IP Library Granted Patent US 9,413,323
Granted Patent B2
US 9,413,323 · App. 14/174,259 · Granted Aug 9, 2016

System and method of filtering an audio signal prior to conversion to an MU-LAW format

Inventors: Marcel Barbulescu (Falls Church, VA); Elan Joel Blutinger (Washington, DC); Radu Robotin (Arlington, VA)
Assignee: Alpine Audio Now, LLC.
H03G9/025H03G3/001H03G5/165H03G7/002
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,413,323
App. No.
14/174,259
Granted
Aug 9, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a method of processing a signal such as an audio signal. The method includes normalizing a received signal to a level of between −2 dB and −10 dB to yield a normalized signal, compressing the normalized signal exceeding a threshold (such as 70% of the maximum volume and above) to yield a compressed signal, performing frequency equalization on the compressed signal to yield an equalized signal; and normalizing the equalized signal.

Claims (29)

1. A method comprising:

normalizating a received signal to a level of between −2 dB and −10 dB to yield a normalized signal;

compressing the normalized signal exceeding a threshold set at 70% of a peak volume to yield a compressed signal;

performing frequency equalization on the compressed signal to yield an equalized signal; and

normalizing the equalized signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level is −6 dB.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing a DC offset.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the volume threshold is related to a percentage of maximum signal amplitude.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the percentage is approximately 70%.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressing compresses the normalized signal by a ratio of 3:1.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing frequency equalization comprises applying a plurality of filters.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising applying a low frequency filter to remove frequencies below 40 Hz, a band-pass filter having a level of −6 dB and a center frequency of 135 Hz, a low-mid band-pass filter having a level of −4 dB and a center frequency of 500 Hz, a mid frequency band-pass filter having a level of −3 dB and a center frequency of 1 KHz, a mid-high band-pass filter with a level of −4 dB and a center frequency of 2 KHz, and a high band-pass filter with a level of −4 dB and a center frequency of 4 KHz.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein normalizing the equalized signal yields a normalized equalized signal, and the method further comprises:

processing the normalized equalized signal with a companding algorithm.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the companding algorithm is a u-law algorithm.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

normalizating a received signal to a level of between −2 dB and −10 dB to yield a normalized signal;

compressing the normalized signal exceeding a threshold set at 70% of the peak volume to yield a compressed signal;

performing frequency equalization on the compressed signal to yield an equalized signal; and

normalizing the equalized signal.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein normalizing the equalized signal yields a normalized equalized signal, and wherein the computer-readable medium stores additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising processing the normalized equalized signal with a companding algorithm.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the companding algorithm is a u-law algorithm.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

normalizating a received signal to a level of between −2 dB and −10 dB to yield a normalized signal;

compressing the normalized signal exceeding a threshold set at 70% of the peak volume to yield a compressed signal;

performing frequency equalization on the compressed signal to yield an equalized signal; and

normalizing the equalized signal.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2016
From: ALPINE AUDIO NOW, LLC
To: AUDIONOW IP HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 040243/0626 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 23, 2015
From: BARBULESCU, MARCEL; BLUTINGER, ELAN JOEL; ROBOTIN, RADU
To: ALPINE AUDIO NOW, LLC
Reel/Frame 035482/0632 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61761518 · Feb 6, 2013
Related Publication 20140219476A1 · Aug 7, 2014