Testing method for components with reception capabilities
First Claim
1. A method for testing vehicle components with signal reception capabilities, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first vehicle with a first component and a first recording means for recording signals from the first component;
providing a second vehicle with a second component and a second recording means for recording signals from the second component;
providing at least one of the first and second vehicles with a video recording device;
traveling through a test route with both the first vehicle and the second vehicle in close proximity to one another;
simultaneously recording a first audio recording of output from the first component with the first recording means and a second audio recording of output from the second component with the second recording means during at least a portion of said traveling step;
recording a video recording during the portion of said traveling step simultaneously with said simultaneous recording step; and
comparing the first audio recording, second audio recording and video recording to obtain a relative quality evaluation of the first component and the second component.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for comparing the quality of components with signal reception capabilities. The method generally includes the steps of: (1) providing at least two test vehicles, each equipped with a component to be tested, (2) providing each vehicle with a device for recording the output of the component to be tested, (3) providing at least one of the two vehicles with a video recording device, (4) simultaneously traveling a test route with the two vehicles remaining in close proximity, (5) recording the output signals of the two components to be tested as the vehicles travel the test route, (6) providing a video recording of the vehicles traveling the test route and (7) comparing the recorded signals of the two components while taking into consideration environmental conditions shown in the video recording. The present invention also provides a method for automatically rating the sound quality of a recorded FM broadcast. The method generally includes the steps of (1) computing the average signal level at a frequency above the normal FM modulation frequency, (2) computing the average signal level of the FM pilot signal and (3) subtracting the average signal level computed in step (1) from the average signal level of the FM pilot signal.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for testing vehicle components with signal reception capabilities, comprising the steps of:
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providing a first vehicle with a first component and a first recording means for recording signals from the first component;
providing a second vehicle with a second component and a second recording means for recording signals from the second component;
providing at least one of the first and second vehicles with a video recording device;
traveling through a test route with both the first vehicle and the second vehicle in close proximity to one another;
simultaneously recording a first audio recording of output from the first component with the first recording means and a second audio recording of output from the second component with the second recording means during at least a portion of said traveling step;
recording a video recording during the portion of said traveling step simultaneously with said simultaneous recording step; and
comparing the first audio recording, second audio recording and video recording to obtain a relative quality evaluation of the first component and the second component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
capturing the audio recording of the first component in a computer as a first audio file; and
capturing the audio recording of the second component in the computer as a second audio file.
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3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of capturing the video recording in the computer as a video file.
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4. The method of claim 3 wherein said comparing step includes the steps of:
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playing back with a computer at least portions of the first audio file and the second audio file; and
playing back with a computer at least portions of the video file, the video file playback being synchronized with the audio file playback whereby environmental conditions encountered while recording the first audio recording and the second audio recording can be viewed simultaneously with the playback audio file playback of the audio recordings created under those environmental conditions.
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5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of synchronizing the first audio file with the second audio file.
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6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of synchronizing the video file with the first and second audio files.
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7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of synchronizing the first and second audio files includes the step of cutting at least one of the first and second audio files in a computer so that the first and second audio files begin and end at substantially the same points in time.
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8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of synchronizing includes the step of embedding a marker in the first and second audio files during said simultaneous recording step.
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9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of synchronizing the video file with the first and second audio files includes the step of cutting the video file in a computer so that it begins and ends at substantially the same points in time as the first and second audio files.
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10. The method of claim 9 wherein said comparing step includes the step of computing and displaying in a computer data indicative of the signal level at various frequencies of at least portions of the first audio file and the second audio file, the computing and displaying step occurring in real-timereal-time during playback of the first audio file and the second audio file.
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11. The method of claim 10 wherein the data indicative of the signal level at various frequencies is further defined as relative amplitude.
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12. The method of claim 11 wherein said computing and displaying step is further defined as:
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merging in a computer a first stereo channel of the first audio file with a second stereo channel of the second audio file to generate a merged audio output;
computing and displaying in a computer a relative amplitude of at least portions of the first audio file contained in the first stereo channel of the merged audio output; and
computing and displaying in a computer a relative amplitude of at least portions of the second audio file contained in the second stereo channel of the merged audio output, both of said computing and displaying steps occurring in real-time during playback of the first audio file and the second audio file.
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13. A method for recording and playing back data for comparing vehicle components with signal reception capabilities, comprising the steps of:
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recording audio output from a first component while traveling a test route, the first component generating output from a broadcast signal at a frequency;
recording audio output from a second component simultaneously with said first audio recording step while traveling the test route, the second component generating output from the broadcast signal at the frequency;
recording video of environmental conditions encountered while traveling the test route simultaneously with said first and second audio recording steps;
playing back at least selected portions of the recorded audio output from the first component and the recorded audio output from the second component; and
playing back at least selected portions of the recorded video corresponding to the played-back portions of the recorded audio output from the first component and the recorded audio output from the second component, the playing back of the recorded video occurring simultaneously with and in synchronized relationship to the corresponding portions of the played-back portions of the recorded audio output from the first component and the recorded audio output from the second component. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
capturing the recorded audio output from the first component in a computer as a first audio file;
capturing the recorded audio output of the second component in the computer as a second audio file; and
wherein said audio playback step is further defined as playing back, in the computer, at least selected portions of the first audio file and the second audio file.
