Sound Circuit Patents (Class 348/738)
  • Publication number: 20100138887
    Abstract: On a reception side, display processing and the like is easily performed in synchronization with content data. A cam coder transmits reproduction content data to a television set through a TMDS line of an HDMI cable. The cam coder transmits processing information used to perform the display processing in synchronization with the reproduction content data to the television set through a bidirectional communication path included in the cable before the reproduction content data is transmitted. Index information is added to the processing information for each unit of processing. Index information corresponding to the index information added to the processing information is added to the reproduction content data at a timing when the processing information of each unit of processing is processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Nakata
  • Publication number: 20100118212
    Abstract: In a multimedia playing device, a type of a TV program included in a received multimedia signal is determined by analyzing various kinds of channel information or image characteristics included in the multimedia signal. When an automatic audio adjusting mode is activated, an appropriated audio mode for the type is retrieved from an audio mode database to play the multimedia signal. The automatic audio adjusting mode of the multimedia playing device allows better flexibility for a viewer in choosing an audio mode. Therefore, the observer is able to choose between a predetermined audio mode of the received multimedia signal and a preferred audio mode meeting needs of the viewer in listening to the played multimedia signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: MSTAR SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventor: Hung-Chi Huang
  • Patent number: 7705921
    Abstract: A multi-channel TV sound signal decoding circuit for decoding multi-channel TV sound signals according to BTSC system specification, and a multi-channel TV sound decoder comprising such circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microsystems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Charles Hustig
  • Patent number: 7692726
    Abstract: An embodiment may include a method to convert a video signal with an analog to digital converter in a video decoder, convert an audio signal with the analog to digital converter, demodulate the audio signal with an audio demodulator and amplify the audio signal with a programmable gain amplifier before it is converted in the analog to digital converter. In an embodiment the programmable gain amplifier may receive a control signal from the audio demodulator to adjust the audio signal level. Another embodiment may provide a video decoder comprising a programmable gain controller, an analog to digital converter coupled with the programmable gain controller, the converter to digitize audio and video information, and an audio demodulator coupled with the analog to digital converter, the audio demodulator to control the programmable gain controller for an audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Pixelworks, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Y. Greenberg
  • Publication number: 20100073562
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus including: a video receiving module configured to receive video information containing audio information; a storage module configured to store setting information for each type of the audio information; an identification module configured to identify a type of a selected audio information selected from among the audio information contained in the video information received by the video receiving module; and a control module configured to read out the setting information corresponding to the type of the selected audio information identified by the identification module and to control an output level of the selected audio information based on the setting information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Eisuke Miyoshi
  • Publication number: 20100066919
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to permit quick control of the operating state of a source equipment side from sink equipment. A television receiver (sink equipment) 100 and an amplifier (repeater equipment) 200 are interconnected over an HDMI cable 610, and the amplifier 200 and a DVD recorder (source equipment) 300 are interconnected over an HDMI cable 620. Each of the pieces of equipment includes, in addition to an HDMI receiving unit and an HDMI transmitting unit, a high-speed data line I/F included in a bidirectional communication unit that uses predetermined lines of the HDMI cable. The bidirectional communication unit is used to transmit channel selection information, a remote control code instructing recording, “theater mode” designating information, a remote control code, or the like from the television receiver 100 to the audio amplifier 200 or DVD recorder 300. The operating state of the audio amplifier 200 or DVD recorder 300 can be quickly controlled from the television receiver 100.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Nakajima, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Takamichi Mitsuhashi
  • Publication number: 20100053452
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a television receiver for discriminating a CM broadcast from a received television broadcast and controlling a volume of the CM broadcast without complicating a configuration of a discriminating process of the CM broadcast. The present invention includes a silence detection means, a scene change detection means, a video audio changing point detection means, a first characteristic amount extraction means, a second characteristic amount extraction means, a comparison determining means and a volume control means. The comparison determining means compares the first characteristic amount which is an audio characteristic amount of a television signal before the time when the video audio changing point is detected, and the second characteristic amount which is an audio characteristic amount of a television signal after the time when the video audio changing point is detected, to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied or not.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Fumio Abe, Isao Otsuka, Kenichiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100053471
