System for selecting speaker locations in an audio system

• US 20050031129A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Devantier, Allan O., Welti, Todd S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,761,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/024 Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

A system is provided for configuring an audio system for a given space. The system may statistically analyze potential configurations of the audio system to configure the audio system. The potential configurations may include positions of the loudspeakers, numbers of loudspeakers, types of loudspeakers, listening positions, correction factors, or any combination thereof. The statistical analysis may indicate at least one metric of the potential configuration including indicating consistency of predicted transfer functions, flatness of the predicted transfer functions, differences in overall sound pressure level from seat to seat for the predicted transfer functions, efficiency of the predicted transfer functions, or the output of predicted transfer functions. The system also provides a methodology for selecting loudspeaker locations, the number of loudspeakers, the types of loudspeakers, correction factors, listening positions, or a combination of these schemes in an audio system that has a single listening position or multiple listening positions.

Claims

1. A method for selecting at least one loudspeaker location from potential loudspeaker locations in an audio system comprising:

determining the potential loudspeaker locations;

generating acoustic signals from at least one loudspeaker placed at the potential loudspeaker locations;

recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions for the generated acoustic signals;

modifying the transfer functions based on the potential loudspeaker locations in order to generate predicted transfer functions;

statistically analyzing across at least one frequency of the predicted transfer functions for the plurality of listening positions; and

selecting at least one loudspeaker location based on the statistical analysis.

2. The method of claim 1, where determining the potential loudspeaker locations comprises determining a discrete number of potential loudspeaker locations.

3. The method of claim 1, where modifying the transfer functions comprises accessing the transfer functions for each listening position corresponding to a combination of potential loudspeaker locations and combining the accessed transfer functions.

4. The method of claim 1, where the statistical analysis is across a plurality of frequencies of the predicted transfer functions.

5. The method of claim 4, where the plurality of frequencies are less than 120 Hz.

6. The method of claim 1, where the statistical analysis is selected from the group consisting of mean spatial variance, mean spatial standard deviation, mean spatial envelope, and mean spatial maximum average.

7. The method of claim 1, where the statistical analysis comprises mean spatial variance.

8. The method of claim 7, where the mean spatial variance is based on an average of spatial variance across the listening positions for a plurality of frequencies.

9. The method of claim 1, where selecting at least one loudspeaker location comprises automatically recommending a plurality of potential loudspeaker location combinations and manually selecting one of the plurality of potential loudspeaker location combinations.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining potential correction factors;

where modifying the transfer functions is based on the potential correction factors; and

further comprising selecting at least one correction factor from the potential correction factors based on the statistical analysis of the predicted transfer functions.

11. The method of claim 1, where the audio system may comprise different types of loudspeakers;

where generating acoustic signals comprises placing the different types of loudspeakers in the potential loudspeaker locations;

where modifying the transfer functions is based on the different types of speakers; and

further comprising selecting at least one type of speaker based on the statistical analysis.

12. A machine readable medium having instructions for causing a machine to execute a method, the machine readable medium comprising:

instructions for determining potential loudspeaker locations in the audio system;

instructions for generating acoustic signals from at least one loudspeaker placed at the potential loudspeaker locations;

instructions for recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions for the generated acoustic signals;

instructions for modifying the transfer functions based on the potential loudspeaker locations in order to generate predicted transfer functions;

instructions for statistically analyzing across at least one frequency of the predicted transfer functions for the plurality of listening positions.

13. The machine readable medium of claim 12, where the instructions for recording transfer functions comprises instructions for storing the transfer functions in a memory.

14. The machine readable medium of claim 12, where the instructions for modifying the transfer functions comprises instructions for accessing the transfer functions for each listening position corresponding to a combination of potential loudspeaker locations and combining the accessed transfer functions.

15. The machine readable medium of claim 12, where the statistical analysis is across a plurality of frequencies of the predicted transfer functions.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 15, where the plurality of frequencies are less than 120 Hz.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 12, where the statistical analysis is selected from the group consisting of mean spatial variance, mean spatial standard deviation, mean spatial envelope, and mean spatial maximum average.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 12, where the statistical analysis comprises mean spatial variance.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 18, where the mean spatial variance is based on an average of spatial variance across the listening positions for a plurality of frequencies.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions for recommending a plurality of potential loudspeaker location combinations.

21. A computer system for selecting loudspeaker locations in an audio system from a plurality of potential loudspeaker locations, the computer system comprising:

a memory storing transfer functions recorded at a plurality of listening positions for acoustic signals generated from at least one loudspeaker placed at the potential loudspeaker locations; and

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor determining combinations of potential loudspeaker locations, modifying the transfer functions based on the combinations in order to generate predicted transfer functions, statistically analyzing across at least one frequency of the predicted transfer functions for the plurality of listening positions, and recommending at least one of the potential loudspeaker location based on the statistical analysis.

22. The computer system of claim 21, where the statistical analysis comprises mean spatial variance.

23. A method for selecting at least one loudspeaker location from potential loudspeaker locations, the method comprising:

determining the potential loudspeaker locations;

recording transfer functions at at least one listening position;

modifying the transfer functions based on the potential loudspeaker locations in order to generate predicted transfer functions;

statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions; and

selecting at least one loudspeaker location based on the statistical analysis.

24. The method of claim 23, where determining the potential loudspeaker locations comprises determining a discrete number of potential loudspeaker locations.

25. The method of claim 23, where recording transfer functions comprises:

generating acoustic signals from at least one loudspeaker placed at each of the potential loudspeaker locations; and

recording the transfer functions at the listening position for the generated acoustic signals.

26. The method of claim 23, where modifying the transfer functions comprises accessing the transfer functions for each loudspeaker in a combination of potential loudspeaker locations and combining the accessed transfer functions.

27. The method of claim 23, where statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions comprises analyzing frequencies of the predicted transfer functions below about 120 Hz.

28. The method of claim 23, where recording transfer functions comprises recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions;

and

where statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions comprises analyzing the predicted transfer functions across the plurality of listening positions.

29. The method of claim 28, where analyzing the predicted transfer functions across the plurality of listening positions is as a function of frequency.

30. The method of claim 23, where recording transfer functions comprises recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions;

and

where statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions comprises analyzing the predicted transfer functions for each of the plurality of listening positions.

31. The method of claim 23, where recording transfer functions comprises recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions;

and

where the statistical analysis indicates consistency of the predicted transfer functions for the plurality of listening positions.

32. The method of claim 31, where the potential loudspeaker locations for a predicted transfer function are selected when the predicted transfer function more consistent than other predicted transfer functions.

33. The method of claim 23, where the statistical analysis is selected from the group consisting of mean spatial variance, mean spatial standard deviation, mean spatial envelope, and mean spatial maximum average.

34. The method of claim 23, where the statistical analysis indicates flatness for the predicted transfer functions.

35. The method of claim 34, where the potential loudspeaker locations for a predicted transfer function are selected when the predicted transfer function is flatter than other predicted transfer functions.

36. The method of claim 23, where the statistical analysis is selected from the group consisting of variance of spatial average, standard deviation of the spatial average, envelope of the spatial average, and variance of the spatial minimum.

37. The method of claim 23, where recording transfer functions comprises recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions;

and

where the statistical analysis indicates differences in overall sound pressure level among the plurality of listening positions for the predicted transfer functions.

38. The method of claim 37, where the potential loudspeaker locations for a predicted transfer function are selected when the predicted transfer function has fewer differences in overall sound pressure level among the plurality of listening positions than other predicted transfer functions.

39. The method of claim 23, where the statistical analysis is selected from the group consisting of variance of mean levels;

standard deviation of mean levels, envelope of mean levels, and maximum average of mean levels.

40. The method of claim 23, where the statistical analysis indicates efficiency of the predicted transfer functions.

41. The method of claim 40, where efficiency is examined for predetermined frequencies.

42. The method of claim 41, where the potential loudspeaker locations for a predicted transfer function are selected when the predicted transfer function has greater efficiency than other predicted transfer functions.

43. The method of claim 23, where the statistical analysis comprises acoustic efficiency.

44. The method of claim 43, where recording transfer functions comprises recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions;

and

where the acoustic efficiency comprises a mean overall level divided by a total drive level for the predicted transfer function.

45. The method of claim 43, where the potential loudspeaker locations for a predicted transfer function are selected when the predicted transfer function has greater acoustic efficiency of the audio system than other predicted transfer functions.

46. The method of claim 23, where the statistical analysis indicates output of predicted transfer functions.

47. The method of claim 46, where output is examined for predetermined frequencies.

48. The method of claim 47, where the predetermined frequencies are below 50 Hz.

49. The method of claim 48, where the potential loudspeaker locations for a predicted transfer function is selected when the predicted transfer function has greater output of the audio system in the predetermined frequencies than other predicted transfer functions.

50. The method of claim 23, where recording transfer functions comprises recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions;

and

where the statistical analysis comprises mean overall level.

51. The method of claim 23, where selecting at least one loudspeaker location based on the statistical analysis comprises selecting at least one of the potential loudspeaker locations.

52. The method of claim 51, where selecting at least one of the potential loudspeaker locations comprises selecting multiple loudspeaker locations.

53. A machine readable medium having instructions for causing a computer to execute a method, the machine readable medium comprising:

instructions for recording potential loudspeaker locations;

instructions for recording transfer functions at at least one listening position;

instructions for modifying the transfer functions based on the potential loudspeaker locations in order to generate predicted transfer functions; and

instructions for statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions.

54. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the instructions for recording potential loudspeaker locations comprise instructions for receiving input identifying the potential loudspeaker locations.

55. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where instructions for modifying the transfer functions comprise instructions for accessing the transfer functions for each loudspeaker in a combination of potential loudspeaker locations and combining the accessed transfer functions.

56. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where instructions for statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions comprise instructions for analyzing frequencies of the predicted transfer functions below about 120 Hz.

57. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the instructions for recording transfer functions comprise instructions for recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening postions;

and

where the instructions for statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions comprise instructions for analyzing the predicted transfer functions across the plurality of listening positions.

58. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the instructions for recording transfer functions comprise instructions for recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions;

and

where the instructions for statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions comprise instructions for analyzing the predicted transfer functions for each of the plurality of listening positions.

59. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the instructions for recording transfer functions comprise instructions for recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions;

and

where the statistical analysis indicates consistency of the predicted transfer functions across the plurality of listening positions.

60. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the statistical analysis is selected from the group consisting of mean spatial variance, mean spatial standard deviation, mean spatial envelope, and mean spatial maximum average

61. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the statistical analysis indicates flatness for the predicted transfer functions.

62. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the statistical analysis is selected from the group consisting of variance of spatial average, standard deviation of the spatial average, envelope of the spatial average, and variance of the spatial minimum.

63. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the instructions for recording transfer functions comprise instructions for recording transfer functions at a plurality of listening positions;

and

where the statistical analysis indicates differences in overall sound pressure level among the plurality of listening positions for the predicted transfer functions.

64. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the statistical analysis is selected from the group consisting of variance of mean levels;

standard deviation of mean levels, envelope of mean levels, and maximum average of mean levels.

65. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the statistical analysis indicates efficiency of the predicted transfer functions.

66. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the statistical analysis comprises acoustic efficiency.

67. The machine readable medium of claim 53, where the statistical analysis indicates output of predicted transfer functions.

68. The machine readable medium of claim 53, further comprising instructions for recommending at least one potential loudspeaker location.

69. The machine readable medium of claim 68, where a plurality of statistical analyses are performed;

and

where the instructions for recommending at least one potential loudspeaker location is based on weighting the plurality of statistical analyses.

70. The machine readable medium of claim 68, where the statistical analysis ranks the predicted transfer functions based on at least one metric, and

where the instructions for recommending a configuration comprise instructions for recommending at least one potential loudspeaker based on ranking the at least one metric.

71. The machine readable medium of claim 70, where the instructions for recommending at least one potential loudspeaker comprise instructions for recommending an optimal value based on a highest ranked predicted transfer function.

72. A signal-bearing medium having instructions for causing a computer to execute a method, the signal-bearing medium comprising:

logic for recording potential loudspeaker locations;

logic for recording transfer functions at at least one position in an audio system;

logic for modifying the transfer functions based on the potential loudspeaker locations in order to generate predicted transfer functions; and

logic for statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions.

73. A system for analyzing potential loudspeaker configurations in an audio system, the system comprising:

means for storing transfer functions recorded at at least one listening position in an audio system;

means for determining potential loudspeaker configurations for the audio system;

means for modifying the transfer functions based on the potential loudspeaker configurations in order to generate predicted transfer functions; and

means for statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions.

74. A system for analyzing potential loudspeaker configurations, the system comprising:

storage means for storing transfer functions recorded at at least one listening position in an audio system; and

processor means for determining potential loudspeaker configurations for the audio system, for modifying the transfer functions based on the potential loudspeaker configurations in order to generate predicted transfer functions, and for statistically analyzing the predicted transfer functions.