Audio Apparatus

• US 20090262962A1
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Iwasaki, Yasutaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,184,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/403 Linear arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

An audio apparatus inputs audio signals oriented toward a plurality of positions to speakers which output sound toward the respective positions with narrow directivity, including a table storage section which stores a table for registering the plurality of positions and volume information showing set sound levels of sounds directed toward the positions in correspondence with each other; a signal processing section for adjusting output levels of respective audio signals in accordance with set level control values; and a signal processing control section which reads the volume information for the plurality of positions by reference to the table and which sets, in the signal processing section, the level control values for the audio signals directed to the respective positions in accordance with the read information.

Claims

1. An audio apparatus which inputs audio signals oriented toward a plurality of positions to speakers which output sound toward the respective positions with narrow directivity, the apparatus comprising:

a table storage section which stores a table for registering the plurality of positions and volume information showing set sound levels of sounds directed toward the positions in correspondence with each other;

a signal processing section which adjusts output levels of respective audio signals in accordance with set level control values; and

a signal processing control section which reads the volume information for the plurality of positions by reference to the table and which sets, in the signal processing section, the level control values for the audio signals directed to the respective positions in accordance with the read volume information.

2. The audio apparatus according to claim 1 further including a command signal input section which inputs a command signal for instructing alteration of a volume setting, wherein

the table storage section stores the table which associates identification information used for identifying a listener, in addition to storing the plurality of positions and the volume information,

the signal processing control section changes the volume information indicated by the identification information in the table to a sound level indicated by the command signal when the command signal input section receives the command signal including the identification information, and

the signal processing control section acquires a position corresponding to the identification information and changed volume information by reference to the table, and changes the level control value set in the signal processing section so that the sound directed to the acquired position comes to a sound level represented by the volume information.

3. The audio apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the command signal input section inputs position measurement information, for measuring a position of a portable terminal, transmitted from the portable terminal used by a listener, and

the signal processing control section measures a position of the portable terminal using the position measurement information when the position measurement information is input to the command signal input section and stores the measured position of the portable terminal in the table in correspondence with the identification information included in the position measurement information.

4. The audio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the speakers are an array of speaker having a plurality of arranged speaker units.

5. The audio apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

delay times imparted to respective signals output from the plurality of arranged speaker units are set respectively so that directions of sounds output from the speaker are controlled,

the signal processing control section sets the delay control values associated with the plurality of positions in the signal processing section, and

the signal processing section imparts the delay times to the respective signals in accordance with the delay control values set by the signal processing control section.

6. The audio apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the speakers are an array of speaker having a plurality of arranged speaker units.

7. The audio apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

delay times imparted to respective signals output from the plurality of arranged speaker units are set respectively so that directions of sounds output from the speaker are controlled,

the signal processing control section sets the delay control values associated with the plurality of positions in the signal processing section, and

the signal processing section imparts the delay times to the respective signals in accordance with the delay control values set by the signal processing control section.

8. The audio apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the speakers are an array of speaker having a plurality of arranged speaker units.

9. The audio apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

delay times imparted to respective signals output from the plurality of arranged speaker units are set respectively so that directions of sounds output from the speaker are controlled,

the signal processing control section sets the delay control values associated with the plurality of positions in the signal processing section, and

the signal processing section imparts the delay times to the respective signals in accordance with the delay control values set by the signal processing control section.