Automatic volume control for combined game and chat audio

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9685922-B2
Application number	US-201414339639-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2014
Priority date	Aug 18, 2008
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A system comprising audio processing circuitry is provided. The audio processing circuitry is operable to receive combined-game-and-chat audio signals generated from a mixing together of a chat audio signal and game audio signals. The audio processing circuitry is operable to process the combined-game-and-chat audio signals to detect strength of a chat component of the combined-game-and-chat audio signals and strength of a game component of the combined-game-and-chat audio signals. The audio processing circuitry is operable to automatically control a volume setting based on one or both of: the detected strength of the chat component, and the detected strength of the game component. The combined-game-and-chat audio signals may comprise a left channel signal and a right channel signal. The processing of the combined-game-and-chat audio signals may comprise measuring strength of a vocal-band signal component that is common to the left channel signal and the right channel signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising
in a headset comprising a game/chat distinguisher and a volume control circuit:
receiving combined-game-and-chat audio signals generated from a mixing together of a chat audio signal and game audio signals;
processing, using said game/chat distinguisher, said combined-game-and-chat audio signals to detect strength of a chat component of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals and strength of a game component of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals; and
automatically controlling, using said volume circuit, a volume setting based on one or both of: said detected strength of said chat component, and said detected strength of said game component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
said combined-game-and-chat audio signals comprise a left channel signal and a right channel signal; and
said processing of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals comprises a measurement of strength of a vocal-band signal component that is common to said left channel signal and said right channel signal.

3. A system comprising:
audio processing circuitry comprising a game/chat distinguisher, an envelope detector, and a volume control circuit, said audio processing circuity being operable to:
receive, at said game/chat distinguisher, combined-game-and-chat audio signals generated from a mixing together of a chat audio signal and game audio signals;
process, via said envelope detector and said game/chat distinguisher, said combined-game-and-chat audio signals to detect strength of a chat component of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals and strength of a game component of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals; and
automatically control, via said volume control circuit, a volume setting based on one or both of: said detected strength of said chat component, and said detected strength of said game component.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
said combined-game-and-chat audio signals comprise a left channel signal and a right channel signal; and
said processing of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals comprises a measurement, by said game/chat distinguisher, of strength of a vocal-band signal component that is common to said left channel signal and said right channel signal.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said processing of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals comprises a measurement, by said game/chat distinguisher, of strength of a non-vocal-band signal component that is common to said left channel signal and said right channel signal.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said processing of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals comprises:
a combining, by a combiner circuit of said audio processing circuitry, of said left channel audio signal and said right channel audio signal resulting in a combined audio signal; and
measuring, by said game/chat distinguisher, strength of said combined audio signal over vocal and non-vocal bands.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein said audio processing circuitry is operable to:
apply, by a gain circuit of said volume control circuit, a first gain to vocal-band frequencies of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals; and
apply, by said gain circuit, a second gain to a non-vocal-band frequencies of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein said volume control circuit of said audio processing circuitry is operable to:
generate one or more control signals that control said first gain and said second gain, wherein a state of said one or more control signals is automatically controlled in response to one or both of: said detected strength of said chat component, and said detected strength of said game component.

9. The system of claim 3 , wherein said volume control circuit of said audio processing circuitry is operable to automatically control said volume setting based on a ratio of said detected strength of said chat component to said detected strength of said game component.

10. The system of claim 3 , wherein said audio processing circuitry is in a headset.

11. The system of claim 3 , wherein said audio processing circuitry is in a game console.

Assignees

• Voyetra Turtle Beach Inc

Inventors

• Kulavik Richard
• Kuruba Buchannagari Shobha Devi
• Bonanno Carmine

Classifications

• H04R1/1091

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title

• H03G3/20 Primary

  Automatic control ({H03G3/005 takes precedence;} combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00) · CPC title

• H03G3/3005

  in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers (H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• H03G3/3089

  Control of digital or coded signals · CPC title

• H03G5/165

  Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands · CPC title