Systems and methods for monitoring cinema loudspeakers and compensating for quality problems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- capturing, by a microphone positioned at a suboptimal location that is outside of a patron-seating area in a theatre, a signature response of a loudspeaker in the theatre to a test signal, the signature response representing a desired response, at the suboptimal location, of the loudspeaker, the suboptimal location being a location other than an optimal location for a tuning microphone that is usable to determine an optimal response of the loudspeaker to a tuning test signal;
storing the signature response of the loudspeaker;
correlating the signature response to the optimal response, the signature response indicating what the optimal response should be at the suboptimal location of the microphone for the loudspeaker;
capturing, by the microphone positioned at the suboptimal location, a subsequent response of the loudspeaker to the test signal, the subsequent response representing a changed response, at the suboptimal location and at a time that is subsequent to capturing the signature response, of the loudspeaker;
determining a difference between the signature response and the subsequent response, the difference representing changes in loudspeaker response since capturing the signature response; and
compensating for the changes by modifying an audio signal based on the difference to generate a compensated audio signal and outputting the compensated audio signal by the loudspeaker such that a response to the compensated audio signal represents, in the patron-seating area of the theatre, the desired response by the loudspeaker.
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Abstract
Systems and processes for compensating for changes in a theatre sound system positioned in a theatre are described. A subsequent response of a loudspeaker to a test signal is captured and compared to a previously obtained signature response of the loudspeaker to the test signal. An audio signal can be processed based on the comparison to compensate for changes to loudspeaker performance, or otherwise.
55 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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capturing, by a microphone positioned at a suboptimal location that is outside of a patron-seating area in a theatre, a signature response of a loudspeaker in the theatre to a test signal, the signature response representing a desired response, at the suboptimal location, of the loudspeaker, the suboptimal location being a location other than an optimal location for a tuning microphone that is usable to determine an optimal response of the loudspeaker to a tuning test signal; storing the signature response of the loudspeaker; correlating the signature response to the optimal response, the signature response indicating what the optimal response should be at the suboptimal location of the microphone for the loudspeaker; capturing, by the microphone positioned at the suboptimal location, a subsequent response of the loudspeaker to the test signal, the subsequent response representing a changed response, at the suboptimal location and at a time that is subsequent to capturing the signature response, of the loudspeaker; determining a difference between the signature response and the subsequent response, the difference representing changes in loudspeaker response since capturing the signature response; and compensating for the changes by modifying an audio signal based on the difference to generate a compensated audio signal and outputting the compensated audio signal by the loudspeaker such that a response to the compensated audio signal represents, in the patron-seating area of the theatre, the desired response by the loudspeaker. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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a microphone positionable at a suboptimal location that is outside of a patron-seating area in a theatre for (i) capturing a signature response of a loudspeaker in the theatre to a test signal, the signature response representing a desired response, at the suboptimal location, of the loudspeaker and (ii) capturing a subsequent response of the loudspeaker to the test signal at a time that is subsequent to capturing the signature response, the subsequent response representing a changed response, at the suboptimal location, of the loudspeaker, the suboptimal location being a location other than an optimal location for a tuning microphone that is usable to determine an optimal response of the loudspeaker to a tuning test signal; and an equalizer unit adapted to (i) store the signature response of the loudspeaker, (ii) correlate the signature response to the optimal response, the signature response indicating what the optimal response should be at the suboptimal location of the microphone for the loudspeaker (iii) determine a difference between the signature response and the subsequent response, the difference representing changes in the loudspeaker since capturing the signature response,(iv) compensate for changes to the loudspeaker by modifying an audio signal based on the difference to generate a compensated audio signal and providing the compensated audio signal for output by the loudspeaker such that a response to the compensated audio signal represents the desired response by the loudspeaker in the patron-seating area of the theatre. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A theatre sound system comprising:
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a loudspeaker positioned in an auditorium; a microphone positioned in a suboptimal location that is outside of a patron-seating area in the auditorium and within an audio dispersion path associated with the loudspeaker, the microphone being adapted to capture (i) a signature response of the loudspeaker to a test signal, the signature response representing a desired response, at the suboptimal location, of the loudspeaker and (ii) a subsequent response of the loudspeaker to the test signal at a time that is subsequent to capturing the signature response, the subsequent response representing a changed response, at the suboptimal location, of the loudspeaker, the suboptimal location being a location other than an optimal location for a tuning microphone that is usable to determine an optimal response of the loudspeaker to a tuning test signal; and an audio device adapted to (i) store the signature response of the loudspeaker, (ii) correlate the signature response to the optimal response, the signature response indicating what the optimal response should be at the suboptimal location of the microphone for the loudspeaker, (iii) generate a difference between the signature response and the subsequent response, and (iv) compensate for changes to the loudspeaker by modifying an audio signal of a motion picture based on the difference to generate a compensated signal, wherein the loudspeaker is configured for outputting the compensated signal from the audio device such that a response to the compensated signal represents the desired response by the loudspeaker in the patron-seating area in the auditorium. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification