Loudspeaker positions select infrastructure signal

• US 20050141724A1
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piet Bernard Hesdahl
• Original Assignee: Piet Bernard Hesdahl
• Inventors: Hesdahl, Piet Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 8,605,921 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: H04S 3/008 in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 5/005 of the pseudo five- or more-channel type, e.g. virtual surround

Abstract

For operating a multi-loudspeaker configuration which is audio-driven from a multi-audio-channel source system, an appropriate audio channel from the multi-audio-channel source is assigned to each loudspeaker. The loudspeakers are driven as active powered units. In particular, the method provides an overall communication structure for carrying audio data to the loudspeakers. The method locally ascertains the relative positions of various loudspeakers in the configuration. It assigns an appropriate indication to a particular loudspeaker regarding its relative position. In the particular loudspeaker, it recognizes an associated indication. It uses a recognized indication to select an audio channel appropriate to the position of the loudspeaker in question in the multi-loudspeaker configuration.

Claims

1. A method of operating a multi-loudspeaker configuration which is audio-driven from a multi-audio-channel source system, assigning an appropriate audio channel to each loudspeaker from the channels of said multi-audio-channel source, whilst driving each of said loudspeakers as an active powered unit,

said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

providing an overall communication infrastructure for carrying audio data from said source to the various loudspeakers;

locally ascertaining relative positions of various loudspeakers in said multi-loudspeaker configuration;

assigning an appropriate indication to a particular loudspeaker regarding its relative position;

recognizing an associated indication in said particular loudspeaker;

and using the recognized indication to select an audio channel appropriate to the position of the loudspeaker in question in said multi-loudspeaker configuration.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, executing said steps for all loudspeakers in said multi-loudspeaker configuration.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said relative positions are ascertained through a self-operative position determination procedure among said loudspeakers.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, based on a GPS procedure.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said procedure is democratic.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said relative positions are user-selected through a position template provided on various loudspeakers.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the infrastructure is one of a powerline network, a wired data network, a telephone network, or another wireless communication network.

8. An audio reproduction system comprising a multi-loudspeaker configuration, which system is arranged to implement a method as claimed in claim 1, for operating the loudspeaker configuration which is audio-driven from a multiple-audio-channel source system, and having assignment means for assigning an appropriate audio channel to each loudspeaker from the multiple channels, each of said loudspeakers having a drive input so as to be driven as an active powered unit,

said system being characterized by an overall communication infrastructure for carrying audio data from said source to the various loudspeakers, local ascertaining means for ascertaining relative positions of various loudspeakers in said multi-loudspeaker configuration, assignment means fed by said ascertaining means for assigning an appropriate indication to a particular loudspeaker regarding its relative position, recognizing means for recognizing an associated indication in said particular loudspeaker, and selecting means fed by said recognizing means for selecting, from the recognized indication, an audio channel appropriate to the position of the loudspeaker in question in said multi-loudspeaker configuration.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said ascertaining means are arranged to ascertain the relative positions through a self-operative position determination procedure among said loudspeakers.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein each loudspeaker has a GPS facility for determining a relative position viz à

viz other loudspeakers in said configuration.

11. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said loudspeakers have a selection facility for user-selecting relative positions through a position template provided on various loudspeakers.

12. An active loudspeaker arranged for use in a system as claimed in claim 8 for implementing a method as claimed in claim 1, said loudspeaker having assignment means for assigning an appropriate audio channel thereto from the multiple channels, and having a drive input so as to be driven as an active powered unit,

said loudspeaker being characterized by a carrying interface for receiving, from an overall communication infrastructure, audio data from said source to the loudspeaker in question, ascertaining means for ascertaining a relative position of the loudspeaker in said multi-loudspeaker configuration, assignment means fed by said ascertaining means for assigning an appropriate indication to the loudspeaker regarding its relative position, recognizing means for recognizing an associated indication in said loudspeaker, and selecting means fed by said recognizing means for selecting, from the recognized indication, an audio channel appropriate to the position of the loudspeaker in question in said multi-loudspeaker configuration.

13. A loudspeaker as claimed in claim 12, further having a GPS facility for determining its relative position viz à

viz one or more other loudspeakers in said configuration.

14. A loudspeaker as claimed in claim 12, further having a selection facility for user-selecting a relative position through a position template provided on the loudspeaker in question.