Method and system for mixing audio streams in a computing system

An audio mixer for mixing audio streams in a general purpose computing system, in which audio source can selectively have input focus, comprising:

• a. an audio output;
• b. audio inputs for receiving audio streams from a plurality of audio sources wherein zero or more audio streams are registered as sound focus audio streams;
• c. control inputs for receiving control signals including an input focus control signal and an audio source registration signal;
• d. a selection component connected to the audio inputs and the control inputs for receiving the sound focus audio streams and control signals for:
• i. determining which audio source possesses sound focus based on the input focus control signal and the audio source registration signal;
• and
• ii. connecting the sound focus audio streams from audio source possessing sound focus to the audio output to generate an audio output signal on the audio output of the audio mixer.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for generating an audio output signal from one or more audio streams produced by one or more audio sources operating on a general purpose computer system in which each audio source can selectively have input focus, comprising the steps:

• a. for each audio source, registering zero or more audio streams as sound focus audio streams;
• b. determining which of the audio sources has sound focus based on the input focus and on the registration the audio streams of the audio sources as sound focus audio streams;
• c. selecting the sound focus audio streams from the audio source that has the sound focus;
• d. generating the audio output signal by mixing the selected sound focus audio streams of the audio source having the sound focus;
• and
• e. converting the audio output signal to an audible sound.