Patent ID: 7580531

Claim:
An audio compressor, comprising: an audio input coupled to receive audio source material; an audio level input coupled to receive an audio level signal indicative of a desired audio output level V; a processor operable to generate a compression ratio having a level inversely proportional to the level of the audio level signal and generated as: 1+( PDR /( V−NT )−1)* EL , if ( NT+PDR )> V ; and 1 if ( NT+PDR )≦ V; where NT is an ambient noise threshold, PDR is a program dynamic range level and EL is an effects level having a range from 0% to at least 100%; a compression stage operable to apply compression to the audio source material in response to the level of the compression ratio; and an audio output operable to provide a compressed audio signal to an audio gain stage having an output level controlled by the audio level signal.