SOUND PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SOUND PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090060235A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: WOO, Won-hee, Koh, Pil-sung
• Application Number:
  US12/047,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20090060235A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

A sound processing apparatus includes a sound processor to process sound, a plurality of image generators to photograph an object and generate an image, respectively, and a controller to recognize a position of the object with the plurality of images generated by the plurality of image generators, and control the sound processor to adjust a property of the sound corresponding to the position of the object.

Claims

1. A sound processing apparatus, comprising:

a sound processor to process sound;

a plurality of image generators to photograph an object and generate an image, respectively; and

a controller to recognize a position of the object using the plurality of images generated by the plurality of image generators, and to control the sound processor to adjust a property of the sound corresponding to the position of the object.

2. The sound processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the property of the sound comprises at least one of frequency, waveform, delay time and volume according to frequency band.

3. The sound processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of image generators photographs the object at predetermined time intervals.

4. The sound processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of image generators photographs the object at predetermined time intervals.

5. The sound processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a motion detector to detect a motion of the object, wherein

the controller controls the plurality of image generators to photograph the object and generate images if the motion of the object is detected.

6. The sound processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sound output unit to output sound processed by the sound processor.

7. A sound processing method, comprising:

photographing an object and generating a plurality of images;

recognizing a position of the object using the plurality of generated images; and

adjusting a property of the sound corresponding to the position of the object.

8. The sound processing method according to claim 7, wherein the property of the sound comprises at least one of frequency, waveform, delay time and volume according to a frequency band.

9. The sound processing method according to claim 7, wherein the generating the plurality of images comprises photographing the object at predetermined time intervals.

10. The sound processing method according to claim 8, wherein the generating the plurality of images comprises photographing the object at predetermined time intervals.

11. The sound processing method according to claim 7, wherein the generating of the plurality of images comprises:

photographing the object; and

generating the images if the motion of the object is detected.

12. The sound processing method according to claim 7, further comprising:

adjusting the property of the sound corresponding to a position of the object; and

outputting the processed sound.

13. A sound processing apparatus to process and output sound, the sound processing apparatus comprising:

a sensor to sense a location of an object by generating a plurality of images of the object and by comparing the plurality of generated images; and

a controller to adjust a property of the sound corresponding to the sensed location of the object.

14. The sound processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises:

a plurality of image generators to generate the plurality of images of the object by photographing the object.

15. The sound processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller compares locations of the object in each of the plurality of images to determine whether a property of the sound should be adjusted.

16. The sound processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sensor further comprises:

a motion detector to detect a new location of the object if the object moves, and to send information regarding the object'"'"'s new location to the controller to adjust a property of the sound corresponding to the new location of the object.

17. The sound processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the motion detector includes an infrared sensor to sense objects which are above a certain temperature.

18. The sound processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises:

a plurality of heat-signature reading devices to each detect a heat signature of the object and generate the images based on the heat signatures.

20. The sound processing method of claim 18, further comprising:

photographing the object from multiple angles; and

generating corresponding images to denote a location of the object relative to the sensor.

22. The sound processing method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a heat signature of the object from multiple angles; and

generating the images based on the heat signatures.

19. A sound processing method, comprising:

generating a plurality of images of an object;

comparing the plurality of generated images in order to determine a location of the object; and

adjusting a property of sound corresponding to the determined location of the object.

21. The sound processing method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting a new location of the object if the object moves; and

sending information regarding the object'"'"'s new location to a controller to adjust a property of the sound corresponding to the new location of the object.