US 2004/0064320 A1 · Integrating external voices

Abstract

Integrating voice communication into a game console to minimize or eliminate voice data processing by a primary processor. Input voice data from a microphone or a network is processed by a secondary processor and stored in a circular buffer. Drift between storing and reading the processed voice data may result from differing data rates, interrupts, and other latencies. If the circular buffer, accumulates an amount of data that exceeds a predefined threshold corresponding to a human perceptible latency, a pointer in the circular buffer is reset, so that only a portion of the processed voice data is output. A stream of packet contexts each indicate a location and length of voice data in the circular buffer to be output. Preferably, the output voice data is encoded in a standard digital format, such as universal serial bus. The output voice data may be communicated to a network or a sound transducer.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for integrating voice communication into a game console that includes a primary processor, so as to limit use of the primary processor for processing voice data, comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying voice data at a first data rate, as an input to the game console;
(b) processing the voice data at the first data rate with a secondary processor of the game console to produce processed voice data, said processed voice data including any desired effects to be applied to the voice data by the game console, wherein the secondary processor is running at a second data rate that is substantially different than the first data rate;
(e) converting the processed voice data to the first data rate with the secondary processor, producing converted voice data;
(d) storing the converted voice data in a memory configured to be accessible as a circular buffer;
and
(e) using the primary processor to access the converted voice data stored in the circular buffer when producing a stream of packets of the converted voice data for output from the game console.

3 more elements

A game console integrating voice communication with other audio processing, comprising:

(a) a primary processor;
(b) a secondary processor that is substantially independent of the primary processor of the game console, said secondary processor being programmed with machine instructions stored in a secondary processor memory for carrying out a plurality of functions for processing audio data, including voice communication data;
(c) a sound transducer that is coupled in communication with the primary processor;
and
(d) a memory in communication with the secondary processor and the primary processor and shared by both, said memory having a portion allocated to a circular buffer and storing machine instructions that cause the primary processor to carrying out a plurality of functions in regard to the voice data that are distinct from the plurality of functions carried out in regard to the voice data by the secondary processor, wherein the plurality of functions carried out by the primary processor and the secondary processor include:
(i) receiving voice data at a first data rate, as an input to the game console;
(ii) processing the voice data at the first data rate with the secondary processor of the game console to produce processed voice data, said processed voice data including any desired effects to be applied to the voice data by the game console, wherein the secondary processor is running at a second data rate that is substantially different than the first data rate;
(iii) converting the processed voice data to the first data rate with the secondary processor, producing converted voice data;
(iv) storing the converted voice data in the circular buffer;
and
(v) using the primary processor to access the converted voice data stored in the circular buffer when producing a stream of packets of the converted voice data for output from the game console.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Integrating external voices

Life of this patent

Integrating external voices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20