Abstract: A flexible method for cataloguing metadata makes it possible for users of digital media systems to define the set of metadata tags that best describe recordings within each genre. Tagging recordings with appropriate metadata facilitates selection of a desired recording. In addition, flexible metadata tags minimize the display area required to present information essential to selecting the desired recording. A flexible method for specifying a Play Queue makes it possible to queue items comprising Collections of Tracks. Tracks can be collected according to various criteria. One type of Collection simply lists the desired Tracks from a single album. Other Collections specify Tracks based on a search of the catalog, a random selection from the catalog, or a previously saved list. Collections maintain their identity in the Play Queue, so users can easily modify or remove a Collection or change the sequence of Collections.

Abstract: A flexible method for cataloguing metadata makes it possible for users of digital media systems to define the set of metadata tags that best describe recordings within each genre. Tagging recordings with appropriate metadata facilitates selection of a desired recording. In addition, flexible metadata tags minimize the display area required to present information essential to selecting the desired recording. A flexible method for specifying a Play Queue makes it possible to queue items comprising Collections of Tracks. Tracks can be collected according to various criteria. One type of Collection simply lists the desired Tracks from a single album. Other Collections specify Tracks based on a search of the catalog, a random selection from the catalog, or a previously saved list. Collections maintain their identity in the Play Queue, so users can easily modify or remove a Collection or change the sequence of Collections.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and methods which allow music synthesis and audio processing tasks to dynamically scale from a default processor to additional processors in a heterogeneous array of processors in a manner transparent to the user. A router running on one of the processors in the array knows or estimates the load on each processor, and dynamically allocates processing tasks based upon the current load on each processor and its capacity. Processing parameters are shared between all the audio processors to ensure that perceived audio quality is independent of where a task is running.

Abstract: A parametric signal modeling musical tone synthesizer utilizes a multidimensional filter coefficient space consisting of many sets of filter coefficients to model an instrument. These sets are smoothly interpolated over pitch, intensity, and time. The filter excitation for a particular note is derived from a collection of single period excitations, which form a multidimensional excitation space, which is also smoothly interpolated over pitch, intensity and time. The synthesizer includes effective modeling of attacks of tones, and the noise component of a tone is modelled separately from the pitched component. The input control signals may include initial pitch and intensity, or the intensity may be time-varying. A variety of instruments may be specified.

Abstract: This invention comprises a system to compensate for the noise level inside a vehicle by measuring the music level and the noise level in the vehicle through the use of analog to digital conversion and adaptive digital filtering, including a sensing microphone in the vehicle cabin to measure both music and noise; preamplification and analog to digital (A/D) conversion of the microphone signal; A/D conversion of a stereo music signal; a pair of filters that use an adaptive algorithm such as the known Least Mean Squares ("LMS") method to extract the noise from the total cabin sound; an estimation of the masking effect of the noise on the music; an adaptive correction of the music loudness and, optionally, equalization to overcome the masking effect; digital to analog (D/A) conversion of the corrected music signal; and transmission of the corrected music signal to the audio system.

Abstract: This invention comprises a system to compensate for the noise level inside a vehicle by measuring the music level and the noise level in the vehicle through the use of analog to digital conversion and adaptive digital filtering, including a sensing microphone in the vehicle cabin to measure both music and noise; preamplification and analog to digital (A/D) conversion of the microphone signal; A/D conversion of a stereo music signal; a pair of filters that use an adaptive algorithm such as the known Least Mean Squares ("LMS") method to extract the noise from the total cabin sound; an estimation of the masking effect of the noise on the music; an adaptive correction of the music loudness and, optionally, equalization to overcome the masking effect; digital to analog (D/A) conversion of the corrected music signal; and transmission of the corrected music signal to the audio system.