Sound processing device, sound control device, and sound control method

• US 10,644,667 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kazuhiro, Uchida, Kazuhiro, Ozaki, Seigo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamid, Ammar T
• Application Number:
  US16/137,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20190028077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 381102-109, 330 75
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/52 Circuit arrangements for protecting such amplifiers monitoring arrangements G01R31/28; increasing reliability in communication systems, e.g. using redundancy H04B1/74
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/03 the amplifier being designed for audio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/321 Use of a microprocessor in an amplifier circuit or its control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/20 Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers H03F3/26 - H03F3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 2201/103 being an amplifying element
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/004 Control by varying the supply voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3005 in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/002 in untuned or low-frequency amplifiers, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G7/007, H03G7/001, H03G7/008, H03G7/02, H03G7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/007 Protection circuits for 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: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A sound processing device includes an amplifier, a current detector, and a controller. The amplifier amplifies a sound signal to drive a loudspeaker. The current detector detects a value of an electric current flowing into the amplifier. The controller controls whether to supply power to the amplifier based on a predicted current value and the current detected by the current detector. The predicted current value is predicted in accordance with a volume setting and a level of the sound signal.

Claims

1. A sound processing device, comprising:

a first amplifier configured to amplify a sound signal to drive a first loudspeaker;

a first current detector configured to detect a value of a first electric current flowing into the first amplifier; and

a controller configured to;

predict a first predicted current value to flow into the first amplifier in accordance with a volume setting for the first amplifier and a level of the sound signal;

control whether to supply power to the first amplifier based on the first predicted current value and the value of the first electric current;

determine whether to mute the first amplifier based on the volume setting for the first amplifier, the level of the sound signal, and the value of the first electric current;

calculate a first threshold in accordance with the volume setting for the first amplifier and the level of the sound signal;

mute the first amplifier when the value of the first electric current exceeds the first threshold;

set a second threshold in accordance with a value of the first electric current flowing into the first amplifier being muted;

release the first amplifier from being muted when the value of the first electric current detected by the first current detector becomes not larger than the second threshold; and

halt the power supplied to the first amplifier when the value of the first electric current keeps exceeding the second threshold.

2. The sound processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the controller is configured to control whether to supply the power to the first amplifier, in consideration of a load of the first loudspeaker.

3. The sound processing device according to claim 2,

wherein the controller is configured to calculate the load of the first loudspeaker in accordance with a value of the first electric current flowing into the first amplifier when the first amplifier amplifies a known reference signal.

4. A sound processing device, comprising:

a first amplifier configured to amplify a sound signal to drive a first loudspeaker;

a second amplifier configured to be connected to a second loudspeaker;

a first current detector configured to detect a value of a first electric current flowing into the first amplifier;

a second current detector configured to detect a value of a second electric current flowing into the second amplifier; and

a controller configured to;

predict a first predicted current value to flow into the first amplifier in accordance with a volume setting for the first amplifier and a level of the sound signal;

control whether to supply power to the first amplifier based on the first predicted current value and the value of the first electric current;

predict a second predicted current value to flow in the second amplifier in accordance with a volume setting for the second amplifier and the level of the sound signal;

control whether to supply power to the second amplifier based on the second predicted current value and the value of the second electric current;

determine whether to mute the first amplifier based on the volume setting for the first amplifier, the level of the sound signal, and the value of the first electric current;

determine whether to mute the second amplifier based on the volume setting for the second amplifier, the level of the sound signal, and the value of the second electric current,

calculate a first threshold in accordance with the volume setting for the first amplifier and the level of the sound signal;

mute the first amplifier when the value of the first electric current exceeds the first threshold;

set a second threshold in accordance with a value of the first electric current flowing into the first amplifier being muted;

release the first amplifier from being muted when the value of the first electric current detected by the first current detector becomes not larger than the second threshold;

halt the power supplied to the first amplifier when the value of the first electric current detected by the first current detector keeps exceeding the second threshold;

calculate a third threshold in accordance with the volume setting for the second amplifier and the level of the sound signal;

mute the second amplifier when the value of the second electric current exceeds the third threshold;

set a fourth threshold in accordance with a value of the second electric current flowing into the second amplifier being muted;

release the second amplifier from being muted when the value of the second electric current detected by the second current detector becomes not larger than the fourth threshold; and

halt the power supplied to the second amplifier when the value of the second electric current detected by the second current detector keeps exceeding the fourth threshold.

5. The sound processing device according to claim 4,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

calculate a first threshold in accordance with the first predicted current value;

compare the first threshold and the value of the first electric current;

control whether to supply the power to the first amplifier based on a comparison result of the first threshold and the value of the first electric current;

calculate a second threshold in accordance with the second predicted current value;

compare the second threshold and the value of the second electric current; and

control whether to supply the power to the second amplifier based on a comparison result of the second threshold and the value of the second electric current.

6. The sound processing device according to claim 4,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

control whether to supply the power to the first amplifier, in consideration of a load of the first loudspeaker; and

control whether to supply the power to the second amplifier, in consideration of a load of the second loudspeaker.

7. A sound control device coupled to an amplifier that amplifies a sound signal to drive a loudspeaker, the sound control device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing a program configured to be executed by the processor,

wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes operations to be performed, the operations including;

detecting a value of an electric current flowing into the amplifier;

predicting a predicted current value to flow in the amplifier in accordance with a volume setting for the amplifier and a level of the sound signal;

controlling whether to supply power to the amplifier based on the predicted current value and the detected value of the electric current flowing into the amplifier;

determining whether to mute the amplifier based on the volume setting for the amplifier, the level of the sound signal, and the value of the electric current;

calculating a first threshold in accordance with the volume setting for the amplifier and the level of the sound signal;

muting the amplifier when the value of the electric current exceeds the first threshold;

setting a second threshold in accordance with a value of the electric current flowing into the amplifier being muted;

releasing the amplifier from being muted when the detected value of the electric current flowing into the amplifier becomes not larger than the second threshold; and

halting the power supplied to the amplifier when the detected value of the electric current flowing into the amplifier keeps exceeding the second threshold.

8. A method of controlling sound, the method comprising:

detecting a value of an electric current flowing into an amplifier that amplifies a sound signal to drive a loudspeaker;

predicting a predicted current value to flow in the amplifier in accordance with a volume setting for the amplifier and a level of the sound signal;

controlling whether to supply power to the amplifier based on the predicted current value and the detected value of the electric current flowing into the amplifier;

determining whether to mute the amplifier based on the volume setting for the amplifier, the level of the sound signal, and the value of the electric current;

calculating a first threshold in accordance with the volume setting for the amplifier and the level of the sound signal;

muting the amplifier when the value of the electric current exceeds the first threshold;

setting a second threshold in accordance with a value of the electric current flowing into the amplifier being muted;

releasing the amplifier from being muted when the detected value of the electric current flowing into the amplifier becomes not larger than the second threshold; and

halting the power supplied to the amplifier when the detected value of the electric current flowing into the amplifier keeps exceeding the second threshold.