Patent ID: 6011851
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: H04S

Abstract:
A system for context switching multiple sound sources, comprising:a switching circuit receiving the multiple sound sources and selectively directing the sound sources according to associated telephony applications to different outputs each associated with predesignated different spatial destinations;a directional processor system that applies different spatial characteristics to each of the sound sources output from the switching circuit, the spatial characteristics corresponding to the associated spatial destinations of the switching circuit outputs; and automatically moving one of the sound sources associated with a selected one of the telephony applications to a foreground audibly perceived point as one of said predesignated destinations while automatically moving sound sources for nonselected telephony applications to different background audibly perceived points as the other remaining predesignated destinations in relation to the foreground audibly perceived point thereby increasing and distinguishing the audible intelligibility for each of the sound sources for the selected telephony application from the sound sources for the nonselected telephony applications; anda controller coupled to the switching circuit that automatically configures the switching circuit to selectively directing the sound to said different outputs so that the sound sources for the selected telephony application move to the foreground while the sound sources for each of the remaining nonselected telephony applications automatically move to different background locations that have lower audible intelligibility than the selected telephony application.