Background Noise Measurement from a Repeated Stimulus Measurement System
First Claim
1. A method for providing an adequate signal level in the presence of noise, comprising:
- providing a stimulus signal to a system including a transducer;
converting the stimulus signal to at least one electro mechanical transducer signal;
transducing the at least one electro mechanical transducer signal by the transducer to produce a physical output in an environment including background noise;
receiving the physical output and background noise by a second transducer;
recording the received physical output and background noise;
repeating the first four steps several times;
averaging the recordings;
subtracting the average from each recording to obtain a noise measurement for each recording;
determining a Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of system using the noise measurement;
determining if the SNR is sufficient to ensure accuracy of the physical output produced by the system;
improve the SNR of the system from the stimulus signal input to the transducer if necessary to provide a sufficiently accurate physical signal;
processing the sufficiently accurate physical signal recording to determine changes to the system which will provide improved physical outputs of the system;
implementing the changes in the system; and
processing input signals by the system to produce improved physical outputs.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A minimum level for a stimulation signal used in room correction processing is determined by measuring background noise. The stimulation signal is repeated a number of times and resulting responses are recorded. The recording responses are averaged, and the average is subtracted from each recorded response to obtain the backg round noise present in each recorded response. A stimulation signal to background noise ratio is computed from the stimulation signal and background noise and compared to an SNR threshold to determine if the stimulation signal level is sufficient to support the room correction processing. The background noise may be AC hum introduced electronically into the response signal, acoustic noise introduced by AC ventilation systems or noise emitting devices (refrigerators, etc), and it may be structure-born noise introduced by shaking the microphone, e.g. a bus drives by, shaking the floor the microphone is standing on.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for providing an adequate signal level in the presence of noise, comprising:
-
providing a stimulus signal to a system including a transducer; converting the stimulus signal to at least one electro mechanical transducer signal; transducing the at least one electro mechanical transducer signal by the transducer to produce a physical output in an environment including background noise; receiving the physical output and background noise by a second transducer; recording the received physical output and background noise; repeating the first four steps several times; averaging the recordings; subtracting the average from each recording to obtain a noise measurement for each recording; determining a Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of system using the noise measurement; determining if the SNR is sufficient to ensure accuracy of the physical output produced by the system; improve the SNR of the system from the stimulus signal input to the transducer if necessary to provide a sufficiently accurate physical signal; processing the sufficiently accurate physical signal recording to determine changes to the system which will provide improved physical outputs of the system; implementing the changes in the system; and processing input signals by the system to produce improved physical outputs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for determining a stimulus signal level for correction processing, comprising:
-
providing a stimulus signal to an audio system; converting the stimulus signal to at least one speaker signal; broadcasting the at least one speaker signal from a corresponding speaker to produce an audio signal in an area including background noise; recording the broadcasted audio signal and background noise; repeating the first four steps several times utilizing contiguous stimulation signals; averaging the recordings of the broadcasted audio signal and background noise; subtracting the average from each recording to obtain a noise measurement for each recording; computing a noise level of the noise measurements; determining a stimulus signal level to the noise level Signal to Noise level (SNR); improving the SNR if necessary to achieve a minimum SNR to ensure accuracy of signal correction processing; re-transmitting the stimulus signal; determining the signal correction processing based on the transmitted stimulation signal; applying the signal correction processing to an electrical signal; providing the corrected electrical signal to a transducer; and transducing the corrected electrical signal to a mechanical operation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for audio system equalization, comprising:
-
providing a stimulus signal to an audio system; converting the stimulus signal to at least one speaker signal; transducing the at least one speaker signal by at least one corresponding speaker to produce an acoustic signal in an area including background noise; recording the broadcasted acoustic signal and background noise by a microphone; repeating the first four steps several times utilizing contiguous stimulation signals; averaging the recorded broadcasted audio signal and background noise; subtracting the average of the broadcasted audio signal from each recording to obtain the noise for each recording; computing a Root Mean Squared (RMS) noise level of the noise; determining a Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of system using the RMS noise level; determining if the SNR is sufficient to ensure accuracy of the audio output produced by the system; improving the SNR of the system if necessary to obtain a sufficiently accurate recording; producing the sufficiently accurate recording; processing the sufficiently accurate recording to determine room equalization processing; applying the room equalization processing to one of an analog or digital electrical signal; and transducing the equalized signal to an audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification