Method of reproducing audio signal, and reproducing apparatus therefor

• US 20040131338A1
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Asada, Kohei, Itabashi, Tetsunori
• Application Number:
  US10/706,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20040131338A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/96
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/022 Plurality of transducers corresponding to a plurality of sound channels in each earpiece of headphones or in a single enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/20 Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic H04R2203/12 takes precedence
• 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 1/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30

Abstract

The present invention intends to enlarge a range in which a proper position of sound image position is obtained, when a sound field is generated by a speaker array. A plurality of speakers constituting a speaker array and a plurality of digital filters to which an audio signal is supplied respectively are provided. Respective outputs of the digital filters are supplied to the speakers, respectively, and a sound field is generated inside closed space. Predetermined delay times are set for the digital filters, respectively. Consequently, sounds outputted from the speaker array are reflected by a wall surface of the closed space, and then supplied to a location of a listener inside the sound field at a sound pressure larger than that of a peripheral location.

Claims

1. A method of reproducing an audio signal, comprising the steps of:

supplying an audio signal to a plurality of digital filters, respectively;

generating a sound field inside closed space by supplying respective outputs of the plurality of digital filters to a plurality of speakers constituting a speaker array, respectively; and

supplying the sounds outputted from the speaker array to a location of a listener inside the sound field after being reflected by a wall surface of the closed space with a sound pressure larger than that of a peripheral location by setting predetermined delay times for said plurality of digital filters, respectively.

2. The method of reproducing an audio signal according to claim 1, wherein

a sound pressure directly arriving at said listener from said speaker array is reduced by setting predetermined amplitudes to said plurality of digital filters, respectively.

3. An apparatus for reproducing an audio signal, comprising:

a plurality of speakers constituting a speaker array; and

a plurality of digital filters to which an audio signal is supplied, respectively, wherein

a sound field is generated inside closed space by supplying respective outputs of said plurality of digital filters to said plurality of speakers, respectively; and

the sounds outputted from the speaker array are supplyed to a location of a listener inside the sound field after being reflected by a wall surface of the closed space with a sound pressure larger than that of a peripheral location by setting predetermined delay times for said plurality of digital filters, respectively.

4. The apparatus for reproducing an audio signal, according to claim 3, wherein

a sound pressure directly arriving at said listener from said speaker array is reduced by setting predetermined amplitudes to said plurality of digital filters, respectively.