# US 2008/0187148 A1 · Headphone device, sound reproduction system, and sound reproduction method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0187148 A1 - Document ID: US20080187148A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/966,452 - Filed: 2007-12-28 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-05 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Tetsunori ITABASHI; Kohei ASADA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080187148A1 ## CPC - G10K 11/17873: {using a reference signal without an error signal, e.g. pure feedforward} - G10K 11/17821: {characterised by the analysis of the input signals only} - G10K 11/17823: {Reference signals, e.g. ambient acoustic environment} - G10K 11/17854: {the filter being an adaptive filter} - G10K 11/17857: {Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones} - G10K 11/17875: {using an error signal without a reference signal, e.g. pure feedback} - G10K 11/17885: {additionally using a desired external signal, e.g. pass-through audio such as music or speech} - G10K 2210/1081: Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets - G10K 2210/111: Directivity control or beam pattern - G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Disclosed herein is a headphone device, including: a sound pickup section configured to pick up an external sound; a directivity setting section configured to generate a directional pickup audio signal, which is an audio signal obtained by picking up the external sound with a desired directional characteristic, based on an audio signal outputted from the sound pickup section; a loudspeaker; an audio signal generation section configured to generate a cancellation-use audio signal for attenuating the directional pickup audio signal based on the directional pickup audio signal; and a driving signal generation section configured to generate a driving signal, which is an audio signal for driving the loudspeaker and includes at least the cancellation-use audio signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A headphone device, comprising: a sound pickup section configured to pick up an external sound; a directivity setting section configured to generate a directional pickup audio signal, which is an audio signal obtained by picking up the external sound with a desired directional characteristic, based on an audio signal outputted from said sound pickup section; a loudspeaker; an audio signal generation section configured to generate a cancellation-use audio signal for attenuating the directional pickup audio signal based on the directional pickup audio signal; and a driving signal generation section configured to generate a driving signal, which is an audio signal for driving said loudspeaker and includes at least the cancellation-use audio signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The headphone device according to claim 1, wherein said sound pickup section includes a plurality of microphones, and said directivity setting section generates the directional pickup audio signal by compensating delays in arrival of a sound component coming from a location of a specific sound source at the plurality of microphones, with respect to audio signals obtained by sound pickup by the plurality of microphones, and combining the delay-compensated audio signals together, the delays being caused based on locations at which the plurality of microphones are arranged. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The headphone device according to claim 2, further comprising: another sound pickup section including a plurality of other microphones; and another directivity setting section configured to generate another directional pickup audio signal by compensating delays in arrival of another sound component coming from a location of another specific sound source at the plurality of other microphones, with respect to other audio signals obtained by sound pickup by the plurality of other microphones, and combining the delay-compensated other audio signals together, the delays being caused based on locations at which the plurality of other microphones are arranged; wherein said audio signal generation section generates an emphasis-use audio signal for emphasizing the other directional pickup audio signal, along with the cancellation-use audio signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The headphone device according to claim 1, wherein said sound pickup section includes two microphones each having a predetermined directional characteristic, and said directivity setting section performs signal processing for generating the directional pickup audio signal based on audio signals outputted from the two microphones. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The headphone device according to claim 1, wherein said directivity setting section sequentially generates provisional directional pickup audio signals, which are directional pickup audio signals corresponding to different directional characteristics, and determines one of the generated provisional directional pickup audio signals that satisfies a predetermined condition to be a right directional pickup audio signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The headphone device according to claim 5, wherein said directivity setting section performs a process of determining the right directional pickup audio signal when power of the headphone device is turned on. ### Claim 7 A headphone system, comprising: a headphone device; and a signal processing device; wherein said headphone device includes a sound pickup section configured to pick up an external sound, and a loudspeaker; and said signal processing device includes a directivity setting section configured to generate a directional pickup audio signal, which is an audio signal obtained by picking up the external sound with a desired directional characteristic, based on an audio signal outputted from the sound pickup section, an audio signal generation section configured to generate a cancellation-use audio signal for attenuating the directional pickup audio signal based on the directional pickup audio signal, and a driving signal generation section configured to generate a driving signal, which is an audio signal for driving the loudspeaker and includes at least the cancellation-use audio signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The headphone system according to claim 7, wherein the sound pickup section includes a plurality of microphones, and the directivity setting section generates the directional pickup audio signal by compensating delays in arrival of a sound component coming from a location of a specific sound source at the plurality of microphones, with respect to audio signals obtained by sound pickup by the plurality of microphones, and combining the delay-compensated audio signals together, the delays being caused based on locations at which the plurality of microphones are arranged. