The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 29, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 11, 1999
Jürgen Lübbe, Jacobneuharting, DE;
Johann Henkel, Rosenheim, DE;
Peter Kirchlechner, Hohenthann, DE;
STMicroelectronics GmbH, Grasbrunn, DE;
Abstract
A method of signal compression of a signal to reduce the large dynamic range, for example, of the output signal of a CD player in such a way that soft passages of a piece of music are reproduced in somewhat louder manner and very loud passages of a piece of music some are reproduced in somewhat less loud manner. The signal compression circuit used therefor can be integrated completely. The audio signal is fed over a volume control, which can be adjusted by the user, and to this end, a digital setting signal in accordance with the adjustment made on the user side, is supplied via a bus line. When the audio signal is strongly increasing, a tracking signal is formed of said signal, with the amplitude thereof being dependent on the medium amplitude of the audio signal. A window comparator compares the tracking signal with a reference value, as a consequence of which the contents of the up/down counter are reduced. This reduced value is added via an adder to the digital setting signal for the volume control. In the case of strong audio signals, a relatively small value corresponding to the count of counter is added to the digital setting signal. In the case of weak signals, a relatively high value is added.