Sound signal processor and sound signal processing methods

• US 8,873,766 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Toshifumi, Amada, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jerez Lora, William A
• Application Number:
  US13/345,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 381/58, 381/60, 381/74, 381/91, 381/103, 381/122, 381/309, 381/98
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sound signal processor includes: a connector; an input module; and a generator. The connector is connectable with an earphone. The input module receives and processes a plurality of sound signals corresponding to sound of a plurality of times output from the earphone, respectively. The generator generates, by using first data indicating a frequency characteristic of a first sound signal among the received and processed sound signals and second data indicating a frequency characteristic of a second sound signal among the received and processed sound signals, correction data correcting a frequency characteristic of the earphone to be a target frequency characteristic set as a target. The first data is used for a first frequency band lower than or equal to a reference. The second data is used for a second frequency band higher than the reference.

Claims

1. A sound signal processor comprising:

a connector configured to be connectable with an earphone;

an input module configured to receive and process a first sound signal and a second sound signal as a plurality of sound signals corresponding to sound of a plurality of times output from the earphone, respectively, the first sound signal corresponding to a state in which the earphone is in close contact with a microphone, the second sound signal corresponding to a state in which a gap is provided between the earphone and the microphone; and

a generator configured to generate, based on a target frequency characteristic and a combined frequency characteristic, correction data correcting a frequency characteristic of the earphone, the target frequency characteristic being set as a target, the combined frequency characteristic being a combination of first data and second data, the first data indicating a frequency characteristic of the first sound signal within a first frequency band lower than or equal to a reference, the second data indicating a frequency characteristic of the second sound signal within a second frequency band higher than the reference.

2. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising

a combining module configured to combine the first data and the second data, wherein

the generator is configured to generate the correction data based on a difference between the target frequency characteristic and the combined frequency characteristic.

3. The sound signal processor of claim 2, wherein

the reference is a predetermined frequency band, and,

the combining module is configured to combine the first data and the second data while a ratio of using the first data decreases and a ratio of using the second data increases as a frequency increases.

4. The sound signal processor of claim 2, wherein, upon combining the first data and the second data by the combining module, the second data is normalized so that a difference between the frequency characteristic indicated by the first data and the frequency characteristic indicated by the second data is to be a fixed value within a frequency band serving as the reference.

5. The sound signal processor of claim 1, wherein

the input module is configured to receive and process the sound signals through the microphone, and

the sound signal processor further comprising:

an output module configured to output the sound from the earphone the plurality of times; and

a display module configured to display a screen urging a user to bring the earphone close in contact with the microphone before a first sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module, and to display a screen urging the user to provide a gap between the earphone and the microphone before a second sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module.

6. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising:

an output module configured to output the sound from the earphone the plurality of times, wherein,

upon receiving and processing the second sound signal by the input module, sensitivity of the microphone through which the sound signals pass upon the receiving and processing is increased or level of the sound output by the output module is increased, compared to when the input module receives the first sound signal.

7. The sound signal processor of claim 1, wherein

the input module is configured to receive and process the sound signals through the microphone, and

the sound signal processor further comprising:

an output module configured to output the sound from the earphone the plurality of times; and

a display module configured to display a screen urging a user to provide a gap between the earphone and the microphone before a first sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module, and to display a screen urging the user to bring the earphone close in contact with the microphone before a second sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module.

8. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising

an output module configured to output the sound from the earphone the plurality of times, wherein,

upon receiving and processing the first sound signal by the input module, sensitivity of the microphone through which the sound signals pass upon the receiving and processing is decreased or level of the sound output by the output module is decreased, compared to when the input module receives the second sound signal.

9. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising a correction module configured to correct a sound signal by using the correction data generated by the generator.

10. The sound signal processor of claim 1, further comprising an output module configured to output the correction data generated by the generator to a sound signal reproduction device.

11. A sound signal processing method performed by a sound signal processor comprising a connector configured to be connectable with an earphone, the method comprising:

receiving and processing, by an input module, a first sound signal and a second sound signal as a plurality of sound signals corresponding to sound of a plurality of times output from the earphone, respectively, the first sound signal corresponding to a state in which the earphone is in close contact with a microphone, the second sound signal corresponding to a state in which a gap is provided between the earphone and the microphone; and

generating, by a generator, based on a target frequency characteristic and a combined frequency characteristic, correction data correcting a frequency characteristic of the earphone, the target frequency characteristic being set as a target, the combined frequency characteristic being a combination of first data and second data, the first data indicating a frequency characteristic of the first sound signal within a first frequency band lower than or equal to a reference, the second data indicating a frequency characteristic of the second sound signal within a second frequency band higher than the reference.

12. The sound signal processing method of claim 11, further comprising

combining, by a combining module, the first data and the second data, wherein

the generating comprises generating the correction data based on a difference between the target frequency characteristic and the combined frequency characteristic.

13. The sound signal processing method of claim 12, wherein

the reference is a predetermined frequency band, and,

the combining comprises combining the first data and the second data while a ratio of using the first data decreases and a ratio of using the second data increases as a frequency increases.

14. The sound signal processing method of claim 12, wherein, upon combining the first data and the second data by the combining module, the second data is normalized so that a difference between the frequency characteristic indicated by the first data and the frequency characteristic indicated by the second data is to be a fixed value within a frequency band serving as the reference.

15. The sound signal processing method of claim 11, wherein

the receiving and processing comprises receiving and processing the sound signals through the microphone, and

the sound signal processing method further comprising:

outputting, by an output module, the sound from the earphone the plurality of times; and

displaying, by a display module, a screen urging a user to bring the earphone close in contact with the microphone before a first sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module, and to display a screen urging the user to provide a gap between the earphone and the microphone before a second sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module.

16. The sound signal processing method of claim 11, further comprising:

outputting, by an output module, the sound from the earphone the plurality of times, wherein,

upon receiving and processing the second sound signal by the input module, sensitivity of the microphone through which the sound signals pass upon the receiving and processing is increased or level of the sound output by the output module is increased, compared to when the input module receives the first sound signal.

17. The sound signal processing method of claim 11, wherein

the receiving and processing comprises receiving and processing the sound signals through the microphone, and

the sound signal processing method further comprising:

outputting, by an output module, the sound from the earphone the plurality of times; and

displaying, by a display module, a screen urging a user to provide a gap between the earphone and the microphone before a first sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module, and to display a screen urging the user to bring the earphone close in contact with the microphone before a second sound among the sound of the plurality of times is output by the output module.

18. The sound signal processing method of claim 11, further comprising

outputting, by an output module, the sound from the earphone the plurality of times, wherein,

upon receiving and processing the first sound signal by the input module, sensitivity of the microphone through which the sound signals pass upon the receiving and processing is decreased or level of the sound output by the output module is decreased, compared to when the input module receives the second sound signal.

19. The sound signal processing method of claim 11, further comprising correcting, by a correction module, a sound signal by using the correction data generated by the generator.

20. The sound signal processing method of claim 11, further comprising outputting, by an output module, the correction data generated by the generator to a sound signal reproduction device.