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15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of capturing the recorded video in the computer as a video file, said video playback step being performed in the computer.
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16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of computing and displaying in a computer data indicative of the signal level at various frequencies of at least portions of the first audio file and the second audio file, the computing and displaying step occurring in realtime during said audio playback of the first audio file and the second audio file.
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17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of synchronizing the first audio file with the second audio file.
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18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of synchronizing the video file with the first and second audio files.
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19. The method of claim 18 wherein said the step of synchronizing the first and second audio files includes the step of cutting at least one of the first and second audio files in a computer so that the first and second audio files begin at the same point in time during the simultaneous recording step.
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20. The method of claim 19 wherein said the step of synchronizing the first and second audio files includes the step of cutting at least one of the first and second audio files in a computer so that the first and second audio files end at the same point in time during the simultaneous recording step.
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21. The method of claim 20 wherein said the step of synchronizing the video file with the first and second audio files includes the step of cutting the video file in a computer so that it begins and ends at the same point in time during the recording step as the first and second audio files.
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22. The method of claim 21 wherein the data indicative of the signal level at various frequencies is further defined as relative amplitude.
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23. The method of claim 22 wherein said computing and displaying step includes computing and displaying relative amplitude of at least selected portions of the first audio file simultaneously with corresponding portions of the second audio file.
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24. The method of claim 22 wherein said computing and displaying step is further defined as:
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merging in a computer a first stereo channel of the first audio file with a second stereo channel of the second audio file to generate a merged audio output;
computing and displaying in a computer a relative amplitude of at least portions of the first audio file contained in the first stereo channel of the merged audio output; and
computing and displaying in a computer a relative amplitude of at least portions of the second audio file contained in the second stereo channel of the merged audio output, both of said computing and displaying steps occurring in real-time during playback of the first audio file and the second audio file.
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25. A method for comparing the quality of reception system, comprising the steps of:
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providing a first vehicle with an audio system and a first reception system to be tested;
providing a second vehicle with an audio system and a second reception system to be tested;
traveling through a test route with the first vehicle and the second vehicle in close proximity to one another;
simultaneously recording output from the first audio system and the second audio system during said traveling step with the first and second audio systems producing output from a predetermined frequency;
recording video of environmental conditions encountered by the first and second vehicles during said traveling step;
playing back at least selected portions of the recorded audio output from the first audio system and the recorded audio output from the second audio system;
playing back at least selected portions of the recorded video corresponding to the played-back portions of the recorded audio output, the playing back of the recorded video occurring simultaneously with and in synchronized relationship to the corresponding portions of the played-back portions of the recorded audio output; and
comparing the recorded output from the. first audio system with the recorded output from the second audio system in view of the recorded video to obtain a relative quality evaluation of the first reception system and the second reception system. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method for testing vehicle components with signal reception capabilities, comprising the steps of:
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recording audio output from a first component while traveling a first test route, the first component generating output from a first broadcast signal;
recording audio output from a reference component simultaneously with said first audio recording step while traveling the first test route, the reference component generating output from the first broadcast signal;
recording audio output from a third component while traveling a second test route, the first component generating output from a second broadcast signal;
recording audio output from the reference component simultaneously with said third audio recording step while traveling the second test route, the reference component generating output from the second broadcast signal;
playing back at least selected portions of the recorded audio output from the first component and the simultaneously recorded audio output from the reference component;
playing back at least selected portions of the recorded audio output from the third component and the simultaneously recorded audio output from the reference component; and
comparing a relative quality of the first audio recording and the simultaneously recorded audio output from the reference component with a relative quality of the third audio recording and the simultaneously recorded audio output from the reference component to obtain a relative quality evaluation of the first component and the third component. - View Dependent Claims (28)
recording video of environmental conditions encountered while traveling the first test route simultaneously with said first and second audio recording steps;
recording video of environmental conditions encountered while traveling the second test route simultaneously with said third and fourth audio recording steps;
wherein said playback step further includes playing back at least selected portions of the recorded video corresponding to the played-back portions of the recorded audio output from the first component and the recorded audio output from the third component, the playing back of the recorded video occurring simultaneously with and in synchronized relationship to the corresponding portions of the played-back portions of the recorded audio output from the first component and the recorded audio output from the third component; and
said comparing step includes considering the played-back portions of the recorded video when comparing the first audio recording and the simultaneously recorded audio output from the reference component and when comparing the third audio recording and the simultaneously recorded audio output from the reference component.
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Specification