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US5506907A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Channel audio signal encoding method

Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1994-10-20
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Granted: 1996-04-09
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Expires: 2014-10-20
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Abstract

Abstract An encoding method and apparatus for audio signals for generating ten-channel audio signals from audio signals of a left channel, a left center channel, a center channel, a right center channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel and a sub-woofer channel, totalling at eight channels. The encoded method includes the steps of combining the center channel, left center channel and the right center channel to form a combined center channel, combining the left channel and the left center channel to form a combined left channel, combining the right channel and the right center channel to form a combined right channel, combining the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel to form a mixed left channel, combining the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel to form a mixed right channel, and generating the left channel, combined left channel, combined center channel, combined right channel, right channel, surround left channel, surround right channel, sub-woofer channel, mixed left channel and the mixed right channel, totalling at 10 channels, of audio signals as channel audio signals. The decoding method and apparatus for decoding encoded signals encoded with the above encoding method and apparatus are also disclosed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Masatoshi Ueno
  • 👤 Shinji Miyamori

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 22:00
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B31/00; G03; G03B; G03B31/00; G03B31/02; G11B20/00; G11B20/00992; H; H04; H04S; H04S3/00; G11B20/10; G11B20/10527; G11B2020/10537; G11B2020/10592; G11B2020/10601

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 190 words
An encoding method for audio signals for generating ten- channel audio signals from audio signals of a left channel, a left center channel, a center channel, a right center channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel and a sub-woofer channel, totalling at eight channels, comprising the steps of combining the center channel, left center channel and the right center channel to form a combined center channel, combining the left channel and the left center channel to form a combined left channel, combining the right channel and the right center channel to form a combined right channel, combining the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel to form a mixed left channel, combining the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel to form a mixed right channel, and generating the left channel, combined left channel, combined center channel, combined right channel, right channel, surround left channel, surround right channel, sub-woofer channel, mixed left channel and the mixed right channel, totalling at 10 channels, of audio signals as channel audio signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 190 words
An encoding method for audio signals for generating ten- channel audio signals from audio signals of a left channel, a left center channel, a center channel, a right center channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel and a sub-woofer channel, totalling at eight channels, comprising the steps of combining the center channel, left center channel and the right center channel to form a combined center channel, combining the left channel and the left center channel to form a combined left channel, combining the right channel and the right center channel to form a combined right channel, combining the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel to form a mixed left channel, combining the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel to form a mixed right channel, and generating the left channel, combined left channel, combined center channel, combined right channel, right channel, surround left channel, surround right channel, sub-woofer channel, mixed left channel and the mixed right channel, totalling at 10 channels, of audio signals as channel audio signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 200 words
An encoding device for audio signals for generating ten- channel audio signals from audio signals of a left channel, a left center channel, a center channel, a right center channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel and a sub-woofer channel, totalling at eight channels, comprising means for combining the center channel, left center channel and the right center channel to form a combined center channel, means for combining the left channel and the left center channel to form a combined left channel, means for combining the right channel and the right center channel to form a combined right channel, means for combining the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel to form a mixed left channel, means for combining the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel to form a mixed right channel, and means for generating the left channel, combined left channel, combined center channel, combined right channel, right channel, surround left channel, surround right channel, sub- woofer channel, mixed left channel and the mixed right channel, totalling at 10 channels, of audio signals as channel audio signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 200 words
An encoding device for audio signals for generating ten- channel audio signals from audio signals of a left channel, a left center channel, a center channel, a right center channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel and a sub-woofer channel, totalling at eight channels, comprising means for combining the center channel, left center channel and the right center channel to form a combined center channel, means for combining the left channel and the left center channel to form a combined left channel, means for combining the right channel and the right center channel to form a combined right channel, means for combining the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel to form a mixed left channel, means for combining the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel to form a mixed right channel, and means for generating the left channel, combined left channel, combined center channel, combined right channel, right channel, surround left channel, surround right channel, sub- woofer channel, mixed left channel and the mixed right channel, totalling at 10 channels, of audio signals as channel audio signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 122 words
