# US 12,119,885 B2 · Signal processing method, signal processing device, and recording medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,119,885 B2 - Document ID: US12119885B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/979,974 - Filed: 2022-11-03 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-11 - Assignees: Yamaha Corporation - Applicants: Yamaha Corporation - Inventors: Akira Maezawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119885B2 ## CPC - H04B 11/00: Transmission systems employing ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves - H04R 27/00: Public address systems (circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; {monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007}; amplifiers H03F) - 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)} - H04M 1/72442: for playing music files - H04B: TRANSMISSION - 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) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A signal processing method includes: receiving, by a first reception unit, an acoustic signal transmitted via a first transmission path, the acoustic signal received by the first reception unit being a first acoustic signal; receiving, by a second reception unit, the acoustic signal transmitted via a second transmission path different from the first transmission path, the second transmission path having a longer delay time for transmission than the first transmission path, and the acoustic signal received by the second reception unit being a second acoustic signal; calculating, by a delay amount calculation unit, a transmission delay amount that is a relative delay amount between the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal; and delaying, by a delay amount addition unit, the first acoustic signal based on the calculated transmission delay amount and outputting the delayed first acoustic signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A signal processing method, comprising: receiving, by a first reception unit, an acoustic signal transmitted via a first transmission path, the acoustic signal received by the first reception unit being a first acoustic signal; receiving, by a second reception unit, the acoustic signal transmitted via a second transmission path different from the first transmission path, the second transmission path having a longer delay time for transmission than the first transmission path, and the acoustic signal received by the second reception unit being a second acoustic signal; calculating, by a delay amount calculation unit, a transmission delay amount that is a relative delay amount between the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal; and delaying, by a delay amount addition unit, the first acoustic signal based on the calculated transmission delay amount and outputting the delayed first acoustic signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The signal processing method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the second reception unit, a video signal transmitted via the second transmission path along with the acoustic signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The signal processing method according to claim 1, wherein the delay amount calculation unit calculates the transmission delay amount each time a predetermined calculation timing arrives, and wherein the delay amount addition unit delays the first acoustic signal using the calculated transmission delay amount each time the transmission delay amount is calculated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The signal processing method according to claim 1, wherein the delay amount calculation unit calculates the transmission delay amount each time a predetermined calculation timing arrives, and wherein the delay amount addition unit determines whether or not a currently calculated transmission delay amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value each time the transmission delay amount is calculated, and delays the first acoustic signal using the currently calculated transmission delay amount in a case where the currently calculated transmission delay amount is equal to or greater than the threshold value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The signal processing method according to claim 1, wherein the delay amount calculation unit calculates the transmission delay amount each time a predetermined calculation timing arrives, and wherein the delay amount addition unit determines whether or not a currently calculated transmission delay amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value each time the transmission delay amount is calculated, and delays the first acoustic signal using a predetermined delay amount in a case where the currently calculated transmission delay amount is not equal to or greater than the threshold value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The signal processing method according to claim 4, wherein the threshold value is an average of transmission delay amounts calculated at the predetermined calculation timing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The signal processing method according to claim 1, wherein the delay amount calculation unit calculates the transmission delay amount each time a predetermined calculation timing arrives, and wherein the delay amount addition unit delays the first acoustic signal in a stepwise manner based on a previously calculated transmission delay amount and a currently calculated transmission delay amount calculated at the predetermined calculation timing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The signal processing method according to claim 1, wherein the delay amount calculation unit calculates a delay amount that maximizes a cross-correlation value between a time-series variation of the first acoustic signal and a time-series variation of the second acoustic signal received in a predetermined time section, and sets the calculated delay amount as the transmission delay amount in a case where the calculated delay amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The signal processing method according to claim 8, wherein the delay amount calculation unit does not calculate the transmission delay amount in a case where a maximum level of the first acoustic signal received in the predetermined time section is less than the threshold value and a maximum level of the second acoustic signal is equal to or greater than the threshold value. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The signal processing method according to claim 8, wherein the delay amount calculation unit does not calculate the transmission delay amount in a case where a maximum level of the first acoustic signal received in the predetermined time section is equal to or greater than the threshold value and a maximum level of the second acoustic signal is less than the threshold value. ### Claim 11 A signal processing device, comprising: a first reception unit configured to receive an acoustic signal transmitted via a first transmission path, the acoustic signal received by the first reception unit being a first acoustic signal; a second reception unit configured to receive the acoustic signal transmitted via a second transmission path different from the first transmission path, the second transmission path having a longer delay time for transmission than the first transmission path, and the acoustic signal received by the second reception unit being a second acoustic signal; a delay amount calculation unit configured to calculate a transmission delay amount that is a relative delay amount between the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal; a delay amount addition unit configured to delay the first acoustic signal based on the calculated transmission delay amount; and an output unit configured to output the delayed first acoustic signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The signal processing device according to claim 11, wherein the second reception unit is configured to receive a video signal transmitted via the second transmission path along with the acoustic signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The signal processing device according to claim 11, wherein the delay amount calculation unit is configured to calculate the transmission delay amount each time a predetermined calculation timing arrives, and wherein the delay amount addition unit is configured to delay the first acoustic signal using the calculated transmission delay amount each time the transmission delay amount is calculated. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The signal processing device according to claim 11, wherein the delay amount calculation unit is configured to calculate the transmission delay amount each time a predetermined calculation timing arrives, and wherein the delay amount addition unit is configured to determine whether or not a currently calculated transmission delay amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value each time the transmission delay amount is calculated, and is configured to delay the first acoustic signal using the currently calculated transmission delay amount in a case where the currently calculated transmission delay amount is equal to or greater than the threshold value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The signal processing device according to claim 11, wherein the delay amount calculation unit is configured to calculate the transmission delay amount each time a predetermined calculation timing arrives, and wherein the delay amount addition unit is configured to determine whether or not a currently calculated transmission delay amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value each time the transmission delay amount is calculated, and is configured to delay the first acoustic signal using a predetermined delay amount in a case where the currently calculated transmission delay amount is not equal to or greater than the threshold value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The signal processing device according to claim 14, wherein the threshold value is an average of transmission delay amounts calculated at the predetermined calculation timing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The signal processing device according to claim 11, wherein the delay amount calculation unit is configured to calculate the transmission delay amount each time a predetermined calculation timing arrives, and wherein the delay amount addition unit is configured to delay the first acoustic signal in a stepwise manner based on a previously calculated transmission delay amount and a currently calculated transmission delay amount calculated at the predetermined calculation timing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The signal processing device according to claim 11, wherein the delay amount calculation unit is configured to calculate a delay amount that maximizes a cross-correlation value between a time-series variation of the first acoustic signal and a time-series variation of the second acoustic signal received in a predetermined time section, and is configured to set the calculated delay amount as the transmission delay amount in a case where the calculated delay amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The signal processing device according to claim 18, wherein the delay amount calculation unit is configured not to calculate the transmission delay amount in a case where a maximum level of the first acoustic signal received in the predetermined time section is less than the threshold value and a maximum level of the second acoustic signal is equal to or greater than the threshold value. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer readable recording medium that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to execute: a first reception step of receiving an acoustic signal transmitted via a first transmission path, the acoustic signal received by the first reception unit being a first acoustic signal; a second reception step of receiving the acoustic signal transmitted via a second transmission path different from the first transmission path, the second transmission path having a longer delay time for transmission than the first transmission path, and the acoustic signal received by the second reception unit being a second acoustic signal; a delay amount calculation step of calculating a transmission delay amount that is a relative delay amount between the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal; and a delay amount addition step of delaying the first acoustic signal based on the calculated transmission delay amount; and an outputting step of outputting the delayed first acoustic signal.