Automatic Audio System Equalizing

• US 20080069378A1
• Filed: 11/29/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Keith, Rabinowitz, William, Lehnert, Hilmar, Kulkarni, Abhijit, Saffran, Richard, Arnold, Finn
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/103
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/024 Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/002 Loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

An automated process for equalizing an audio system and an apparatus for implementing the process. An audio system includes a microphone unit, for receiving the sound waves radiated from a plurality of speakers, acoustic measuring circuitry, for calculating frequency response measurements; a memory, for storing characteristic data of the loudspeaker units and further for storing the frequency response measurements; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating an equalization pattern responsive to the digital data and responsive to the characteristic data of the plurality of loudspeaker units. Also described is an automated equalizing system including a acoustic measuring circuitry including a microphone for measuring frequency response at a plurality of locations; a memory, for storing the frequency responses at the plurality of locations; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating, from the frequency responses, an optimized equalization pattern.

Claims

1-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A process for generating an equalization pattern signal in an audio system having a first microphone and a loudspeaker unit, comprising:

testing, by said audio system, said microphone to determine if said microphone is functional over a frequency range; and

in the event said microphone is not functional over said frequency range, generating a message to a user.

46. A process for generating an equalization pattern in an audio system in accordance with claim 45, wherein said message is radiated as sound waves from said loudspeaker unit.

47. A process for generating an equalization pattern in an audio system in accordance with claim 45, wherein said audio system comprises a second microphone, further comprising:

testing whether said second microphone and said first microphone are matched within a predetermined tolerance; and

in the event that said first microphone and said second microphone are not matched within said predetermined tolerance, generating a message to said user that said first microphone and said second microphone are not matched.

48. A process for generating an equalization pattern in an audio system operating in a listening area, said listening area having an ambient noise level, said process comprising:

radiating a sound at an amplitude into said listening area;

measuring, by said audio system, the signal to noise ratio in said listening area; and

in the event that said signal to noise ratio is below a predetermined threshold ratio, increasing said signal to noise ratio.

49. A process for generating an equalization pattern in an audio system in accordance with claim 48, wherein said increasing signal to noise ratio includes the step of instructing a user to decrease said ambient noise.

50. A process for generating an equalization pattern in an audio system in accordance with claim 48, wherein said increasing signal to noise ratio includes the step of increasing said amplitude of said radiated sound.

51. A process for generating an equalization pattern in an audio system having a loudspeaker device and a microphone, comprising:

radiating, by said loudspeaker device a sound wave;

receiving, by a microphone, said sound wave;

measuring the amplitude of said received sound wave to determine if said amplitude is within a predetermined range of amplitudes; and

in the event that said amplitude is not within said predetermined range of amplitudes, changing said amplitude so that said amplitude is within said predetermined range.

52. A process for generating an equalization pattern in an audio system in accordance with claim 51, wherein said amplitude is increasable by an equalization calculation circuit and is not increasable by a user.

53. A process for generating an equalization pattern for an audio system having a loudspeaker device and a microphone, said audio system operating in a listening space, said process comprising:

a first positioning said microphone at a first location;

a first radiating, by said loudspeaker device, of a sound wave;

a first receiving, by said microphone, of said sound wave;

responsive to said receiving, a first measuring of a first frequency response of said audio system;

a second positioning said microphone at a second location;

a second radiating, by said loudspeaker device, a sound wave;

a second receiving, by said microphone said sound wave;

responsive to said second receiving, a second measuring of a second frequency response of said audio system;

comparing said first frequency response with said second frequency response to determine the difference between said first frequency response and said second frequency response; and

in the event that said difference is less than a predetermined amount, generating a message.

54. A process for generating an equalization pattern in an audio system in accordance with claim 53, wherein said message is radiated as sound waves from said loudspeaker unit.

55. A process for generating an equalization pattern in an audio system in accordance with claim 53, wherein said message directs a user to move to a different location.

56. A process for generating an equalization pattern for an audio system having a loudspeaker device, comprising:

storing in a memory operating limits of said loudspeaker device;

generating an equalization pattern signal;

comparing said equalization pattern signal with said operating limits to determine if execution of said equalization pattern signal could cause said operating limits to be exceeded; and

in the event that said execution would cause said limits to be exceeded, modifying said equalization pattern signal.

57. An automated process for generating an equalization pattern signal for an audio system, comprising:

an initiating step, executed by a user of said audio system;

a responding to said initiating step, by said audio system, wherein said responding step is selected from a predetermined plurality of responses; and

generating a message to said user by said audio system, said message directing said user to perform an action.

58. An automated process for generating an equalization pattern signal for an audio system in accordance with claim 57, wherein said generating includes radiating through said loudspeaker units, a message to said user.

59. An automated process for generating an equalization pattern signal for an audio system in accordance with claim 57, wherein said initiating step comprises placing a compact disk in a compact disk player.

60. A process for generating an equalization pattern for an audio system in accordance with claim 57, wherein said initiating step causes said audio system to be reconfigured.

61. A process for generating an equalization pattern form an audio system, comprising:

an indicating, by a user, that the user is at an intended listening location;

selecting, by said audio system, of a next step, wherein said next step is selected from a plurality of possible next steps; and

generating by said audio system, a message to said user, said message including the next step to be taken by the user.