Calibration of transmission system using tonal visualization components

• US 8,018,459 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2008
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Master Key LLC
• Original Assignee: Master Key LLC
• Inventors: Lemons, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan; Ulka
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ricks; Donna J
• Application Number:
  US12/148,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 1/00 Means for the representation of music
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/383 Chord detection and/or recognition, e.g. for correction, or automatic bass generation
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/44 Tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/066 for pitch analysis as part of wider processing for musical purposes, e.g. transcription, musical performance evaluation; Pitch recognition, e.g. in polyphonic sounds; Estimation or use of missing fundamental
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/005 Non-interactive screen display of musical or status data
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/031 Spectrum envelope processing

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to broadcast signal calibration devices and methods. A system is provided that permits calibration or tuning of broadcast signal transmission and reception equipment through the use of visual representation of test signals. The generated visualizations, incorporating color and shape, are examined to determine whether any adjustments to the broadcast equipment are needed to compensate for equipment age, deterioration, and the like.

Claims

1. A system for calibrating broadcast signal transmission equipment, comprising:

a processing device;

a user control device operatively connected to said processing device; and

a display operatively connected to said processing device,

wherein;

said processing device executes computer readable code to create a first visual representation of a first calibration signal for output on said display;

wherein;

said first visual representation is generated according to a method comprising the steps of;

(a) labeling the perimeter of a circle with a plurality of labels corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands, such that moving radially inward or outward from any one of said labels represents a change in a signal amplitude at the frequency corresponding to said one of said labels;

(b) identifying a first occurrence of a signal having a first amplitude at a first frequency; and

(c) graphically indicating a point along a radial axis;

said point corresponding to said first amplitude;

said radial axis connecting the center of said circle and a first one of said labels corresponding to said first frequency.

2. A system for calibrating broadcast signal transmission equipment, comprising:

(1) a processing device;

(2) a user control device operatively connected to said processing device; and

(3) a display operatively connected to said processing device;

wherein;

said processing device executes computer readable code to create a visual representation of a broadcast transmission signal for output on said display;

wherein;

said visual representation is generated according to a method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing a first plurality of labels in a pattern of a circular arc, wherein;

(1) the first plurality of labels corresponds to a first plurality of respective amplitudes;

(2) moving clockwise or counter-clockwise on the arc between any one of said labels represents a first amplitude increment;

(b) identifying a reference amplitude;

(c) receiving a first measured amplitude of a first frequency component of the broadcast transmission signal;

(d) identifying a first one of said first plurality of labels corresponding to the reference amplitude;

(e) identifying a second one of said first plurality of said labels corresponding to the first measured amplitude; and

(f) creating a first line connecting the first one of said first plurality of said labels and the second one of said first plurality of said labels, wherein;

(1) the first line is a first color if the reference amplitude and the first measured amplitude are separated by the first amplitude increment;

(2) the first line is a second color if the reference amplitude and the first measured amplitude are separated by a first multiple of the first amplitude increment;

(3) the first line is a third color if the reference amplitude and the first measured amplitude are separated by a second multiple of the first amplitude increment;

(4) the first line is a fourth color if the reference amplitude and the first measured amplitude are separated by a third multiple of the first amplitude increment;

(5) the first line is a fifth color if the reference amplitude and the first measured amplitude are separated by a fourth multiple of the first amplitude increment; and

