Analog and digital audio auto sense

Details Analog and digital audio auto sense Analog and digital audio auto sense

1998-08-10

2001-02-06

Ray, Gopal C. (Department: 2181)

Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/

Input/output data processing

C710S016000, C710S100000, C327S099000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06185627

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the field of information handling systems, and particularly to analog and digital audio signals in information handling systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Multimedia information handling systems typically utilize a sound card or expansion board for reproducing audio information from an audio formatted file stored in the information handling system such as a WAV file, MIDI file, or music stored on a compact disk or DVD played from a drive of the information handling system. Typically, the sound card provides an analog audio signal that drives one or a set of speakers, or that drives an external amplifier that in turn drives one or more speakers at higher volumes.
The application of digital processing techniques to audio recording, storage, and reproduction has resulted in a proliferation of digital audio equipment. As an example, digital filtering techniques may be utilized in lieu of traditional analog crossover networks to separate audio signals into low frequency and high frequency bands for driving woofer and tweeter drivers, respectively. The use of digital filtering and other digital processing techniques provides control over audio signals to a precision that cannot be achieved though traditional analog systems. However, a great number of presently existing audio systems utilize analog signal processing. Thus, most audio equipment provide both analog and digital inputs and outputs in order to be able to interface with either analog or digital systems. It would be desirable to provide a sound card, or similar output of an information handling system, having both analog and digital outputs for connecting the sound card to either analog or digital audio systems. Further, it would be desirable to provide a sound card having a single output jack that automatically detects the type of audio system connected to the output jack and that provides either the appropriate analog or digital output signal to the output jack in response to the detected audio system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method for selectively sending a first signal or a second signal to an output. In one embodiment, the method includes steps for determining an electrical characteristic of a device coupled to the output, in the event the electrical characteristic is determined to be a predetermined value, sending, the first signal to the output, and otherwise, sending the second signal to the output.
The present invention is further directed to an information handing system for automatically determining the type of signal to send to an output of the information handing system. In one embodiment, the information handling system includes a processor for executing instructions on the information handling system, a memory coupled to the processor for storing the instructions, and a detector coupled to the output of the information handling system for detecting a characteristic of a device coupled to the output, the characteristic being indicative of the type of signal to be sent to the output wherein a first type of signal is sent to the output when the characteristic has a predetermined value and a second type of signal is sent to the output when the characteristic does not have the predetermined value. The method and the information handling system are capable of automatically determining whether a speaker is an analog speaker or a digital speaker and sending an appropriate analog or digital signal to the speaker depending upon its type.
It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3713099 (1973-01-01), Hemstreet
patent: 4658099 (1987-04-01), Frazer
patent: 5036406 (1991-07-01), Sanders
patent: 5519396 (1996-05-01), Distinti
patent: 6023260 (2000-02-01), Higashi

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