Artificial ambiance processing system

Abstract

An apparatus and method simulates more accurately the natural statistics of a physical reverberation process. A new filter design is provided having a comb shaped group delay. Gain minimums at a plurality of frequencies are combined with a delay line to create a constant reverberation time independent of frequency while allowing for temporal spreading. In addition, the connection topology between the plurality of energy transmission networks is temporally randomized to facilitate energy distribution within the reverberation apparatus. Both the temporal and spectral responses are actively changed on each iteration of the energy recirculation. By making the response have a high echo density and a lack of spectral coloration in the decay, the illusion of a natural process is enhanced.

1 . A signal processing system comprising:
 a first delay module;   a first multiplier, coupled to the first delay module, capable of creating a real frequency line of poles; and   a second multiplier, coupled to the first delay module, capable of creating a real frequency of the line of zeros;   where for every pole located left of an imagery y axis in an s-plane representation, there is a corresponding zero in the right half plane of the s-plane representation at a same imaginary frequency and the zeros are closer to the imaginary y axis than the poles.   
     
     
         2 . A signal processing system comprising:
 a first delay module capable of creating a real frequency line of poles; and   a second delay module capable of creating a real frequency of the line of zeros;   where for every pole locate left of an imaginary y axis of an s-plane representation, there is a corresponding zero in the right half plane of the s-plane representation at a same imaginary frequency and the zeros are closer to the imaginary y axis than the poles.   
     
     
         3 . A filter comprising:
 a delay module capable of creating a line of poles and zeros, where for every pole located left of an imaginary y axis in an s-plane representation, there is a corresponding zero in the right half plane of the s-plane representation at a same imaginary frequency; and   the zeros are closer to the imaginary y axis than the poles.   
     
     
         4 . A filter comprising:
 a delay means for delaying a signal and for creating a line of poles and zeros, where for every pole located left of an imaginary y axis in an s-plane representation, there is a corresponding zero in the right half plane of the s-plane representation at a same imaginary frequency; and   the zeros are closer to the imaginary y axis than the poles.   
     
     
         5 . A signal processing system comprising:
 a first means for delaying a first signal and for creating a line of poles;   a second means for delaying a second signal and for creating a line of zeros; and   where for every pole located left of an imaginary y axis in an s-plane representation, there is a corresponding zero in the right half plane of the s-plane representation at a same imaginary frequency and where the zeros are closer of the imaginary y axis than the poles.   
     
     
         6 . A signal processing system comprising;
 a first means for delaying a signal;   a second multiplier means, coupled to the first means for delaying the signal, for creating a real frequency line of zeros; and   where for every pole located left of an imaginary y axis in an s-plane representation, there is a corresponding zero in the right half plane of the s-plane representation at a same imaginary frequency and where the zeros are closer to the imaginary y axis than the poles.   
     
     
         7 . An energy dispersive transmission network, comprising:
 (A) a notchpass filter means capable of receiving an input signal and generating a first output signals, the notchpass filter comprising a first delay means for creating a line of poles and zeros, where for every pole located left of an imaginary y axis in an s-plane representation, there is a corresponding zero in the right half plane of the s-plane representation at a same imaginary frequency and the zeros are closer to the imaginary y axis than the poles;   (B) a second delay means capable of receiving the first output signal generated by the notchpass filter means and generating a second output signal; and   (C) a multiplier means for scaling the second output signal according to a gain to generate a third output signal, an energy decay rate of the third output signal relative to the input signal being substantially identical at all frequencies.