Sound stage controller for a near-field speaker-based audio system
First Claim
1. A method of adjusting signals in an automobile audio system having at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener'"'"'s head;
- the method comprising;
for each of a set of designated positions other than the actual locations of the near-field speakers, determining a binaural filter that causes sound produced by each of the near-field speakers to have characteristics at the intended position of the listener'"'"'s head of sound produced by a sound source located at the respective designated position,determining an up-mixing rule to generate at least three component channel signals from an input audio signal having at least two channels;
determining a first set of weights for applying to the component channel signals at each of the designated positions to define a first sound stage;
determining a second set of weights for applying to the component channel signals at each of the designated positions to define a second sound stage; and
configuring the audio system to;
combine the first set of weights and the second set of weights to determine a combined set of weights, the relative contribution of the first set of weights and the second set of weights in the combined set of weights being determined by a variable user-input value,determine a mixed signal corresponding to a combination of the component channel signals according to the combined set of weights for each of the designated positions,filter each mixed signal using the corresponding binaural filter to generate a set of binaural output signals,sum the filtered binaural signals, andoutput the summed binaural signals using the near-field speakers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Signals in an automobile audio system having at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener'"'"'s head are adjusted such that in a first mode, audio signals are distributed to the near-field speakers according to a first filter that causes the listener to perceive a wide soundstage, and in a second mode, the audio signals are distributed to the near-field speakers according to a second filter that causes the listener to perceive a narrow soundstage. A user input of a variable value is received and, in response, distribution of the audio signals is transitioned from the first mode to the second mode, the extent of the transition being variable based on the value of the user input.
301 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of adjusting signals in an automobile audio system having at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener'"'"'s head;
- the method comprising;
for each of a set of designated positions other than the actual locations of the near-field speakers, determining a binaural filter that causes sound produced by each of the near-field speakers to have characteristics at the intended position of the listener'"'"'s head of sound produced by a sound source located at the respective designated position, determining an up-mixing rule to generate at least three component channel signals from an input audio signal having at least two channels; determining a first set of weights for applying to the component channel signals at each of the designated positions to define a first sound stage; determining a second set of weights for applying to the component channel signals at each of the designated positions to define a second sound stage; and configuring the audio system to; combine the first set of weights and the second set of weights to determine a combined set of weights, the relative contribution of the first set of weights and the second set of weights in the combined set of weights being determined by a variable user-input value, determine a mixed signal corresponding to a combination of the component channel signals according to the combined set of weights for each of the designated positions, filter each mixed signal using the corresponding binaural filter to generate a set of binaural output signals, sum the filtered binaural signals, and output the summed binaural signals using the near-field speakers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- the method comprising;
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10. A method of adjusting signals in an automobile audio system having at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener'"'"'s head;
- the method comprising;
determining a first binaural filter that causes sound produced by each of the near-field speakers to have characteristics at the intended position of the listener'"'"'s head of sound produced by a sound source located at a first designated position other than the actual locations of the near-field speakers; determining a second binaural filter that causes sound produced by each of the near-field speakers to have characteristics at the intended position of the listener'"'"'s head of sound produced by a sound source located at a second designated position other than the actual locations of the near-field speakers and different from the first designated position; determining an up-mixing rule to generate at least three component channel signals from an input audio signal having at least two channels; mixing a set of the component channel signals to form a first mixed signal; filtering the mixed signal with a combination of the first binaural filter and the second binaural filter to generate a binaural output signal; and outputting the binaural output signal using the near-field speakers; the relative weight of the first binaural filter and the second binaural filter in the binaural output signal being determined by a variable user-input value, wherein the audio system further includes at least a first fixed speaker positioned near a left corner of the vehicle'"'"'s cabin forward of the intended position of the listener'"'"'s head, and a second fixed speaker positioned near a right corner of the vehicle'"'"'s cabin forward of the intended position of the listener'"'"'s head, the method further comprising; determining a first set of weights for applying to the component channel signals for each of the fixed speakers to further define a first sound stage; determining a second set of weights for applying to the component channel signals for each of the fixed speakers to further define a second sound stage; and configuring the audio system to; combine the first set of weights and the second set of weights to determine a combined set of weights, the relative contribution of the first set of weights and the second set of weights in the combined set of weights being determined by the variable user-input value, determine a mixed signal corresponding to a combination of the component channel signals according to the combined set of weights for each of the fixed speakers, and output the mixed signals using the corresponding fixed speakers. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
- the method comprising;
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13. An automobile audio system comprising:
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at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener'"'"'s head; a user input generating a variable value; and an audio signal processor configured to; in a first mode, distribute audio signals to the near-field speakers according to a first filter that causes the listener to perceive a wide soundstage; in a second mode, distribute the audio signals to the near-field speakers according to a second filter that causes the listener to perceive a narrow soundstage; in response to a change in the value of the user input, transition distribution of the audio signals from the first mode to the second mode, the extent of the transition being variable based on the value of the user input, wherein; the audio signal processor includes a memory storing; a set of binaural filters that causes sound produced by each of the near-field speakers to have characteristics at the intended position of the listener'"'"'s head of sound produced by a sound source located at each of a set of designated positions other than the actual locations of the near-field speakers, a first set of weights for applying to a set of component channel signals for each of the designated positions to define a first sound stage, and a second set of weights for applying to the set of component channel signals for each of the designated positions to define a second sound stage; and the audio signal processor transitions distribution of the audio signals from the first mode to the second mode by; applying an up-mixing rule to generate at least three component channel signals from an input audio signal having at least two channels, combining the first set of weights and the second set of weights to determine a combined set of weights, the relative contribution of the first set of weights and the second set of weights in the combined set of weights being determined by the value of the user input, determining a mixed signal corresponding to a combination of the component channel signals according to the combined set of weights for each of the designated positions, filtering each mixed signal using the corresponding binaural filter to generate a set of binaural output signals, summing the filtered binaural signals, and outputting the summed binaural signals to the near-field speakers.
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14. An automobile audio system comprising:
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at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener'"'"'s head; a user input generating a variable value; and an audio signal processor configured to; in a first mode, distribute audio signals to the near-field speakers according to a first filter that causes the listener to perceive a wide soundstage; in a second mode, distribute the audio signals to the near-field speakers according to a second filter that causes the listener to perceive a narrow soundstage; in response to a change in the value of the user input, transition distribution of the audio signals from the first mode to the second mode, the extent of the transition being variable based on the value of the user input, wherein; the audio signal processor includes a memory storing; a first binaural filter that causes sound produced by each of the near-field speakers to have characteristics at the intended position of the listener'"'"'s head of sound produced by a sound source located at a first designated position other than the actual locations of the near-field speakers, and a second binaural filter that causes sound produced by each of the near-field speakers to have characteristics at the intended position of the listener'"'"'s head of sound produced by a sound source located at a second designated position other than the actual locations of the near-field speakers and different from the first designated position; the audio signal processor transitions distribution of the audio signals from the first mode to the second mode by; applying an up-mixing rule to generate at least three component channel signals from an input audio signal having at least two channels, mixing a set of the component channel signals to form a first mixed signal, filtering the mixed signal with a combination of the first binaural filter and the second binaural filter to generate a binaural output signal, and outputting the binaural output signal using the near-field speakers; and the relative weight of the first binaural filter and the second binaural filter in the binaural output signal being determined by the value of the user input.
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Specification