Limiter for bass enhancement

• US 9,860,644 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2017
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramos, Aurelio, MacLean, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US15/479,458
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/165 Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 9/025 frequency-dependent volume compression or expansion, e.g. multiple-band systems H03G9/10, H03G9/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/14 Cross-over networks

Abstract

A dry audio signal may be received. An envelope of the dry audio signal may be compared to a threshold of the playback device to determine a dry excess. A filter may be applied to the dry audio signal to generate a wet audio signal. An envelope of the wet audio signal may be compared to the threshold to determine a wet excess. Based on the dry and wet excess, a dry gain may be determined for the dry audio signal and a wet gain may be determined for the wet audio signal. The wet audio signal and the dry audio signals may be mixed in proportion to respective gains. The mixed audio signal may avoid exceeding an operational limit associated with audio playback on the playback device.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising

a processor;

memory; and

computer instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the processor to;

receive a first audio signal;

compare an envelope of the first audio signal to a threshold to determine a first excess indicative of an amount by which the envelope of the first audio signal exceeds the threshold, wherein the threshold is associated with an operational limit of the playback device;

apply a filter to the first audio signal to generate a second audio signal;

compare an envelope of the second audio signal to the threshold to determine a second excess indicative of an amount by which the envelope of the second audio signal exceeds the threshold;

based on the first excess and the second excess, determine a first gain associated with the first audio signal and a second gain associated with the second audio signal;

mix the first audio signal and the second audio signal based on the first gain and the second gain to output a mixed signal; and

cause play back of audio based on the mixed signal.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein applying the filter to the first audio signal to generate the second audio signal comprises attenuating an amplitude of the first audio signal in a frequency range.

3. The playback device of claim 2, wherein applying the filter to the first audio signal to generate the second audio signal further comprises boosting an amplitude of the first audio signal outside of the frequency range.

4. The playback device of claim 3, wherein the frequency range is within a 0 to 100 Hz range.

5. The playback device of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions for determining the envelope of the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the computer instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor define a first dynamic sideband filter, wherein causing the play back of audio based on the mixed signal comprises inputting the mixed signal to a second dynamic sideband filter different from the first dynamic sideband filter.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first dynamic sideband filter comprises a first filter suppressing frequencies in a first band and the second dynamic sideband filter comprises a second filter suppressing frequencies in a second band different from the first band.

8. The playback device of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions for selecting the filter based on a frequency range played back by the playback device.

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein applying a filter to the first audio signal to generate a second audio signal comprises applying the filter to a first band of the first audio signal and then applying the filter to a second band of the first audio signal, where the first band and second band are non-overlapping frequency bands.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a first audio signal;

comparing an envelope of the first audio signal to a threshold to determine a first excess indicative of an amount by which the envelope of the first audio signal exceeds the threshold, wherein the threshold is associated with an operational limit of a playback device;

applying a filter to the first audio signal to generate a second audio signal;

comparing an envelope of the second audio signal to the threshold to determine a second excess indicative of an amount by which the envelope of the second audio signal exceeds the threshold;

based on the first excess and the second excess, determining a first gain associated with the first audio signal and a second gain associated with the second audio signal;

mixing the first audio signal and the second audio signal based on the first gain and the second gain to output a mixed signal; and

playing back audio based on the mixed signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein applying the filter to the first audio signal to generate the second audio signal comprises attenuating an amplitude of the first audio signal in a frequency range.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein applying the filter to the first audio signal to generate the second audio signal comprises boosting an amplitude of the first audio signal outside of the frequency range.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the frequency range is within a 0 to 100 Hz range.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first excess and the second excess are positive or negative.

15. The method of claim 10, comprising selecting the filter based on a frequency range played back by the playback device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein applying a filter to the first audio signal to generate a second audio signal comprises applying the filter to a first band of the first audio signal and then applying the filter to a second band of the first audio signal, where the first band and second band are non-overlapping frequency bands.

17. A tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions for execution by a processor, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to implement a method comprising:

receiving a first audio signal;

comparing an envelope of the first audio signal to a threshold to determine a first excess indicative of an amount by which the envelope of the first audio signal exceeds the threshold, wherein the threshold is associated with an operational limit of a playback device;

applying a filter to the first audio signal to generate a second audio signal;

comparing an envelope of the second audio signal to the threshold to determine a second excess indicative of an amount by which the envelope of the second audio signal exceeds the threshold;

based on the first excess and the second excess, determining a first gain associated with the first audio signal and a second gain associated with the second audio signal;

mixing the first audio signal and the second audio signal based on the first gain and the second gain to output a mixed signal; and

playing back audio based on the mixed signal.

18. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein applying the filter to the first audio signal to generate the second audio signal comprises attenuating an amplitude of the first audio signal in a frequency range.

19. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein applying the filter to the first audio signal to generate the second audio signal comprises boosting an amplitude of the first audio signal outside of the frequency range.

20. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the frequency range is within a 0 to 100 Hz range.