WIRELESS CONTROL AND CALIBRATION OF AUDIO SYSTEM

• US 20160021473A1
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonavox Canada Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonavox Canada Inc.
• Inventors: RIGGI, Giuseppe, BATCHVAROV, Jeliazko S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,516,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An audio system includes an enclosure, a speaker disposed in the enclosure, an audio source for providing an audio signal, and a controller. The controller is connected to the speaker and configured to drive the speaker according to the audio signal. The audio system further includes a wireless personal area network interface connected to the controller. The wireless personal area network interface can communicate with a wireless mobile device to effect settings changes for the audio system and to perform calibration for the audio system. Calibration can include near and far measurements using the microphone of the wireless mobile device.

Claims

1. An audio system comprising:

an enclosure;

a speaker disposed in the enclosure;

an audio source for providing an audio signal;

a controller at the enclosure, the controller connected to the speaker and configured to drive the speaker according to the audio signal; and

a wireless personal area network interface connected to the controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate via the wireless personal area network interface with an application executed by a wireless mobile device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless mobile device comprises a microphone and the application is configured to control the microphone to sample calibration audio outputted by the speaker during an in-room calibration routine executed by the controller.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless mobile device is a smartphone or a tablet computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless personal area network interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy interface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller stores an in-room calibration routine, and the controller is configured to execute the in-room calibration routine in response to a command received at the wireless personal area network interface.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to perform equalization on the audio signal according to calibration data generated by the in-room calibration routine and stored at the controller.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the in-room calibration routine comprises a near measurement and a far measurement, the near measurement for ascertaining an audio response of a microphone of a wireless mobile device, the far measurement for determining in-room response of the speaker with respect to the near measurement.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one other speaker connected to the controller, the controller further configured to drive the at least one other speaker.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the speaker is a subwoofer.

11. A method for in-room calibration of a speaker, the method comprising:

wirelessly connecting a controller of the speaker to a wireless mobile device over a wireless network;

the controller executing an in-room calibration routine, including controlling the speaker to output calibration audio;

a microphone of the wireless mobile device sampling the calibration audio and wirelessly transmitting representations of samples of the calibration audio to the controller; and

the controller storing generating calibration data from the samples and storing the calibration data for performing equalization for the speaker.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller executing an in-room calibration routine comprises:

controlling the speaker to outputting the calibration audio when the wireless mobile device is situated at a location at a near distance to the speaker; and

controlling the speaker to outputting when the wireless mobile device is situation at a location at a far distance from the speaker, the far distance being greater than the near distance.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the wireless mobile device issuing a user instruction to move the wireless mobile device from the near distance to the far distance.

14. An audio system comprising:

an enclosure;

a speaker disposed in the enclosure;

an audio source for providing an audio signal;

a controller at the enclosure, the controller connected to the speaker and configured to drive the speaker according to the audio signal; and

a wireless personal area network interface connected to the controller, the wireless personal area network interface including a Bluetooth Low Energy interface;

the controller being configured to communicate via the wireless personal area network interface with an application executed by a wireless mobile device that includes a microphone, the application being configured to control the microphone to sample calibration audio outputted by the speaker during an in-room calibration routine executed by the controller;

the controller further configured to execute the in-room calibration routine in response to a command received at the wireless personal area network interface;

the controller further configured to perform equalization on the audio signal according to calibration data generated by the in-room calibration routine and stored at the controller;

the in-room calibration routine comprising a near measurement and a far measurement, the near measurement for ascertaining an audio response of the microphone of the wireless mobile device, the far measurement for determining in-room response of the speaker with respect to the near measurement.