Manipulating Spatial Processing in a Audio System

Abstract

A vehicle audio system that includes a source of audio signals, which may include both entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals, speakers for radiating audio signals, and spatial enhancement circuitry comprising circuitry to avoid applying spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals.

1 . A vehicle audio system comprising:
 a source of audio signals, which may include both entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals;   speakers for radiating audio signals; and   spatial enhancement circuitry comprising circuitry to avoid applying spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals.   
   
   
       2 . A vehicle audio system according to  claim 1 , wherein the spatial enhancement circuitry applies no spatial processing operations to the audio signals received from the source if there is announcement audio content in the audio signals received from the source. 
   
   
       3 . A vehicle audio system according to  claim 1 , wherein the spatial enhancement circuitry includes:
 first alternately selectable circuitry for applying the spatial enhancement processing to the audio signals;   second alternately selectable circuitry for applying no spatial enhancement processing to the audio signals; and   circuitry for selecting the audio signals from the first or second alternately selectable circuitry based on the presence of announcement audio signal in the combined audio signals.   
   
   
       4 . A vehicle audio system according to  claim 1 , wherein the spatial enhancement circuitry comprises
 circuitry for separating the audio signals from the audio signal source into entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals;   circuitry for applying spatial enhancement processing to the entertainment audio signals; and   circuitry for combining the processed entertainment audio signals and the announcement audio signals.   
   
   
       5 . A vehicle audio system according to  claim 1 , wherein the source of audio signals comprises a source of front audio signals that may contain front announcement audio signals, hereinafter referred to as front audio:signals, and a source of rear audio signals that may contain rear announcement audio signals, hereinafter referred to as rear audio signals, the audio system further comprising:
 front spatial processing:circuitry comprising   first alternately selectable front circuitry for applying the spatial enhancement processing to the front audio signals;   second alternately selectable front circuitry for applying no spatial enhancement processing to the front audio signals; and   circuitry for selecting the audio signals from the first or second alternately selectable front circuitry based on the presence of announcement audio signal in the front audio signals, the audio system further comprising   rear spatial processing circuitry comprising   first alternately selectable rear circuitry for applying the spatial enhancement processing to the rear audio signals;   second alternately selectable rear circuitry for applying no spatial enhancement processing to the rear audio signals; and   circuitry for selecting the audio signals from the first or second alternately selectable circuitry rear based on the presence of announcement audio signal in the rear audio signals   
   
   
       6 . A vehicle audio system according to  claim 1 , wherein the spatial enhancement circuitry applies spatial enhancement processing to the entertainment audio signals and does not apply spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals. 
   
   
       7 . A method for operating a vehicle audio system comprising:
 receiving audio signals that may contain announcement audio signals;   if the received audio signals do not contain announcement audio signals, applying spatial processing to the received audio signals;   if the received audio signals include announcement audio signals, not applying spatial processing to the announcement audio signals.   
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 if the received audio signals include announcement audio signals and entertainment audio signals, applying spatial processing to the entertainment audio signals.   
   
   
       9 . A vehicle audio amplifier comprising:
 an input terminal for receiving audio signals that may include announcement audio signals; and   spatial enhancement circuitry containing circuitry to avoid applying spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals.   
   
   
       10 . A vehicle audio amplifier according to  claim 9 , wherein the spatial enhancement circuitry applies no spatial processing operations to the received audio signals if the received audio signals include announcement audio signals. 
   
   
       11 . A vehicle audio, amplifier according to  claim 9 , wherein the spatial enhancement circuitry includes:
 first alternately selectable circuitry for applying the spatial enhancement processing to the combined audio signals;   second alternately selectable circuitry for applying no spatial enhancement processing to the combined audio signals; and   circuitry for selecting the audio signals from the first or second alternately selectable circuitry based on the presence of announcement audio signals in the combined audio signals.   
   
   
       12 . A vehicle audio amplifier according to  claim 9 , wherein the spatial enhancement circuitry comprises
 circuitry for separating the combined audio signals into entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals;   circuitry for applying spatial enhancement processing to the entertainment audio signals; and   circuitry for combining the processed entertainment audio signals and the announcement audio signals.   
   
   
       13 . A vehicle audio amplifier according to  claim 9 , the input terminal comprising an input terminal for receiving front audio signals that may include announcement audio signals, hereinafter referred to as front input terminal and an input terminal for receiving rear audio signals which may include announcement audio signals, hereinafter referred to as rear input terminal, the amplifier further comprising:
 front spatial processing circuitry comprising   first alternately selectable front circuitry for applying the spatial enhancement processing to the front audio signals;   second alternately selectable front circuitry for applying no spatial enhancement processing to the front audio signals; and   circuitry for selecting the audio signals from the first or second alternately selectable front circuitry based on the presence of announcement audio signal in the front audio signals, the audio system further comprising   rear spatial processing circuitry comprising   first alternately selectable rear circuitry for applying the spatial enhancement processing to the rear audio signals;   second alternately rear selectable circuitry for applying no spatial enhancement processing to the rear audio signals; and   circuitry for selecting the audio signals from the first or second alternately selectable rear circuitry based on the presence of announcement audio signal in the rear audio signals.