Electronic audio accurate reproduction system and method
OwnerGeorge Velmerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic audio processing system for insertion into the line prior to power amplification and a related method are disclosed which component and method render a frequency response in which undesirably strong frequency bands are flattened relative to the total frequency response by up to 10 dB, thereby providing enhanced dynamic audio reproduction. The audio signal is split into a plurality of frequency bands, each of which is actively, dynamically limited to a predetermined level related to the overall level of the unprocessed signal. The frequency bands are then recombined into a single processed signal which has an overall response which is as much as 10 dB more linearity than the unprocessed signal.
Claims22
An electronic audio processing system for insertion intermediate an audio source and an audio amplifier, said electronic audio processing system comprising:
- input means for receiving an audio input signal from an audio source, said audio input signal comprising a full frequency range input signal;
- means for dividing said full frequency range input signal into a plurality of separate frequency band signals;
- a plurality of gain control amplifiers, each of said plurality of gain control amplifiers receiving as an input one of said plurality of separate frequency band signals, each of said gain control amplifiers comprising:
- a variable gain amplifier for providing a variable degree of amplification between a minimum gain and a maximum gain to one of said plurality of separate frequency band signals, each of said variable gain amplifiers supplying as an output one of a plurality of gain controlled separate frequency band signals;
- and
- means for dynamically varying the degree of amplification of said variable gain amplifier such that input signal levels below a lower reference level are amplified by a constant gain, and input signal levels above said lower reference level are amplified to an output level substantially equal to but not exceeding a predetermined level higher than said lower reference level;
- and
- means for combining said plurality of gain controlled separate frequency band signals into a single full frequency range output signal.
An electronic audio processing system for insertion intermediate an audio source and an audio amplifier, said electronic audio processing system comprising:
- input means for receiving an audio input signal from an audio source, said audio input signal comprising a full frequency range input signal, said input means including an input attenuator for adjusting the level of said full frequency range input signal to a first predetermined level;
- filter means for dividing said full frequency range input signal into a plurality of separate frequency band signals;
- a plurality of gain control amplifiers, each of said plurality of gain control amplifiers receiving as an input one of said plurality of separate frequency band signals, each of said gain control amplifiers comprising:
- a variable gain amplifier for providing a variable degree of amplification between a minimum gain and a maximum gain to one of said plurality of separate frequency band signals, each of said variable gain amplifiers supplying as an output one of a plurality of gain controlled separate frequency band signals;
- and
- means for dynamically varying the degree of amplification of said variable gain amplifier such that input signal levels below a lower reference level are amplified by a constant gain, and unput signal levels above said lower reference level are amplified to an output level substantially equal to but not exceeding a second predetermined level higher than said lower reference level, said second predetermined level being related to said first predetermined level;
- and
- means for combining said plurality of gain controlled separate frequency band signals into a single full frequency range output signal.
An electronic audio processing system for insertion intermediate an audio source and an audio amplifier, said electronic audio processing system comprising:
- means for dividing a full frequency range input signal received from an audio source into a plurality of separate frequency band signals;
- a plurality of gain control amplifiers each receiving as an input one of said plurality of separate frequency band signals, each of said gain control amplifiers comprising:
- a variable gain amplifier for providing a variable degree of amplification between a minimum gain and a maximum gain to one of said plurality of separate frequency band signals, each of said variable gain amplifiers supplying as an output one of a plurality of gain controlled separate frequency band signals;
- and
- means for dynamically varying the degree of amplification of said variable gain amplifier such that input signal levels below a lower reference level are amplified by a constant gain, and input signal levels above said lower reference level are amplified to an output level substantially equal to but not exceeding a predetermined level higher than said lower reference level;
- and
- means for combining said plurality of gain controlled separate frequency band signals into a single output signal.
A method of electronically processing an audio signal from an audio source, said method comprising:
- receiving an audio input signal from an audio source, said audio input signal comprising a full frequency range input signal;
- dividing said full frequency range input signal into a plurality of separate frequency band signals;
- receiving as an input to each of a plurality of gain control amplifiers one of said plurality of separate frequency band signals;
- in each gain control amplifier, providing a variable degree of amplification between a minimum gain and a maximum gain to one of said plurality of separate frequency band signals, and supplying as an output from each gain control amplifier one of a plurality of gain controlled separate frequency band signals;
- dynamically varying the degree of amplification in each gain control amplifier such that input signal levels below a lower reference level are amplified by a constant gain, and input signal levels above said lower reference level are amplified to an output level substantially equal to but not exceeding a predetermined level higher than said lower reference level;
- and
- combining said plurality of gain controlled separate frequency band signals into a single full frequency range output signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.