AUDIO APPARATUS AND SIGNAL CALIBRATION METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100142735A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YOON, Eung-sik, KANG, Yong-jin, LEE, Sung-han
• Application Number:
  US12/552,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20100142735A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/303
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/00 Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone

Abstract

An audio system to calibrate an audio signal based on a wirelessly received signal, and a signal calibration method are provided. The audio system includes a sound output unit to output a sound corresponding to a received audio signal. A transceiver is connected to an external device to enable wireless communication between a main unit and the external device. The external device converts the sound output from the sound output unit into an electric signal to generate a calibration audio signal. The main unit performs calibration on an audio signal to be played back through the sound output unit using the calibration audio signal.

Claims

1. An audio apparatus comprising:

a sound output unit to output a sound corresponding to a received audio signal;

a transceiver connected to an external apparatus the external apparatus to convert the sound output from the sound output unit into a calibration audio signal, the transceiver enabling wireless communication between the sound output unit and the external apparatus; and

a controller to perform calibration on an audio signal to be played back through the sound output unit.

2. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the controller transfers a test audio signal to the sound output unit and controls the sound output unit to output a sound corresponding to the test audio signal; and

the external apparatus converts the sound, which corresponds to the test audio signal and is output from the sound output unit, into an electric signal to generate the calibration audio signal.

3. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external apparatus comprises a portable apparatus with a microphone to receive the sound corresponding to the test audio signal.

4. The audio apparatus of claim 3, wherein the external apparatus comprises at least one of a notebook computer, an MPEG audio layer-3 (MP3) player, a mobile phone, a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) phone, a digital camera, and a camcorder.

5. The audio apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio transfer unit to transfer a plurality of test audio signals,

wherein the controller controls the audio transfer unit to transfer a plurality of test audio signals corresponding to a plurality of frequency signals in a preset frequency band to the sound output unit during a preset time period.

6. The audio apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller controls the audio transfer unit to continue to transfer the plurality of test audio signals to the sound output unit during the preset time period so that the plurality of frequency signals do not overlap.

7. The audio apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the sound output unit comprises a plurality of speakers; and

the preset time period is set so that a plurality of sounds corresponding to the plurality of test audio signals are output through the plurality of speakers at the same time.

8. The audio apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller controls the audio transfer unit to transfer each of the plurality of test audio signals to each of the plurality of speakers while sweeping through the frequency band.

9. The audio apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the frequency band is preset to be in the range of about 200 Hz to 20 KHz; and

the controller controls the audio transfer unit to transfer each of the plurality of test audio signals to each of the plurality of speakers while sweeping through the frequency band.

10. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller displays a calibration completion message on an external display apparatus stating that calibration of the audio signal to be played back is completed when calibration of the audio signal to be played back through the sound output unit is completed using the calibration audio signal,.

11. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller calibrates at least one of a phase, a time interval, and a signal level of the audio signal to be played back based on the calibration audio signal, and controls the sound output unit to output a sound corresponding to the audio signal of which at least one of the phase, the time interval, and the signal level is calibrated.

12. A signal calibration method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a calibration audio signal generated by converting an output sound into an electric signal; and

using the received calibration audio signal to calibrate an audio signal to be played back.

13. The signal calibration method of claim 12, further comprising:

outputting a plurality of sounds corresponding to a plurality of test audio signals,

wherein the calibration audio signal is generated by converting the plurality of sounds corresponding to the plurality of test audio signals into a plurality of electric signals.

14. The signal calibration method of claim 13, wherein:

the plurality of test audio signals correspond to a plurality of frequency signals in a preset frequency band during a preset time period; and

outputting the plurality of sounds comprises outputting a plurality of sounds corresponding to the plurality of test audio signals.

15. The signal calibration method of claim 14, wherein outputting the plurality of sounds comprises continuously outputting the plurality of test audio signals during the preset time period so that the plurality of frequency signals do not overlap.

16. The signal calibration method of claim 14, wherein the preset time period is set so that a listener feels as if the plurality of sounds corresponding to the plurality of test audio signals are output from a plurality of channels at the same time.

17. The signal calibration method of claim 14, wherein outputting the plurality of sounds comprises outputting the plurality of sounds corresponding to the plurality of test audio signals to each of the plurality of channels while sweeping through the frequency band.

18. The signal calibration method of claim 14, wherein:

the frequency band is preset to be in the range of about 200 Hz to 20 KHz; and

outputting the plurality of sounds comprises outputting the plurality of sounds corresponding to the plurality of test audio signals to each of the plurality of channels while sweeping through the frequency band.

19. The signal calibration method of claim 12, wherein calibrating the audio signal to be played back comprises displaying a calibration completion message on an external display apparatus stating that calibration of the audio signal to be played back is completed when calibration of the audio signal to be played back is completed using the calibration audio signal,.

20. The signal calibration method of claim 12, wherein calibrating the audio signal to be played back comprises calibrating at least one of a phase, a time interval, and a signal level of the audio signal to be played back based on the calibration audio signal.

21. A portable device to receive a sound and wirelessly output a calibration signal, comprising:

a microphone to receive a sound;

a signal processor to process a calibration signal from the microphone corresponding to the sound; and

a transceiver to wirelessly transmit the calibration audio signal.

