Sound reproduction apparatus and sound reproduction method

• US 9,392,367 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAHNERT, FRIEDRICH
• Application Number:
  US13/869,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20130315422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 381/1, 381/13, 381/17, 381/58, 381/59, 381/74, 381/309, 381/71.6, 381/71.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/005 For headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/01 Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Signals obtained by convoluting opposite phase signals of impulse responses corresponding to current positions of sound collection units attached to right and left suppliers out of impulse responses calculated in association with a plurality of positions to sound signals for right and left ears are supplied to the right and left suppliers, respectively.

Claims

1. A sound processing apparatus, comprising:

a first control unit that controls loudspeakers to output sound signals as a binaural signal;

a position acquisition unit that acquires positions where listeners listen to the sound signals;

an acquisition unit that acquires, for each of the listeners, collection results of a first and second collection units of the listener each of which collects a sound, wherein the first and second collection units of the listener are respectively attached to a first supplier of the listener configured to supply a sound and a second supplier of the listener configured to supply a sound; and

a second control unit that (i) controls for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the collection result by the first collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output sound signals, the first supplier of the listener different from the loudspeakers to output a signal cancelling a sound signal for a right ear output from the loudspeaker, and (ii) controls for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the collection result by the second collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output sound signals, the second supplier of the listener different from the loudspeakers to output a signal cancelling a sound signal for a left ear output from the loudspeaker.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a unit that acquires for each of the listeners a first transfer function between each of the loudspeakers and the first collection unit of the listener on the basis of the collection result by the first collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output the sound signals, and acquires for each of the listeners a second transfer function between each of the loudspeakers and the second collection unit of the listener on the basis of the collection result by the second collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output the sound signals,

wherein the second control unit controls for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the first transfer function acquired for the listener, the first supplier of the listener to output the signal cancelling the sound signal for a right ear output from the loudspeaker, and controls for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the second transfer function acquired for the listener, the second supplier of the listener to output the signal cancelling the sound signal for a left ear output from the loudspeaker.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first transfer function acquired for each of the listeners is based on an impulse response signal which is output from the loudspeaker and collected by the first collection unit of the listener, and

the second transfer function acquired for each of the listeners is based on an impulse response signal which is output from the loudspeaker and collected by the second collection unit of the listener.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit controls for each of the listeners the first supplier of the listener to output opposite phase signal of the sound signal for a right ear, and controls for each of the listeners the second supplier of the listener to output opposite phase signal of the sound signal for a left ear.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the loudspeakers are plural speakers which output respective the sound signal for a right ear and the sound signal for a left ear.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit controls for each of the listeners, on the basis of a position of the first supplier of the listener, a sound signal to be output by the first supplier of the listener, and controls, on the basis of a position of the second supplier of the listener, a sound signal to be output by the second supplier of the listener.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a unit that sets one of a reproduction mode and a measurement mode,

wherein the second control unit controls for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the collection result by the first collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output sound signals in the measurement mode, the first supplier of the listener to output the signal cancelling the sound signal for a right ear output from the loudspeaker in the reproduction mode, and controls for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the collection result by the second collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output sound signals in the measurement mode, the second supplier of the listener to output the signal cancelling the sound signal for a left ear output from the loudspeaker in the reproduction mode.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first second and second suppliers are bone conduction headphones.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second suppliers are full-open type headphones.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first supplier is for a left ear of a listener and the second supplier is for a right ear of the listener.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit controls for each of the listeners the first supplier of the listener not to output the signal cancelling the sound signal for a left ear, and controls the second supplier of the listener not to output the signal cancelling the sound signal for a right ear.

12. A sound processing method for a sound processing apparatus, comprising:

first controlling loudspeakers to output sound signals as a binaural signal;

acquiring positions where listeners listen to the sound signals;

acquiring, for each of the listeners, collection results of first and second collection units of the listener each of which collects a sound, wherein the first and second collection units of the listener are respectively attached to a first supplier of the listener configured to supply a sound and a second supplier of the listener configured to supply a sound; and

second (i) controlling for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the collection result by the first collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output sound signals, the first supplier of the listener different from the loudspeakers to output a signal cancelling a sound signal for a right ear output from the loudspeaker, and (ii) controlling for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the collection result by the second collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output sound signals, the second supplier of the listener different from the loudspeakers to output a signal cancelling a sound signal for a left ear a-output from the loudspeaker.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a program which when implemented causes a computer to perform a sound processing method for a sound processing apparatus, the method comprising:

first controlling loudspeakers to output sound signals as a binaural signal;

acquiring positions where listeners listen to the sound signals;

acquiring, for each of the listeners, collection results of first and second collection units of the listener each of which collects a sound, wherein the first and second collection units of the listener are respectively attached to a first supplier of the listener configured to supply a sound and a second supplier of the listener configured to supply a sound; and

second (i) controlling for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the collection result by the first collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output sound signals, the first supplier of the listener different from the loudspeakers to output a signal cancelling a sound signal for a right ear output from the loudspeaker, and (ii) controlling for each of the listeners, on the basis of the acquired position of the listener and the collection result by the second collection unit of the listener when the loudspeakers output sound signals, the second supplier of the listener different from the loudspeakers to output a signal cancelling a sound signal for a left ear a-output from the loudspeaker.