio content on the second channel to the audio output device.
16. The device of claim 15, wherein the switching mechanism includes a first position and a second position controlled by the signal processor, wherein in the first position the first audio content is provided from the first channel and in the second position the second audio content is provided from the second channel.
17. The device of claim 15, wherein the audio content device provides the first audio content and the second audio content to the audio content device through a port wherein the port is selected from a group consisting of a hardwired port and a wireless port over a wireless connection.
18. The device of claim 16, wherein the signal processor receives the trigger signal, determines if the trigger signal matches one of the predetermined signals stored in the memory storage device, and, if the trigger signal matches the one predetermined signals, positions the switching mechanism to a second position to provide the second audio content on the second channel from the audio content device to the audio output device.
19. The device of claim 15, further wherein the signal processor is further configured to:
- upon switching from the first channel to the second channel, receive manual instructions;
- switch back, by the signal processor, from the second channel to the first channel based on the manual instructions;
- provide first audio content from the first channel from the audio content device to the audio output device.
20. The device of claim 15, wherein the signal processor is further configured to provide an audible signal based on the trigger signal to the audio content device.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 20, 2013
Publication Date: Jan 23, 2014
Inventor: Leigh M. Rothschild (Sunny Isles Beach, FL)
Application Number: 14/033,381