Abstract:
In the specification and drawing an apparatus for processing audio is described and shown with an audio processor for acquiring at least one audio signal from an audio chip and transforming the audio signal into a surround sound signal and a transmitter for emitting the surround sound signal to a radio set. Moreover, a method for processing audio is also disclosed in the specification and drawing.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 97150956, filed Dec. 26, 2008, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a control method, system and equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for processing audio. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Both desktop and laptop computers have become popular for both commercial and personal use. The popularity of these devices has driven the rapid development of technologies applied therein. Laptops can in general use two sound channels to simulate surround sound; alternatively, laptops can be connected to a professional audio system to play surround sound, but it is expensive to buy the professional audio system. 
         [0006]    In view of the foregoing, there is a need of surround sound without a heavy financial burden on consumers. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention and it does not identify key/critical elements of the present invention or delineate the scope of the present invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
         [0008]    In one or more aspects, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and a method for processing audio. 
         [0009]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus comprises an audio processor and a transmitter. The audio processor can acquire at least one audio signal from an audio chip and transform the audio signal into a surround sound signal; the transmitter can emit the surround sound signal to a radio set. Therefore, the radio set can play surround sound according to the surround sound signal. 
         [0010]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises following steps: at least one audio signal is acquired from an audio chip and is transformed into a surround sound signal, and the surround sound signal emitted to a radio set. Therefore, the radio set can play surround sound according to the surround sound signal. 
         [0011]    Many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The present description will be better understood from the following detailed description read in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an apparatus for processing audio according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a method for processing audio according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is another flow chart of the method for processing audio according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of step  230  of  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is another flow chart of step  230  of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0018]    Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0020]    It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. 
         [0021]    As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof. 
         [0022]    In one aspect, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for processing audio. The apparatus may be easily inserted into an existing device, such as a computer, and may be applicable or readily adaptable to all technologies. 
         [0023]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an apparatus  100  for processing audio according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , the apparatus  100  comprises an audio processor  120  and a transmitter  130 . The apparatus  100  is separated from a radio set  190 . 
         [0024]    The audio processor  120  can acquire at least one audio signal from an audio chip  180  and transform the audio signal into a surround sound signal; the transmitter  130  can emit the surround sound signal to the radio set  190 . Therefore, the radio set  190  can play surround sound according to the surround sound signal. 
         [0025]    In practice, the radio set  190  has speakers on the left and right sides thereof. The radio set  190  can broaden the scope of a sound field to provide surround sound as though the interval between the speakers were increased. In addition, the radio set is cheaper than a professional audio system. 
         [0026]    The audio processor  120  may be integrated in a 3D surround sound chip. For example, the 3D surround sound chip is a Sound Effect Processor IC-AA8334 provided by AGAMEM or TA2136FG/TA2136NG provided by TOSHIBA. The 3D surround sound chip is electrically coupled with the audio chip  180  for acquiring the audio signal. Alternatively, the audio processor  120  may be integrated in the audio chip  180 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above 3D surround sound chips are provided for illustrative purposes only to further explain applications of the present invention and are not meant to limit the present invention in any manner. Other device and/or software may be used as appropriate for a given application. 
         [0027]    The audio chip  180  may be an audio codec. The audio codec is electrically coupled with a south bridge  600  of a motherboard; thus, the motherboard can control the audio codec via the south bridge  600 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above audio codec is provided for illustrative purposes only to further explain applications of the present invention and are not meant to limit the present invention in any manner. Other device and/or software may be used as appropriate for a given application. 
         [0028]    The audio chip  180  has a plurality of sound channels; the audio processor  120  can acquire the audio signal from at least one of the sound channels. For example, the audio chip  180  has certain pins connecting the audio processor  120 , and therefore the audio processor  120  can acquire the audio signal from at least one of the sound channels via these pins. For instance, the audio chip  180  may provide 4.1 surround sound, 5.1 surround sound, 7.1 surround sound or the like; the audio processor  120  can acquire the audio signal from two sound channels of the audio chip  180 . 
         [0029]    In  FIG. 1 , the apparatus  100  comprises a speaker  152 . The speaker  152  can receive the audio signal from the audio chip  180  and play sound according to the audio signal. Accordingly, both the speaker  152  and the radio set  190  can play sound at the same time to create three-dimensional sound field effect. 
         [0030]    For example, the apparatus  100  is employed in a laptop. The laptop in front of a user has the speaker  152 ; the radio set  190  in back of the user acts as a back surround audio. As using the apparatus  100 , both the speaker  152  and the radio set  190  can play sound at the same time, whereby the user, surrounded by sound field, feels realistic sound effects. 
