1. 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.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first transition region includes a plurality of positions for transitioning the adjusted input signals from the surround sound level control region to the forward fading control region and the second transition region includes a plurality of positions for transitioning the adjusted input signals from the surround sound level control region to the backward fading control region.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first control region and the second control region are further divided into a plurality of positions associated with a control device.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein adjacent positions are separated by a discrete step size.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the discrete step size corresponds to a change in an adjusted input signal strength relative to an original input signal strength by a predetermined value.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the relative strength of the selected input signals further includes:
obtaining control parameters corresponding to the selected input signals; and
adjusting the signal strength of the selected input signals based on the control parameters.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the control parameters are stored in a table.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein obtaining control parameters further includes setting the control parameters to satisfy predetermined criteria.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined criteria relate to optimizing a perceived sound quality.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined criteria relate to maintaining a constant overall system output level.
11. A method for controlling a surround sound system with a plurality of input signals and a plurality of spatially diverse transducers in a listening environment, comprising:
defining a plurality of control regions, each of the plurality of control regions corresponding to a distinct position range on a single degree of freedom control;
when operating in a first control region of the plurality of control regions, adjusting a relative strength of at least one of a plurality of input signals with respect to other input signals; and
when operating in a second control region of the plurality of control regions, adjusting a relative output level of at least one of a plurality of spatially diverse transducers with respect to other transducers, wherein the output level of at least one of the spatially diverse transducers includes components of at least two of the input signals, 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.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first control region comprises a surround level control region, and a relative strength of at least one surround signal is adjusted when operating in the surround level control region.
13. The method in claim 11, wherein the second control region comprises a front-rear fading control region, and a relative output level of at least one transducer with respect to other transducers is adjusted when operating in the second control region.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second control region is further divided into a backward fading control region and a forward fading control region.
15. A system for controlling fading and surround level for a surround sound system with a plurality of input signals and a plurality of spatially diverse transducers in a listening environment, the system comprising:
a memory for storing a plurality of control parameters for adjusting a relative strength of a plurality of input signals, wherein the control parameters are indexed according to a plurality of defined positions in a first control region and a second control region;
a controller for operating in the first control region and the second control region;
a signal processor operable to process each of the plurality of input signals based on the control parameters and provide each processed signal to a corresponding transducer when the controller is operating in the first control region; and
wherein the signal processor is operable to mix at least two of the input signals based on the control parameters to generate a mixed signal for at least one transducer of the plurality of transducers and provide the mixed signal to the corresponding transducer when the controller is operating in the second control region, 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.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the listening environment comprises an automotive listening environment.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein said listening environment comprises a room.
18. The system of claim 15 wherein the signal processor is operable to process each of the input signals by selecting at least one input signal and adjusting a strength of the selected input signals.
19. The system of claim 15 wherein the controller is operable to tune to one of a plurality of defined positions in the plurality of control regions.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller comprises a remote controller.
21. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is mounted in the listening environment.
22. The system of claim 19 wherein the controller comprises one of a rotary switch controller and an incrementdecrement controller.
23. A system for a surround sound system with a plurality of input signals and a plurality of spatially diverse transducers in a listening environment, the system comprising:
a single degree of freedom controller for operating in a plurality of control regions depending on a position of the controller; and
a signal processor for adjusting a relative strength of at least one input signal of a plurality of input signals with respect to other input signals when the controller is operating in a first control region of the plurality of control regions, wherein the signal processor further adjusts relative output levels of at least one transducer of a plurality of spatially diverse transducers with respect to other transducers when the controller is operating in a second control region of the plurality of control regions, with the relative output levels of at least one transducer including components of at least two of the input signals when the controller is operating in the second control region, 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.
24. The system of claim 23 wherein the first control region comprises a surround level control region for adjusting a relative strength of at least one surround signal.
25. The system of claim 23 wherein the second control region comprises a front-rear fading control region for adjusting relative output levels between a front set of transducers and a rear set of transducers.
26. The system of claim 25 wherein the second control region is further divided into a front-to-rear backward fading control region and a rear-to-front forward fading control region.
27. The system in claim 23 wherein the controller comprises a remote controller.
28. The system of claim 23 wherein the controller is mounted in the listening environment.
29. 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 corresponding to a first range of control positions and a second range of control positions of a single degree of freedom control device;
receiving a plurality of input signals;
when the control device is operating in the first control region:
selectively adjusting relative strengths of the input signals, wherein a first subset of the input signals is adjusted relative to a second subset of the input signals;
applying the adjusted input signals to a plurality of transducers, wherein each of the transducers receives a corresponding number of input signals; and
when the control device is operating in the second control region:
selectively adjusting relative strengths of the input signals; and
applying the adjusted input signals to the plurality of transducers,
wherein at least one of the transducers receives a different number of input signals than is received when the control device is operating in the first control region, 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.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the first subset of input signals comprises at least one surround audio source signal and the second subset of input signals comprises at least one front audio source signal.
31. The method of claim 30 wherein the plurality of transducers include at least one front transducer and at least one surround transducer, with each front transducer receiving at least one front audio source signal and each surround transducer receiving at least one surround audio source signal when the control device is operating in the first control region.
32. The method of claim 31 wherein at least one front transducer receives components of at least one front audio source signal and at least one surround audio source signal when the control device is operating in the second control region.
33. The method of claim 31 wherein at least one surround transducer receives components of at least one front audio source signal and at least one surround audio source signal when the control device is operating in the second control region.
