US 10,708,701 B2 · Sound level estimation

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of determining in real-time an estimate of a Sound Pressure Level or Sound Exposure corresponding to sound produced in an acoustic environment by multiple loudspeakers of a sound system in response to an input signal to the sound system. The method comprises determining in real-time the estimate of the Sound Pressure Level or Sound Exposure on the basis of the input signal. The sound system is a level-calibrated sound system. Also disclosed is a real-time sound level estimator. Also disclosed are a method and a real-time sound level estimator where the estimation is based on an approximation of system properties based on microphone measurements, or established for multiple listening positions, respectively. Also disclosed are methods of calibrating and monitoring a sound system and calibration and monitoring devices therefore.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method of providing an estimate of a Sound Pressure Level (SPL) or Sound Exposure (SE) of sound produced in an acoustic environment (AE) by multiple loudspeakers of a sound system in response to an electrical or optical representation of an input audio signal, the acoustic environment having at least one listening position, the method comprising:

an initial step of obtaining an approximation of sound system properties for each of the at least one listening position in the acoustic environment, the approximation of sound system properties being determined using a microphone measurement;
receiving the electrical or optical input audio signal in a sound level detector/integrator (SSLD) in the sound system without using a microphone;
determining in real time with the SSLD, in response to receiving the input audio signal and the approximation of sound system properties, individual estimates of the Sound Pressure Level (SPL-EST) or Sound Exposure (SE-EST) simultaneously at one or more of the at least one listening positions in the acoustic environment;
and
providing the determined SPL-EST or SE-EST as an output, wherein:
the determining of SPL EST includes:
(a) frequency weighting;
(b) RMS integration based on:
x
RMS
⁡
(
c
,
t
)
=
1
T
⁢
∑
i
=
1
T
⁢
⁢
x
A
⁡
(
c
,
t
-
i
)
2
;
(c) channel summation in response to a multi-channel audio input signal, otherwise omitting step (c) in response to receipt of a single channel audio input single;
(d) establish a simulated averaged sound pressure in the AE;
and
(e) Leq calculation to generate the estimated, equivalent continuous sound level SPL_EST.

40 more elements

an initial step of obtaining an approximation of sound system properties for each of the at least one listening position in the acoustic environment, the approximation of sound system properties being determined using a microphone measurement;
receiving the electrical or optical input audio signal in a sound level detector/integrator (SSLD) in the sound system without using a microphone;
determining in real time with the SSLD, in response to receiving the input audio signal and the approximation of sound system properties, individual estimates of the Sound Pressure Level (SPL_EST) or Sound Exposure (SE_EST) simultaneously at one or more of the at least one listening positions in the acoustic environment;
and
providing the determined SPL_EST or SE_EST as an output, wherein:
the determining of SE_EST includes:
(a) frequency weighting;
(b) RMS integration based on:
x
INT
⁡
(
c
,
t
)
=
∑
i
=
1
t
⁢
x
A
⁡
(
c
,
t
-
i
)
2
;
(c) channel summation in response to a multi-channel audio input signal, otherwise omitting step (c) in response to receipt of a single channel audio input single;
(d) establish a simulated averaged sound pressure in the AE;
and
(e) Leq calculation to generate the estimated sound exposure level over a period of time SE_EST.

36 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sound level estimation

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Sound level estimation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26