Patent ID: 7305097

Claim:
A method for controlling a surround sound system with a plurality of input signals and a plurality of spatially diverse transducers, the method comprising: defining a first control region and a second control region; when operating in the first control region, for at least one of the plurality of spatially diverse transducers: selecting an input signal from a plurality of input signals; adjusting a relative strength of the selected input signal; and applying the adjusted input signal to the transducer; and when operating in the second control region, for at least one of the plurality of spatially diverse transducers: selecting at least two input signals from the plurality of input signals; adjusting a relative strength of the selected input signals; mixing the adjusted input signals; and applying the mixed input signals to the transducer, wherein the first control region and the second control region include a discrete surround sound level control region and at least one of a forward fading control region and a backward fading control region; and wherein the second control region includes both a forward fading control region and a backward fading control region, a first transition region separates the surround sound level control region from the forward fading control region, and a second transition region separates the surround sound level control region from the backward fading control region.