A recording medium having ten-channel audio signals recorded thereon, said ten-channel audio signals comprising a left channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel, a sub-woofer channel, a combined center channel combined from a center channel, a left center channel and a right center channel, a combined left channel combined from the left channel and the left center channel, a combined right channel combined from the right channel and the right center channel, a mixed left channel combined from the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel, and a mixed right channel combined from the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 122 words
A recording medium having ten-channel audio signals recorded thereon, said ten-channel audio signals comprising a left channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel, a sub-woofer channel, a combined center channel combined from a center channel, a left center channel and a right center channel, a combined left channel combined from the left channel and the left center channel, a combined right channel combined from the right channel and the right center channel, a mixed left channel combined from the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel, and a mixed right channel combined from the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 200 words
A decoding method for decoding audio signals in which, during reproduction from a recording medium having recorded thereon the audio signals encoded from eight channels to ten channels, said audio signals are down-converted to a pre-set number of channels not more than eight, said ten channels of the audio signals being a left channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel, a sub-woofer channel, a combined center channel combined from a center channel, a left center channel and a right center channel, a combined left channel combined from the left channel and the left center channel, a combined right channel combined from the right channel and the right center channel, a mixed left channel combined from the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel, and a mixed right channel combined from the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel, said decoding method comprising the steps of multiplying each of the pre-set number of channels with a pre-set constant number times signals of a necessary minimum number of channels, and summing the resulting channel signals multiplied with the preset constant numbers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 200 words
A decoding method for decoding audio signals in which, during reproduction from a recording medium having recorded thereon the audio signals encoded from eight channels to ten channels, said audio signals are down-converted to a pre-set number of channels not more than eight, said ten channels of the audio signals being a left channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel, a sub-woofer channel, a combined center channel combined from a center channel, a left center channel and a right center channel, a combined left channel combined from the left channel and the left center channel, a combined right channel combined from the right channel and the right center channel, a mixed left channel combined from the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel, and a mixed right channel combined from the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel, said decoding method comprising the steps of multiplying each of the pre-set number of channels with a pre-set constant number times signals of a necessary minimum number of channels, and summing the resulting channel signals multiplied with the preset constant numbers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 201 words
A decoding device for decoding audio signals in which, during reproduction from a recording medium having recorded thereon the audio signals encoded from eight channels to ten channels, said audio signals are down-converted to a pre-set number of channels not more than eight, said ten channels of the audio signals being a left channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel, a sub-woofer channel, a combined center channel combined from a center channel, a left center channel and a right center channel, a combined left channel combined from the left channel and the left center channel, a combined right channel combined from the right channel and the right center channel, a mixed left channel combined from the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel, and a mixed right channel combined from the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel, said decoding device comprising means for multiplying each of the pre-set number of channels with a pre-set constant number times signals of a necessary minimum number of channels, and means for summing the resulting channel signals multiplied with the preset constant numbers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 201 words
A decoding device for decoding audio signals in which, during reproduction from a recording medium having recorded thereon the audio signals encoded from eight channels to ten channels, said audio signals are down-converted to a pre-set number of channels not more than eight, said ten channels of the audio signals being a left channel, a right channel, a surround left channel, a surround right channel, a sub-woofer channel, a combined center channel combined from a center channel, a left center channel and a right center channel, a combined left channel combined from the left channel and the left center channel, a combined right channel combined from the right channel and the right center channel, a mixed left channel combined from the left channel, left center channel, center channel, right center channel and the surround left channel, and a mixed right channel combined from the right channel, right center channel, center channel, left center channel and the surround right channel, said decoding device comprising means for multiplying each of the pre-set number of channels with a pre-set constant number times signals of a necessary minimum number of channels, and means for summing the resulting channel signals multiplied with the preset constant numbers.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4281688A Cited
US4680796A Cited
US5027687A Cited
US5189703A Cited
US5155510A Cited
US5199075A Cited
US5327182A Cited
EP0600677A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-04-09 1999-10-09 2000-04-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-04-09 2003-10-09 2004-04-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-04-09 2007-10-09 2008-04-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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