Harman International Industries, Inc.

Harman Becker Automotive Systems Gmbh

Kevin Eric Heber

Samarth Hosakere Shivaswamy

Gilbert Arthur Joseph Soulodre

Jeffrey Michael Brockmole

Tobias Muench

Kirk I Bushen

Jeremy Adam Geisler

Kenneth Deetz

A sampler module divides an audio signal into a series of sequential samples. A signal quality detector module identifies, over a plurality of samples at an outset of the audio signal, a spectral variance of a first range of frequencies of the audio signal below a predetermined threshold frequency as being consistently greater than a spectral variance of a second range of frequencies of the audio signal above the predetermined threshold frequency and determines a signal treatment indication responsive to the identification. A signal enhancer module sequentially receives and analyzes one or more sample components of the audio signal to identify lost parts of the audio signal in the one or more sample components of respective sequential samples, and generates, in accordance with the signal treatment indication, a corresponding signal treatment for each of the one or more sample components of respective sequential samples having a corresponding identified lost part.

Signal quality-based enhancement and compensation of compressed audio signals

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for enhancing speech prompts in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes an audio processor that is electrically coupled to a plurality of loudspeakers in a vehicle. The audio processor being programmed to provide entertainment data to the plurality of loudspeakers for playback in the vehicle and to receive a speech prompt indicative of only a spoken audio output to a driver in the vehicle. The audio processor is further programmed to mute the entertainment data that is played back on a first loudspeaker of the plurality of loudspeakers in response to the speech prompt and to provide the speech prompt to the first loudspeaker for playback to the driver in response to the speech prompt.

Isolation and enhancement of short duration speech prompts in an automotive system

A sampler module may divide an audio signal into a series of sequential samples. A signal quality detector module may identify a consistent brick wall frequency of the audio signal spanning a plurality of the sequential samples at an outset of the audio signal and determine a signal treatment indication proportional to the brick wall frequency. A signal enhancer module may sequentially receive and analyze one or more sample components of the audio signal to identify lost parts of the audio signal in the one or more sample components of respective sequential samples, and generate, in accordance with the signal quality indication, a corresponding signal treatment for each of the one or more sample components of respective sequential samples having a corresponding identified lost part.

A vehicle sound processing system including an array of sensors, memory, and a processing unit. The array of sensors is configured to detect signals of an object located outside the vehicle. The memory is configured to store control instructions. The processing unit is connected to the array of sensors and configured to read the control instructions from the memory and to perform, based on the control instructions, the following steps: determining the location of the object outside the vehicle is based on the detected signals, generating a three-dimensional sound field inside the vehicle and a sound event representing the detected object is placed in the three-dimensional sound field at a virtual location in the three-dimensional sound field such that when the three-dimensional sound field with the sound event is output to a vehicle occupant, the vehicle occupant locates the sound event at the determined location of the object. Furthermore, a zoom function is provided with which a distance of the virtual location of the sound event relative to the vehicle occupant is decreased or increased.

Vehicle sound processing system

Audio processing method is described to continuously process an audio signal while changing between audio modes so that the listener does not experience a discontinuous sound during the transition. The first audio signal can be combined with the second audio signal to produce a smooth, continuous output signal that changes to only having the second audio signal over a time period. A global gain can be reduced during the transition from the first audio mode to a subsequent audio mode. Differences in the parameters from the first mode to the second mode can be determined and the parameters that differ are stepped from an initial value to a subsequent value over a transition time to produce a smooth audio signal.

System and method for transitioning between audio system modes

An audio processor may receive audio input channels including stereo channels and one or more surround channels. The audio processor may downmix the audio input channels into stereo output channels; developing the stereo output channels into upmixed audio channels including at least one additional surround channel not present in the audio input channels; delay the audio input channels into delayed audio channels that are time-aligned with the upmixed audio channels; and mix the delayed audio channels and the upmixed audio channels into audio output channels.

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Carmel, IN, United States of America

Kevin Eric Heber