Directional capability testing of audio devices

• US 9,363,616 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deacon, Robert Gregory, Gonzalez, Steve Gil, Chu, Wai Chung, Quento, Steve Anthony, Cederlof, Colter Earl, Hilmes, Philip Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay, Sonia
• Application Number:
  US14/256,839
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/025 Transducer mountings or cabinet supports enabling variable orientation of transducer of cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/004 for microphones H04R29/007 takes precedence

Abstract

A test system for testing directional capabilities of an audio device includes a horizontal linear actuator and a vertical linear actuator. The horizontal linear actuator supports a rotary actuator upon which the audio device is placed. The vertical linear actuator supports a sound source. To test the device, the actuators are controlled to establish multiple relative positions of the audio device and the sound source. A test sound is emitted at each of the relative positions. The audio device is configured to provide data generated in response to the test sound at each of the relative positions. The test system receives and records the data along with coordinates indicating the relative positions to which the data corresponds.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a controller configured to receive data from an audio device;

a first linear actuator that is responsive to the controller to move the audio device along a horizontal axis;

a rotary actuator that is responsive to the controller to rotate the audio device;

a sound source that is responsive to the controller to emit a test sound;

a second linear actuator that is responsive to the controller to move the sound source along a vertical axis that intersects the horizontal axis;

the controller being configured to perform actions comprising;

controlling the actuators to successively position the sound source and the audio device at multiple positions;

causing the sound source to emit the test sound at each of the positions; and

receiving data produced by the audio device in response to the test sound emitted at each of the positions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio device has multiple microphones and the data comprises audio signals produced by the multiple microphones.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data comprises coordinates of the multiple positions as calculated by the audio device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio device has multiple microphones and the data comprises differences in arrival times of the test sound at each of the microphones.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pivot actuator configured to pivot the sound source about a horizontal axis, the actions further comprising pivoting the sound source with the pivot actuator.

6. A device, comprising:

a controller configured to receive data from an audio device;

a first actuator that is responsive to the controller to move the audio device along a first axis;

a second actuator that is responsive to the controller to rotate the audio device about a second axis;

a sound source that is responsive to the controller to emit a test sound;

a third actuator that is responsive to the controller to move the sound source along a third axis, the third axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis;

the controller being configured to perform actions comprising;

successively positioning the sound source and the audio device at multiple positions with the actuators; and

causing the sound source to emit the test sound at each of the positions.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a fourth actuator that is responsive to the controller to direct the sound source.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the first, second, and third axes are within a common plane.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the first and second axes intersect;

the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis;

the first and third axes intersect; and

the third axis is parallel with the second axis.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to receive differences in arrival times of the test sound at multiple microphones of the audio device at each of the positions.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to collect data produced using one or more microphones of the audio device in response to the test sound being emitted at the multiple positions.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data comprises one or more audio signals produced by the one or more microphones of the audio device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the data comprises one or more beamformed audio signals produced by the one or more microphones of the audio device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the data comprises coordinates of the positions as calculated by the audio device.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

successively positioning a sound source and an audio device at different positions using one or more actuators, the positioning comprises;

moving the audio device along a first axis;

rotating the audio device about a second axis; and

moving the sound source along a third axis, the third axis is substantially perpendicular to the first axis;

emitting a test sound at each of the positions; and

receiving data produced by the audio device at each of the positions in response to the test sound.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning the sound source and the audio device further comprises pivoting the sound source about a fourth axis.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first, second, and third axes are within a common plane.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first and second axes intersect;

the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis;

the first and third axes intersect; and

the third axis is parallel with the second axis.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the data comprises one or more audio signals produced the audio device in response to the test sound emitted at each of the positions.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the data comprises coordinates of the positions as calculated by the audio device in response to the test sound emitted at each of the positions.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the data comprises differences in arrival times of the test sound at multiple microphones of the audio device at each of the positions.