ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, AUDIO SYSTEM AND AUDIO OUTPUT METHOD

• US 20170078824A1
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: HEO, Jae-cheol
• Application Number:
  US15/233,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078824A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• 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 3/008 in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/308 Electronic adaptation dependent on speaker or headphone connection

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes at least two internal speakers; a communicator configured to communicate with at least one external speaker; and a processor configured to, in response to a multi-channel audio signal being received, respectively assign different channel signals included in the multi-channel audio signal to the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker so that the different channel signals are output through the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

at least two internal speakers;

a communicator configured to communicate with at least one external speaker; and

a processor configured to, in response to a multi-channel audio signal being received, respectively assign different channel signals included in the multi-channel audio signal to the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker so that the different channel signals are output through the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an audio processor configured to process the multi-channel audio signal,

wherein the processor is further configured to separate the different channel signals from the multi-channel audio signal by decoding the multi-channel audio signal, mix at least two different channel signals among the separated different channel signals based on a number of the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker, and assign the mixed signal to the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to mix at least two different channel signals among the separated different channel signals based on information on an audio output type of the at least two internal speakers and information on an audio output type of the at least one external speaker, and assign the mixed signal to the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a user interface (UI) for selecting at least one of the audio output type of the at least two internal speakers and the audio output type of the at least one external speaker.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a UI including at least one piece of information on a providable audio output environment based on information on an audio output environment of the at least two internal speakers and information on an audio output environment of the at least one external speaker, mix at least two different channel signals among the separated different channel signals based on the selected audio output environment, and assign the mixed signal to the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the multi-channel audio signal includes a front channel signal, a center channel signal and a rear channel signal,

wherein the processor is further configured to assign the front channel signal and the center channel signal to the at least two internal speakers, and assign the rear channel signal and the center channel signal to the at least one external speaker.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one external speaker comprises two or more speakers, and

wherein the processor is further configure to assign, to a right speaker and a left speaker which are included in the at least two internal speakers, a signal in which a left-front channel signal and the center channel signal are mixed and a signal in which a right-front channel signal and the center channel signal are mixed, and assign, to a right speaker and a left speaker which are included in the at least one external speaker, a signal in which a left-rear channel signal and the center channel signal are mixed and a signal in which a right-rear channel signal and the center channel signal are mixed.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communicator is further configure to communicate with the at least one external speaker in a wireless communication method by using time division multiplexing, which synchronizes wireless signal output time.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the communicator is further configure to communicate with the at least one external speaker in a wired communication method, and

wherein the processor is further configure to assign the multi-channel audio signal to the at least one external speaker based on information on a terminal which is connected to the at least one external speaker.

10. An audio system comprising:

an electronic apparatus comprising at least two first speakers; and

an audio output apparatus configured to communicate with the electronic apparatus and comprises at least one second speaker,

wherein the electronic apparatus is configured to, in response to a multi-channel audio signal being received, respectively assign different channel signals included in the multi-channel audio signal to the at least two first speakers and the at least one second speaker so that the different channel signals are output through the at least two first speakers and the at least one second speaker.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the electronic apparatus is further configure to separate the different channel signals from the multi-channel audio signal by decoding the multi-channel audio signal, mix at least two different channel signals among the separated different channel signals based on a number of the at least two first speakers and the at least one second speaker, and assign the mixed signal to the at least two first speakers and the at least one second speaker.

12. An audio output method of an electronic apparatus that comprises at least two internal speakers and communicates with at least one external speaker, the method comprising:

receiving a multi-channel audio signal; and

respectively assigning, in response to the multi-channel audio signal being received, different channel signals included in the multi-channel audio signal to the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker so that different channel signals are output through the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the assigning comprises separating the different channel signals from the multi-channel audio signal by decoding the multi-channel audio signal, mixing at least two different channel signals among the separated different channel signals based on a number of the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker, and assigning the mixed signal to the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the assigning comprises mixing at least two different channel signals among the separated different channel signals based on information on an audio output type of the at least two internal speakers and information on an audio output type of the at least one external speaker, and assigning the mixed signal to the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising providing a user interface (UI) for selecting at least one of the audio output type of the at least two internal speakers and the audio output type of the at least one external speaker.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising providing an UI including at least one piece of information on a providable audio output environment based on information on an audio output environment of the at least two internal speakers and information on an audio output environment of the at least one external speaker,

wherein the assigning comprises mixing at least two different channel signals among the separated different channel signals based on the selected audio output environment, and assigning the mixed signal to the at least two internal speakers and the at least one external speaker.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the multi-channel audio signal comprises a front channel signal, a center channel signal and a rear channel signal, and

wherein the assigning comprises assigning the front channel signal and the center channel signal to the at least two internal speakers, and assigning the rear channel signal and the center channel signal to the at least one external speaker.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the at least one external speaker comprises two or more speakers, and

wherein the assigning comprises assigning, to a right speaker and a left speaker which are included in the at least two internal speakers, a signal in which a left-front channel signal and the center channel signal are mixed and a signal in which a right-front channel signal and the center channel are mixed, and assigning, to a right speaker and a left speaker which are included in the at least one external speaker, a signal in which a left-rear channel signal and the center channel signal are mixed and a signal in which a right-rear channel signal and the center channel signal are mixed.

19. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the multi-channel audio signal in a wireless communication method by using time division multiplexing, which synchronizes wireless signal output time.

20. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the multi-channel audio signal in a wired communication method, and

wherein the assigning comprises assigning the multi-channel audio signal to the at least one external speaker based on information on a terminal which is connected with the at least one external speaker.