Abstract: An audio rendering system and method are disclosed. The audio rendering system generally comprises front and rear signal modifiers configured to receive a plurality of audio signals representing a plurality of sources of aural information and location information representing apparent location for the source of said aural information. A gain is applied to the signals representative of the location information. A front signal modifier includes a plurality of head-related transfer functions filters and a rear signal modifier includes a plurality of filters configured to approximate head-related transfer function filters. The system further includes front speakers comprising a left front speaker and right front speaker configured to receive signals from the front signal modifier and generate a signal to a listener. At least one rear speaker is configured to receive signals from the rear signal modifier and generate a signal to the listener to offset frontward bias created by the front speakers.

Abstract: Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and an apparatus of establishing multiple direct memory access connections between a peripheral and a main memory of a computer system. Each of the multiple direct memory access connection is managed in an improved manner such that one or more of the multiple direct memory access connections are non-real-time connections, but real-time operations may be performed the data carried by the non-real time connections. In another aspect of the present invention, a driver may be implemented on the computer system to facilitate the establishment and maintenance of the multiple direct memory access connections. The present inventions reduce arbitration and system interrupt latencies and reduces the management burden of the direct memory access connections on a central processing unit of the computer system.

Abstract: An instruction set for control of an audio signal processor that allows for a high degree of flexibility in generating desired sound effects. The instruction set serves as a multi-functional instruction base upon which other specialized sound effects can be constructed.

Abstract: A digital audio signal processor for adding harmonic content to an input audio signal through a non-linear transfer function with discontinuities. The discontinuities are generated by bit shifting each input value by an amount dependent on the sign and magnitude of the input value. The amount by which the input value is shifted is roughly inversely related to the magnitude of the logarithm of the input value. The transfer function is fractal and so provides increased harmonic content for all signal amplitudes.