         [0031]    In  FIG. 1 , the apparatus  100  may further comprise a controller  170  and an operation interface  140 . The operation interface  140  can be operated to send instructions to the controller  170  to set a surround sound signal for an intensity value of a sound field. Accordingly, a user can operate the operation interface  140  to set the surround sound signal generated from the audio processor  120  for an intensity value of a sound field; the transmitter  130  can emit the surround sound signal to the radio set  190 , whereby the user can wirelessly control the sound field of the radio set  190 . 
         [0032]    The operation interface  140  may comprise a keyboard and keyboard controller, so as to facilitate use. The keyboard is electrically coupled with the keyboard controller; the keyboard controller can be electrically coupled with a south bridge  600  of a motherboard. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above examples are provided for illustrative purposes only to further explain applications of the present invention and are not meant to limit the present invention in any manner. Alternatively, another human-machine interface, such as a touch screen, may be used as appropriate for a given application. 
         [0033]    The transmitter  130  may be a frequency-modulated transmitter, so as to transmit a signal in frequency band of frequency modulation broadcasting, such as 88-108 MHz. Moreover, the surround sound signal generated by the audio processor  120  belongs to an analog signal. In other embodiment, the transmitter  130  may be a wireless communications device, such as a bluetooth module or the like. 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 1 , the transmitter  130  comprises a searching module  132  and a transmission module  134 . The searching module  132  can search at least one frequency channel; the transmission module  134  can emit the surround sound signal to the radio set  190  in the frequency channel. Accordingly, the radio set  190  can play surround sound according to the surround sound signal. 
         [0035]    For instance, the apparatus  100  is employed in a computer, and the transmitter  130  is a frequency-modulated transmitter. A user can use the operation interface  140  to input search instructions; the controller  170  can then instruct the searching module  132  to search one or more available frequency channels of modulation frequency bands according to the search instruction and then transmit information of the available frequency channels to the controller  170 . The controller  170  can transmit the information of the available frequency channels to the south bridge  600 , whereby the screen of the computer can display the information of the available frequency channels. Therefore, the user can use the operation interface  140  to select one of the available frequency channels, and then the controller  170  can acquire information of the selected available frequency channel. The controller  170  can transmit the information of the selected available frequency channel to the transmission module  134 . The transmission module  134  can emit the surround sound signal to the radio set  190  in the selected available frequency channel. 
         [0036]    The searching module  132  and the transmission module  134  comprise electric circuits respectively. Additionally or alternatively, the searching module  132  and the transmission module  134  may further comprise software program respectively. 
         [0037]    In  FIG. 1 , the transmission module  134  comprises a detector  136  and an emitter  137 . The detector  136  can detect whether the frequency channel is interfered by noise; the emitter  137  can emit the surround sound signal to the radio set  190  in the frequency channel when the frequency channel is not interfered with by noise. Moreover, the searching module  132  can search one or more available frequency channels. 
         [0038]    For instance, the apparatus  100  is employed in a computer, and the transmitter  130  is a frequency-modulated transmitter. A user can use the operation interface  140  to input search instructions; the controller  170  can instruct the searching module  132  to search one or more available frequency channels of modulation frequency bands according to the search instruction and then transmit information of the available frequency channels to the controller  170 . The controller  170  can transmit the information of the available frequency channels to the south bridge  600 , whereby the screen of the computer can display the information of the available frequency channels. Therefore, the user can use the operation interface  140  to select one of the available frequency channels, and then the controller  170  can acquire information of the selected available frequency channel. The controller  170  can transmit the information of the selected available frequency channel to the transmission module  134 . In the transmission module  134 , the detector  136  detects whether the selected available frequency channel is interfered by noise, and then the emitter  137  can emit the surround sound signal to the radio set  190  in the frequency channel when the selected available frequency channel is not interfered by noise. On the contrary, the detector  136  can respond to the controller  170  when the selected available frequency channel is not interfered by noise. The controller  170  can transmit the information of the available frequency channels interfered by noise to the south bridge  600 , whereby the screen of the computer can display the information of the available frequency channels. Accordingly, the user can use the operation interface  140  to input search instruction anew; the controller  170  can instruct the searching module  132  to search one or more available frequency channels in frequency band of frequency modulation broadcasting according to the search instruction. 
         [0039]    In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for processing audio. The method may be easily embodied into an existing device, such as a computer, and may be applicable or readily adaptable to all technologies. 
         [0040]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a method  200  for processing audio according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method  200  comprises step  210 , step  220  and step  230 . In the method  200 , it should be noted that one step might be performed in series, in parallel, in combination, or otherwise in conjunction with another if the specific order is not described or inferred in the embodiment. The apparatus of performing the method  200  is described in the preceding embodiment and, thus, are not repeated herein. 
