METHOD AND A SYSTEM OF PROVIDING INFORMATION TO A USER

• US 20140064501A1
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bang & Olufsen a/s
• Original Assignee: Bang & Olufsen a/s
• Inventors: JENSEN, Sren Borup, OLSEN, Martin, MLLER, Martin Bo
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/58
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/111 Directivity control or beam pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/12 Rooms, e.g. ANC inside a room, office, concert hall or automobile cabin
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3044 Phase shift, e.g. complex envelope processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0049 providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp H04N1/00408 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308
• 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 1/007 in which the audio signals are in digital form data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/09 Electronic reduction of distortion of 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 3/008 in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/40 Visual indication of stereophonic sound image

Abstract

A method and system for providing information to a user positioned in a room with two independent listening areas where, in one area, an audio signal is output compensating for the sound from the other area, and where a position between the two areas is indicated to a user. When the user moves about, the position and size of one listening area may change, and the user may be made aware of any conflict with the other listening area. The areas may be defined by boundaries where a compensation quality is at a threshold quality.

Claims

1. A method of providing information to a user, the method comprising:

determining or sensing a second audio signal provided in a second area in a predetermined space also comprising a first area,

providing, in the first area, a first audio signal generated on the basis of the determined/sensed second audio signal, and

indicating a position between the first and second areas.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing of the first audio signal comprises one or more sound providers providing the first audio signal, and wherein the step of generating the first audio signal comprises accessing a target audio signal, generating a feed signal by adapting the target audio signal on the basis of the determined/sensed second audio signal and feeding the feed signal to one or more sound generators.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of indicating the position comprises determining a position between the first and second areas where the first audio signal fulfils a predetermined parameter.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of indicating the position comprises determining a position between the first and second areas where the second audio signal fulfils a predetermined parameter.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a first position of a user in the second area.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of indicating the position comprises indicating the position, when the first position is within a predetermined distance of the position.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of indicating the position comprises altering the second audio signal, when the first position is within a predetermined distance of the position.

8. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of providing the second audio signal to the second area and adapting the second audio signal to the determined position of the user.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of a second sound generator outputting the second audio signal in the second area, where the second sound generator is moved around in the second area, and wherein the adapting step is performed continuously or intermittently.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of indicating the position comprises launching radiation toward the position.

11. A system for providing information to a user, the system comprising:

one or more first loudspeakers provided in or directed toward a first area of a predetermined space,

a first processor configured to determine or sense a second audio signal provided in a second area in the space and output, on the basis of the sensed/determined signal, a feed signal to the first loudspeaker(s), and

an indicator configured to indicate a position between the first and second areas.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a target signal, output, as the feed signal, a signal based also on the target signal.

13. A system according to claim 11, further comprising one or more additional loudspeakers configured to output a first audio signal, and wherein the indicator is configured to indicate a position between the first and second areas where the combined first audio signal and a signal output by the additional loudspeakers when fed with the feed signal fulfils a predetermined parameter.

14. A system according to claim 11, further comprising one or more additional loudspeakers configured to output the second audio signal in the second area, and wherein the indicator is configured to indicate a position between the first and second areas where the combined second audio signal and a signal output by the additional loudspeakers when fed with the feed signal fulfils a predetermined parameter.

15. A system according to claim 11, further comprising a first position determining unit configured to determine a first position of a user in the second area.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the indicator is configured to indicate the position, when the first position is within a predetermined distance of the position.

17. A system according to claim 15, further comprising one or more second loudspeakers positioned in or directed at the second area, wherein the indicator is configured to output a second feed signal to the second loudspeakers to output the second audio signal, and wherein the indicator is configured to alter the second feed signal, when the first position is within a predetermined distance of the position.

18. A system according to claim 15, further comprising one or more loudspeakers positioned in or directed at the second area as well as a second processor configured to receive a second input signal and output a corresponding second feed signal to the second loudspeakers, the second processor being configured to adapt the second feed signal to the determined position of the user.

19. A system according to claim 11, wherein the first processor is configured to determine/sense the second audio signal and output the feed signal continuously or intermittently.

20. A system according to claim 11, wherein the indicator comprises a radiation emitter configured to launch radiation toward the position.