Sound processing system for configuration of audio signals in a vehicle

• US 7,760,890 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shively, Roger E., Furge, Kenneth Carl, Eid, Bradley F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei; Xu
• Application Number:
  US12/197,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20080319564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 381/1, 381 17- 20, 381/26, 381/309, 381/310, 381/86, 381/119
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/32 the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/02 of the matrix type, i.e. in which input signals are combined algebraically, e.g. after having been phase shifted with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 5/005 of the pseudo five- or more-channel type, e.g. virtual surround
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/00 Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/40 Visual indication of stereophonic sound image

Abstract

A sound processing system for a vehicle includes a sound processor that is configured to mix at least one real audio input signal to form at least one virtual output signal. At least one audio signal that is available to drive at least one loudspeaker may be formed using the combination of the virtual output signal and the real audio input signal. The virtual output signal may be post processed to form a predetermined frequency range of the audio signal prior to being combined with the real audio input signal. The audio signal may be created by mixing the real audio input signal with the post processed virtual output signal. Alternatively, the audio signal may be formed by mixing the real audio input signal to form a real audio output signal, and then summing the real audio output signal with the post processed virtual output signal. Mixing may be performed with a crossbar mixer included in the sound processor.

Claims

1. A sound processor for use in a vehicle audio sound processing system, the sound processor comprising:

a crossbar mixer configured to form a first real audio output signal that is useable to produce sound in a first sound zone,

the crossbar mixer also configured to form a second real audio output signal that is useable to produce sound in a second sound zone; and

a zone control that is adjustable to control the signal strength of each of the first and second real audio output signals in the respective sound zones;

where the crossbar mixer is configured to include a predetermined frequency range of the first real audio output signal with the second real audio output signal so that when the zone control is adjusted to minimize the signal strength of only the second real audio output signal, the predetermined frequency range of the first real audio output signal is available to produce sound in the second sound zone.

2. The sound processor of claim 1, where the crossbar mixer is configured receive as inputs a plurality of real audio input signals, the real audio input signals to be mixed by the crossbar mixer with predetermined gains to form the first real audio output signal and the predetermined frequency range of the first real audio output signal.

3. The sound processor of claim 2, where the predetermined frequency range of the first real audio output signal is mixed with at least one of the real audio input signals by the crossbar mixer to produce the second real audio output signal.

4. The sound processor of claim 1, further comprising a post processing block coupled with the crossbar mixer, where the post processing block is configured to extract and provide the predetermined frequency range of the first real audio output signal to the crossbar mixer as an input signal.

5. The sound processor of claim 1, where the predetermined frequency range of the first real audio output signal is a feedback input signal provided to the crossbar mixer.

6. The sound processor of claim 1, where the zone control is configured to perform balance and fade control of the first and second real audio output signals.

7. The sound processor of claim 1, where the predetermined frequency range of the first real audio output signal is a portion of the frequency range of the second real audio output signal.

8. A sound processor for use in a vehicle audio sound processing system, the sound processor comprising:

a crossbar mixer configured to mix a first audio signal and a second audio signal, where the first audio signal is useable to drive a first loudspeaker and the second audio signal is useable to drive a second loudspeaker;

a post processing block operable with the crossbar mixer to form a predetermined frequency range of at least one of the first audio signal or the second audio signal, or combinations thereof;

a summer configured to combine the predetermined frequency range with at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

a signal magnitude control block that is adjustable to control the signal strength of each of the first and second audio signals, where the signal magnitude control block is configured to attenuate the signal magnitude of at least one of the first audio signal or the second audio signal without attenuation of the predetermined frequency range included therewith.

9. The sound processor of claim 8, where the crossbar mixer is configured to receive as inputs a plurality of real audio input signals, the real audio input signals to be mixed by the crossbar mixer with predetermined gains to produce the first audio signal, the second audio signal and the predetermined frequency range.

10. The sound processor of claim 8, where the summer is coupled with the signal magnitude control block to receive the first and second audio signals and the predetermined frequency range.

11. The sound procession of claim 8, where the post processor comprises a real post processor configured to post process the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

12. The sound processor of claim 8, where the crossbar mixer is configured to mix a virtual output signal, the virtual output signal processed by the post processing block to form the predetermined frequency range.

13. The sound processor of claim 12, where the crossbar matrix is configured to receive as inputs a plurality of real audio input signals, at least one of the real audio input signals mixed by the crossbar mixer to form the virtual output signal.

14. The sound processor of claim 8, where the signal magnitude control block comprises a volume control, a fade control and a balance control.

15. A sound processor for use in a vehicle audio sound processing system, the sound processor comprising:

a mixing means for mixing a first audio signal and a second audio signal, where the first audio signal is available to drive a first loudspeaker and the second audio signal is available to drive a second loudspeaker; and

a control means for adjusting the signal strength of each of the first and second audio signals;

where the mixing means comprises a crossbar mixer and a post processing block, the crossbar mixer configured to receive and mix a plurality of real audio input signals to form the first and second audio signals and a virtual output signal, the virtual output signal processed by the post processing block to create a predetermined frequency range of the first audio signal, the crossbar mixer further configured to combine the predetermined frequency range of the first audio signal with the second audio signal so that when the control means is adjusted to minimize the signal magnitude of the second audio signal, the predetermined frequency range of the first audio signal is available to drive the second loudspeaker.

16. The sound processor of claim 15, where the predetermined frequency range of the first audio signal is provided as a feedback input signal to the crossbar mixer, the crossbar mixer is configured to mix the feedback input signal with at least one of the real audio input signals to form the combination of the predetermined frequency range of the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

17. A sound processor for use in a vehicle audio sound processing system, the sound processor comprising:

a mixing means for mixing a first audio signal and a second audio signal, where the first audio signal is available to drive a first loudspeaker and the second audio signal is available to drive a second loudspeaker; and

a control means for adjusting the signal strength of each of the first and second audio signals;

where the mixing means comprises a crossbar mixer, a post processing block, and a summer, the crossbar mixer configured to form the first audio signal and the second audio signal, the post processing block configured to post process the first audio signal to form a predetermined frequency range of the first audio signal, and the summer configured to combine the predetermined frequency range of the first audio signal with the second audio signal so that when the control means is adjusted to minimize the signal magnitude of the second audio signal, the predetermined frequency range of the first audio signal is available to drive the second loudspeaker.