(6) the first line is a sixth color if the reference amplitude and the first measured amplitude are separated by a fifth multiple of the first amplitude increment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein step (a) of said method further comprises arranging each of the labels to be substantially evenly spaced from each adjacent label.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said circular arc comprises a circle.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein moving clockwise up to 180 degrees from said reference amplitude on said circle represents an increase in amplitude and moving counterclockwise up to 180 degrees from said reference amplitude on said circle represents a decrease in amplitude.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the first color is red, the second color is orange, the third color is yellow, the fourth color is green, the fifth color is blue and the sixth color is purple.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the first color has a first wavelength that is larger than a second wavelength of the second color;

the second wavelength is larger than a third wavelength of the third color;

the third wavelength is larger than a fourth wavelength of the fourth color;

the fourth wavelength is larger than a fifth wavelength of the fifth color; and

the fifth wavelength is larger than an sixth wavelength of the sixth color.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein a plurality of said visual representations are generated on the display using said method, each one of said visual representations corresponding to the amplitude of a different frequency component in said broadcast transmission signal, each one of said visual representations being displayed as a plurality of labels in the pattern of a separate circular arc.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

(g) receiving a second measured amplitude for a second frequency component of the broadcast transmission signal;

(h) identifying a third one of said first plurality of said labels corresponding to the second measured amplitude; and

(i) creating a second line connecting the first one of said first plurality of said labels and the third one of said first plurality of said labels, wherein;

(1) the second line is the first color if the reference amplitude and the second measured amplitude are separated by the first amplitude increment;

(2) the second line is the second color if the reference amplitude and the second measured amplitude are separated by a first multiple of the first amplitude increment;

(3) the second line is the third color if the reference amplitude and the second measured amplitude are separated by a second multiple of the first amplitude increment;

(4) the second line is the fourth color if the reference amplitude and the second measured amplitude are separated by a third multiple of the first amplitude increment;

(5) the second line is the fifth color if the reference amplitude and the second measured amplitude are separated by a fourth multiple of the first amplitude increment; and

(6) the second line is the sixth color if the reference amplitude and the second measured amplitude are separated by a fifth multiple of the first amplitude increment.

10. A device comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, said computer readable medium containing computer executable code for generating a visual representation of a measured value of a property of a first broadcast transmission signal;

wherein;

said computer executable code is configured to generate said visual representation according to a method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing a first plurality of labels in a pattern of a circular arc, wherein;

(1) the first plurality of labels corresponds to a first plurality of respective values of said property;

(2) moving clockwise or counter-clockwise on the arc between any one of said labels represents a first value increment of said property;

(b) identifying a target value of said property;

(c) receiving the measured value of said property;

(d) identifying a first one of said first plurality of labels corresponding to the target value;

(e) identifying a second one of said first plurality of said labels corresponding to the measured value; and

(f) creating a first line connecting the first one of said first plurality of said labels and the second one of said first plurality of said labels, wherein;

(1) the first line is a first color if the target value and the measured value are separated by the first value increment;

(2) the first line is a second color if the target value and the measured value are separated by a first multiple of the first value increment;

(3) the first line is a third color if the target value and the measured value are separated by a second multiple of the first value increment;

(4) the first line is a fourth color if the target value and the measured value are separated by a third multiple of the first value increment;

(5) the first line is a fifth color if the target value and the measured value are separated by a fourth multiple of the first value increment; and

(6) the first line is a sixth color if the target value and the measured value are separated by a fifth multiple of the first value increment.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the first color is red, the second color is orange, the third color is yellow, the fourth color is green, the fifth color is blue and the sixth color is purple.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein said property is amplitude of a frequency component of said broadcast transmission signal.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said values are expressed in decibels.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein said property is phase angle.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein said property is frequency.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein step (a) of said method further comprises arranging each of the labels to be substantially evenly spaced from each adjacent label.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein said circular arc comprises a circle.

18. The device of claim 10 wherein moving clockwise up to 180 degrees from said reference value on said circle represents a relative increase in value and moving counterclockwise up to 180 degrees from said reference value on said circle represents a relative decrease in value.

19. The device of claim 10, wherein:

the first color has a first wavelength that is larger than a second wavelength of the second color;

the second wavelength is larger than a third wavelength of the third color;

the third wavelength is larger than a fourth wavelength of the fourth color;

the fourth wavelength is larger than a fifth wavelength of the fifth color; and

the fifth wavelength is larger than an sixth wavelength of the sixth color.