US 2008/0165979 A1 · Speaker Array Apparatus and Method for Setting Audio Beams of Speaker Array Apparatus

Abstract

There is provided a loudspeaker array device which has a large freedom of installation place and whose sound beam can easily be set by a user. A method for setting the sound beam of the loudspeaker array device is also provided. The loudspeaker array device (1) makes the sound beam formed by the audio signal limited to the band where the angle of the sound beam can be adjusted, sweep from 0 to 180 degrees in the front of the loudspeaker array (10) and the direct sound and the reflected sound of the sound beam are collected by a non-directional microphone (2). The collected sound data is analyzed to detect a peak equal to or above a threshold value. Symmetry of each peak is checked. When symmetry is present, the angle at which the peak has been detected is set as the angle for outputting the sound beam for each channel of the surround sound. Thus, according to the shape of the room where the loud-speaker array device is installed and the installation position, it is possible to set the sound beam emission angle at an optimal position.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A speaker array apparatus, comprising:

a speaker array that has a plurality of speakers for outputting audio beams based on a test audio signal;
a test sound sweep portion that sweeps with the audio beams;
a microphone that is placed in a listening position and collects a test sound including direct sounds and reflected sounds of the audio beams output from the speaker array;
a storage portion that stores a signal level of the test sound collected by the microphone, and sweep angles with which audio beams corresponding to the test sound are output;
a selection portion that selects a plurality of peaks of the signal level based on the signal level of the test sound stored in the storage portion;
and
a beam setting portion that sets the sweep angles of the selected plurality of peaks as beam output angles which are angles to output audio beams of channels of a multi-channel surround-sound respectively.

4 more elements

A method for setting audio beams in a speaker array apparatus, comprising:

outputting audio beams based on a test audio signal from a speaker array having a plurality of speakers;
sweeping with the audio beams;
collecting, in a listening position, a test sound including direct sounds and reflected sounds of the audio beams output from the speaker array;
storing a signal level of the test sound collected in the sound collecting step, and sweep angles with which audio beams corresponding to the test sound are output, so as to associate the signal level with the sweep angles;
selecting a plurality of peaks of the signal level based on the stored signal level of the test sound;
and
setting sweep angles of the plurality of peaks selected in the selecting step, as beam output angles which are angles to output audio beams of channels of a multi-channel surround-sound.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Speaker Array Apparatus and Method for Setting Audio Beams of Speaker Array Apparatus

Life of this patent

Speaker Array Apparatus and Method for Setting Audio Beams of Speaker Array Apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16