Wireless audio system, controller, wireless speaker, and computer readable system

• US 10,587,968 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: D&M Holdings Incorporated (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: D&M Holdings Incorporated (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Maeda, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fahnert, Friedrich
• Application Number:
  US16/076,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20190297439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 381 59, 700 94, 704271, 715751
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/002 Loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone

Abstract

[Problem] In the case where an audio signal of the same source is output from a plurality of speakers, the speakers are adjusted so that the audio signals become optimal at a listening position. [Solution] Processing in which an audio signal output from a wireless speaker 1 is collected by a microphone of a controller 2 carried by a listener and a delay time is measured that is the difference between an output time of the audio signal from the wireless speaker 1 and an input time of the audio signal to the microphone of the controller 2 is performed on a plurality of the wireless speakers 1 that output an audio signal of the same source, and the delay times of the audio signals from these respective wireless speakers 1 are measured. Output timings of these respective wireless speakers 1 are adjusted on the basis of these delay times.

Claims

1. A wireless audio system, comprising a plurality of wireless speakers and a controller configured to remotely operate the plurality of wireless speakers,

wherein the plurality of wireless speakers each include:

test signal output means for outputting a test signal, which is a predetermined audio signal, to notify the controller of an output time of the test signal, or for outputting the test signal at an output time designated in a test instruction, which is received from the controller, in accordance with the test instruction; and

output adjustment means for adjusting an output timing of an audio signal to be played back in accordance with an output adjustment instruction received from the controller, and

wherein the controller includes;

a microphone configured to collect a sound of the test signal;

measurement means for measuring a delay period, the delay period being a difference between the output time of the test signal received from each of the plurality of wireless speakers or the output time of the test signal designated in the test instruction and an input time of the test signal into the microphone, in which the controller transmits the test instruction to each of the plurality of wireless speakers to cause the each of the plurality of wireless speakers to output the test signal, and to cause the microphone to collect the sound of the test signal, and;

determination means for determining an output timing of each of the plurality of wireless speakers based on the delay period of the each of the plurality of wireless speakers measured by the measurement means; and

output adjustment instruction transmission means for transmitting, to each of the plurality of wireless speakers, the output adjustment instruction containing designation of the output timing of the each of the plurality of wireless speakers determined by the determination means,

wherein the test signal output means of each of the plurality of wireless speakers is configured to notify the controller of an output level of the test signal, or to output the test signal at an output level designated in the test instruction received from the controller,

wherein the output adjustment means of each of the plurality of wireless speakers is configured to adjust an output level of the audio signal to be played back in accordance with the output adjustment instruction received from the controller,

wherein the measurement means of the controller is configured to measure, for each of the plurality of wireless speakers, an input-to-output ratio, which is a ratio of an input level of the test signal into the microphone to the output level of the test signal received from the each of the plurality of wireless speakers or the output level of the test signal designated in the test instruction,

wherein the determination means of the controller is configured to determine the output level of each of the plurality of wireless speakers based on the input-to-output ratio of the each of the plurality of wireless speakers measured by the measurement means, and

wherein the output adjustment instruction transmission means of the controller is configured to transmit, to each of the plurality of wireless speakers, designation of the output level of the each of the plurality of wireless speakers determined by the determination means by containing the designation in the output adjustment instruction,

wherein the controller further includes control target determination means for determining a wireless speaker to be excluded from a control target among the plurality of wireless speakers based on the input-to-output ratio of each of the plurality of wireless speakers measured by the measurement means, and

wherein the output adjustment instruction transmission means of the controller is configured to avoid transmitting the output adjustment instruction to the wireless speaker determined to be excluded from the control target by the control target determination means.

2. A wireless audio system, comprising a plurality of wireless speakers and a controller configured to remotely operate the plurality of wireless speakers,

wherein the plurality of wireless speakers each include:

test signal output means for outputting a test signal, which is a predetermined audio signal, to notify the controller of an output time of the test signal, or for outputting the test signal at an output time designated in a test instruction, which is received from the controller, in accordance with the test instruction; and

output adjustment means for adjusting an output timing of an audio signal to be played back in accordance with an output adjustment instruction received from the controller, and

wherein the controller includes;

a microphone configured to collect a sound of the test signal;

measurement means for measuring a delay period, the delay period being a difference between the output time of the test signal received from each of the plurality of wireless speakers or the output time of the test signal designated in the test instruction and an input time of the test signal into the microphone, in which the controller transmits the test instruction to each of the plurality of wireless speakers to cause the each of the plurality of wireless speakers to output the test signal, and to cause the microphone to collect the sound of the test signal, and;

determination means for determining an output timing of each of the plurality of wireless speakers based on the delay period of the each of the plurality of wireless speakers measured by the measurement means; and

output adjustment instruction transmission means for transmitting, to each of the plurality of wireless speakers, the output adjustment instruction containing designation of the output timing of the each of the plurality of wireless speakers determined by the determination means,

wherein the plurality of wireless speakers each further include;

beacon signal transmission means for transmitting a beacon signal including identification information on an own wireless speaker; and

received radio wave information notification means for receiving the beacon signal including identification information designated in a radio wave detection instruction received from the controller, detecting a received radio wave strength of the beacon signal, and notifying the controller of the detected received radio wave strength, in accordance with the radio wave detection instruction, and

wherein the controller further includes;

received radio wave strength detection means for receiving a beacon signal transmitted from each of the plurality of wireless speakers and detecting a received radio wave strength of the beacon signal;

