Abstract: Techniques for adaptive gain adjustment in a signal processing path to achieve greater dynamic range. In an exemplary embodiment, a digital gain is applied to a digital input signal based on a detected level of the digital input signal. A corresponding analog gain is applied to the output of a digital-to-analog converter for converting the digital input signal to an analog signal, the product of the digital gain and the analog gain being kept constant. In an exemplary embodiment, a zero cross detector is employed to update the digital and analog gains only in the vicinity of zero crossings detected in the signal. In a further exemplary embodiment, a peak detector is employed to instantaneously adjust the digital and analog gains to avoid clipping in the signal path.

Abstract: Techniques for adaptive gain adjustment in a signal processing path to achieve greater dynamic range. In an exemplary embodiment, a digital gain is applied to a digital input signal based on a detected level of the digital input signal. A corresponding analog gain is applied to the output of a digital-to-analog converter for converting the digital input signal to an analog signal, the product of the digital gain and the analog gain being kept constant. In an exemplary embodiment, a zero cross detector is employed to update the digital and analog gains only in the vicinity of zero crossings detected in the signal. In a further exemplary embodiment, a peak detector is employed to instantaneously adjust the digital and analog gains to avoid clipping in the signal path.

Abstract: A head mounted surround sound virtual positioning system that includes a video recorder (200), which is operable to have disposed therein a tape (202), having a surround sound audio track associated therewith. The surround sound system is encoded on two channels, which are output to a Dolby.RTM. decoder (204), which is operable to extract the five surround sound system channels therefrom. The left front, left rear, right front and right rear channels are input to a virtual positioning system (264), which is operable to virtually position each of the speakers relative to the head of the listener (26). These signals are then combined with a combining circuit (268) to provide the virtual positioning of only two speaker lines (58) and (60), disposed adjacent the right and left ears of the listener (26). The speakers (58) and (60) are disposed on the head mounted system such that they are fixed relative to the ear of the listener and slightly forward of the ears and adjacent the head.

Abstract: A multi-dimensional sound reproduction system is provided for receiving a binaural or other appropriately produced recording on left and right channels and outputting the recording to localized speakers (58) and (60). The localized speakers (58) and (60) are supported on a pair of glasses (70) in housings (80) and (82). Each of the speakers (58) and (60) are directed rearward toward the pinna (68) of the associated left and right ear of the individual and disposed proximate to the zygomatic arch of the listener (26). In this manner, the localized speakers (58) and (60) are separated from the opposite one of the ears of the listener (26) such as not to disturb the conch resonance or the unique pinna response of the listener's ear. The low frequency end of the frequency spectrum for the binaural recording is filtered from the input to the localized speakers (58) and (60), summed and then output on external speaker (52).