    Abstract: In an AV system in which a television apparatus and a recorder are individually connected to an AV amplifier through an HDMI, in the case where sound is output from the AV amplifier, if insertion of headphones into the television apparatus is detected, control information to switch the destination of the audio data is transmitted from the television apparatus to the AV amplifier. The AV amplifier switches the destination of the audio data that is input from the recorder from a speaker output section to the television apparatus in accordance with the control information. Thus, even if the headphones are inserted into the television apparatus while the AV amplifier is outputting sound reproduced by the recorder, the sound can be output from the headphones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi Shikata, Takashi Yamamoto, Tomoyasu Yoshikawa, Katsuhiro Ito, Tomoki Kuroda, Kiyohiro Uemura, Masaki Tamura, Masatsugu Sasaki, Kinshirou Suzawa
  • Publication number: 20100053466
    Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate the use and operation of a television with an integrated sound projection system. The sound projector preferably comprises an array of speakers configurable to project beams that reflect off the walls and ceiling to create surround sound. In one embodiment, sound can be projected and/or the television can be oriented automatically as a function of the location of the television remote control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Masafumi Naka, Peter Mortensen
  • Publication number: 20100034403
    Abstract: An acoustic signal output control section 12a extracts, from an acoustic signal, a low-frequency-component acoustic signal and a high-frequency-component acoustic signal. A sound image localization processing filter section 13a performs a sound image localization process on the low-frequency-component acoustic signal. The low-frequency-component acoustic signal having been subjected to the sound image localization process is outputted from loudspeakers 11a and 11b in an AV rack loudspeaker apparatus 10. A television sound image localization processing filter section 14a performs a sound image localization process on the high-frequency-component acoustic signal. The high-frequency-component acoustic signal having been subjected to the sound image localization process is outputted from loudspeakers 21a and 21b in a television 20 via HDMI communication sections 15 and 22.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Ko Mizuno, Toshihiko Data
  • Patent number: 7659942
    Abstract: A broadcast receiver includes a varying unit which varies an output volume of broadcast audio, a display unit which displays a subtitle, which represents content of the broadcast audio, and a control unit which controls the display unit to display the subtitle when the broadcast receiver is in an operation mode in which subtitles are not displayed and when the output volume is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takao Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20100026905
    Abstract: An embedded-audio routing switcher includes an input configured to receive digital input signals. The digital input signals include video with embedded audio. The input being coupled to a deembedding module configured to deembed audio from each of the digital input signals. A crosspoint matrix is configured to receive the digital input signals and transfer the digital input signals to an output. A time division multiplexed path is configured to transport the deembedded audio signals to the output. The output is configured to route one of the digital input signals and selected deembedded audio signals in accordance with a routing control setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventor: John Edward Liron
  • Publication number: 20100031291
    Abstract: A content detecting device for a digital broadcast signal receiver or a recording apparatus that records the digital broadcast signal. When information in program specific information and information in an electronic program guide information in the memory contradict each other concerning presence or absence of one of a closed captioning broadcast and a data broadcast, a detecting unit causes the memory to store information indicating the detection of the commercial.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Iwata, Sadatoshi Chozui
  • Publication number: 20100026907
    Abstract: An audio multi-standard detection apparatus is provided to pre-record a plurality of audio broadcasting format carrier bands. The detection apparatus includes: a carrier calculation unit and a switch controller. The carrier calculation unit is used for receiving an intermediate frequency signal and calculates the first carrier energy of the intermediate frequency signal in each of the frequency bands. From this first carrier energy, the switch controller determines which frequency bands are existed in the intermediate frequency signal, then analyzes the signal via at least one threshold value to determine the frequency band's primary carrier. The switch controller obtains an effective carrier. Further, the switch controller compares the effective carrier with the pre-recorded carrier bands for selectively outputting the appropriate audio broadcasting format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Shan-Ting Hong, Yi-Chang Tu, Ching-Hsien Liao, Show-Hong Chen, Ying-Chuan Peng
