Speaker systems and methods having amplitude and frequency response compensation
First Claim
1. A speaker system providing enhanced intelligibility of a reproduced audio program signal in the presence of ambient noise, the speaker system comprising:
- means for receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
a microphone for monitoring at least ambient noise signals and for providing a microphone output signal;
means for enabling the microphone output signal during first increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is (—
cancelled) off, and disabling the microphone output signal during second increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is on, such that the microphone output signal includes ambient noise signal components without including reproduced audio program signal components; and
a signal process, in communication with the means for receiving and the means for enabling/disabling, for applying a first transfer function to the reproduced audio program signal, the first transfer function incrementally increasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio program signal as a function of an increasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled, and incrementally decreasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio program signal as a function of a decreasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A speaker system and method, in which the intelligibility of reproduced speech or music sound, derived from an audio program signal, is enhanced by means of at least one of a first and second transfer function of a signal process applied to the audio program signal. The first transfer function incrementally varies the volume of the reproduced sound directly as a function of the volume of ambient noise. The second transfer function incrementally or continuously varies the high frequency response of the reproduced sound inversely as a function of the volume of the ambient noise. The ambient noise can be measured by a microphone, for example, located on or near the speaker system and can also be electronically averaged over a predetermined time period. The signal process provides an audio output signal that is applied to at least one amplifier and at least one speaker.
9 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A speaker system providing enhanced intelligibility of a reproduced audio program signal in the presence of ambient noise, the speaker system comprising:
- means for receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
a microphone for monitoring at least ambient noise signals and for providing a microphone output signal;
means for enabling the microphone output signal during first increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is (—
cancelled) off, and disabling the microphone output signal during second increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is on, such that the microphone output signal includes ambient noise signal components without including reproduced audio program signal components; and
a signal process, in communication with the means for receiving and the means for enabling/disabling, for applying a first transfer function to the reproduced audio program signal, the first transfer function incrementally increasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio program signal as a function of an increasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled, and incrementally decreasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio program signal as a function of a decreasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- means for receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
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7. A speaker system providing enhanced intelligibility of a reproduced audio program signal in the presence of ambient noise, the speaker system comprising:
- means for receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
a microphone for monitoring ambient noise signals and for providing a microphone output signal;
means for enabling the microphone output signal during first increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is (—
cancelled) off, and disabling the microphone output signal during second increments of time when tile reproduced audio program signal is on, such that the microphone output signal includes ambient noise signal components without including reproduced program signal components; and
a signal processor, in communication with the means for receiving and the means for enabling/disabling for applying a transfer function to the reproduced audio program signal, the transfer function incrementally increasing high frequency response of the reproduced audio program signal as a function of a decreasing amplitude of the microphone output signal averaged over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled, and vice versa, wherein the signal process output signal is maintained during such times as the microphone output signal is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
- means for receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
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12. A speaker system providing enhanced intelligibility of a reproduced audio program signal in the presence of ambient noise, the speaker system comprising:
- means for receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
a microphone for monitoring ambient noise signals and for providing a microphone output signal;
means for enabling the microphone output signal during first increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is (—
cancelled) off, and disabling the microphone output signal during second increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is on, such that the microphone output signal includes ambient noise signal components without including reproduced program signal components; and
a signal processor, in communication with the means for receiving and the means for enabling/disabling, including a first transfer function and a second transfer function having at least one signal processor output signal, wherein;
the first transfer function provides incrementally increasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio program signal as a function of an increasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled, and vice versa;
the second transfer function provides incrementally increasing high frequency response of the reproduced audio program signal as a function of a decreasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled, and vice versa; and
the at least one signal processor output signal is maintained during such time as the microphone output signal is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- means for receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
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18. A method of enhanced intelligibility of a reproduced audio program signal in the presence of ambient noise in a speaker system comprising:
receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
monitoring ambient noise signals using a microphone to provide a microphone output signal;
enabling the microphone output signal during first increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is (—
cancelled) off, and disabling the microphone output signal during second increments of the time when the reproduced audio program signal is on, such that the microphone output signal includes ambient noise signal components without including reproduced program signal components; and
processing the reproduced audio program signal and the microphone output signal using a first transfer function, the first transfer function having a signal process output signal, the first transfer function providing incrementally increasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio program signal as a function of an increasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled, and incrementally decreasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio program signal as a function of a decreasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled.- View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of enhanced intelligibility of a reproduced audio program signal in the presence of ambient noise in a speaker system, the method comprising:
- receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
monitoring ambient noise signals using a microphone to provide a microphone output signal;
enabling the microphone output signal during first increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is (—
cancelled) off, and disabling the microphone output signal during second increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is on, such that the microphone output signal includes ambient noise signal without including reproduced program signal components; and
processing the reproduced audio program signal and the microphone output signal using a second transfer function, the second transfer function providing incrementally increasing high frequency response of the reproduced audio program signal as a function of a decreasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled, and vice versa, wherein the signal process output signal is maintained during such times as the microphone output signal is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
- receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
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25. A method of enhanced intelligibility of a reproduced audio program signal in the presence of ambient noise in a speaker system comprising:
- receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
monitoring ambient noise signals using a microphone to provide a microphone output signal;
enabling the microphone output signal during first increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is (—
cancelled) off, and disabling the microphone output signal during second increments of time when the reproduced audio program signal is on, such that the microphone output signal includes ambient noise signal components without including reproduced program signal components; and
processing the reproduced audio program signal and the microphone output signal using a first transfer function and a second transfer function, the first and second transfer functions having at least one signal process output signal, wherein;
the first transfer function provides incrementally increasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio program signal as a function of an increasing average amplitude of the microphone output signal over a period of time during which said microphone output signal is enabled, and vice versa;
the second transfer function provides incrementally increasing high frequency response of the reproduced audio program signal, and vice versa; and
the least one signal process output signal is maintained during such times as the microphone output signal is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
- receiving the reproduced audio program signal;
Specification