Sound processing system for configuration of audio signals in a vehicle

• US 8,472,638 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Furge, Kenneth Carl, Eid, Bradley F., Shively, Roger E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US12/197,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20080317257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 381/1, 381/309, 381/310, 381/86, 381 17- 20, 381/26, 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 mixing block configured to separate a real audio input signal into a first predetermined frequency range and a second predetermined frequency range,

where the mixing block is configured to filter the first predetermined frequency range independent of the second predetermined frequency range;

where the mixing block is further configured to apply a first time delay to the first predetermined frequency range, and a second time delay to the second predetermined frequency range, the first time delay different than the second time delay; and

where the mixing block is configured to re-combine the first and second predetermined frequency ranges to produce an audio signal available to drive a loudspeaker.

2. The sound processor of claim 1, where the first predetermined frequency range is a different range of frequency than the second predetermined frequency range.

3. The sound processor of claim 1, where the first predetermined frequency range is a portion of the frequency range of the audio signal and the second predetermined frequency range is the rest of the frequency range of the audio signal.

4. The sound processor of claim 1, where the audio signal is a single audio signal and the loudspeaker is a single loudspeaker.

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

6. The sound processor of claim 1, where the loudspeaker includes a first transducer and a second transducer, the first predetermined frequency range is configured to drive the first transducer, and the second predetermined frequency range is configured to drive the second transducer.

7. The sound processor of claim 1, where the mixing block comprises a crossbar mixer, a post processor and a summer, the crossbar mixer configured to separate the real audio input signal, the post processor configured to delay the first and second predetermined frequency ranges differently and the summer configured to re-combine the first and second predetermined frequency ranges.

8. The sound processor of claim 1, where first and second time delays are operable, via the loudspeaker being driven by the audio signal, to independently control arrival of the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range at a listening position.

9. The sound processor of claim 1, where the first predetermined frequency range has a time relationship to the second predetermined frequency range, the time relationship being different in the audio signal to drive the loudspeaker due to the first and second time delays.

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

a memory device;

instructions stored in the memory device to process an audio signal configured to drive a loudspeaker;

instructions stored in the memory device to filter the audio signal to obtain a first predetermined frequency range of the audio signal and a second predetermined frequency range of the audio signal, where the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range are different;

instructions stored in the memory device to separately process at least one of the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range;

instructions stored in the memory device to recombine the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range to produce an output signal to drive the loudspeaker; and

instructions stored in the memory device to independently delay the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range to control the phase of the first predetermined frequency range with respect to the second predetermined frequency range.

11. The sound processor of claim 10, further comprising instructions stored in the memory device to recombine the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency by summation with a summer.

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

a memory device;

instructions stored in the memory device to process an audio signal configured to drive a loudspeaker;

instructions stored in the memory device to filter the audio signal to obtain a first predetermined frequency range of the audio signal and a second predetermined frequency range of the audio signal, where the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range are different;

instructions stored in the memory device to separately process at least one of the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range;

instructions stored in the memory device to recombine the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range to produce an output signal to drive the loudspeaker; and

instructions stored in the memory device to provide the first predetermined frequency range as a feedback signal to a crossbar matrix mixer, and instructions to mix the second predetermined frequency range and the feedback signal with the crossbar matrix mixer to produce the output signal.

13. The sound processor of claim 12, further comprising instructions stored in the memory device to delay the second predetermined frequency range to maintain phase alignment of the feedback signal and the second predetermined frequency range.

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

a memory device;

instructions stored in the memory device to process an audio signal configured to drive a loudspeaker;

instructions stored in the memory device to filter the audio signal to obtain a first predetermined frequency range of the audio signal and a second predetermined frequency range of the audio signal, where the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range are different;

instructions stored in the memory device to separately process at least one of the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range; and

instructions stored in the memory device to recombine the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range to produce an output signal to drive the loudspeaker;

wherein the audio signal is a plurality of audio signals, and the first predetermined frequency range is a respective plurality of first predetermined frequency ranges and the second predetermined frequency range is a respective plurality of second predetermined frequency ranges, and the instructions stored in the memory device to combine the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range are configured to selectively combine at least one of the plurality of first predetermined frequency ranges and at least one of the plurality of second predetermined frequency ranges.