22. The portable device according to claim 21, wherein the transceiver is externally connected to the portable device.

23. The portable device according to claim 21, further comprising:

a manipulator to receive user input, and

a display to display data received via the transceiver.

24. The portable device according to claim 23, further comprising:

memory to store data from at least one of the microphone, the manipulator, and the signal processor;

a function unit to control non-calibration functions of the portable device; and

a controller to control at least one of the microphone, signal processor, transceiver, manipulator, display, memory, and function unit.

25. The portable device according to claim 21, wherein the portable device is one of an mp3 player, a laptop, a video camera, and a telephone.

26. A main unit of an audio system, the main unit comprising:

a controller to receive a first audio signal and to receive a calibration audio signal corresponding to a sound produced using the first audio signal, the controller to calibrate a second audio signal using the calibration audio signal to generate a calibrated audio signal;

a transceiver to wirelessly receive the calibration audio signal; and

terminals to output the first audio signal and the calibrated audio signal.

27. The main unit of an audio system according to claim 26, wherein the transceiver is a Bluetooth-capable transceiver.

28. The main unit of an audio system according to claim 26, further comprising:

a recording medium receiver to receive a recording medium and output at least one of the first and second audio signals;

an audio processor to receive the first and second audio signals and the calibration audio signal, to process the signals, and to output the processed signals to the controller; and

an audio transfer unit to receive the processed first, second, and calibrated audio signals from the controller and to output respective first, second, and calibrated audio output signals to the terminals.

29. The main unit of an audio system according to claim 28, wherein the first, second, and calibration audio signals are compressed audio signals, and the audio processor is to decompress the first, second, and calibration audio signals.

30. The main unit of an audio system according to claim 26, further comprising a display for displaying data in response to at least one of receiving the first audio signal, receiving the calibration audio signal, and outputting the calibrated audio signal.

31. An audio system, comprising:

a main unit, comprising;

a controller to receive a first audio signal and to receive a calibration audio signal corresponding to a sound produced using the first audio signal, the controller to calibrate a second audio signal using the calibration audio signal to generate a calibrated audio signal,

a first transceiver to wirelessly receive the calibration audio signal, and

terminals to output the first audio signal and the calibrated audio signal; and

a portable calibration device, comprising;

a microphone to receive a sound corresponding to the first audio signal,

a signal processor to process a calibration audio signal from the microphone corresponding to the sound, and

a second transceiver to wirelessly transmit the calibration audio signal to the main unit.

32. The audio system according to claim 31, further comprising at least one sound output unit connected to the terminals of the main unit to output sound.

33. The audio system according to claim 32, wherein the sound output units are speakers.

34. An audio signal calibration method for a portable calibration device, comprising:

wirelessly outputting a connection request;

receiving a connection acknowledgement;

receiving a test sound via a microphone;

converting the test sound into a calibration audio signal; and

wirelessly outputting the calibration audio signal.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein receiving a test sound, converting the test sound into a calibration audio signal, and wirelessly outputting the calibration audio signal are repeated until a termination signal is wirelessly received.

36. The method according to claim 34, further comprising wirelessly transmitting a disconnect message after outputting the calibration audio signal.

37. The method according to claim 34, further comprising digitally compressing the calibration audio signal before wirelessly outputting the calibration audio signal.

38. The method according to claim 34, wherein the calibration audio signal is wirelessly output via a Bluetooth module.

39. An audio signal calibration method for a main unit of an audio system, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a transmission request from an external device;

wirelessly transmitting a transmission acknowledgement;

outputting a first audio signal;

receiving a calibration audio signal corresponding to a sound generated from the first audio signal;

calibrating a second audio signal using the calibration audio signal to generate a calibrated audio signal to generate a calibrated audio signal; and

outputting the calibrated audio signal corresponding to the second audio signal.

40. The method according to claim 39, further comprising decompressing the first audio signal and the calibration audio signal.

41. The method according to claim 39, wherein the transmission request and the calibration audio signal are received via a Bluetooth module.

42. The method according to claim 39, wherein the first audio signal is received from a recording medium.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the recording medium is one of a DVD, a cassette, a compact disk, a floppy disk, and a hard drive.

44. The method according to claim 39, wherein calibrating the second audio signal comprises calibrating at least one of a phase, a time interval, and a signal level of the second audio signal.

45. An audio signal calibration method, comprising:

transmitting a first audio signal from a main unit to a sound output device;

receiving a first sound corresponding to the first audio signal with an external device comprising a microphone, the external device not being connected to the main unit via wires;

converting the first sound into a calibration audio signal with the external device;

wirelessly transmitting the calibration audio signal from the external device to the main unit;

generating a calibrated audio signal with the main unit using a second audio signal and the calibration audio signal; and

outputting the calibrated audio signal to the sound output device.

46. The audio signal calibration method according to claim 45, further comprising wirelessly transmitting calibration data from the main unit to the external device and displaying the calibration data on the external device.

47. The method according to claim 45, further comprising displaying calibration data on a display connected to the main unit.

48. The method according to claim 45, further comprising:

digitally compressing the calibration audio signal with the external device; and

digitally decompressing the calibration audio signal with the main unit.