Menu navigation method for user of audio headphones

• US 20100195852A1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morris, John, Reefe, James P., Lay, Li Lian, Kanji, Mohammed Reza, Jaisimha, Shree
• Granted Patent: US 8,363,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/309
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/736 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• 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 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/01 Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

A method of operating an audio system having first and second sources includes outputting a first audio signal from the first source on first and second speakers. In response to a listener input, the first audio signal and a second audio signal from the second source are output simultaneously on the first and second speakers. The first signal is output from each of the first and second speakers such that the first signal is perceived by a listener to originate from a first direction toward the listener. The second signal is output from each of the first and second speakers such that the second signal is perceived by the listener to originate from a second direction toward the listener. The second direction is offset at least ninety degrees from the first direction.

Claims

1. A method of operating an audio system having first and second sources and first and second speakers, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting a first audio signal from the first source on the first and second speakers;

providing a listener input; and

in response to the listener input, outputting the first audio signal and a second audio signal from the second source simultaneously on the first and second speakers, the first signal being output from each of the first and second speakers such that the first signal is perceived by a listener to originate from a first direction toward the listener, the second signal being output from each of the first and second speakers such that the second signal is perceived by the listener to originate from a second direction toward the listener, the second direction being offset at least ninety degrees from the first direction.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of enabling the listener to audibly navigate through menu selections of the second source while continuing to listen to the first source.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the menu selections comprise one of radio frequencies, songs, albums and artists.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing step comprises the listener actuating a control on a human machine interface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein, while the first and second signals are simultaneously output, the second signal is output with a louder volume than the first signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second audio signals comprise stereo signals, the step of simultaneously outputting the first audio signal and the second audio signal comprises the substeps of:

converting original stereo signals from the first and second sources into first and second monaural signals; and

transforming the first and second monaural signals into the first and second stereo audio signals.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of simultaneously outputting the first audio signal and the second audio signal comprises the substeps of:

outputting the first audio signal with a greater loudness in the first speaker than in the second speaker; and

outputting the second audio signal with a greater loudness in the second speaker than in the first speaker.

8. A method of operating an audio system having first and second sources and first and second speakers, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting a first audio signal from the first source on the first and second speakers;

in response to a listener input, outputting the first audio signal and a second audio signal from the second source simultaneously on the first and second speakers, the first signal being output from each of the first and second speakers such that the first signal is perceived by a listener to originate from a first direction toward the listener, the second signal being output from each of the first and second speakers such that the second signal is perceived by the listener to originate from a second direction toward the listener; and

enabling the listener to audibly navigate through menu selections of the second source while continuing to listen to the first source.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second direction is offset at least ninety degrees from the first direction.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the listener input comprises the listener actuating a control on a human machine interface.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein, while the first and second signals are simultaneously output, the second signal is output with a louder volume than the first signal.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the first and second audio signals comprise stereo signals, the step of simultaneously outputting the first audio signal and the second audio signal comprises the substeps of:

converting original stereo signals from the first and second sources into first and second monaural signals; and

transforming the first and second monaural signals into the first and second stereo audio signals.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of simultaneously outputting the first audio signal and the second audio signal comprises the substeps of:

outputting the first audio signal with a greater loudness in the first speaker than in the second speaker; and

outputting the second audio signal with a greater loudness in the second speaker than in the first speaker.

14. A method of operating an audio system having first and second sources and first and second speakers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving first and second monaural signals associated with the first and second sources, respectively;

transforming the first and second monaural signals into respective first and second stereo signals, the first and second stereo signals each being spatialized to a respective angle of trajectory, the first and second stereo signals each having a left channel and a right channel;

performing asynchronous sample rate conversion on the left and right channels of each of the first and second stereo signals;

combining the left channels of the first and second stereo signals into a combined left channel signal;

combining the right channels of the first and second stereo signals into a combined right channel signal;

adjusting a gain of the combined left channel signal;

adjusting a gain of the combined right channel signal; and

simultaneously outputting the gain-adjusted combined left channel signal and the gain-adjusted combined right channel signal on the first and second speakers.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising the further step of converting respective original stereo signals from the first and second sources into the first and second monaural signals.

16. The method of claim 14 comprising the further step of enabling the listener to audibly navigate through menu selections of the second source while continuing to listen to the first source.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the transforming step includes inputting the first and second monaural signals into respective first and second spatial filters.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the asynchronous sample rate conversion includes upsampling followed by utilization of a downsampling polyphase filter.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the adjusting steps include compensating for spectral amplitude scaling associated with the asynchronous sample rate conversion.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the first signal is output from each of the first and second speakers such that the first signal is perceived by a listener to originate from a first direction toward the listener, the second signal being output from each of the first and second speakers such that the second signal is perceived by the listener to originate from a second direction toward the listener, the second direction being offset at least ninety degrees from the first direction.