Methods and apparatuses for audio mixing
View Patent ↗An example system may include a first mixer module configured to receive a latency-tolerant audio signal, buffer the latency-tolerant audio signal for a first duration, and process the latency-tolerant audio signal. The system may also include a second mixer module configured to receive the processed latency-tolerant audio signal from the first mixer module. The second mixer may also be configured to receive a latency-sensitive audio signal, where the latency-sensitive audio signal is shorter in duration than the latency-tolerant audio signal, and where the latency-sensitive audio signal corresponds to a user input. The second mixer may also be configured to buffer the latency-sensitive audio signal for a second duration, where the second duration is shorter than the first duration. The second mixer may also be configured to process the latency-sensitive audio signal, and combine the processed latency-tolerant audio signal and the processed latency-sensitive audio signal to create a combined signal.
1. A system comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory module;
a first mixer module configured to:
receive a latency-tolerant audio signal; and
buffer the latency-tolerant audio signal for a first duration; and
a second mixer module configured to:
receive the latency-tolerant audio signal from the first mixer module;
receive a latency-sensitive audio signal, wherein the latency-sensitive audio signal has a duration less than the latency-tolerant signal, and wherein the latency-sensitive audio signal is provided in response to a received input;
buffer the latency-sensitive audio signal for a second duration, wherein the second duration is shorter in time than the first duration;
and
combine the latency-tolerant audio signal and the latency-sensitive audio signal to create a combined signal.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second mixer module is further configured to:
output the combined signal to the memory module and/or a speaker.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an adaptation module via which the latency-tolerant audio signal is conveyed from the first mixer module to the second mixer module, wherein the adaptation module is configured to alter a sample rate of the latency-tolerant audio signal.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first mixer module is configured to cycle between a first idle state and a first active state, wherein the first mixer module is configured to buffer the latency-tolerant audio signal while the first mixer module is in the first idle state, and wherein the first mixer module is configured to process the buffered latency-tolerant audio signal while the first mixer module is in the first active state; and
the second mixer module is configured to cycle between a second idle state and a second active state, wherein the second mixer module is configured to buffer the latency-sensitive audio signal while the second mixer module is in the second idle state, and wherein the second mixer module is configured to process the buffered latency-sensitive audio signal while the second mixer module is in the second active state.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first mixer module is configured to cycle, at intervals having average duration T 1 , between a first idle state and a first active state; and
the second mixer module is configured to cycle, at intervals having average duration T 2 , between second idle state and second active state, wherein T 1 is a finite amount of time, T 2 is a finite amount of time, and T 1 is greater than T 2 .
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first mixer module is configured to process audio signals having a first sample rate;
the second mixer module is configured to process audio signals having a second sample rate; and
the first sample rate is different than the second sample rate.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first mixer module is further configured to process the latency-tolerant audio signal so as to modify one or more characteristics of the latency-tolerant audio signal, and wherein processing the latency-tolerant audio signal utilizes a first load, wherein processing the latency-sensitive audio signal utilizes a second load, and wherein the first load is greater than the second load.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first mixer module is further configured to process the latency-tolerant audio signal so as to modify one or more characteristics of the latency-tolerant audio signal, and wherein processing the latency-tolerant audio signal comprises one or more of:
sample rate conversion, filtering, and addition of audio effects.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first mixer module is further configured to process the latency-tolerant audio signal so as to modify one or more characteristics of the latency-tolerant audio signal, and wherein processing the latency-sensitive audio signal comprises volume control.
10. A method comprising:
receiving a latency-tolerant audio signal into a first mixer module;
buffering the latency-tolerant audio signal for a first duration;
receiving the latency-tolerant audio signal into a second mixer module;
receiving a latency-sensitive audio signal into the second mixer module, wherein the latency-sensitive audio signal has a duration less than the latency-tolerant signal, and wherein the latency-sensitive audio signal is provided in response to a received input;
buffering the latency-sensitive audio signal for a second duration, wherein the second duration is shorter in time than the first duration;
and
combining the latency-tolerant audio signal and the latency-sensitive audio signal to create a combined signal.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
outputting the combined signal to a memory module and/or a speaker.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the first mixer module is configured to cycle between a first idle state and a first active state, wherein the first mixer module is configured to buffer the latency-tolerant audio signal while the first mixer module is in the first idle state, and wherein the first mixer module is configured to process the buffered latency-tolerant audio signal while the first mixer module is in the first active state; and
the second mixer module is configured to cycle between a second idle state and a second active state, wherein the second mixer module is configured to buffer the latency-sensitive audio signal while the second mixer module is in the second idle state, and wherein the second mixer module is configured to process the buffered latency-sensitive audio signal while the second mixer module is in the second active state.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the first mixer module is configured to cycle, at intervals having average duration T 1 , between a first idle state and a first active state; and
the second mixer module is configured to cycle, at intervals having average duration T 2 , between second idle state and second active state, wherein T 1 is a finite amount of time, T 2 is a finite amount of time, and T 1 is greater than T 2 .
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises processing the latency-tolerant audio signal so as to modify one or more characteristics of the latency-tolerant audio signal, and wherein processing the latency-tolerant audio signal comprises one or more of:
sample rate conversion, filtering, and addition of audio effects.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises processing the latency-tolerant audio signal so as to modify one or more characteristics of the latency-tolerant audio signal, and wherein processing the latency-sensitive audio signal comprises volume control.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out functions comprising:
receiving a latency-tolerant audio signal into a first mixer module;
buffering the latency-tolerant audio signal for a first duration;
receiving the latency-tolerant audio signal into a second mixer module;
receiving a latency-sensitive audio signal into the second mixer module, wherein the latency-sensitive audio signal has a duration less than the latency-tolerant signal, and wherein the latency-sensitive audio signal is provided in response to a received input;
buffering the latency-sensitive audio signal for a second duration, wherein the second duration is shorter in time than the first duration;
and
combining the latency-tolerant audio signal and the latency-sensitive audio signal to create a combined signal.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein functions further comprise:
outputting the combined signal to a memory module and/or a speaker.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:
the first mixer module is configured to cycle between a first idle state and a first active state, wherein the first mixer module is configured to buffer the latency-tolerant audio signal while the first mixer module is in the first idle state, and wherein the first mixer module is configured to process the buffered latency-tolerant audio signal while the first mixer module is in the first active state; and
the second mixer module is configured to cycle between a second idle state and a second active state, wherein the second mixer module is configured to buffer the latency-sensitive audio signal while the second mixer module is in the second idle state, and wherein the second mixer module is configured to process the buffered latency-sensitive audio signal while the second mixer module is in the second active state.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:
the first mixer module is configured to cycle, at intervals having average duration T 1 , between a first idle state and a first active state; and
the second mixer module is configured to cycle, at intervals having average duration T 2 , between second idle state and second active state, wherein T 1 is a finite amount of time, T 2 is a finite amount of time, and T 1 is greater than T 2 .
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the functions further comprise processing the latency-tolerant audio signal so as to modify one or more characteristics of the latency-tolerant audio signal, and wherein processing the latency-tolerant audio signal utilizes a first load, wherein processing the latency-sensitive audio signal utilizes a second load, and wherein the first load is greater than the second load.
21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second mixer module is further configured to:
process the latency-sensitive audio signal so as to modify one or more characteristics of the latency-sensitive audio signal.
22. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
processing the latency-sensitive audio signal so as to modify one or more characteristics of the latency-sensitive audio signal.
23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein functions further comprise:
processing the latency-sensitive audio signal so as to modify one or more characteristics of the latency-sensitive audio signal.