2.1 Crossover Equalization in PC Audio Applications
AssigneeConexant Systems, Inc.
InventorsChristian Larsen, Mouna Elkhatib, James W Wihardja, Jonathan Chien
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Challenges to the implementation of equalization in the 2.1 environment arise from the constraints imposed by HD audio requirements and Windows® Vista™. A hybrid software hardware solution overcomes many of the challenges by exploiting the software capability for equalization and using a hardware codec to perform the separation into high frequency and low frequency audio streams needed to drive stereo speakers and a subwoofer.
Claims20
In a system having an operating system and an audio output having a pair of speakers and a subwoofer, an audio system comprising:
- a software module in communication with the operating system, said software module comprising a digital full band equalizer;
- and
- a hardware codec operable to receive an audio stream comprising a left stereo channel and a right stereo channel from the software module through an audio interface;
- wherein the hardware codec further comprises:
- a crossover filter for dividing each of the left stereo channel and the right stereo channel into a high frequency audio signal and a low frequency audio signal;
- a mono mixer operable to combine the low frequency audio signal from the left stereo channel and the low frequency audio signal from right stereo channel into a monaural audio signal;
- a stereo digital to analog converter (DAC) operable to convert the high frequency audio signal from the left stereo channel and the high frequency audio signal from the right stereo channel into a high frequency analog stereo signal and to drive the pair of speakers with the high frequency analog stereo signal;
- and
- a subwoofer DAC operable to convert the monaural audio signal to an low frequency analog signal and to drive a subwoofer with the low frequency analog signal.
A method of providing 2.1 channel stereo sound comprising:
- providing a 2.1 channel endpoint to an operating system which is selectable by an end-user;
- equalizing an audio stream with a software module;
- providing through an HD-audio interface the audio stream from the software module to a hardware codec;
- separating a high frequency audio stream and a low frequency audio stream from the audio stream;
- combining a left channel signal and a right channel signal from the low frequency audio stream to create a monaural audio signal;
- converting the high frequency audio stream to an analog high frequency audio stream;
- converting the monaural audio stream to an analog monaural audio stream;
- driving speakers with the analog high frequency audio stream;
- and
- driving a subwoofer with the analog monaural audio stream.
In a system having an audio output having a pair of speakers and a subwoofer, an audio system comprising:
- a hardware codec operable to receive an audio stream through an audio HD-audio interface said audio stream comprising a left stereo channel and a right stereo channel;
- wherein the hardware codec further comprises:
- a crossover filter for dividing each of the left stereo channel and the right stereo channel into a high frequency audio signal and a low frequency audio signal;
- a high frequency equalizer operable to equalize the high frequency audio signal;
- a low frequency equalizer operable to equalize the low frequency audio signal;
- a mono mixer operable to combine the low frequency audio signal from the left stereo channel and the low frequency audio signal from right stereo channel into a monaural audio signal;
- a stereo DAC operable to convert the high frequency audio signal from the left stereo channel and the high frequency audio signal from the right stereo channel into a high frequency analog stereo signal and to drive the pair of speakers with the high frequency analog stereo signal;
- and
- a subwoofer DAC operable to convert the monaural audio signal to an low frequency analog signal and to drive a subwoofer with the low frequency analog signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.