  • Publication number: 20100002146
    Abstract: To provide a video display system for allowing a user to look at and listen to video and sound on various means. A video display system has a video display device and a portable video display device, connected to each other for communication. The video display device produces own device video data and own device sound data to be displayed and reproduced, respectively, on the video display device; displays the own device video data and reproduces the own device sound data; encodes these data into a data format which the portable video display device is able to handle, to thereby produce other device video data and other device sound data; and sends to the portable video display device. The portable video display device receives these data, and decodes and displays the other device video data, and decodes and reproduces the other device sound data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Ikuo Tsukagoshi, Kenichi Imai, Takenori Ohshima, Yuichi Nishimori, Masaru Masuda
  • Publication number: 20090284665
    Abstract: In an audiovisual system in which a source device and a television are connected via an AV amplifier, even when the AV amplifier is placed in a “Power Supply Standby State”, video/audio signals outputted from the source device can be viewed/listened to on the television without changing the wiring connections between the devices. An AV amplifier (100) is provided with a data storing means (106) used for indicating a signal reproduction ability to a source device (200). During a “Power Supply Standby State” of the AV amplifier (100), the content of data that is saved in the data storing means (106) and indicates an audio signal reproduction ability is rewritten into data that indicates not the reproduction ability of the AV amplifier (100), but the signal reproduction ability of a television (300), thereby producing a state that is equivalent to a state in which the source device (200) and the television (300) are directly connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizoguchi, Toshiki Murakami, Akifumi Sakamoto, Akihiro Mitani, Yoshifumi Inoue, Koichi Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20090262256
    Abstract: A television set includes: an internal speaker which outputs sound; a memory which holds information; a remote controller receiver which receives an instruction from the outside of the television set; a microcomputer which causes, based on a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode received by the remote controller receiver, the memory to hold any one of (a) information that indicates a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from the internal speaker and (b) information that indicates a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an external speaker that is a speaker outside the television set; and an HDMI/CEC communication unit which outputs the information that indicates the sound output mode and that is held by the memory, to an amplifier which controls to operate or not operate the speaker outside the television set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sako Asayama, Hiroshi Kase, Mitsuteru Kataoka, Akihiro Mitani, Toshiki Murakami, Masahiko Mizoguchi, Masazumi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20090262243
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a generating unit configured to generate image signals for displaying content on each of a plurality of screens; and a synthesizing unit configured to synthesize a plurality of sound signals corresponding to the plurality of image signals to cause positions where sounds based on the plurality of sound signals are localized to vary from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Daisuke Negi, Hiroshige Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20090256972
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to generate and use content-aware watermarks are disclosed herein. In a disclosed example method, media composition data is received and at least one word present in an audio track of the media composition data is selected. The word is then located in a watermark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: Arun Ramaswamy, Robert A. Luff
  • Patent number: 7599503
    Abstract: In a device equipped with an audio output, a range of the audio output level in regular use is set. When an attempt is made to change the setting to a volume level exceeding the range of the audio output level having been set, a request is made for an acknowledgement that the operation is appropriate, and only if a reply is received within a given time, is the volume setting changed. Such a method prevents the audio output from a television set or audio equipment to be increased to a volume level higher than necessary due to an operating error in a volume setting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiko Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7586549
    Abstract: Provided herein are a video apparatus and a method for controlling the same, wherein a caption is displayed according to the volume level of surrounding noise. The method comprises detecting the volume level of noise surrounding the video apparatus, obtaining an audio volume level, comparing the surrounding noise volume level with the obtained audio volume level, and displaying a caption according to a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Eun Young Heo
  • Patent number: 7577337