reference coordinate identification means for transmitting, to a first wireless speaker for which a received radio wave strength is detected by the received radio wave strength detection means among the plurality of wireless speakers, a radio wave detection instruction containing designation of identification information on a second wireless speaker for which a received radio wave strength is detected by the received radio wave strength detection means, acquiring a received radio wave strength of the second wireless speaker detected by the first wireless speaker from the first wireless speaker, and identifying a reference coordinate system identified by relative positions of the controller, the first wireless speaker, and the second wireless speaker based on the received radio wave strength of each of the first and second wireless speakers detected by the received radio wave strength detection means and the received radio wave strength of the second wireless speaker detected by the first wireless speaker;

position identification means for performing, for each of the plurality of wireless speakers excluding the first and second wireless speakers, processing of;

transmitting, to each of the first and second wireless speakers, a radio wave detection instruction containing designation of identification information on a wireless speaker being a measurement target for which a received radio wave strength is detected by the received radio wave strength detection means;

acquiring received radio wave strengths of the wireless speaker being the measurement target detected by the first and second wireless speakers from the first and second wireless speakers; and

identifying a position of the wireless speaker being the measurement target based on the received radio wave strength of the wireless speaker being the measurement target detected by the received radio wave strength detection means, the received radio wave strengths of the wireless speaker being the measurement target detected by the first and second wireless speakers, and the reference coordinate system identified by the reference coordinate identification means;

installation state determination means for determining installation states of the plurality of wireless speakers with respect to the controller based on the reference coordinate system identified by the reference coordinate identification means and positions of the plurality of wireless speakers excluding the first and second wireless speakers identified by the position identification means; and

output mode determination means for determining an audio signal output mode of audio signals to be output from the plurality of wireless speakers based on the installation states determined by the installation state determination means.

4. A wireless audio system according to claim 2,

wherein the controller further includes:

installation state display means for displaying the installation states determined by the installation state determination means; and

listener information reception means for receiving designation of a front direction of a listener with the controller under the installation states displayed by the installation state display means, and

wherein the output mode determination means of the controller is configured to determine the audio signal output mode of audio signals based on the installation states of the plurality of wireless speakers, in which the front direction of the listener received by the listener information reception means is set, with respect to the controller.

3. A wireless audio system, comprising a plurality of wireless speakers and a controller configured to remotely operate the plurality of wireless speakers,

wherein the plurality of wireless speakers each include:

test signal output means for outputting a test signal, which is a predetermined audio signal, to notify the controller of an output time of the test signal, or for outputting the test signal at an output time designated in a test instruction, which is received from the controller, in accordance with the test instruction; and

output adjustment means for adjusting an output timing of an audio signal to be played back in accordance with an output adjustment instruction received from the controller, and

wherein the controller includes;

a microphone configured to collect a sound of the test signal;

measurement means for measuring a delay period, the delay period being a difference between the output time of the test signal received from each of the plurality of wireless speakers or the output time of the test signal designated in the test instruction and an input time of the test signal into the microphone, in which the controller transmits the test instruction to each of the plurality of wireless speakers to cause the each of the plurality of wireless speakers to output the test signal, and to cause the microphone to collect the sound of the test signal, and;

determination means for determining an output timing of each of the plurality of wireless speakers based on the delay period of the each of the plurality of wireless speakers measured by the measurement means; and

output adjustment instruction transmission means for transmitting, to each of the plurality of wireless speakers, the output adjustment instruction containing designation of the output timing of the each of the plurality of wireless speakers determined by the determination means,

wherein the plurality of wireless speakers each further include;

beacon signal transmission means for transmitting a beacon signal including identification information on an own wireless speaker; and

received radio wave information notification means for receiving the beacon signal including identification information designated in a radio wave detection instruction received from the controller, detecting a received radio wave strength and reception direction of the beacon signal, and notifying the controller of the detected received radio wave strength and reception direction, in accordance with the radio wave detection instruction, and

wherein the controller further includes;

beacon signal transmission means for transmitting a beacon signal including identification information on an own controller;

received radio wave strength detection means for receiving a beacon signal transmitted from each of the plurality of wireless speakers and detecting a received radio wave strength of the beacon signal;

reference coordinate identification means for transmitting, to a first wireless speaker for which a received radio wave strength is detected by the received radio wave strength detection means among the plurality of wireless speakers, a radio wave detection instruction containing designation of identification information on the controller, acquiring a received radio wave strength and reception direction of the controller detected by the first wireless speaker from the first wireless speaker, and identifying a reference coordinate system identified by relative positions of the controller and the first wireless speaker based on the received radio wave strength of the first wireless speaker detected by the received radio wave strength detection means or the received radio wave strength of the controller detected by the first wireless speaker, and the reception direction of the controller detected by the first wireless speaker;

position identification means for performing, for each of the plurality of wireless speakers excluding the first wireless speaker, processing of;

transmitting, to the first wireless speaker, a radio wave detection instruction containing designation of identification information on a wireless speaker being a measurement target for which a received radio wave strength is detected by the received radio wave strength detection means;

acquiring, from the first wireless speaker, a received radio wave strength and reception direction of the wireless speaker being the measurement target detected by the first wireless speaker; and

identifying a position of the wireless speaker being the measurement target based on the received radio wave strength of the wireless speaker being the measurement target detected by the received radio wave strength detection means, the received radio wave strength and reception direction of the wireless speaker being the measurement target detected by the first wireless speaker, and the reference coordinate system identified by the reference coordinate identification means;

installation state determination means for determining installation states of the plurality of wireless speakers with respect to the controller based on the reference coordinate system identified by the reference coordinate identification means and positions of the plurality of wireless speakers excluding the first wireless speaker identified by the position identification means; and

output mode determination means for determining an audio signal output mode of audio signals to be output from the plurality of wireless speakers based on the installation states determined by the installation state determination means.