Audio equalization system and method
AssigneeDolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
InventorEthan A. Grossman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable-resolution graphic equalizer providing an improved interface for controlling gain values across the entire audio spectrum using many narrow-band filters (e.g., 120). It allows user selection of a frequency range for graphic equalization and automatically maps a reduced and fixed number of sliders to the selected range based on the number of filter bands falling within the selected range. In an audio processing system, specific user interface regions are highlighted to display selected frequency ranges and corresponding selected sliders to allow for rapid and precise equalization of the full audio spectrum using the many narrow-band filters.
Claims14
A method of providing control over an N-band audio equalizer, wherein N>30, the method comprising:
- providing a first set of M controls, wherein M<N, for equalizing frequency response across an audio spectrum by controlling gain values for frequency bands of the audio spectrum;
- providing a second set of controls which specify a frequency range within the audio spectrum, the specified frequency range comprising a number, K, of frequency bands of the audio spectrum;
- assigning one or more unique frequency bands, of the K frequency bands, to a respective control of the first set of M controls;
- and
- displaying the specified frequency range through a graphical user interface, wherein the M controls are displayed as a highlighted portion of a graphic equalizer display area, and wherein left and right frequency markers displayed in the display area indicate lower and upper boundaries of the specified frequency range.
An equalizer system adjusting gain values for N frequency bands across an audio spectrum, wherein N>30, comprising:
- a first set of M equalizer controls for setting gain values for frequency bands of the audio spectrum, wherein M<N;
- a second set of equalizer controls selecting a frequency range for equalization by the first set of M equalizer controls, the selected frequency range comprising a number, K, of frequency bands, wherein one or more unique frequency bands, of the K frequency bands, are each assigned to a respective control of the first set of M controls;
- and
- a graphical user interface displaying the specified frequency range, wherein the M controls are displayed as a highlighted portion of a graphic equalizer display area, and wherein left and right frequency markers displayed in the display area indicate lower and upper boundaries of the selected frequency range.
A graphical user interface for controlling a graphic N-band equalizer in a digital audio system, wherein N>30, comprising:
- a frequency response display area showing a frequency response graph over for an audio spectrum of an audio program;
- a graphic equalizer display area showing a plurality of M first controls controlling gain values for a number, K, of frequency bands of the audio spectrum, wherein M<N;
- and
- a set of second controls which enable selecting a frequency range for equalization by the M first controls mapping a subset of the plurality of M first controls to the number, K, of frequency bands falling within the selected frequency range for controlling the corresponding K gain values by said subset of first controls,
- wherein the selected frequency range is displayed as a highlighted portion of the frequency response display area, and wherein the subset of first controls is displayed as a highlighted portion of the graphic equalizer display area, and wherein a left frequency marker indicating a lower boundary of the frequency range selected by the second controls and a right frequency marker indicating an upper boundary of the frequency range selected by the second controls are displayed in the frequency response display area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.