    Abstract: An audio/video data recording/reproducing device is provided that allows all video and audio signals, which can be displayed by a display of the audio/video data recording/reproducing device proper, to be output to an exterior through a digital interface. Such audio/video signals are in the forms of, for example, files as recorded including a moving picture file, a still picture file, and a file resulting from synthesization of a moving picture file with a still picture file. When the digital interface of the recording/reproducing device is connected to a digital TV, a synthesized signal from a synthesizing part 117, after being encoded into an MPEG-TS in an encoder 103, is output from a 1394 interface part 121. When the digital interface is connected to another editor or recording device, a recording signal from a reproducing part 116 is output as it is from the 1394 interface part 121.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Itoh, Masafumi Shimotashiro
  • Publication number: 20090174823
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus such as an audio apparatus, television signal receiver, or other apparatus provides an equalizer interface that enables equalizer settings to be adjusted via acoustic user feedback. According to an exemplary embodiment, the electronic apparatus includes a sound generator for generating a first tone for a first frequency band. A processor enables a user to adjust a first volume level of the first tone. A memory stores the first volume level for the first frequency band. A volume controller applies the first volume level to output signals in the first frequency band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Paul Gothard Knutson, Jun Li
  • Patent number: 7558549
    Abstract: Aspects of the method and system for rejecting single sided leakage into an amplitude modulated channel may comprise an AM demodulator for demodulating a received composite broadcast signal's control channel to generate an amplitude modulated (AM) component. A PM demodulator may demodulate a received composite broadcast signal's control channel to generate a phase modulated (PM) component. At least one subtractor may subtract an AM leakage component and a PM leakage component contributed by the single sided leakage in the received composite broadcast signal's control channel. The system may comprise at least one of each of AM and PM bandpass filters and envelope detectors that filter and detect envelopes of the AM and PM components at 982.5 Hz and 922.5 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Hoang Huy Nhu
  • Patent number: 7555132
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for adjusting sound volume for an audio system includes a controller (101) connected to an amplifier (40) of the audio system for controlling amplification of the amplifier, and a first circuit (102) for adjusting the sound volume. The controller includes a microprogrammed control unit (1010), a random-access memory (1012), and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (1014). The first circuit includes an attenuation circuit (1022) connected to a tuner of the audio system for attenuating input audio signals, and a switch (1024). An input end of the switch is connected to the tuner and an output end of the attenuation circuit, and an output end of the switch is connected to an audio processor (30) of the audio system. The apparatus enables a user to freely adjust an average level of sound produced by the audio system, and simultaneously avoid being bothered by loud transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuan-Hong Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7539316
    Abstract: A television audio signal encoder includes a matrix that sums a left channel audio signal and a right channel audio signal to produce a sum signal. The matrix also subtracts one of the left and right audio signals from the other to produce a difference signal. The encoder also includes a configurable infinite impulse response digital filter that selectively uses one or more sets of filter coefficients to filter the difference signal. Each selectable set of filter coefficients is associated with a unique filtering application to prepare the difference signal for transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: THAT Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Barnhill, Roger Darr
  • Publication number: 20090129521
    Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing audio SNR in a NICAM digital sound decoder are provided. One method according to the invention includes receiving a scale factor that indicates a number of bits of a Near Instantaneous Companded Audio Multiplex (NICAM) signal that have been truncated from the signal. The method also includes receiving the NICAM signal itself. The NICAM signal may include a predetermined number of zero bits in place of the predetermined number of truncated bits. The method may also require appending a bit pattern to the NICAM signal that approximates a rounding of the NICAM signal. The bit pattern preferably includes at least one non-zero bit. Another method according to the invention may include selecting a bit pattern from a collection of bit patterns. The collection of bit patterns may include at least non-zero bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Core, Hosahalli Srinivas, Fan Xu
  • Patent number: 7532728
    Abstract: An BTSC encoder with an improved digital filter structure substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. By cascading first and second order allpass filter structures to form a higher order digital filter, such as a Cauer low pass filter, limit cycle oscillations are reduced or eliminated, word-length growth from one stage to the next is contained, and a more efficient overall filter structure and performance is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Gopal Venkatesan, Amy Hundhausen, Hosahalli Srinivas, Erik Berg
  • Patent number: 7522223
