AUDIO CALIBRATION AND ADJUSTMENT

• US 20150382128A1
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ridihalgh, Robert Lucas, Shaw, Gregory Michael, Williams, Todd Matthew, Randhawa, Tarlochan Singh
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/002 Loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• 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 5/005 of the pseudo five- or more-channel type, e.g. virtual surround
• 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

Abstract

The subject disclosure is directed towards calibrating sound pressure levels of speakers to determine desired attenuation data for use in later playback. A user may be guided to a calibration location to place a microphone, and each speaker is calibrated to output a desired sound pressure level in its current acoustic environment based upon the attenuation data learned during calibration. During playback, the attenuation data is used. Also described is testing the setup of the speakers, and dynamically adjusting the attenuation data in real time based upon tracking the listener'"'"'s current location.

Claims

1. A system comprising, an audio output device that outputs audio signals to a plurality of speakers, a sound pressure level meter coupled to a microphone, the microphone configured to detect audio from each of the plurality of speakers, and a calibration mechanism that performs at least one calibration operation based upon readings from the sound pressure level meter, the calibration mechanisms configured to guide a user in calibrating the sound pressure level of each speaker to a specified level, or to perform an automatic adjustment to the sound pressure level of each speaker to a specified level, the calibration mechanism further configured to save attenuation data for use by the audio device that is used to recreate the audio output at or near the specified level during subsequent audio playback, and the calibration mechanism further configured to direct a user to position the microphone at a microphone calibration position for each calibration operation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the audio output device is coupled to or incorporates a position sensor that detects the user position or the microphone position, the positioning sensor used by the calibration mechanism to direct the user to position the microphone at each microphone calibration position.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sound pressure level meter is coupled to or is incorporated into a computing device that is configured for communication with the audio device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the calibration mechanism is incorporated into a computing device that is decoupled from communication with the audio device during the calibration operation, the computing device obtaining the attenuation data and providing the attenuation data to the computing device when later coupled for communication with the audio device, or to storage accessible by the audio device, or both.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a test setup mechanism or a test setup mode of the calibration mechanism, the test setup mechanism or test setup mode configured to automatically determine whether the plurality of speakers are properly arranged relative to recorded or streamed audio intended to be output by each speaker, or to interact with the user to determine whether the plurality of speakers are properly arranged relative to recorded or streamed audio intended to be output by each speaker.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the calibration mechanism is configured to calibrate a plurality of different speaker arrangements, including at least one speaker arrangement that outputs audio that is perceived as coming downwards to a listener.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the audio output device is coupled to or incorporates a position sensor that during recorded or streaming audio playback detects a listener position as listener position data, and wherein the audio output device uses the listener position data to dynamically determine attenuation data to use for each of a plurality of speakers to adjust the speaker output as the listener changes position.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the calibration mechanism performs a plurality of calibration operations at different microphone positions to provide a plurality of sets of attenuation data, and wherein the audio output device dynamically determines a modified set of attenuation data based upon mathematically combining at least two of the sets of attenuation data for a current listener position.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the audio output device comprises a gaming and entertainment console.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the calibration mechanism performs a plurality of calibration operations for a plurality of different themes to obtain a set of attenuation data for each theme.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the audio output device comprises a gaming console.

12. A method performed at least in part on at least one processor, comprising:

guiding a user to move a microphone to a calibration location relative to a plurality of audio speakers;

for each speaker;

outputting a calibration signal to generate audio output;

adjusting an attenuation level associated with the calibration signal as needed until a desired sound pressure level as sensed at the calibration location is detected for that speaker; and

associating the attenuation data with that speaker;

and

saving the attenuation data associated with each speaker in a set of attenuation data for the plurality of speakers.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein guiding the user comprises using data from a position sensor.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein adjusting the attenuation level comprises receiving user input, receiving signals from the microphone, or receiving data corresponding to a reading from a sound pressure level meter.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising, determining whether the plurality of speakers is correctly connected for audio output with respect to their relative locations to one another.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein determining whether the plurality of speakers is correctly connected for audio output with respect to their relative locations to one another comprises informing a user via speech played through a speaker and/or visible information in conjunction with other audio output played through the speaker as to where a system that provides the signals for the speaker intends for the speaker to be located relative to the other speakers.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising, tracking a listener'"'"'s position using position data obtained from a position sensor, and dynamically determining modified attenuation data for each of a plurality of speakers based at least in part on the position data one or more sets of saved attenuation data to adjust speaker output as the listener changes position.

18. One or more machine-readable storage devices or machine logic having executable instructions, which when executed perform steps, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of sets of calibration attenuation data, each set of calibration attenuation data corresponding a calibration location, or a calibration theme, and

using at least one set of calibration attenuation data to output audio signals to a speaker based upon listener position data or a currently selected theme.

19. The one or more machine-readable storage devices or machine logic of claim 18 having further machine-readable instructions comprising, sensing a current position of a listener, and wherein using the calibration attenuation data comprises mathematically combining at least two sets of calibration attenuation data to output audio signals to a speaker based upon the current listener position.

20. The one or more machine-readable storage devices or machine logic of claim 18 wherein obtaining the plurality of sets of calibration attenuation data comprises guiding a user to a plurality of microphone calibration locations, and performing a calibration operation at each location.