         [0041]    In step  210 , at least one audio signal is acquired from an audio chip; in step  220 , the audio signal is transformed into a surround sound signal; in step  230 , the surround sound signal is emitted to a radio set. 
         [0042]    In practice, the radio set  190  has speakers on the left and right sides thereof. The radio set  190  can broaden scope of a sound field to play surround sound as though the interval of speakers was increased. In addition, the radio set is cheaper than a professional audio system. 
         [0043]    The audio chip has a plurality of sound channels. In step  210 , the audio signal is acquired from at least one of the sound channels. For example, the audio chip has certain pins connecting the audio processor  120 , and therefore the audio signal is acquired from at least one of the sound channels via these pins. For instance, the audio chip  180  may provide 4.1 surround sound, 5.1 surround sound, 7.1 surround sound or the like; in step  210 , the audio signal is acquired from two sound channels of the audio chip  180 . 
         [0044]    In step  220 , the surround sound signal is set for an intensity value of a sound field. Accordingly, a user can operate the operation interface  140  to set the surround sound signal for the intensity value of the sound field, and then the surround sound signal is emitted to the radio set, whereby the user can indirectly control the sound field of the radio set. 
         [0045]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is another flow chart of the method  200  for processing audio according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method  200  comprises step  240  and step  250 . In step  240 , the audio signal is received from the audio chip; in step  250 , sound is played according to the audio signal. Accordingly, the sound could be played by synchronously performing step  230  and step  250 , for creating three-dimensional sound field effect. 
         [0046]    For example, the method  200  is employed in a laptop. The laptop in front of a user acts as a speaker; the radio set  190  at the back of the user acts as an audio system. When performing the method  200 , both the speaker and the radio set can play sound at the same time, whereby the user, surrounded by sound field, feels realistic sound effects. 
         [0047]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a flow chart of step  230  of  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 4 , step  230  comprises sub-step  401 , sub-step  403 , sub-step  405 , sub-step  407  and sub-step  409 . 
         [0048]    In sub-step  401 , a controller outputs a command to a searching module after a system, such as the above apparatus  100 , is set initially. In sub-step  403 , the searching module replies information of available frequency channels. In sub-step  405 , the controller transmits the information to a south bridge, and a display shows the information. In sub-step  407 , a user chooses one frequency channel by an operation interface, and then the chosen frequency channel information is outputted to the controller. In sub-step  409 , the controller outputs information of the chosen frequency channel to the transmission module. 
         [0049]    For instance, the method  200  is employed in a computer, in which step  230  is employed in a frequency-modulated transmitter. A user can use the operation interface to input search instruction; the controller can order the searching module to search one or more available frequency channels in frequency band of frequency modulation broadcasting according to the search instruction and then transmit information of the available frequency channels to the controller. The controller can transmit the information of the available frequency channels to the south bridge  600 , whereby the screen of the computer can display the information of the available frequency channels. Therefore, the user can use the operation interface to select one of the available frequency channels, and then the controller can acquire information of the selected available frequency channel. The controller can transmit the information of the selected available frequency channel to the transmission module. The transmission module can emit the surround sound signal to the radio set in the selected available frequency channel 
         [0050]    Please refer to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  is another flow chart of step  230  of  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 4 , step  230  comprises sub-step  510 , sub-step  520  and sub-step  530 . During sub-step  510 , at least one frequency channel is searched; during sub-step  520  and sub-step  530 , the surround sound signal to the radio set in the frequency channel. In sub-step  520 , whether the frequency channel is interfered by noise is detected; in sub-step  530 , the surround sound signal is emitted to the radio set in the frequency channel when the frequency channel is not interfered by noise. On the contrary, one or more available frequency channels are searched anew in sub-step  510  when the frequency channel is interfered by noise. 
         [0051]    For instance, the method  200  is employed in a computer, in which step  230  is employed in a frequency-modulated transmitter. A user can use the operation interface to input search instruction to execute sub-step  510 ; in sub-step  510 , one or more available frequency channels of modulation frequency bands and then information of the available frequency channels is transmitted to the computer; the screen of the computer can display the information of the available frequency channels. Therefore, the user can use the operation interface to select one of the available frequency channels, and then whether the frequency channel is interfered by noise is detected in sub-step  520 . The surround sound signal is emitted to the radio set in the frequency channel in sub-step  530  when the frequency channel is not interfered by noise. On the contrary, one or more available frequency channels of frequency modulation broadcasting are searched anew in sub-step  510  when the frequency channel is interfered by noise. 
         [0052]    The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present invention as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and that they may make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.