FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE EAR WORN DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an audio system that can be customized by the user (including the developer) and that may allow the user to control more than just the sound levels and may allow the user to select more than one of a few pre-determined settings. Disclosed herein is a development platform that allows manufacturers (including the developers) to test various different parameters, settings, algorithms, functions, processes, accessories, and the like. The development platform allows the manufacturer to simulate the performances from possible options for the audio system, and then load the selected option from the development platform to the audio system. Additionally, the development platform that enables the end user to have the same level of control and ability to access, upload, and control plugins on the end user’s device(s).

Description

Claims

1. A chip architecture for an audio system, the chip architecture comprising: a main processor;an audio subsystem comprising: a plurality of processors;at least one audio input/output (I/O) interface;at least one peripheral component; andan audio bus that provides a plurality of channels for communicating a plurality of data streams between the main processor and the audio subsystem, wherein the plurality of data streams is capable of being transmitted and processed in parallel,wherein the audio subsystem is programmed to: receive at least one input data stream directly from the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor;perform at least one pre-processing task on the at least one input data stream received from the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor;transmit the at least one pre-processed input data stream to the main processor;perform at least one intermediate-processing task on the at least one input data stream received from the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor;transmit the at least one intermediate-processed input data stream to the main processor;perform at least one post-processing task on the at least one input data stream received from the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor; andtransmit the at least one post-processed input data stream to the audio I/O interface.

2. (canceled)

3. The chip architecture of claim 1, wherein the plurality of processors is programmed to perform dedicated functions, the dedicated functions being different from one or more functions of the main processor.

4. The chip architecture of claim 1, wherein the plurality of processors further comprises: a decimator programmed for dynamically decreasing a data rate of at least one of the plurality of data streams in the plurality of channels and providing at least one output stream, the at least one output stream being the at least one of the plurality of data streams having the decreased data rate.

5. The chip architecture of claim 1, wherein the plurality of processors further comprises: an interpolator programmed for dynamically increasing a data rate of at least one of the plurality of data streams in the plurality of channels and modifying the at least one of the plurality of data streams to provide at least one output stream.

6. The chip architecture of claim 1, wherein the plurality of processors further comprises: a mixer for mixing at least two data streams, the mixing comprising applying different gains to the at least two data streams.

7. (canceled)

8. The chip architecture of claim 1, wherein the plurality of processors comprises: a filter bank programmed to perform single sample processing or a bypass processor programmed to perform tasks, wherein the main processor enters a sleep mode while the filter bank is performing the single sample processing or the bypass processor is performing the tasks.

9. (canceled)

10. The chip architecture of claim 1, wherein the plurality of processors comprises: a binaural processing engine programmed to: receive binaural data streams from the at least one audio I/O interface;analyze the binaural data streams to determine spatial information about sound sources;produce rendered data streams in accordance with at least one parameter; andtransmit the rendered data streams to the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor.

11. The chip architecture of claim 1, further comprising: a cross-over network for modifying at least one of the plurality of data streams to implement at least one user setting on top of at least one manufacturer configuration setting.

12. The chip architecture of claim 1, wherein the plurality of processors is programmed to: receive at least one data stream;perform processing tasks on the at least one output data stream, wherein the processing tasks are performed one sample at a time or using different data block sizes; andtransmit the at least one processed output data stream to the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor.

13. (canceled)

14. The chip architecture of claim 1, wherein the audio subsystem is further programmed to: receive at least one output data stream from the main processor;perform processing tasks on the at least one output data stream; andtransmit the at least one processed output data stream to the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor.

15. A method of processing audio, the method comprising: receiving at least one input data stream directly from at least one audio input/output (I/O) interface, at least one peripheral component, or a main processor, the at least one audio I/O interface and the at least one peripheral component included in an audio subsystem;communicating a plurality of data streams between the main processor and the audio subsystem;processing at least some of the plurality of data streams in parallel;performing pre-processing tasks on the at least one input data stream received from the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor; andtransmitting the at least one pre-processed input data stream to the main processor.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: dynamically configuring at least one property of the plurality of data streams, the at least one property including data source, data destination, data sample rate, toplogy, or data latency, wherein the at least one property of at least two of the plurality of data streams are different from each other.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising: performing a first dedicated function using a first processor of the audio subsystem;performing a second dedicated function using a second processor of the audio subsystem, wherein the first dedicated function is different from the second dedicated function,wherein the main processor does not perform the first dedicated function or the second dedicated function.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising: dynamically decreasing data rates of at least one of the plurality of data streams; andproviding at least one output stream, the at least one output stream being the at least one of the plurality of data streams having the decreased data rate.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising: dynamically increasing a data rate of at least one of the plurality of data streams in the plurality of channels; andmodifying the at least one of the plurality of data streams to provide at least one output stream.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising: mixing at least two data streams, the mixing comprising applying different gains to the at least two data streams.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising: performing processing using a bypass processor, wherein the main processor enters a sleep mode while the bypass processor is performing the processing.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving binaural data streams from the at least one audio I/O interface;analyzing the binaural data streams to determine spatial information about sound sources;producing rendered data streams in accordance with at least one setting; andtransmitting the rendered data streams to the at least one audio I/O interface.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising: performing at least one intermediate-processing task on the at least one input data stream received from the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor; andtransmitting the at least one intermediate-processed input data stream to the main processor.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising: performing at least one post-processing task on the at least one input data stream received from the at least one audio I/O interface, the at least one peripheral component, or the main processor; andtransmitting the at least one post-processed input data stream to the audio I/O interface.