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US4053711A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Simulation of reverberation in audio signals

Assignee: AUDIO PULSE Inc
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Filing: 1976-04-26
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Granted: 1977-10-11
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Expires: 1996-04-26
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Abstract

Abstract An audio system which achieves a concert hall reverberation effect from a stereo input signal. From two stereo input signals the audio system produces quadraphonic signals suitable for application to four speakers in the pattern of a quadraphonic sound reproduction system. The system applies the stereo input signals to a front pair of speakers substantially without alteration while reverberation is added to the stereo input signals for application to the rear speakers which realistically reproduces the impression of concert hall acoustics in the sound reaching the listener from all four speakers. The reverberation is provided by a channel signal delay scheme in combination with a channel interconnection network which achieves long reverberation times with a high echo density that eliminates objectionable, discrete echo effects.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard E. DeFreitas
  • 👤 Samuel Wilensky

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 18:04
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04S; H04S5/00; H04S5/02; H04S7/00; H04S7/30; H04S7/305; H04S5/005

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim 163 words
A system for simulating reverberation acoustics in an audio input including at least first and second audio input signals, comprising: at least first and second reverberation means each for responding to an input signal applied to an input thereof to provide a similar output signal which persistently repeats beyond the input signal duration, with a decay in signal magnitude with each repetition; first means for combining said second audio input signal with the output signal of said first reverberation means for application to the input of said second reverberation means; second means for combining said first audio input signal with the output signal of said second reverberation means for application to the input of said first reverberation means thereby to provide recirculation of signals through said first and second reverberation means to define a closed loop; means for providing a loop gain for said closed loop which is less than unity; and means for providing an audio output signal from said closed loop.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 163 words
A system for simulating reverberation acoustics in an audio input including at least first and second audio input signals, comprising: at least first and second reverberation means each for responding to an input signal applied to an input thereof to provide a similar output signal which persistently repeats beyond the input signal duration, with a decay in signal magnitude with each repetition; first means for combining said second audio input signal with the output signal of said first reverberation means for application to the input of said second reverberation means; second means for combining said first audio input signal with the output signal of said second reverberation means for application to the input of said first reverberation means thereby to provide recirculation of signals through said first and second reverberation means to define a closed loop; means for providing a loop gain for said closed loop which is less than unity; and means for providing an audio output signal from said closed loop.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system of claim 1 wherein: said audio input is a stereo signal having first and second signal components.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 36 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for providing said output signals provides first and second output signals from points on said closed loop at the outputs of said first and second reverberation means respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
The system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second reverberation means have different reverberation periods and wherein a reverberation period is defined as the interval between repeats in output signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 4 further comprising means for varying the reverberation periods of the first and second reverberation means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the magnitude of the loop gain of said closed loop is approximately 0.5.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the decay from repetition to repetition of said first and second reverberation means is exponential.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 88 words
The system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second reverberation means includes: a delay line; a first reverberation mixer for combining the signal applied as input to the reverberation means with the delay line output signal to provide an output of said first reverberation mixer which is applied to an input of said delay line; and a second reverberation mixer for combining the reverberation means input signal with the delay line output signal, the output of said second mixer being the reverberation means output signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 122 words
The system of claim 8 wherein the delay line of each of said first and second reverberation means includes: means for providing a first delay in the signal applied to said delay line to produce a signal with a first delay; means for providing a second delay in the signal applied to said delay line to produce a signal with a second delay, said second delay being larger than said first delay; and means for combining the signals with said first and second delays in a variable proportion to provide the delay line output so that the effective delay of the delay line can be varied by varying the proportion of the first and second delayed signals in the delay line output.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 56 words
The system of claim 9 wherein: the first delay of the delay line in the first reverberation means is approximately 35 milliseconds and the second delay thereof is approximately 100 milliseconds; the first delay of the delay line in the second reverberation means is approximately 15 milliseconds and the second delay thereof is approximately 60 milliseconds.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 67 words
The system of claim 10 wherein: the first reverberation mixer of the first and second reverberation means combines the first and second reverberation mixer input signals in an approximate ratio of 1.0 to 0.7, respectively; and the second reverberation mixer of the first and second reverberation means combines the reverberation means input signal with the delay line output signals in an approximate ratio of 0.7 to -0.5.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 171 words
A method of introducing reverberation into an electronic signal including first and second audio input signals, comprising the steps of: combining the output of a first reverberation means with said second audio input signal and applying the combination of the first reverberation means output signal and the second audio input signal to an input of a second reverberation means; combining the output from the second reverberation means with said first audio input signal and applying the combination of the first reverberation means output signal and the second audio input signal to the input of the second reverberation means, thereby to provide recirculation of signals through said first and second reverberation means in a closed loop; the loop gain of said closed loop being less than unity; responding in each of the first and second reverberation means to the signal applied thereto to provide a similar output signal therefrom which persistently repeats beyond the input signal duration; and providing an output signal from said closed loop, said output signal thereby having reverberation.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 171 words
