Patent ID: 7856110

Claim:
An audio processor, comprising an audio processing section for performing a predetermined sound image localization process on a rear-channel audio signal whose sound image position perceived by a listener when reproduced through a loudspeaker placed at the rear of the listener is at the rear of the listener such that the sound image position perceived by the listener when the signal is reproduced through a loudspeaker placed in front of the listener is at the rear of the listener to generate a sound image localized audio signal; a volume normalizing section for controlling the volume level of a front-channel audio signal and the sound image localized audio signal to be within a predetermined level range, according to a control signal indicative of output control information outputted by an interface; an adder for adding together the front-channel audio signal whose volume level has been controlled in the volume normalizing section and the sound image localized audio signal whose volume level has been controlled in the volume normalizing section to generate a sum audio signal to be reproduced through the loudspeaker in front of the listener; and a switching section for selectively performing an operation of outputting the sound image localized audio signal to the adder and an operation of outputting the sound image localized audio signal to the loudspeaker placed at the rear of the listener according to the control signal indicative of output control information, wherein the front-channel audio signal is reproduced through the loudspeaker in front of the listener and the sound image localized audio signal is reproduced through the loudspeaker at the rear of the listener when the switching section outputs the sound image localized audio signal to the loudspeaker at the rear of the listener, wherein the sum audio signal is reproduced through the loudspeaker in front of the listener when the switching section outputs the sound image localized audio signal to the adder, wherein the output control information includes output channel type information which is indicative of an output channel type, and the switching section performs the switching according to the output channel type information.