Jeffrey Ross Light

Method and apparatus for sound discrimination

A sound discriminator (107, 207) in accordance with the invention distinguishes or emphasis a specific audio signal or class or audio signals. The sound discriminator is employed in a digital audio encoding and/or decoding process. A comparator (110, 210) within the sound discriminator compares a received representation of an audio signal with a stored representation (112, 212) of a desired signal. An error between the two signals is determined and if the error is within an acceptable range, the stored representation of the desired signal replaces the actual received representation of the audio signal in an encoded or decoded stream of data. In this manner, a desired signal within an encoded or decoded signal is discriminated.