    Abstract: In an audio signal delay apparatus and methods, an audio signal modulated by biphase mark modulation is received and a header part of the audio signal is identified. Thereafter, a data part of the audio signal is demodulated to store the identification data and the demodulated data part in a memory, the identification data from the memory is read out to reconstruct the header part after a specified time. Subsequently, the data part is read out from the memory to modulate the data part by the biphase mark modulation and the reconstructed header part is combined with the modulated data part to output the combined data. Preferably, the identification data is represented by two bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minoru Umesako
  • Patent number: 7518661
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting a mode of an audio signal is disclosed. The system includes an integrated circuit with an input to receive a signal and an audio processor coupled to the input. The audio processor includes an audio standard detection module, wherein the audio standard detection module detects a characteristic of the received signal that identifies a television audio standard by measuring the energy level of a plurality of different frequency bands of the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Sigmatel, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Donald Alderson
  • Patent number: 7515212
    Abstract: A digital broadcast receiver selects a language in which captions are displayed on a monitor on the basis of a language designated by a user for caption output (caption selecting means). Further, the digital broadcast receiver selects a language in which audio is output through a speaker on the basis of a language designated for audio output (audio selecting means). The digital broadcast receiver is designed so that the language designated for caption output and the language designated for audio output are set as a designated language that is unified (designated language setting means). Therefore, a user can designate a language for caption output and a language for audio output at the same time in only one operation to input a designated language. Accordingly, the necessity for separately inputting a language designated for caption output and a language designated for audio output can be avoided to eliminate the inconvenience to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Katayama
  • Patent number: 7515889
    Abstract: A demodulator (10) converts television signals to video baseband signals and audio baseband signals including stereo signals representing a right channel signal value, a left channel signal value and a pilot signal having an amplitude. A DSP (60) recursively finds a coefficient value for scaling that keeps the pilot signal amplitude within a range of values, there by improving baseband signal quality, such as stereo separation of stereo signals within the baseband signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: David Chaohua Wu
  • Publication number: 20090079883
    Abstract: An audio video system is described that includes an AV receiver with a wireless audio module (WAM) host and without audio amplifier functionality. The system further includes a plurality of wireless speakers each having a WAM device to enable unidirectional or bidirectional communications with the WAM host. Each wireless speaker includes an amplifier that may be matched to a driver of the speaker to optimize the frequency response of the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Jano Banks, David Buuck, Jon Norenberg, Brad Bozarth, Eric Wiles, Thomas Mader
  • Patent number: 7502073
    Abstract: A signal processor generates signals to reproduce video and audio from a received encoded digital signal. The signal processor includes: a first decoder for separating a first video signal and a first audio signal from a digital signal; a second decoder for separating a second video signal and a second audio signal from a digital signal; a video controller, which receives the first and second video signals, subjects a selected video signal to video processing; a clock generator for generating a clock signal of which the frequency corresponds to that of the first audio signal; an audio processor, which receives the second audio signal and the clock signal and converts the frequency of the second audio signal into that of the first audio signal; and an audio switch which outputs one of the two audio signals that is associated with the video signal being selected by the video controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Minoru Umesako
  • Publication number: 20090051825
    Abstract: The invention provides an external speaker control apparatus for causing only one of an internal speaker and an external speaker to output audio when a power supply of the external speaker control apparatus which controls the external speaker changes from an off state to an on state, the external speaker being a speaker outside a video and audio output apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Sako Asayama, Hiroshi Kase, Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Patent number: 7495711
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of automatically setting a sound mode of a broadcast receiver without a user setting, using a vertical blanking interval. The apparatus includes a vertical blanking interval signal decoder, a memory, a sound decoder, and a system control unit. The vertical blanking interval signal decoder decodes a signal included in the vertical blanking interval of a received broadcasting signal. The memory stores one or more sound band control signals with respect to a plurality of sound modes. The sound decoder controls a sound band of an audio signal included in the received broadcasting signal and outputs the audio signal whose sound band is controlled. The system control unit detects a sound band control signal from the memory based on sound mode data included in data output from the vertical blanking interval signal decoder and controls the sound decoder using the detected sound band control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-hoon Han
