Audio submix management

Abstract

Described herein are one or more implementations offering a centralized (e.g., single-point) user-interface, where a user may manipulate audio properties (e.g., volume level) for one or more audio submixes produced by each of multiple active operating-system processes.

1 . A method comprising:
 discovering multiple audio submixes on a computer;   assigning each of the multiple audio submixes to at least one of a plurality of classifications;   displaying individual audio properties for each of one or more audio submixes assigned to a first classification; and   displaying classification-level audio properties for a second classification, wherein the classification-level audio properties control at least two audio submixes assigned to the second classification.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the multiple audio submixes are associated with an active operating system process currently executing on the computer. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the multiple audio submixes are associated with an inactive operating system process configured on the computer and not currently executing on the computer. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the multiple audio submixes are not currently audible on the computer yet have recently been audible on the computer within a predefined amount of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising automatically increasing volume of audio submixes with voice communications and automatically decreasing volume of audio submixes without voice communications. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising examining a memory of the computer to discover the multiple audio submixes. 
     
     
         7 . One or more computing devices storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform operations comprising:
 discovering multiple audio submixes, each audio submix being produced by a different operating system process; and   generating a user interface that individually displays audio properties of each of the multiple audio submixes, the user interface including adjustable controls that enable a user to adjust the audio properties of one audio submix independent of adjusting audio properties of other audio submixes.   
     
     
         8 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 7 , wherein the audio properties of each audio submix comprise volume. 
     
     
         9 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 7 , wherein at least some of the multiple audio submixes are associated with multiple active applications executing on the one or more computing devices, each active application including one or more operating-system processes. 
     
     
         10 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 7 , wherein one or more of the multiple audio submixes are associated with an inactive application that is installed on the one or more computer devices and is not currently executing on the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
         11 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 displaying the user interface;   receiving a user adjustment to the audio properties of the one audio submix; and   adjusting the audio properties of the one audio submix without adjusting the audio properties of the other audio submixes.   
     
     
         12 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 assigning each of the multiple audio submixes to at least one of a plurality of classifications;   generating the user interface to individually display the audio properties of one or more audio submixes assigned to a first classification; and   generating the user interface to display classification-level audio properties for a second classification, wherein the classification-level audio properties control at least two audio submixes assigned to the second classification.   
     
     
         13 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise automatically adjusting the audio properties of an audio submix with voice audio by increasing a volume when the voice audio is being output. 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors;   one or more memories;   a submix discoverer component stored on the one or more memories and operable by the one or more processors to discover multiple audio submixes being produced by system processes;   a settings acquirer component stored on the one or more memories and operable by the one or more processors to acquire audio settings of the multiple audio submixes;   a user interface generator component stored on the one or more memories and operable by the one or more processors to generate a user interface that individually displays the audio setting of each of the multiple audio submixes; and   a settings adjuster component stored on the one or more memories and operable by the one or more processors to receive an indication of an audio setting adjustment of one audio submix, and to adjust, based on the indication, the audio settings of the one audio submix independent of adjusting audio settings of other audio submixes.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a submix classifier component stored on the one or more memories and operable by the one or more processors to assign each of the multiple audio submixes to at least one of a plurality of classifications so that classification-level audio settings can be configured and displayed. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein one or more of the multiple audio submixes are associated with an active system process currently executing on the system. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein one or more of the multiple audio submixes are associated with an inactive application configured on the system and not currently executing on the system. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein one or more of the multiple audio submixes are not currently audible on the system, yet have recently been audible on the system within a predefined amount of time. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the settings adjuster component automatically increases volume of audio submixes with voice communications and automatically decreases volume of audio submixes without voice communications. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the audio settings include volume controls.