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The headphone system according to claim 8, wherein said headphone device further includes another sound pickup section including a plurality of other microphones, said signal processing device further includes another directivity setting section configured to generate another directional pickup audio signal by compensating delays in arrival of another sound component coming from a location of another specific sound source at the plurality of other microphones, with respect to other audio signals obtained by sound pickup by the plurality of other microphones, and combining the delay-compensated other audio signals together, the delays being caused based on locations at which the plurality of other microphones are arranged, and the audio signal generation section generates an emphasis-use audio signal for emphasizing the other directional pickup audio signal, along with the cancellation-use audio signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The headphone system according to claim 7, wherein the sound pickup section includes two microphones each having a predetermined directional characteristic, and the directivity setting section performs signal processing for generating the directional pickup audio signal based on audio signals outputted from the two microphones. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The headphone system according to claim 7, wherein the directivity setting section sequentially generates provisional directional pickup audio signals, which are directional pickup audio signals corresponding to different directional characteristics, and determines one of the generated provisional directional pickup audio signals that satisfies a predetermined condition to be a right directional pickup audio signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The headphone system according to claim 11, wherein the directivity setting section performs a process of determining the right directional pickup audio signal when power of said headphone device is turned on. ### Claim 13 A sound reproduction method, comprising the steps of: a sound pickup section picking up an external sound and outputting an audio signal; generating a directional pickup audio signal, which is an audio signal obtained by picking up the external sound with a desired directional characteristic, based on the audio signal; generating a cancellation-use audio signal for attenuating the directional pickup audio signal based on the directional pickup audio signal; generating a driving signal, which is an audio signal for driving a loudspeaker and includes at least the cancellation-use audio signal; and outputting a sound based on the driving signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sound reproduction method according to claim 13, wherein the sound pickup section includes a plurality of microphones, in said generating of the directional pickup audio signal, the directional pickup audio signal is generated by compensating delays in arrival of a sound component coming from a location of a specific sound source at the plurality of microphones, with respect to audio signals obtained by sound pickup by the plurality of microphones, and combining the delay-compensated audio signals together, the delays being caused based on locations at which the plurality of microphones are arranged. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sound reproduction method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of: another sound pickup section that includes a plurality of other microphones picking up a sound and outputting another audio signal; and generating another directional pickup audio signal by compensating delays in arrival of another sound component coming from a location of another specific sound source at the plurality of other microphones, with respect to other audio signals obtained by sound pickup by the plurality of other microphones, and combining the delay-compensated other audio signals together, the delays being caused based on locations at which the plurality of other microphones are arranged; wherein in said generating of the cancellation-use audio signal, an emphasis-use audio signal for emphasizing the other directional pickup audio signal is generated along with the cancellation-use audio signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The sound reproduction method according to claim 13, wherein the sound pickup section includes two microphones each having a predetermined directional characteristic, and in said generating of the directional pickup audio signal, signal processing for generating the directional pickup audio signal is performed based on audio signals outputted from the two microphones. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The sound reproduction method according to claim 13, wherein in said generating of the directional pickup audio signal, provisional directional pickup audio signals, which are directional pickup audio signals corresponding to different directional characteristics, are sequentially generated, and one of the generated provisional directional pickup audio signals that satisfies a predetermined condition is determined to be a right directional pickup audio signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The sound reproduction method according to claim 17, wherein in said generating of the directional pickup audio signal, a process of determining the right directional pickup audio signal is performed when power of a headphone device is turned on.