Back to results
US 5,133,015 AGranted
Method and apparatus for processing an audio signal
OwnerDonald T. Scholzinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic audio signal processor especially suitable for electrical instruments such as electric guitars is provided, including a distortion stage, filtering stages, an output gain stage, and a compressor stage having a varibale release time. These stages are provided in a cascade connection. Further, the characteristics of each of these stages are preset to provide optimum performance at each of several different distortion levels. The correct characteristics of each stage for each distortion level is selected by means of a single user control.
Claims44
A circuit for processing an audio signal comprising:
- means for distorting said audio signal;
- means for indicating a desired degree of distortion having a single user input element;
- means responsive to said indicating means for controlling the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means, said distortion means having an output volume which varies in a predetermined way as the degree of distortion increases;
- and
- output means responsive to said indicating means for automatically, and without further user input, maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said circuit substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means.
2 more elements
A circuit for processing an audio signal comprising:
- means for distorting said audio signal;
- means for indicating a desired degree of distortion;
- means responsive to said indicating means for controlling the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means, said distortion means causing spectral and harmonic variations in said audio signal which vary with changes in the degree of distortion;
- output means responsive to said indicating means for automatically, and without further user input, maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said circuit substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means;
- and
- adjustable filter means through which said audio signal is passed before being applied in said distortion means, said filter means being adjusted in response to said indicating means to at least partially compensate for said spectral and harmonic variations.
3 more elements
A circuit for processing an audio signal comprising:
- means for distorting said audio signal;
- means for indicating a desired degree of distortion;
- means responsive to said indicating means for controlling the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means, said distortion means causing spectral and harmonic variations in said audio signal which vary with changes in the degree of distortion;
- output means responsive to said indicating means for automatically, and without further user input, maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said circuit substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means;
- and
- output filter means at the output from said distortion means, said output filter means being adjustable in response to said indicating means to even out the spectral density and harmonic content of said outputted audio signal.
3 more elements
A circuit for processing an audio signal comprising:
- means for distorting said audio signal;
- means for indicating a desired degree of distortion;
- means responsive to said indicating means for controlling the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means;
- compressor means through which said audio signal is passed before being applied to said distortion means, said compressor means having a release time;
- and
- means responsive to said indicating means for adjusting said compressor means release time, the release time being less for higher degrees of distortion.
3 more elements
A method for processing an audio signal comprising the steps of:
- providing a predetermined degree of distortion to said audio signal, said distortion step varying the volume of said audio signal in a predetermined way as the degree of distortion increases;
- and
- automatically maintaining the volume of the audio signal outputted from said distortion step substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion during said distortion step, said maintaining step being performed in response to a selected distortion level input from a user.
A method for processing an audio signal comprising the steps of:
- providing a predetermined degree of distortion to said audio signal in response to a selected distortion level input from a user, said distortion step causing spectral and harmonic variations in said audio signal which vary with changes in the degree of distortion;
- adjustably filtering the audio signal inputted to said distortion step in response to said selected distortion level input to at least partially compensate for said spectral and harmonic variations;
- and
- automatically maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said distortion step substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion during said distortion step, said maintaining step being performed in response to a selected distortion level input from a user.
1 more element
A method of processing an audio signal comprising the steps of:
- providing a predetermined degree of distortion to said audio signal in response to a selected distortion level input from a user, said distortion step causing spectral and harmonic variations in said audio signal which vary with changes in the degree of distortion;
- adjustably filtering the output from said distortion step in response to said selected distortion level input to even out spectral density and harmonic content of said outputted audio signal;
- and
- automatically maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said distortion step substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion during said distortion step, said maintaining step being performed in response to a selected distortion level input from a user.
1 more element
A circuit for processing an audio signal comprising:
- means for distorting said audio signal;
- means for indicating a desired degree of distortion;
- means responsive to said indicating means for controlling the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means, said distortion means having an output volume which varies in a predetermined way as the degree of distortion increases;
- output means responsive to said indicating means maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said circuit substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means;
- compressor means through which said audio signal is passed before being applied to said distortion means, said compressor means having a release time;
- and
- means responsive to said indicating means for adjusting said compressor means release time, the release time being less for higher degrees of distortion.
4 more elements
A circuit for processing an audio signal comprising:
- means for distorting said audio signal;
- means for indicating a desired degree of distortion;
- means responsive to said indicating means for controlling the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means, said distortion means having an output volume which varies in a predetermined way as the degree of distortion increases;
- output means responsive to said indicating means maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said circuit substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means;
- said output means further including adjustable filter means responsive to said indicating means for evening out spectral density and harmonic content of said outputted audio signal;
- compressor means through which said audio signal is passed before being applied to said distortion means, said compressor means having a release time;
- and
- means responsive to said indicating means for adjusting said compressor means release time, the release time being less for higher degrees of distortion.
5 more elements
A method for processing an audio signal comprising the steps of:
- compressing said audio signal, and adjusting the release time of the audio signal during said compression step so that said release time is less for higher degrees of distortion;
- providing a predetermined degree of distortion to said audio signal, said distortion step varying the volume of said audio signal in a predetermined way as the degree of distortion increases;
- and
- automatically maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said distortion step substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion during said distortion step, said maintaining step being performed in response to a selected distortion level input from a user.
1 more element
A method for processing an audio signal comprising the steps of:
- adjustably filtering audio signal before said distorting step to at least partially compensate for spectral and harmonic variations caused by the distortion step which variations vary with changes in the degree of distortion, said adjustable filtering being performed in response to said selected distortion level input;
- said filtering step further including the step of decreasing emphasis on high frequencies and low frequencies as the degree of distortion increases;
- compressing said audio signal, and adjusting the release time of the audio signal during said compression step so that said release time is less for higher degrees of distortion;
- providing a predetermined degree of distortion to said audio signal, said distortion steps varying the volume of said audio signal in a predetermined way as the degree of distortion increases;
- adjustably filtering the audio signal inputted to said distortion step to even out spectral density and harmonic content of said outputted audio signal, said output filtering step being performed in response to said selected distortion level input;
- automatically maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said distortion step substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion during said distortion step, said maintaining step being performed in response to a selected distortion level input from a user.
3 more elements
A circuit for processing an audio signal comprising:
- only one user input device for receiving user input specifying distortion level;
- a distortion element, responsive to said user input device, for providing a distorted audio signal having said distortion level specified, and having a gain which varies in a known way corresponding with said distortion level;
- and
- and output element, responsive to said user input device, for providing said distorted audio signal amplified or attenuated by a gain corresponding with said distortion element and output element is fixed for all distortion levels.
1 more element
A circuit for processing an audio signal comprising:
- means for distorting said audio signal;
- means for indicating a desired degree of distortion including only a single input device;
- means responsive to said indicating means for controlling the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means, said distortion means having an output volume which varies in a predetermined way as the degree of distortion increases;
- and
- output means responsive to said single input device for automatically maintaining the volume of the audio signal output from said circuit substantially at a desired level regardless of the degree of distortion caused by said distortion means.
2 more elements
A circuit for processing an audio signal comprising:
- a user input device for receiving user input specifying distortion level;
- a distortion element, responsive to said user input device, for providing a distorted audio signal having said distortion level specified, and having a gain which varies in a known way corresponding with said distortion level;
- and
- and output element, responsive to said user input device, for providing said distorted audio signal amplified or attenuated by a gain corresponding with said distortion level specified, such that a total gain through said distortion element and output element is fixed for all distortion levels.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.