Patent ID: 7391875

Claim:
A method for processing audio signals, comprising: (a) receiving a plurality of audio signals and calculating signal levels thereof; (b) calculating a smooth attenuation signal for each one of said plurality of audio signals, such that a result of mixing of said plurality of audio signals multiplied by their respective smooth attenuation signals is peak limited by given threshold level, wherein the calculated smooth attenuation signal of each one of said plurality of audio signals at a given time is based on the calculated signal levels of said plurality of audio signals, said given threshold level and a smoothing criterion based upon a predicted smooth attenuation signal value of that one of said plurality of audio signals, and wherein, at least during certain time intervals, the calculated smooth attenuation signal of at least one of said plurality of audio signals produces surplus attenuation of that signal, said surplus attenuation being the additional attenuation produced by the smoothing, and the surplus attenuation is used to reduce the calculated smooth attenuation signal of at least another one of said plurality of audio signals; and (c) mixing said plurality of audio signs is multiplied by their respective calculated smooth attenuation values.