  • Publication number: 20090046210
    Abstract: An audiovisual system is provided in which the operability of selection by a user between internal speakers of a TV and external speakers connected to an audio amplifier has been improved, thus reducing the burdensomeness of operation. When an audio amplifier (100A) is powered on, a control part (106A) of the audio amplifier (100A) judges that use of external speakers (105) connected to the audio amplifier (100A) has been selected, and transmits a control signal for putting internal speakers (205) of a TV (200A) in a muted state to a control part (206A) of the TV (200A) via a communication means (300). Conversely, when the audio amplifier (100A) is powered off, the control part (106A) judges that use of the internal speakers (205) of the TV (200A) has been selected, and transmits a control signal for canceling the muted state of the internal speakers (205) to the control part (206A) of the TV (200A) via the communication means (300).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akifumi Sakamoto, Masahiko Mizoguchi, Toshiki Murakami, Akihiro Mitani, Koichi Otsuka, Mutsumi Itoga
  • Patent number: 7477326
    Abstract: Methods and systems for processing television signals are disclosed herein, and may comprise communicating analog and digital intermediate frequency (IF) signals via a single processing path that couples a TV radio frequency (RF) tuner to an IF demodulator and/or to a decoder, that processes said analog and digital IF signals. The analog and digital IF signals may be filtered via a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter, for example. The filtered analog and digital IF signals may be amplified. The amplified filtered analog and digital IF signals may be received. The amplified filtered analog and digital IF signals may be IF demodulated by the IF demodulator to generate an IF demodulated output signal. An audio portion of the IF demodulated output signal may be decoded via a BTSC decoder, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Steven Todd Jaffe
  • Patent number: 7477325
    Abstract: An audio/video separator provides a high-performance and cost-effective solution to analog TV reception with only one A/D converter and a minimum of analog IF components. The apparatus may operate on a digitized TV signal and, when integrated with a digital video processor, process video signals while separating audio signals. The resultant audio and video signals may be considered to have excellent signal quality due to highly optimized demodulation architecture and digital signal processing techniques on both audio and video data paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: ATI Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Q. Zhu, Hulyalkar N. Samir, Binning Chen, Raul A. Casas, Dongsheng Wu
  • Patent number: 7468755
    Abstract: A video signal receiving device comprises signal processing units which separate video components and audio components from received signals conforming to HDMI standard, and carry out a decoding process on the components, respectively, to thereby restore analog video signals and audio signals, a detecting unit which detects a change in received signals to generate a first detection signal, and a detecting unit which detects a change in a received connection recognition signal to generate a second detection signal, and a mute control unit which carries out a mute process for the signal processing units not to output audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Morio Ando
  • Patent number: 7468763
    Abstract: System and method for an all-digital audio receiver for a BTSC MTS audio signal or other composite signal that is FM modulated. A preferred embodiment comprises a digital FM demodulator for receiving an analog to digital quantized SIF signal and performing demodulation and outputting a composite audio signal, and a digital audio processor for decomposing the composite audio signal into at least the SAP, stereo and monaural signals for audio reproduction. In a preferred embodiment, the digital audio processor is a programmable digital signal processor. In a preferred embodiment, the digital FM demodulator and the digital audio processor are implemented as an integrated circuit. Methods for processing the audio signal using the digital processors of the invention are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Feng Ying, Karl Hertzian Renner, Weider Peter Chang, Shereef Shehata, Viet Dinh, Xiaodong Wu, Walter Heinrich Demmer
  • Publication number: 20080309830
    Abstract: An audio output apparatus which outputs an audio signal to an audio control apparatus controlling processing of the audio signal, and to which an external device having an external terminal is connectable includes an output terminal, a detecting section, a generating section, and a transmitting section. The output terminal is connected with the external terminal and outputs the audio signal to the external device via the external terminal. The detecting section detects whether or not the external terminal is connected to the output terminal. The generating section generates a control signal based on a result of the detection by the detecting means. The transmitting section transmits the generated control signal to the audio control apparatus in order that the audio control apparatus controls the processing of the audio signal based on the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kensuke Motomura
  • Patent number: 7466959
    Abstract: In a dual-channel HD radio receiver, when the broadband filter channel is compromised, the broadband channel is inactivated and the narrowband channel is activated. By mixing the signals of the two channels during the change, undesirable audio artifacts can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert G. DeMoor, John E. Whitecar
