System and method for enhanced streaming audio
View Patent ↗A system and method for enhancement and management of streaming audio is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system provides a client-side decoder that is compatible with numerous audio formats, so that a user can enjoy relatively high-quality audio from various sources, even from sources that do not provide multi-channel or high-quality audio data. The system and method also include a management system for managing and controlling the use of licensed signal processing software to further enhance an audio stream. In one embodiment, the management system is used to manage a signal processing module that provides psychoacoustic audio processing to create a wider soundstage, an acoustic correction process to increase the perceived height and clarity of the audio image, and bass enhancement processing to create the perception of low bass from the small speakers or headphones typically used with multi-media systems and portable audio players.
1. A method of remotely enhancing audio data, the method comprising:
receiving a uniform resource locator (URL), the URL being associated with a broadcast server that provides audio data to a user device;
determining with one or more computer processors, in response to receiving the URL, whether a broadcaster associated with the URL is a member of a qualified group, wherein each member of the qualified group holds a license associated with an audio enhancement, and wherein the license associated with the audio enhancement is in addition to a license to distribute the audio information; and
remotely causing an audio enhancement module stored on the user device to enhance the audio data with the audio enhancement, wherein the audio enhancement comprises:
correcting a perceived height of an apparent sound stage associated with the audio data,
enhancing a bass response associated with the audio data, and
correcting a perceived width of the apparent sound stage associated with the audio data.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a customized user interface to the user device if the broadcast server is a member of the qualified group.
3. A method of enhancing audio data, the method comprising:
determining with one or more computer processors whether a broadcaster that operates a broadcast server that provides audio data to a user device is a member of a qualified group, wherein each member of the qualified group holds a license associated with an audio enhancement, and wherein the license associated with the audio enhancement is in addition to a license to distribute the audio information; and
remotely causing an audio enhancement module to enhance the audio data with the audio enhancement, wherein the audio enhancement comprises:
correcting a perceived height of an apparent sound stage associated with the audio data,
enhancing a bass response associated with the audio data, and
correcting a perceived width of the apparent sound stage associated with the audio data.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the enhancing of the audio data further comprises using 5-2-5 matrix techniques.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the enhancing of the audio data further comprises using multi-channel audio enhancement techniques.
6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving an identifier from a user device, the identifier being associated with the broadcast server.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said determining is performed in response to receiving the identifier.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identifier comprises a uniform resource locator (URL).
9. A method for managing and operating an audio enhancement, the method comprising:
receiving a request to enhance audio data provided by a broadcast computer to the client device;
in response to receiving the request, determining with one or more computer processors whether the broadcast computer is a member of a qualified group, wherein each member of the qualified group holds a license associated with the enhancement of audio information,
remotely causing an audio enhancement module to enhance the audio data in response to determining that the broadcast computer is a member of the qualified group, wherein operating the audio enhancement module to enhance the audio data comprises at least one of the following:
correcting a perceived height of an apparent sound stage associated with the audio data,
enhancing a bass response associated with the audio data, and
correcting a perceived width of the apparent sound stage associated with the audio data; and
remotely disabling the audio enhancement module in response to determining that the broadcast computer is not a member of the qualified group.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the request from the client device comprises a network identifier operative to identify the broadcast computer.