Abstract: An apparatus for compressing and transmitting both video and graphics portions of an interactive program guide (IPG). For an IPG that comprises a graphics portion and at least one video portion having audio associated with the video portion, the apparatus separately encodes the video and audio portion and the graphics portion. The video portion is slice-base encoded using a predictive encoder that produces a bitstream comprising intra-coded picture slices and predictive-coded picture slices. The graphics portion is separately slice-base encoded to produce encoded slices of the graphics image. To transmit an IPG, a transport stream is created containing the intra-coded and predicted picture streams as well as the encoded slices that comprise a graphics image that is to be included in the IPG. The receiver reassembles the components of the IPG into a comprehensive IPG.

Abstract: A plug detection circuit. The detected circuit is disposed in an electronics device with an earphone jack, accepting plugs with a plurality of conductive rings. The detection circuit has a plurality of pins, wherein a first pin detects, and outputs a first logic potential, and a second pin detects the potentials at the conductive rings and outputs a second logic potential. The detection circuit determines the type of earphone connected to the earphone jack.

Abstract: In a loudspeaker system with main and sub-speakers, a modified and inverted left surround signal is added to the signals driving the right main speaker and a modified and inverted right surround signal is added to the signals driving the Left Main Speaker for the purpose of creating more credible rear located phantom sound images. In a system using variations of a difference signal to create phantom rear located sound images, the components of the difference signal are modified by introducing a time delay to one of the components for the purpose of preventing the components of the difference signal from substantially canceling each other. The components of the difference signal may be modified by altering the relative level and frequency response of the components for the purpose of preventing the components of the difference signal from substantially canceling each other.

Abstract: An engine is supported on a vehicle body frame through an active vibration-isolating device. The vibration of the engine is prevented from being transmitted to the vehicle body frame by controlling the active vibration-isolating device. A speaker is disposed within a vehicle compartment. The noise is reduced by adaptively controlling the speaker based on a rotational speed of the engine and a noise detected by a microphone disposed within the vehicle compartment. Thus, the vibration and noise characteristics of the vehicle can be improved by a synergic effect of reducing both the vibration and the noise. Further, because the microphone is inexpensive and the speaker for an audio set can be used without any modification, the present invention can be achieved with a low cost.

Abstract: A piezo-electric speaker ensures a uniform sound in a broad band and can easily reproduce a signal of large amplitude or sound. A piezo-electric speaker has a piezo-electric member to generate a vibration according to an electric signal applied thereto. A piezo-electric vibration plate converts the vibration to a sound. The piezo-electric vibration plate is positioned closely to the piezo-electric member. The piezo-electric vibration plate is divided into parts of any configuration and is connected to the piezo-electric member.

Abstract: A method for processing and transducing audio signals. An audio system has a first audio signal and a second audio signal that have amplitudes. A method for processing the audio signals includes dividing the first audio signal into a first spectral band signal and a second spectral band signal; scaling the first spectral band signal by a first scaling factor proportional to the amplitude of the second audio signal; and scaling the first spectral band signal by a second scaling factor to create a second signal portion. Other portions of the disclosure include application of the signal processing method to multichannel audio systems, and to audio systems having different combinations of directional loudspeakers, full range loudspeakers, and limited range loudspeakers.

Abstract: A system and method for localization of sounds in 3-D space using Head Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) are disclosed herein. A plurality of audio signals and/or sound sources, or “voices”, represented by data, such as one or more audio files or streaming audio data, is transmitted from an audio source, such as a compact disc player, to an audio processing system. The audio processing system, in one embodiment, prioritizes the voices based on characteristics of the voices, such as the relative listening benefit of sound localization of a particular voice. In one embodiment, a finite impulse response (FIR) filter is used to apply a HRTF to the voices. The audio processing system distributes up to a fixed number of coefficients among the voices, where the distribution of the coefficients, in one embodiment, is based on the priority of each channel. Those voices having a higher priority than other voices could have a greater number of coefficients assigned to them than the lower priority voices.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for allowing an operator of a transit vehicle to make public address announcements to passengers internal and external to the vehicle. The safety of the vehicle and passengers is maintained through providing a hands-free directional microphone having noise canceling characteristics. The microphone is used as an input device for receiving an audio signal and provides the signal to a processing module that converts the signal into a digital signal. The digital signal is then processed by a digital signal processor to cancel undesirable noise common to a transit vehicle. The noiseless signal can then be converted into an analog signal and recorded within the memory of the public address system where, upon needed, the signal can be transferred to an output device such as a speaker system internal or external to the vehicle. After playback, the recorded message can also be easily repeated by means of a repeat switch.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus by which the direction in or the position at which a signal source such as a sound source is present is estimated. A signal or signals from a signal source or a plurality of signal sources are received by a plurality of reception apparatus, and the received signals are decomposed into signals of different frequency bands by a plurality of band-pass filters. Then, cross correlation functions between the different frequency band signals are calculated for individual combinations of the reception apparatus for the individual corresponding frequency bands. If the power of noise having no directivity is high in some of the frequency bands, then the cross correlation functions of the frequency band do not exhibit a maximum value. Therefore, an influence of the noise can be suppressed effectively when delay times of the individual reception apparatus which depend upon the direction or directions or the position or positions of the signal source or sources are estimated.

Abstract: A voice-controlled system for providing digital audio content in an automobile is presented. The system comprises a CPU unit that includes a microprocessor programmed to decode and deliver digital media such as MP3s and ebooks to a listener. The CPU unit also includes a storage device for storing the media, RAM and a power supply. The storage device is a “plug-in” unit, such as a hard disc drive, that may be removed and inserted into a home computer for downloading media. The system is controlled using a voice-based input device that interfaces with the CPU unit. The voice-based device is operative to control in a hands-free manner, for example, the selection of the media to be delivered and the volume at which the media is delivered. A display and control unit is suitable for mounting on the dashboard of an automobile and provides an alternative to voice control of the system.