A method of introducing reverberation into an electronic signal including first and second audio input signals, comprising the steps of: combining the output of a first reverberation means with said second audio input signal and applying the combination of the first reverberation means output signal and the second audio input signal to an input of a second reverberation means; combining the output from the second reverberation means with said first audio input signal and applying the combination of the first reverberation means output signal and the second audio input signal to the input of the second reverberation means, thereby to provide recirculation of signals through said first and second reverberation means in a closed loop; the loop gain of said closed loop being less than unity; responding in each of the first and second reverberation means to the signal applied thereto to provide a similar output signal therefrom which persistently repeats beyond the input signal duration; and providing an output signal from said closed loop, said output signal thereby having reverberation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 112 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of: combining the output signal from the first reverberation means, a representation of the first audio input signal, and a representation of the second audio input signal to produce a first imtermediate signal; and combining the output signal from the second reverberation means, a representation of the first audio input signal, and a representation of the second audio input signal to produce a second intermediate signal; combining the second intermediate signal and a first system output signal to produce a second system output signal; and combining the first intermediate signal and the second system output signal to provide the first system output signal.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 264 words
A system for simulating reverberation acoustics in an audio signal comprising: at least first and second reverberation means each for responding to an input signal to provide a similar output signal which persistently repeats beyond the input signal duration, with a decay in signal magnitude with each repetition, wherein each of the first and second reverberation means includes; a delay line; a first reverberation mixer for combining the signal applied as input to the reverberation means with the delay line output signal to provide an output of said first reverberation mixer which is applied to said delay line; a second reverberation mixer for combining the reverberation means input signal with the delay line output signal, the output of said second mixer being the reverberation means output signal; a high-pass filter between the first reverberation mixer output and the delay line input; a low-pass filter between the delay line output and the first reverberation mixer; and a low-pass filter between the second reverberation mixer output and the reverberation means output; means for applying the output signal of said first reverberation means as the input signal of said second reverberation means; means for applying the output signal of said second reverberation means as the input signal of said first reverberation means thereby to provide recirculation of signals through said first and second reverberation means to define a closed loop; means for providing a loop gain for said closed loop which is less than unity; means for mixing said audio signal into said closed loop; and means for providing an audio output signal from said closed loop.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 264 words
A system for simulating reverberation acoustics in an audio signal comprising: at least first and second reverberation means each for responding to an input signal to provide a similar output signal which persistently repeats beyond the input signal duration, with a decay in signal magnitude with each repetition, wherein each of the first and second reverberation means includes; a delay line; a first reverberation mixer for combining the signal applied as input to the reverberation means with the delay line output signal to provide an output of said first reverberation mixer which is applied to said delay line; a second reverberation mixer for combining the reverberation means input signal with the delay line output signal, the output of said second mixer being the reverberation means output signal; a high-pass filter between the first reverberation mixer output and the delay line input; a low-pass filter between the delay line output and the first reverberation mixer; and a low-pass filter between the second reverberation mixer output and the reverberation means output; means for applying the output signal of said first reverberation means as the input signal of said second reverberation means; means for applying the output signal of said second reverberation means as the input signal of said first reverberation means thereby to provide recirculation of signals through said first and second reverberation means to define a closed loop; means for providing a loop gain for said closed loop which is less than unity; means for mixing said audio signal into said closed loop; and means for providing an audio output signal from said closed loop.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 182 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said audio signal includes first and second input signals and further comprising: first and second low-pass output filters, the inputs to which are respectively the first and second input signals; third and fourth low-pass output filters, the inputs to which are respectively the second and first output filter output signals; first and second output mixers; the first output mixer combining the first output filter output signal, the first reverberation means output signal, and the fourth output filter output signal; the second output mixer combining the second output filter output, the second reverberation means output signal, and the third output filter output; fifth and sixth low-pass output filters, the inputs to which are respectively the first and second output mixer outputs; and third and fourth output mixers; the third output mixer combining the fifth output filter output and the fourth output mixer output signal; the fourth output mixer combining the sixth output filter output and the third output mixer output signals; the outputs of the third and fourth output mixers providing first and second system output signals.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 62 words
The system of claim 15 further including: fifth and sixth output mixers; the fifth output mixer combining the first input signal and the first output mixer output signal; the sixth output mixer combining the second input signal and the second output mixer output signal; third and fourth system output signals being provided by the outputs of the fifth and sixth output mixers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 183 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said audio signal includes first and second input signals and further comprising: first and second low-pass output filters, the inputs to which are respectively the first and second audio input signals; third and fourth low-pass output filters, the inputs to which are respectively the second and first output filter output signals; first and second output mixers; the first output mixer combining the first output filter output signal, the first reverberation means output signal, and the fourth output filter output signal; the second output mixer combining the second output filter output, the second reverberation means output signal, and the third output filter output; fifth and sixth low-pass output filters, the inputs to which are respectively the first and second output mixer outputs; and third and fourth output mixers; the third output mixer combining the fifth output filter output and the fourth output mixer output signal; the fourth output mixer combining the sixth output filter output and the third output mixer output signals; the outputs of the third and fourth output mixers providing first and second system output signals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 62 words
The system of claim 17 further including: fifth and sixth output mixers; the fifth output mixer combining the first input signal and the first output mixer output signal; the sixth output mixer combining the second input signal and the second output mixer output signal; third and fourth system output signals being provided by the outputs of the fifth and sixth output mixers.
Claim 22
Independent Claim 54 words
A method of producing reverberation in a plurality of input signals comprising the step of: applying to the input of each of a like plurality of reverberation means a signal comprising the combination of a respective one of the input signals and the output signal from at least one of the other reverberation means.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 54 words
A method of producing reverberation in a plurality of input signals comprising the step of: applying to the input of each of a like plurality of reverberation means a signal comprising the combination of a respective one of the input signals and the output signal from at least one of the other reverberation means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3217080A Cited
US3214519A Cited
US3725586A Cited
US3710023A Cited
US3939436A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-10-10 1981-04-11 1981-10-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-10-10 1985-04-11 1985-10-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-10-10 1989-04-11 1989-10-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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