  • Patent number: 7457420
    Abstract: A Japanese BTSC audio broadcast signal has three modes of transmission: mono, stereo, or dual mono. The control channel centering at 3.5 fH is one of the three channels in the J-BTSC signal, and contains information to indicate to the decoder which one of the three modes the audio transmission is in. The present invention uses a bandpass filter directly in the AM band, followed by envelope filtering and a decision circuit. Therefore, the need for AM demodulation and AM carrier detection is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Hoang Nhu
  • Publication number: 20080211963
    Abstract: The invention provides a processing system, comprising a video signal processing unit for processing a video signal, the video signal processing entailing a video signal processing delay, and video delay control for controlling said video signal processing unit in dependence on a maximum allowed value for the video signal processing delay. The invention also provides an audio-video signal source, comprising an output for sending a video signal to a video signal processing unit, and an output for communicating to the video signal processing unit a maximum allowed value for a video signal processing delay entailed by video signal processing in the video signal processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Geert Gerardus Vanderheijden, Romke Kats, Richard Ansfriedus Snijders
  • Publication number: 20080198275
    Abstract: A playback apparatus to play back content data including sound data includes an instruction operating portion to detect an instruction operation that instructs execution of prescribed processing, a hold operating portion to detect a hold setting operation that sets a state of not accepting the instruction operation to the instruction operating portion, a state control portion to set the state of not accepting the instruction operation to the instruction operating portion if the hold setting operation is detected by the hold operating portion, and a video processing portion to perform processing for displaying a video. If the video processing portion performs processing for displaying the video when the hold setting operation is detected, the state control portion controls the video processing portion to suspend at least a part of processing for displaying the video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi KINOUCHI
  • Patent number: 7409461
    Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide broadband subscribers with dynamic, automatic routing information for accessing services offered by a service provider network (35) and/or content provider networks (40, 45). Client software on the subscriber's computer (10) retrieves a file such as an HyperText Markup Language (HTML) document from a predetermined server containing connection-oriented routing information for gaining access to various network services. The client software parses the HTML document and extracts the routing information. The client software then uses this routing information to populate and manipulate the subscriber computer (10) routing table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Efficient Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Akkamapet P. Sundarraj, James R. Pickering, Douglas Moe, Melvin Paul Perinchery
  • Publication number: 20080165286
    Abstract: A plural-channel audio signal (e.g., a stereo audio) is processed to modify a gain (e.g., a volume level or loudness) of an estimated dialogue signal (e.g., dialogue spoken by actors in a movie) relative to other signals (e.g., reflected or reverberated sound). In some aspects, a controller is used to control master volume and dialogue volume. In some aspects, one or more graphical objects and/or user interface elements are used to indicate volume levels and other information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hyen-O Oh, Yang-Won Jung
  • Patent number: 7398207
    Abstract: An example of a method of correcting an audio level of a stored program asset comprises retrieving a stored program asset having audio encoded at a first loudness setting. Dialog of the audio of the asset is identified, a loudness of the dialog is determined and the determined loudness is compared to the first loudness setting. The asset is re-encoded at a second loudness setting corresponding to the determined loudness, if the first loudness setting and the second loudness are different by more than a predetermined amount. The determined loudness is preferably a DIALNORM of the dialog. The asset may be stored with the re-encoded loudness setting. The method may be applied to programs as they are being received from a source, as well. Aspects of the method may also be applied to programs to be provided by a source. Systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Time Warner Interactive Video Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven E. Riedl
  • Patent number: 7369185
    Abstract: A receiving apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive a signal including a program, an acquiring unit configured to acquire information representing a category of the program received by the receiving unit, a volume data generating unit configured to generate volume data related to a controlled volume in accordance with volume control performed when the program is being received by the receiving unit, and a memory unit storing volume data and category data in association with each other. The memory unit is read for retrieving the category data of the program currently being received and the sound volume is automatically set according to the volume data stored in the memory unit which is associated with the category data of the current program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Kitamura