Recording and playback control system

Abstract

The invention is a system for recording and reading both program data and acoustical control data and playing back the data to optimize performance of audio reproduction and recreate the effect of an original acoustic environment. The system has a recording apparatus, a playback apparatus and a recording media. The recording apparatus produces recording media having both acoustic control information and audio data. The playback apparatus gives the user some ability to override otherwise automatic parameter adjustments. Optionally, a metadata display system takes information about the physical arrangement of instruments and other characteristics of the recording session and the recording studio and makes that visually available to the listener. A player type register identifies the characteristics of the playback device to cause an adjustment of the characteristics of the playback system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data comprising 
 a demultiplexer for retrieving audio data and acoustic control data    said acoustic control data providing a predetermined number N of inputs to 
 gain and phase circuits,  
 delay and reverberation circuits,  
 equalizer circuits, and  
 gain/attenuation circuits,  
   said gain/attenuation circuits connected to output to a second predetermined number M of summation channels,    said audio data feeding serially through said 
 gain and phase circuits,  
 delay and reverberation circuits, and  
 equalizer circuits.  
   
     
     
         2 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 1  further comprising a listener input circuit connected to provide signals, said listener input signals adapted to alter default data from said media and to interact dynamically with bias information in said default data.  
     
     
         3 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 1  further comprising a player type register providing a signal indicative of parameters of the playback medium to said gain and phase circuits, delay and reverberation circuits, and equalizer circuits to provide information indicative of the characteristics of a player for the media.  
     
     
         4 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 2  further comprising a player type register providing a signal indicative of parameters of the playback medium to said gain and phase circuits, delay and reverberation circuits, and equalizer circuits to provide information indicative of the characteristics of a player for the media.  
     
     
         5 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 3  wherein said player type register is adapted to provide information to active noise cancellation apparatus.  
     
     
         6 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 4  wherein said player type register is adapted to provide information to active noise cancellation apparatus.  
     
     
         7 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 1 , further comprising, a loop closing subsystem interfaced to said playback system comprising 
 a programmable delay,    a second generator for test signals,    precision microphones to receive returned information from said test signals,    connections to provide parameter corrections to parameters of said playback system.    
     
     
         8 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 2 , further comprising, a loop closing subsystem interfaced to said playback system comprising 
 a programmable delay,    a second generator for test signals,    precision microphones to receive returned information from said test signals,    connections to provide parameter corrections to parameters of said playback system.    
     
     
         9 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 3 , further comprising, a loop closing subsystem interfaced to said playback system comprising 
 a programmable delay,    a second generator for test signals,    precision microphones to receive returned information from said test signals,    connections to provide parameter corrections to parameters of said playback system.    
     
     
         10 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 4 , further comprising, a loop closing subsystem interfaced to said playback system comprising 
 a programmable delay,    a second generator for test signals,    precision microphones to receive returned information from said test signals,    connections to provide parameter corrections to parameters of said playback system.    
     
     
         11 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 5 , further comprising, a loop closing subsystem interfaced to said playback system comprising 
 a programmable delay,    a second generator for test signals,    precision microphones to receive returned information from said test signals,    connections to provide parameter corrections to parameters of said playback system.    
     
     
         12 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 6 , further comprising, a loop closing subsystem interfaced to said playback system comprising 
 a programmable delay,    a second generator for test signals,    precision microphones to receive returned information from said test signals,    connections to provide parameter corrections to parameters of said playback system.    
     
     
         13 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 1 , wherein said playback system further comprises a metadata display system.  
     
     
         14 . The playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data of  claim 7 , wherein said playback system further comprises a metadata display system  
     
     
         15 . A system for recording acoustical control data to optimize performance of audio reproduction and provide data for the recreation of an original acoustic environment comprising 
 a recording system comprising 
 a precision microphone to provide signals to an authoring system and test signal generator,  
 said authoring system generating and recording acoustic control information comprising acoustic venue information and control room venue information,  
 said acoustic venue information comprising 
 studio dynamic data comprising data selected from the group concerning 
 reverb time,  
 delay time,  
 standing waves,  
 ambient noise,  
 room frequency response, and  
 room dynamics information  
 
 
 said control room venue information comprising data concerning 
 reverb time,  
 delay time,  
 standing waves, and  
 ambient noise  
 
 said test signal generator adapted to output preprogrammed test signals for a predetermined time and to detect received returned signals to determine recording acoustic information,  
 a data multiplexer to bring together as multiplexed data said acoustic control information and audio information,  
   recording apparatus for fixing said multiplexed data in a medium capable of mass reproduction.    
     
     
         16 . The system for recording acoustical control data to optimize performance of audio reproduction and provide data for the recreation of an original acoustic environment of  claim 15  wherein said acoustic venue information further comprises 
 meta data comprising data selected from the group concerning  
 instrument placement,  
 instrument separation and partitioning  
 peak or RMS limiting  
 console recorded information comprising 
 equalization  
 compression.  
 
 
     
     
         17 . A system for recording and reading acoustical control data and playing back acoustical information controlled by such data to optimize performance of audio reproduction and recreate an original acoustic environment comprising 
 a recording system comprising 
 a precision microphone to provide signals to an authoring system and test signal generator,  
 said authoring system generating and recording acoustic control information comprising acoustic venue information and control room venue information,  
 said acoustic venue information comprising 
 meta data comprising data selected from the group concerning 
 instrument placement,  
 instrument separation and partitioning placement,  
 peak or RMS limiting  
 console recorded information comprising  
  equalization  
  compression  
 
 
 studio dynamic data comprising data selected from the group concerning 
 reverb time,  
 delay time,  
 standing waves,  
 ambient noise,  
 room frequency response, and  
 room dynamics information  
 
   said control room venue information comprising data selected from the group concerning 
 reverb time,  
 delay time,  
 standing waves, and  
 ambient noise  
   said test signal generator adapted to output preprogrammed test signals for a predetermined time and to detect received returned signals to determine recording acoustic information,    a data multiplexer to bring together as multiplexed data said acoustic control information and audio information,    recording apparatus for fixing said multiplexed data in a medium capable of mass reproduction,    media produced from said mass reproduction medium,    a playback system for reproducing audio data and reading acoustic control data comprising 
 a demultiplexer for retrieving audio data and acoustic control data  
 said acoustic control data providing a predetermined number N of inputs to gain and  
 metadata display systems, and  
   a player type register providing a signal indicative of parameters of the playback medium to said gain and phase circuits, delay and reverberation circuits, and equalizer circuits to provide information indicative of the characteristics of a player for the media,    said player type register adapted to provide information to active noise cancellation apparatus,    a loop closing subsystem interfaced to said playback system comprising 
 a programmable delay,  
 a second generator for test signals,  
 precision microphones to receive returned information from said test signals,  
 connections to provide parameter corrections to parameters of said playback system.