Abstract: Device and method for controlling the perceived distances of sound sources by manipulating vocal effort and presentation level of a synthetic voice. Key components are a means of producing speech signals at different levels of vocal effort, a processor capable of selecting the appropriate level of vocal effort to produce a speech signal, and a carefully calibrated audio system capable of accurately matching the RMS power of the signals reaching the listener's left and right eardrums to the power that would occur for a sound source 1 m directly in front of the listener in an anechoic environment.

Abstract: The megaphone includes a headset 1 incorporating a microphone 5 which is connected via a flexible cable 8 to a body pack 2. The body pack includes a housing 9 which incorporates a battery compartment, an amplifier, a siren and an on/off switch. The housing 9 is mounted on a belt 3 together with an audio output horn 12.

Abstract: A mute apparatus comprises a plurality of mute switches 7 each operative to assume two operation states consisting of a mute-on state and a mute-off state; a mute executing switch 6 operative to assume two executing states consisting of a mute-on state and a mute-off state; mute switch control data generating means 3 for generating mute switch control data elements indicative of the operation states of the respective mute switches 7; mute switch control data determining means 4 for determining whether a mute executing switch 6 is to assume the mute-on or mute-off state on the basis of the mute switch control data elements; and mute switch means 5 for having the mute executing switch 6 selectively assume the mute-on and mute-off states on the basis of the mute-on or mute-off state determined by the mute switch control data determining means 4, thereby making it possible for the single mute switch means 5 to determine the execution state of the mute executing switch 6 to mute or unmute an audio signal inputted

Abstract: A surround sound field reproduction system and method is disclosed by which, in such a case that a listener changes its posture so that a portion of a video image to which attention should be paid may be observed in front of the listener, a sound image can be localized accordingly in a direction in which the video image is observed in front of the listener. Specifically, the surround sound field reproduction apparatus includes a plurality of horizontal panners for receiving a plurality of sound signals from microphones disposed horizontally and cooperating with each other to control the horizontal localization, and a vertical panner for receiving sound signals from microphones disposed vertically to control the vertical localization. The horizontal panners level-distribute the received sound signals to a plurality of output channels provided corresponding to surround reproduction output channels.

Abstract: The present creation is to provide a switching circuit built in IC for earphone and loudspeaker of portable information device, and there is no any passive component outside the IC, thus making the circuit board assembly more easily, saving the area of the circuit board, decreasing the volume and the cost. It is very suitable in designing a compact portable information device. In order to avoid any possible logic error during the switching between earphone and loudspeaker, the present creation provides a special unsymmetrical design in differential MOS circuit, and provides a current mirror circuit.

Abstract: A noise canceling apparatus (1) comprises an amplifier (10) for amplifying a measured signal (ms) outputted from a measuring device (3), an analog filter (11), an ADC (12), a digital filter (14), a coefficient control section (13), and a data input section (15). The digital filter (14) is a notch filter for attenuating a frequency component of a quantitative signal D(n) outputted from the ADC (12) at a plurality of notches (stop bands). A transfer function of the digital filter (14) is expressed by the product of a plurality of factors each having a root that corresponds to each one of the plurality of notches. The coefficient control section (13) changes a frequency component of a root corresponding to a notch selected from the plurality of notches, and thereafter, expands in a polynomial the transfer function of the reconstructed digital filter (14). On the basis of the polynomial thereby obtained, a new series of filter coefficients is calculated.

Abstract: To avoid adverse effects on sound quality when the level of an audio signal is raised, a speaker driving circuit having an ultralow range emphasizing circuit for emphasizing an ultralow range, a high-pass filter, and a switching circuit for removing the high-pass filter from an audio signal path when an audio signal to be supplied to a speaker is below a medium level and for inserting the high-pass filter in the audio signal path when the audio signal to be supplied to the speaker is above the medium level is provided.

Abstract: A digital audio dynamic range compressor includes a root mean square estimator receiving first and second audio input samples and generating root mean square values of the samples. A gain calculator receives the root mean square values and computes a gain for each input sample in the linear domain, not in the logarithmic or dB domain. A minimum selector receives the computed gain of each input sample and determines a minimum. An attack and release filter receives the minimum gain value and filters the minimum gain value according to attack and release coefficients and generate a gain output. A multiplier receives the gain output and multiplies the first and second audio input samples with the gain output.

Abstract: A remote speaker system (14) for an automotive vehicle (10) has a holder (22) fixedly mounted within the vehicle (10). A speaker assembly (19) having a speaker housing (20) coupled to holder (22) and a speaker (26) coupled within the housing (20). A receive circuit (48) is coupled within the housing (20) and is electrically coupled to the speaker (26). A control circuit has an audio receiver generating audio signals and a transmit circuit (44) transmitting a wireless communication signal in response to the audio signal. The receive circuit (48) receives the wireless communication signal and converts the wireless communication signal into an audio electrical signal. The speaker converts the audio electrical signal into an audible signal.

Abstract: The invention is a method of creating an enlarged listening sweet spot for multiloudspeaker audio reproduction. The method employs a plurality of audio drivers displaced generally in a horizontal dimension for a vertically oriented head of a listener, the drivers operating over a plurality of different passbands. Higher frequency drivers are located closer to one another and displaced more towards a center line of the listening space than lower frequency drivers, thereby causing a smaller change in acoustic ear signals for listeners seated away from the designed-for listening position, but without causing increased low frequency signal capacity requirements for phantom images generally outside the array. Specially adapted signal processing accounting for the layout of the various drivers and their associated crossover networks is employed to create desired audio images.