Controlling fading and surround signal level

Abstract

Preserving an audio signal in an audio system includes selecting a first audio signal from a plurality of audio signals. The first audio signal is applied to a first transducer. Mix a portion of the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the plurality of audio signals to provide a mixed audio signal. A gain of the first audio signal that is applied to the first transducer is decreased while a portion of the mixed audio signal is applied to a second transducer to preserve at least a portion of the first audio signal.

1 . A method for preserving an audio signal in an audio system having at least a first transducer and a second transducer and a plurality of audio signals, the method comprising: 
 selecting a first audio signal from the plurality of audio signals, the first audio signal being applied to the first transducer;    mixing a portion of the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the plurality of audio signals to generate a mixed audio signal; and    decreasing a gain of the first audio signal applied to the first transducer while applying a portion of the mixed audio signal to the second transducer to preserve at least a portion of the first audio signal.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising modifying a gain of the second audio signal prior to mixing the portion of the first audio signal into the second audio signal.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first audio signal comprises a surround sound signal.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first audio signal comprises a center channel signal.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising mixing at least a portion of a third audio signal from the plurality of audio signals into a portion of a fourth audio signal from the plurality of audio signals to generate another mixed audio signal.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the decreasing the gain of the first audio signal applied to the first transducer comprises fading-out the first audio signal.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the applying the portion of the mixed audio signal to the second transducer comprises fading-in the mixed audio signal.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mixing further comprises determining mixing coefficients for at least one of the following, the first audio signal and the second audio signal.  
     
     
         9 . An audio system having at least first and second transducers comprising: 
 an audio source of a plurality of audio signals, the plurality of audio signals comprising a first audio signal that is applied to the first transducer;    a processor that mixes a portion of the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the plurality of audio signals to generate a mixed audio signal; and    a control that decreases a gain of the first audio signal applied to the first transducer while applying a portion of the mixed audio signal to the second transducer to preserve at least a portion of the first audio signal.    
     
     
         10 . The audio system of  claim 9  wherein the control comprises a fader control.  
     
     
         11 . The audio system of  claim 9  wherein the audio source includes discrete audio signals.  
     
     
         12 . The audio system of  claim 9  wherein at least one of the plurality of audio signals comprises a surround signal.  
     
     
         13 . The audio system of  claim 9  wherein at least one of the plurality of audio signals comprises a center channel signal.  
     
     
         14 . The audio system of  claim 9  wherein the fader control comprises a rotary control.  
     
     
         15 . The audio system of  claim 9  wherein the fader control comprises a linear control.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for preserving an audio signal in an audio system having a plurality of audio signals, the apparatus comprising: 
 a processor that receives the plurality of audio signals, the processor mixing a portion of a first audio signal from the plurality of audio signals with a second audio signal from the plurality of audio signals to provide a mixed audio signal; and    a control that decreases a gain of the first audio signal while at least sustaining the mixed audio signal to preserve at least a portion of the first audio signal.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the control comprises a fader control.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein at least one of the plurality of audio signals comprises a surround signal.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein at least one of the plurality of audio signals comprises a center channel signal.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the fader control comprises a rotary control.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the fader control comprises a linear control.  
     
     
         22 . A fader control for first and second audio signals comprising: 
 a first control region comprising a pure fading region constructed and arranged to establish a gain of the first audio signal being decreased in the pure fading region while a gain of the second audio signal is at least preserved; and    a second control region that is located adjacent to the first control region, the gain of the first audio signal being decreased in the second control region while a gain of a first mixed signal is at least preserved, the first mixed signal comprising a portion of the first audio signal and a portion of the second audio signal.    
     
     
         23 . The fader control of  claim 22  wherein at least one of the first and the second audio signals comprises a surround signal.  
     
     
         24 . The fader control of  claim 22  wherein at least one of the first and the second audio signals comprises a center channel signal.  
     
     
         25 . The fader control of  claim 22  wherein at least one of the first and the second audio signals comprises a front channel signal.  
     
     
         26 . The fader control of  claim 22  wherein the first audio signal comprises a surround signal and the second audio signal comprises a front channel signal.  
     
     
         27 . A fader control for a plurality of audio signals comprising: 
 a first control region constructed and arranged to establish a gain of the first audio signal being decreased in the first control region while a gain of a first mixed signal is increased, the first mixed signal comprising a portion of the first audio signal and a portion of a second audio signal; and    a second control region that is located adjacent to the first control region constructed and arranged to establish, a gain of a third audio signal being decreased in the second control region while a gain of a second mixed signal is increased, the second mixed signal comprising a portion of the third audio signal and a portion of a fourth audio signal.    
     
     
         28 . The fader control of  claim 27  further comprising a third control region that is located between the first and the second control region constructed and arranged to establish, a pure fading function in the third control region.  
     
     
         29 . The fader control of  claim 27  constructed and arranged to establish a center position that is located between the first and the second control regions, the center position comprising a neutral fading position.  
     
     
         30 . The fader control of  claim 27  wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth audio signals comprises a surround signal.  
     
     
         31 . The fader control of  claim 27  wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth audio signals comprises a center channel signal.  
     
     
         32 . The fader control of  claim 27  wherein the first audio signal comprises a surround signal and the second audio signal comprises a front channel signal.  
     
     
         33 . The fader control of  claim 27  wherein the third audio signal comprises a center channel signal and the fourth audio signal comprises a surround signal.  
     
     
         34 . A method for determining a position of a fader control of an audio system, the method comprising: 
 determining a ratio of the front signal to the rear signal.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising adjusting the position of the fader control.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising establishing a fade contour with a model of fader gain relative to the ratio of the front signal to the rear signal.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising establishing a fade contour with a lookup table of fader gain relative to the ratio of the front signal to the rear signal.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising taking a weighted average of the front signal and the rear signal.  
     
     
         39 . An apparatus for preserving an audio signal in an audio system having at least first and second transducers and a source of audio signals, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for selecting a first audio signal from the plurality of audio signals, the first audio signal being applied to the first transducer;    means for mixing a portion of the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the plurality of audio signals to generate a mixed audio signal; and    means for decreasing a gain of the first audio signal applied to the first transducer while applying a portion of the mixed audio signal to the second transducer to preserve at least a portion of the first audio signal.