Method and apparatus for calibrating sound-reproducing equipment

• US 8,175,284 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genelec Oy
• Original Assignee: Genele OY
• Inventors: Goldberg, Andrew, Makivirta, Aki, Tikkanen, Jussi, Urhonen, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, A O
• Application Number:
  US12/294,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 381/58, 381/59, 381/103, 381/303
• US Class Current: 381/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus in a sound-reproduction system, in which method an electrical calibration signal is formed, an audio signal is formed in the loudspeaker from the calibration signal, the response of the audio signal is measured and analysed, and the loudspeaker system is adjusted on the basis of the measurement results. The operator is permitted to made additional alterations to the settings of the loudspeaker system on the basis of the measurement performed, the effects of the alterations are calculated and displayed to the operator without additional measurements, and the additional settings are implemented in real time in the loudspeaker system.

Claims

1. A method in a sound-reproduction system, in which an electrical calibration signal is formed, an audio signal is formed in a loudspeaker from the calibration signal, a response of the audio signal is measured and analysed, and a loudspeaker system is adjusted on the basis of a measurement results, wherein:

an operator is permitted to make additional alterations to settings of the loudspeaker system on the basis of the measurement performed,

the effects of the settings are calculated and displayed to the operator without additional measurements, and

the additional alterations to the settings are implemented in real time in the loudspeaker system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein scanning speed of the calibration signal is logarithmic.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a scanning of the calibration signal is started from a low frequency range of human hearing.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein data is displayed on a display of the computer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is used for determining a distance from the loudspeaker and a measuring microphone.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is used to set the phase of a subwoofer and a loudspeaker to be the same at a crossover frequency.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is used for calibrating the response of all the loudspeakers of the system in a listening room.

8. An apparatus in a sound-reproduction system, which comprises a loudspeaker, control apparatus for the loudspeaker, signal and control connections to the loudspeaker, a microphone for measuring a response of the loudspeaker, and analysis and control apparatuses for analysing and setting a signal obtained from the microphone, based on the analysis results, wherein the apparatus comprises means, with the aid of which:

an operator is permitted to make additional alterations to the settings of the loudspeaker system, on the basis of the measurement performed,

means for calculating the effects of the settings and presenting them to the operator without additional measurements, and

means for implementing the additional alterations to the settings in real time in the loudspeaker system.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the loudspeaker comprises means for forming an essentially sinusoidal electrical variable-frequency calibration signal, in which case the calibration signal scans at least substantially through an entire audio frequency range.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a scanning speed of the calibration signal is logarithmic.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the scanning of the calibration signal is started from a low frequency range of human hearing.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is used to determine a distance from the loudspeaker and a measuring microphone.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is used to set the phase of a subwoofer and a main loudspeaker to be the same at a crossover frequency.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is used for calibrating the response of all the loudspeakers of the system, in a listening room.

15. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the loudspeaker contains an amplifier.