Position Detecting System, Audio Device and Terminal Device Used in the Position Detecting System

• US 20100322435A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Satoshi, Ishibashi, Toshiaki, Tanaka, Ryo
• Application Number:
  US12/085,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20100322435A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/92
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/26 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/323 for loudspeakers H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/20 Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic H04R2203/12 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A position detecting system is provided, which is capable of effectively preventing erroneous detection of audio to be measured. The position detecting system includes a terminal device that inputs an audio signal from an audio device and a microphone. The audio device sequentially inputs measurement audio signals that have been formed by two or more audio signals of different frequencies to a speaker and receives a notification signal, wherein the report signal indicates that the audio of the measurement audio signal has been collected from the terminal device. The audio device clocks a time t1 and a time t2, namely clocks after the audio of the measurement audio signal is output from the speakers SP1-SP2 until the notification signals of the measurement audio signals are received by the signal receiving unit. The audio device calculates the position of the microphone by using the times t1 and t2. For each frequency component of the measurement audio signal, when an audio signal exceeding a predetermined level is inputted from the microphone, the terminal device detects it as a component of the measurement audio signal and transmits a notification signal upon detection of the measurement audio signal.

Claims

1. A position detecting system comprising:

an audio device; and

a terminal device that performs a function to communicate with the audio device, the terminal device receiving an input of an audio signal from a microphone, the microphone collecting audios that have been output from the audio device, and

wherein the audio device comprises;

an input unit that inputs a measurement audio signal that includes two or more audio signals having different frequencies into first and second speakers sequentially;

a signal receiver that receives, from the terminal device, a notification signal notifying that the microphone collected the audio of the measurement audio signal;

a timer that times a first time period and a second time period, the first time period being defined between after the audio of the measurement audio signal is output from the first speaker and until the notification signal of the measurement audio signal is received by the signal receiving unit, and the second time period being defined between after the audio of the measurement audio signal is output from the second speaker and until the notification signal of the measurement audio signal is received by the signal receiving unit; and

an operating unit that operates the position of the microphone by using the first and second time periods that have been timed by the timer unit, and

wherein the terminal device comprises;

a signal detector that includes a measurement audio detector and a noise detector, the measurement audio detector detecting each frequency component of the measurement audio signal, and the noise detector detecting noise component that is different from the each frequency component, the signal detector detecting the each frequency component of the measurement audio signal as the measurement audio signal when the output from the measurement audio detector exceeds a predetermined level and the output from the noise detector does not exceeds the predetermined level; and

a signal transmitter that transmits the notification signal to the audio device when the signal detector detects the measurement audio signal.

2. The position detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the input unit inputs, into the speakers, a signal of harmony as the measurement audio signal.

3. An audio device comprising:

an input unit that inputs a measurement audio signal that includes two or more audio signals having different frequencies into first and second speakers sequentially, the first and second speakers being coupled to each other so that the first and second speakers are spatially separated from each other and unchanged in those relative position;

a signal receiver that receives a communication signal from a terminal device having a microphone, the signal receiver receiving a notification signal notifying that the microphone collected the audio of the measurement audio signal;

a timer that times a first time period and a second time period, the first time period being defined between after the audio of the measurement audio signal is output from the first speaker and until the notification signal of the measurement audio signal is received by the signal receiving unit, and the second time period being defined between after the audio of the measurement audio signal is output from the second speaker and until the notification signal of the measurement audio signal is received by the signal receiving unit; and

a position measuring unit that measures the position of the microphone by using the first and second time periods that have been timed by the timer unit.

4. A terminal device performing a function to communicate with an audio device that inputs an audio signal into first and second speakers,

an audio signal input unit that receives an input of an audio signal through a microphone;

a signal detector that includes a measurement audio detector and a noise detector, the measurement audio detector detecting each frequency component of the measurement audio signal, and the noise detector detecting noise component that is different from the each frequency component, the signal detector detecting the each frequency component of the measurement audio signal as the measurement audio signal when the output from the measurement audio detector exceeds a predetermined level and the output from the noise detector does not exceeds the predetermined level; and

a signal transmitter that transmits the notification signal to the audio device when the signal detector detects the measurement audio signal.

5. A position detecting system comprising:

an audio device; and

a terminal device that performs a function to communicate with the audio device, the terminal device receiving an input of an audio signal from a microphone, the microphone collecting audios that have been output from the audio device, and

wherein the audio device comprises;

an input unit that inputs a measurement audio signal that includes a pulse train of a specific pattern into first and second speakers sequentially;

a signal receiver that receives, from the terminal device, a notification signal notifying that the microphone collected the audio of the measurement audio signal;

a timer that times a first time period and a second time period, the first time period being defined between after the audio of the measurement audio signal is output from the first speaker and until the notification signal of the measurement audio signal is received by the signal receiving unit, and the second time period being defined between after the audio of the measurement audio signal is output from the second speaker and until the notification signal of the measurement audio signal is received by the signal receiving unit; and

an operating unit that operates the position of the microphone by using the first and second time periods that have been timed by the timer unit, and

wherein the terminal device comprises;

a signal detector that detects pulses of timings that match the specific pattern when the audio signal having a higher level than a predetermined level is input through the microphone, the signal detector detecting a component of the measurement audio signal when the signal detector does not detect any pulses of different timings from the timings that match the specific pattern; and

a signal transmitter that transmits the notification signal to the audio device when the signal detector detects the measurement audio signal.

6. The position detecting system according to claim 5, wherein the input unit inputs the measurement audio signal that includes two or more audio signals having different frequencies into first and second speakers sequentially, and

wherein the signal detector detects each frequency component of the measurement audio signal as a component of the measurement audio signal when the audio signal input unit receives the input of the audio signal having the higher level than the predetermined level to match the specific pattern.

7. An audio device comprising:

an input unit that inputs a measurement audio signal that includes a pulse train of a specific pattern into first and second speakers sequentially, the first and second speakers being coupled to each other so that the first and second speakers are spatially separated from each other and unchanged in those relative position;

a signal receiver that receives a communication signal from a terminal device having a microphone, the signal receiver receiving a notification signal notifying that the microphone collected the audio of the measurement audio signal;

a timer that times a first time period and a second time period, the first time period being defined between after the audio of the measurement audio signal is output from the first speaker and until the notification signal of the measurement audio signal is received by the signal receiving unit, and the second time period being defined between after the audio of the measurement audio signal is output from the second speaker and until the notification signal of the measurement audio signal is received by the signal receiving unit; and

a position measuring unit that measures the position of the microphone by using the first and second time periods that have been timed by the timer unit.

8. A terminal device performing a function to communicate with an audio device that inputs an audio signal into first and second speakers, the terminal device comprising:

an audio signal input unit that receives an input of an audio signal through a microphone;

a signal detector that detects pulses of timings that match the specific pattern when the audio signal having a higher level than a predetermined level is input through the microphone, the signal detector detecting a component of the measurement audio signal when the signal detector does not detect any pulses of different timings from the timings that match the specific pattern; and

a signal transmitter that transmits the notification signal to the audio device when the signal detector detects the measurement audio signal.