Audio processing apparatus
View Patent ↗A processing apparatus comprises a beeper system for controlling operation of a beeper in response to beeper control signals, an audio system for controlling operation of at least one speaker in response to audio data signals, and a redirection module for redirecting a beeper control signal to the audio system.
1. An audio processing apparatus comprising:
a first audio output device in the form of an audio beeper;
a second audio output device which is separate and different from the first audio output device and which second audio output device is in the form of an audio speaker;
a first audio control system including a beep generator and circuitry for controlling operation of the beep generator to provide a beep sound on the audio beeper in response to beeper control signals;
a second audio control system including a speech generator or recorder and circuitry for controlling operation of the audio speaker in response to audio data signals from the speech generator or recorder; and
a redirection module for redirecting a beeper control signal intended for the first audio control system to the second audio control system so that circuitry of the second audio control system can process the beeper control signal to provide a beep sound on the audio speaker.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a processing module for converting the beeper control signal to an audio data signal.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the beeper control signal is representative of a beep sound and the processing module is configured to convert the beeper control signal to the audio data signal by selecting at least one stored signal to represent the beep sound.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a mixing module configured to combine the beep audio data signal with at least one other audio data signal to produce a combined audio data signal.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one other audio data signal is representative of speech from the speech generator or recorder.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an application interface, the application interface being configured to send the beeper control signal to the first audio control system and to expect a response message from the first audio control system, and the redirection module is configured to send the expected response message to the application interface.
7. Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing module is configured to send a request for service to the redirection module, and the redirection module is configured to respond to the request for service by redirecting a beeper control signal to the processing module upon receipt of the beeper control signal at the redirection module.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the processing module is configured to send a further request for service immediately upon receipt of a response from the redirection module.
9. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the redirection module includes a redirection setting which determines whether, in operation, the redirection module redirects the beeper control signal to the second audio control system or not.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the redirection module is configured to determine whether at least one specified device or component is present or absent, and to set the value of the redirection setting in dependence upon whether the at least one specified device or component is present or absent.
11. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the redirection module is implemented in software.
12. An automated teller machine (ATM) comprising:
an audio beeper;
an audio speaker disposed on front of the ATM and for delivering speech and beep sounds to an ATM customer at the ATM;
a first audio control system disposed within the ATM and including a beep generator and circuitry for controlling operation of the beep generator to provide a beep sound on the audio beeper;
a second audio control system disposed within the ATM and including a speech generator or recorder and circuitry for controlling operation of the audio speaker on front of the ATM in response to audio data signals from the speech generator or recorder; and
a redirection module disposed within the ATM and for redirecting a beeper control signal intended for the first audio control system to the second audio control system so that circuitry of the second audio control system can process the beeper control signal to provide a beep sound on the audio speaker on front of the ATM while an ATM customer is conducting an ATM transaction at the ATM.
13. An ATM according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a processing module for converting the beeper control signal to an audio data signal, wherein the beeper control signal is representative of a beep sound and the processing module is configured to convert the beeper control signal to the audio data signal by selecting at least one stored signal to represent the beep sound; and
a mixing module configured to combine the beep audio data signal with at least one other audio data signal which is representative of speech from the speech generator or recorder to produce a combined audio data signal which is representative of a mixture of speech and a beep sound.
14. A method of producing a beep sound on an audio speaker located on front of an automated teller machine (ATM) which has (i) a beep generator without any separate beeper speaker off of the output of the beep generator, (ii) first circuitry for controlling operation of the beep generator to provide a beep sound, (iii) a speech generator or recorder, and (iv) second circuitry separate and different from the first circuitry and which second circuitry is provided for controlling operation of the audio speaker in response to audio data signals from the speech generator or recorder, the method comprising:
redirecting a beeper control signal intended for the first circuitry to the second circuitry so that the second circuitry can process the beeper control signal to produce a beep sound on the audio speaker on front of the ATM while an ATM customer is conducting an ATM transaction at the ATM.
15. A method according to claim 14 , further comprising converting the redirected beeper control signal to an audio data signal for processing by the second circuitry.
16. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the beeper control signal is representative of the beep sound, and the conversion of the beeper control signal to an audio data signal comprises selecting at least one stored signal to represent the beep sound.
17. A method according to claim 14 , wherein the beeper control signal is received from an application interface, and the method further comprises sending a response message to the application interface.
18. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the redirecting is performed by a redirection module and the conversion is performed by a processing module, and the method further comprises sending a request for service from the processing module to the redirection module, responding to the request for service by redirecting a beeper control signal to the processing module upon receipt of the beeper control signal at the redirection module.
19. A method according to claim 14 , further comprising determining whether or not to redirect the beeper control signal to the second circuitry in dependence upon the value of a redirection setting.
20. A method according to claim 19 , further comprising setting the value of the redirection setting in dependence upon whether at least one specified device or component is present or absent.