Patent ID: 7298852

Claim:
A signal processing system for use in a multichannel audio system, comprising: N channels where n>1; an audio signal corresponding to each channel; a signal level threshold associated with each channel; a signal processor responsive to the signal level threshold such that upon any channel reaching the signal threshold, the signal processor routes at least a portion of the audio signal of the channel reaching the signal threshold to at least one other channel of the multichannel audio system using a technique to minimize disturbance of the audio image projected by the multichannel audio system the technique being selected from the group consisting of: a) volume level of the portion of the audio signal being mixed with that of another channel is held low enough with respect to that of the channel in which it originated that a directional cue to the source of the signal in a listening environment is maintained; b) time delay of the portion of the audio signal being mixed with that of another channel is used and said delay is made long enough with respect to that of the channel in which it originated that a directional cue to the source of the signal in a listening environment is maintained; and c) by mixing said portion into at least two other channels which have transducers connectable to be positioned relative to that of the channel from which the signal originates so that from the perspective of a listener a virtual source of the portion is created in a position close enough to the source of the signal from which it originates that a directional cue as to source is maintained.