A system and method enhance the user experience in a digital radio by reducing the service switching time between frequencies. The system includes a digital radio transmitter to transmit digital data in a digital radio broadcast standard. The digital radio transmitter includes a first service channel to carry basic service selection information and a second service channel to carry information required for decoding. The digital radio transmitter includes a main service channel to transmit digital audio services and data services. A central server stores information channel data of all digital radio stations. A digital radio receiver stores the first service channel and the second service channel information of all frequencies other than the currently tuned frequency to the receiver internal storage and uses the stored information for demodulating and decoding at the time of service switching between frequencies.

A system and method for blocking normal media content signals, such as radio program signals emitted on a speaker and substituting alternative content for blocked signals includes a voice control module operable to receive a blocking command via a microphone. Receiving a blocking command results in the normal content being blocked and predetermined alternative content is played for either a user specified time or a predetermined time. Control over the radio or other media device is completely oral via speech recognition technology.

A system and method for blocking normal media content signals, such as radio program signals emitted on a speaker and substituting alternative content for blocked signals includes a voice control module operable to receive a blocking command via a microphone. Receiving a blocking command results in the normal content being blocked and predetermined alternative content is played for either a user specified time or a predetermined time. Control over the radio or other media device is completely oral via speech recognition technology.

A protected extended playback mode protects the integrity of audio and side information of a spatial audio signal and sound object and position information of audio objects in an immersive audio capture and rendering environment. Integrity verification data for audio-related data determined. An integrity verification value is computable dependent on the transmitted audio-related data. The integrity verification value can be compared with the integrity verification data for verifying the audio-related data transmitted in the audio stream for generating a playback signal having a mode dependent on the verification of the audio-related data A transmitting device transmits that integrity verification data and the audio-related data in an audio stream for reception by a receiving device. The audio stream, including the audio-related data and integrity verification data are received by the receiving device. The integrity verification value is computed by the receiving device, compared with the integrity verification data, and a playback signal is generated depending on whether the integrity verification value matches the integrity verification data.

A broadcast receiving apparatus includes a reception unit, sound controlling unit, and determination unit. The reception unit receives a signal of an analog broadcast and a signal of a digital broadcast having the same broadcast content. The sound controlling unit performs, when an output of the broadcast receiving apparatus switched into the analog broadcast from the digital broadcast, a switching control of switching the output into the analog broadcast from the digital broadcast so that an acoustic characteristic of the output digital broadcast gradually approaches an acoustic characteristic of the analog broadcast based on a reception intensity of the signal of the analog broadcast. The determination unit determines, after the sound controlling unit starts the switching control, whether or not the switching control performed by the sound controlling unit is to be continued, based on reception state of the signal of the digital broadcast.

A broadcast receiving apparatus includes a reception unit, sound controlling unit, and determination unit. The reception unit receives a signal of an analog broadcast and a signal of a digital broadcast having the same broadcast content. The sound controlling unit performs, when an output of the broadcast receiving apparatus switched into the analog broadcast from the digital broadcast, a switching control of switching the output into the analog broadcast from the digital broadcast so that an acoustic characteristic of the output digital broadcast gradually approaches an acoustic characteristic of the analog broadcast based on a reception intensity of the signal of the analog broadcast. The determination unit determines, after the sound controlling unit starts the switching control, whether or not the switching control performed by the sound controlling unit is to be continued, based on reception state of the signal of the digital broadcast.

On the basis of a bitstream (P), an n-channel audio signal (X) is reconstructed by deriving an m-channel core signal (Y) and multichannel coding parameters (?) from the bitstream, where 1?m<n. Also derived from the bitstream are pre-processing dynamic range control, DRC, parameters (DRC2) quantifying an encoder-side dynamic range limiting of the core signal. The n-channel audio signal is obtained by parametric synthesis in accordance with the multichannel coding parameters and while cancelling any encoder-side dynamic range limiting based on the pre-processing DRC parameters. In particular embodiments, the reconstruction further includes use of compensated post-processing DRC parameters quantifying a potential decoder-side dynamic range compression. Cancellation of an encoder-side range limitation and range compression are preferably performed by different decoder-side components. Cancellation and compression may be coordinated by a DRC pre-processor.

A stereo-phonic frequency modulation receiver includes: a frequency modulation demodulation circuit, receiving a reception signal, and generating a demodulated signal according to the reception signal; a frequency-division demultiplexer, generating a sum signal, a difference signal and a pilot amplitude signal according to the demodulated signal; a dual sound channel separation circuit, generating a left-channel output signal and a right-channel output signal according to the sum signal and a weakened difference signal; and a weakening circuit, weakening the difference signal according to the pilot amplitude signal or a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to generate the weakened difference signal.

A stereo-phonic frequency modulation receiver includes: a frequency modulation demodulation circuit, receiving a reception signal, and generating a demodulated signal according to the reception signal; a frequency-division demultiplexer, generating a sum signal, a difference signal and a pilot amplitude signal according to the demodulated signal; a dual sound channel separation circuit, generating a left-channel output signal and a right-channel output signal according to the sum signal and a weakened difference signal; and a weakening circuit, weakening the difference signal according to the pilot amplitude signal or a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to generate the weakened difference signal.

To control loudness during a junction between different types of broadcast content, such as a junction between program and commercial or promotional content, representative loudness values for content respectively before (P) and after (C) the junction are received from a playout automation system. A time-varying gain control is applied before and after the junction in order to smooth loudness around the junction. The audio gain is smoothly increased prior to the junction to a gain (P+C)/2P times higher than the original gain value. Then, the gain is reduced shortly before the junction to a value (P+C)/2C times lower than the original gain value. After the junction, the gain is returned smoothly to the original value.