SOUND SIGNAL PROCESSOR AND SOUND SIGNAL PROCESSING METHODS

• US 20120275616A1
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Toshifumi, Amada, Tadashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,873,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sound signal processor includes: a connector; an input module; and a generator. The connector is connectable with an earphone. The input module receives and processes a plurality of sound signals corresponding to sound of a plurality of times output from the earphone, respectively. The generator generates, by using first data indicating a frequency characteristic of a first sound signal among the received and processed sound signals and second data indicating a frequency characteristic of a second sound signal among the received and processed sound signals, correction data correcting a frequency characteristic of the earphone to be a target frequency characteristic set as a target. The first data is used for a first frequency band lower than or equal to a reference. The second data is used for a second frequency band higher than the reference.

Claims

1. A sound signal processor comprising:

a connector configured to be connectable with an earphone;

an input module configured to receive and process a plurality of sound signals corresponding to sound of a plurality of times output from the earphone, respectively; and

a generator configured to generate, by using first data indicating a frequency characteristic of a first sound signal among the received and processed sound signals and second data indicating a frequency characteristic of a second sound signal among the received and processed sound signals, correction data correcting a frequency characteristic of the earphone to be a target frequency characteristic set as a target, the first data being used for a first frequency band lower than or equal to a reference, the second data being used for a second frequency band higher than the reference.

2. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising

a combining module configured to combine the first data of a frequency characteristic of the first frequency band and the second data of a frequency characteristic in the second frequency band with each other so as to generate a frequency characteristic to be corrected, wherein

the generator is configured to generate the correction data based on a difference between the target frequency characteristic and the frequency characteristic to be corrected combined by the combining module.

3. The sound signal processor of claim 2, wherein

the reference is a predetermined frequency band, and,

upon combining the first data and the second data, the combining module is configured to decrease a ratio of using the first data and to increase a ratio of using the second data in the predetermined frequency band as a frequency increases.

4. The sound signal processor of claim 2, wherein, upon combining the first data and the second data by the combining module, the second data is normalized so that a difference between the frequency characteristic indicated by the first data and the frequency characteristic indicated by the second data is to be a fixed value within a frequency band serving as the reference.

5. The sound signal processor of claim 1, wherein

the input module is configured to receive and process the sound signals through a microphone, and

the sound signal processor further comprising:

an output module configured to output the sound from the earphone the plurality of times; and

a display module configured to display a screen urging a user to bring the earphone close in contact with the microphone before a first sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module, and to display a screen urging the user to provide a gap between the earphone and the microphone before a second sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module.

6. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising:

an output module configured to output the sound from the earphone the plurality of times, wherein,

upon receiving and processing the second sound signal by the input module, sensitivity of a microphone through which the sound signals pass upon the receiving and processing is increased or level of the sound output by the output module is increased, compared to when the input module receives the first sound signal.

7. The sound signal processor of claim 1, wherein

the input module is configured to receive and process the sound signals through a microphone, and

the sound signal processor further comprising:

an output module configured to output the sound from the earphone the plurality of times; and

a display module configured to display a screen urging a user to provide a gap between the earphone and the microphone before a first sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module, and to display a screen urging the user to bring the earphone close in contact with the microphone before a second sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module.

8. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising

an output module configured to output the sound from the earphone the plurality of times, wherein,

upon receiving and processing the first sound signal by the input module, sensitivity of a microphone through which the sound signals pass upon the receiving and processing is decreased or level of the sound output by the output module is decreased, compared to when the input module receives the second sound signal.

9. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising a correction module configured to correct a sound signal by using the correction data generated by the generator.

10. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising an output module configured to output the correction data generated by the generator to a sound signal reproduction device.

11. A sound signal processing method performed by a sound signal processor comprising a connector configured to be connectable with an earphone, the method comprising:

receiving and processing, by an input module, a plurality of sound signals corresponding to sound of a plurality of times output from the earphone, respectively; and

generating, by a generator and by using first data indicating a frequency characteristic of a first sound signal among the received and processed sound signals and second data indicating a frequency characteristic of a second sound signal among the received and processed sound signals, correction data correcting a frequency characteristic of the earphone to be a target frequency characteristic set as a target, the first data being used for a first frequency band lower than or equal to a reference, the second data being used for a second frequency band higher than the reference.