# US 10,313,819 B1 · Phantom center image control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,819 B1 - Document ID: US10313819B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/010,705 - Filed: 2018-06-18 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-18 - Assignees: Bose Corporation - Applicants: Bose Corporation - Inventors: Michael Scott Dublin; Charles Terence Henry Oswald; Eduardo T. Salvador; Jeffery Robert Vautin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313819B1 ## CPC - H04S 7/302: {Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation (H04S7/301 takes precedence)} - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - H04R 3/04: for correcting frequency response - H04R 5/02: Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers - 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)} - H04S 1/002: {Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution (control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30)} - 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)} - H04R 2499/13: Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles - H04S 3/002: {Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution (control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30)} - H04S 2400/01: Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved - H04S 2400/05: Generation or adaptation of centre channel in multi-channel audio systems - H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract Various implementations include computer-implemented methods and related systems for controlling the phantom center image of an audio output in an automobile. In one implementation, a method includes: receiving at least one user interface command to modify a phantom center image of audio output from the audio system in the automobile, wherein the phantom center image of the audio output includes a designated position of sound produced by a set of speakers in the audio system other than physical locations of the set of speakers in the audio system; and adjusting a perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output from the audio system based upon the at least one user interface command to modify the phantom center image of the audio output. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method of controlling an audio system with at least two inputs in an automobile, the method comprising: receiving at least one user interface command to modify a phantom center image of audio output from the audio system in the automobile, wherein the phantom center image of the audio output comprises a designated position of sound produced by a set of speakers in the audio system other than physical locations of the set of speakers in the audio system; and adjusting a perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output from the audio system based upon the at least one user interface command to modify the phantom center image of the audio output, wherein the audio system provides the audio output across a soundstage with an approximately static left channel output and approximately static right channel output while adjusting the perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output, and wherein the designated position of sound produced by the set of speakers in the audio system is detectable by a user and comprises an inter-aural phase and inter-aural level as perceived by the user that is consistent with a source from the designated position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the phantom center image is initially set to a default designated position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the default designated position is defined by a user or according to a characteristic of the automobile. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user interface command comprises a control value command for shifting the phantom center image of the audio output. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output is adjusted by modifying a filter weight on at least one speaker in the audio system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the perceived location of the phantom center image is adjustable across a range of pre-defined angles, wherein the adjusting comprises matching the at least one user interface command to a nearest one of the pre-defined angles to provide the adjusted perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user interface command comprises a plurality of commands from distinct user interface controls to modify a plurality of phantom center images of audio output, each relative to distinct seating locations, from the audio system in the automobile. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user interface command comprises a user profile command or a preset command attributed to a user of the automobile, wherein the user profile command or the preset command is obtained from an identification file attributed to the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output comprises adjusting at least one of a center image azimuth angle of the audio output, a center image distance of the audio output or a center image elevation of the audio output. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving at least one additional user interface command to modify at least one of a left channel output, a right channel output or content produced through an up-mixing of an audio system signal or additional audio channels across the audio system; and adjusting an additional spatial placement of the audio output from the audio system based upon the at least one additional user interface command. ### Claim 11 An automobile audio system comprising: a set of speakers for generating an audio output in an automobile; and a control system comprising a user interface, the control system coupled with the set of speakers and configured to: receive at least one user interface command, via the user interface, to modify a phantom center image of the audio output from the set of speakers, wherein the phantom center image of the audio output comprises a designated position of sound produced by the set of speakers other than physical locations of the set of speakers; and adjust a perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output from the set of speakers based upon the at least one user interface command to modify the phantom center image of the audio output, wherein the set of speakers provides the audio output across a soundstage with an approximately static left channel output and approximately static right channel output while adjusting the perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output, and wherein the designated position of sound produced by the set of speakers in the audio system is detectable by a user and comprises an inter-aural phase and inter-aural level as perceived by the user that is consistent with a source from the designated position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The automobile audio system of claim 11, wherein the control system is further configured to: apply a first set of filters that causes sound produced by the set of speakers to have characteristics at an intended position of a user's head of sound produced by a sound source located at a first designated position other than the physical locations of the set of speakers; and in response to the at least one user interface command, apply a second set of filters that causes sound produced by the set of speakers to have characteristics at the intended position of the user's head of sound produced by a sound source located at a second designated position other than the physical locations of the set of speakers and different from the first designated position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The automobile audio system of claim 11, wherein the phantom center image is initially set to a default designated position, wherein the default designated position is defined by a user or according to a characteristic of the automobile. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The automobile audio system of claim 11, wherein control system is configured to adjust the perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output by modifying a filter weight on at least one speaker in the set of speakers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The automobile audio system of claim 11, wherein the perceived location of the phantom center image is adjustable across a range of pre-defined angles, wherein the adjusting comprises matching the at least one user interface command to a nearest one of the pre-defined angles to provide the adjusted perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The automobile audio system of claim 11, wherein the at least one user interface command comprises a plurality of commands from distinct user interface controls to modify a plurality of phantom center images of audio output, each relative to distinct seating locations, from the set of speakers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The automobile audio system of claim 11, wherein the control system is further configured to: receive at least one additional user interface command to modify at least one of a left channel output, a right channel output or a phase difference across the set of speakers; and adjust an additional spatial placement of the audio output from the set of speakers based upon the at least one additional user interface command. ### Claim 18 A computer-implemented method of controlling an audio system with at least two inputs in an automobile, the method comprising: receiving at least one user interface command to modify a phantom center image of audio output from the audio system in the automobile, wherein the phantom center image of the audio output comprises a designated position of sound produced by a set of speakers in the audio system other than physical locations of the set of speakers in the audio system; and adjusting a perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output from the audio system based upon the at least one user interface command to modify the phantom center image of the audio output, wherein the phantom center image is initially set to a default designated position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the default designated position is defined by a user or according to a characteristic of the automobile. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the at least one user interface command comprises a control value command for shifting the phantom center image of the audio output. ### Claim 21 A computer-implemented method of controlling an audio system with at least two inputs in an automobile, the method comprising: receiving at least one user interface command to modify a phantom center image of audio output from the audio system in the automobile, wherein the phantom center image of the audio output comprises a designated position of sound produced by a set of speakers in the audio system other than physical locations of the set of speakers in the audio system; and adjusting a perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output from the audio system based upon the at least one user interface command to modify the phantom center image of the audio output, wherein the perceived location of the phantom center image is adjustable across a range of pre-defined angles, wherein the adjusting comprises matching the at least one user interface command to a nearest one of the pre-defined angles to provide the adjusted perceived location of the phantom center image of the audio output. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the at least one user interface command comprises a plurality of commands from distinct user interface controls to modify a plurality of phantom center images of audio output, each relative to distinct seating locations, from the audio system in the automobile. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the user interface command comprises a user profile command or a preset command attributed to a user of the automobile, wherein the user profile command or the preset command is obtained from an identification file attributed to the user.