34. A method for controlling a surround sound system with a plurality of input signals and a plurality of spatially diverse transducers, comprising:
mapping a first control region to a first range of control positions of a single degree of freedom control device;
mapping a second control region to a second range of control positions of the control device, the second range of control positions distinct from the first range of control positions;
receiving a plurality of input signals;
when the control device is operating in the first control region:
selectively adjusting relative strengths of a first number of the input signals;
applying the adjusted input signals to a plurality of transducers; and
when the control device is operating in the second control region:
selectively adjusting relative strengths of a second number of the input signals, wherein the second number differs from the first number; and applying the adjusted input signals to the plurality of transducers, 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.
35. The method of claim 34 wherein the first number of input signals include at least one surround audio source signal.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein the second number of input signals include at least one surround audio source signal and at least one front audio source signal.
37. The method of claim 36 wherein applying the adjusted input signals to the plurality of transducers when the control device is operating in the second control region comprises applying at least one adjusted surround audio source signal and at least one adjusted front audio source signal to a surround transducer.
38. The method of claim 36 wherein applying the adjusted input signals to the plurality of transducers when the control device is operating in the second control region comprises applying at least one adjusted surround audio source signal and at least one adjusted front audio source signal to a front transducer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An image enhancer device for use with an associated mobile electronic device having a digital camera, the image enhancer device comprising:
a housing;
an image manipulator coupled to a first region of the housing configured to modify an optical path of the digital camera;
an aimer having an aiming element configured to direct at least one aiming light beam towards an object of interest;
an illuminator having an illumination element configured to direct at least one illumination light beam from the housing towards the object of interest; and
electronics allowing for communication between the image enhancer device and the associated mobile electronic device,
wherein the image enhancer device forms a scan angle relative to a field of view of the digital camera of the mobile electronic device and allows for bar code imaging andor native image processing with the digital camera of the associated mobile electronic device.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the aiming element includes a first LED light source, the illuminator element includes a second LED light source, and the image manipulator has a first mirrored surface.
3. The device of claim, wherein the electronics allow for communication from the associated mobile electronic device through a native port on the associated mobile electronic device, the native port being an audio port, a lightning port, or a USB port.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the electronics further allow for harvesting of energy through the native port.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the harvested energy is stored in a super capacitor of the device.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the communication is bi-directional over an audio port on the associated mobile electronic device.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the image manipulator receives light directed towards the first region of the housing from the object of interest and reflects the light towards a second region of the housing, and optionally, wherein the first region and the second region of the housing are arranged at an angle to one another.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the aimer directs the at least one aiming light beam from the first region of the housing through an aperture in the housing, and optionally, wherein incoming light is directed toward the image manipulator and reflects at an angle relative to the incoming light into a lens or image sensor of the digital camera of the associated mobile electronic device.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first region of the housing allows incoming light to reflect onto the image manipulator and allowing outgoing light from the aimer and the illuminator to exit the housing and toward the object of interest.
10. The device of claim 7, wherein a surface of the second region is positionable relative to the chassis of the associated mobile electronic device such that the image manipulator is generally centered and aligned over the lens or image sensor of the digital camera of the associated mobile electronic device and the first region faces at an angle to the chassis such that the at least one aiming light beam and the at least one illuminating light beam are directed away from the device and toward the object of interest.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein when the second region of the housing is positioned relative to the chassis of the mobile device and optically aligned with the camera, the first region of the housing is oriented such that incoming light directed towards the image enhancer device reflects onto the image manipulator and is redirected towards the digital camera of the associated mobile electronic device.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one aiming light beam is emitted through an aimer aperture extending through a wall in the housing of the device on the first region of the housing, and optionally, wherein the at least one illumination light beam is emitted through an illuminator aperture extending through the wall of the housing, wherein the illuminator aperture and the aimer aperture can be the same or different apertures.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein a plane of the aimer aperture and a plane of the illuminator aperture are the same plane, parallel planes, or non-parallel planes, and wherein an angle is formed between a plane of the second region of the housing and the planes of the aimer aperture and the illuminator aperture.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the angle is at least about 15\xb0, 20\xb0, 25\xb0, 30\xb0, 35\xb0, 40\xb0, 45\xb0, 50\xb0, 55\xb0, 60\xb0, 65\xb0, 70\xb0, 75\xb0, 80\xb0, 85\xb0, 90\xb0, 95\xb0 or greater degrees.
15. The device of claim 13, wherein the angle is fixed or mechanically adjustable.
16. The device of claim 1, wherein incoming light is redirected by the image manipulator at an angle that is about 15\xb0, 20\xb0, 25\xb0, 30\xb0, 35\xb0, 40\xb0, 45\xb0, 50\xb0, 55\xb0, 60\xb0, 65\xb0, 70\xb0, 75\xb0, 80\xb0, 85\xb0, 90\xb0, 95\xb0 degree angle from an original direction.
17. The device of claim 1, wherein the scan angle is 90 degrees from a direction that the digital camera is facing.
18. The device of claim 1, wherein the aimer is housed within an interior volume of the housing and the aiming element comprises a lens, a pinhole element defining a pinhole, and an aiming light source coupled to a printed circuit board, wherein the lens is oriented near a first region of the housing a distance away from the pinhole element, the pinhole element is coupled to or integrated with an inner surface of the housing between the lens and the aiming light source.
19. The device of claim 18, wherein the aiming element further comprises a diffuser positioned between the pinhole element and the aiming light source.
20. The device of claim 18, wherein the lens is placed with its focal point at the pinhole, which is a distance away from the light source and has a measured spread of the beam of light produced by the aiming element.
21.-113. (canceled)