Audio data control
An exemplary method for controlling audio data being communicated between a plurality of users over a packet based network comprises steps of combining a plurality of audio data streams into a single master stream, receiving at least one volume value for at least one of the plurality of audio data streams from each of the plurality of users, and creating a second or decompositor stream for each of the plurality of users using the at least one volume value from said each of the plurality of users. The exemplary method further includes steps of creating a volume adjusted master stream for each of the plurality of users by modifying the master stream with the decompositor stream for said each of the plurality of users.
1. A method for communicating audio data streams between a plurality of users over a packet based network, the method comprising the steps of:
combining a plurality of real time audio data streams into a single master stream;
receiving at least one volume value for at least one of said plurality of audio data streams from each of a plurality of users;
creating a second stream for each of said plurality of users using said at least one volume value from said each of said plurality of users; and,
modifying said master stream by subtracting said second stream from said master stream to create a volume adjusted master stream for each of said plurality of users.
2. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein said at least one volume value comprises a plurality of volume values from each of said users, one each of said volume values for one each of said plurality of data streams, and wherein the step of creating said second stream comprises applying each of said plurality of volume values to one each of said plurality of data streams and combining the results.
3. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein the step of receiving said at least one volume value from each of said plurality of users further comprises receiving a corresponding stream selection value that specifies which of said plurality of audio streams said volume value applies to, and wherein the step of creating said second stream comprises applying said at least one volume value to said at least one audio data stream that corresponds to said at least one selection value.
4. A method as defined by claim 3 wherein said at least one volume value comprises a plurality of volume values, and wherein said at lest one selection value comprises a plurality of selection values, each of said plurality of selection values corresponding to one each of said volume values.
5. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein said plurality of audio data streams are communicated from said plurality of users.
6. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein said volume value comprises a gain value G, and wherein the step of creating said second stream comprises multiplying said at least one audio data stream by (1-G).
7. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein said plurality of users are connected to one another by a bridge, and wherein the step of combining said plurality of audio streams into a single master stream and the step of creating said volume adjusted master stream are performed at said bridge.
8. A method as defined by claim 1 and further including the step of communicating said volume adjusted master stream for each of said plurality of users to said each of said plurality of users.
9. A method as defined by claim 1 and further including the step of applying silence detection to said second stream.
10. A method as defined by claim 1 and further including the step of comparing each of said at least one audio data streams included in said second stream to a silence threshold level and removing any of said at least one audio data streams from said second stream if said any of said at least one audio data streams is below said silence threshold level.
11. A method as defined by claim 1 and further including the step of limiting said master stream to no more than four of said plurality of audio data streams.
12. A method as defined by claim 1 and further including the step of limiting said second stream to include no more than four of said plurality of audio data streams.
13. A method as defined by claim 1 and further including the initial step of representing said plurality of audio data streams received from said plurality of users with a linear model.
14. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein the step of combining said plurality of audio data streams comprises performing a sample wise sum of said plurality of audio data streams.
15. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein the step of combining a plurality of real time audio data streams into said single master stream comprises combining said audio streams through instantaneous mixing and sample-wise summation of said streams.
16. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein the step of creating said second stream comprises combining a plurality of audio data streams into said second stream, whereby said second stream comprises a plurality of individual audio streams combined into a single stream.
17. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein the step of combining said plurality of audio streams into a master stream comprises combining a plurality of audio streams that have not been modified to adjust for volume, wherein said master stream includes a plurality of audio streams that are not volume adjusted.
18. A computer program product for controlling audio data being communicated over a packet based data network, the program product including computer readable instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform the steps of:
a) combining a plurality of real-time audio data streams into a single master stream;
b) receiving at least one volume value and at least one stream selection value from one of a plurality of users, said selection value specifying which of said plurality of said audio data streams said volume value corresponds to;
c) creating a decompositor stream for said one user by applying said at least one volume value to said audio data stream specified by said selection value;
d) applying silence detection to said decompositor stream;
e) creating a volume adjusted master stream for said one user by subtracting said decompositor stream from said master stream; and,
f) communicating said volume adjusted master stream to said one user.
19. A computer program product as defined by claim 18 wherein the computer readable instructions when executed by the computer further cause the one or more computers to repeat steps b) - f) for each of said plurality of users wherein the computer communicates an individualized volume adjusted master stream to each of said plurality of users.
20. A method for controlling audio data being communicated between a plurality of n users over a packet based network, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving at least one real time audio stream P from each of said plurality of users;
combining each of said real time audio streams P into a single master stream M, where M=P 1 +P 2 +P 3 . . . +P n ;
receiving gain values G from each of said plurality of users along with a corresponding stream selection value indicating which of said plurality of real time streams said gain value corresponds to;
creating a decompositor stream D for each of said plurality of users, where D=P 1 (1−G 1 )+P 2 (1−G 2 )+P 3 (1−G 3 ) . . . +P n (1−G n ); and,
creating a volume adjusted master stream M′ for each of said plurality of users, where M′=M−D.