US 2016/0080881 A1Published application

Sound Stage Controller for a Near-Field Speaker-Based Audio System

AssigneeBose Corporation

InventorsMichael S. Dublin, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Jahn Dmitri Eichfeld, Charles Oswald

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Abstract

Signals in an automobile audio system having at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener's head are adjusted such that in a first mode, audio signals are distributed to the near-field speakers according to a first filter that causes the listener to perceive a wide soundstage, and in a second mode, the audio signals are distributed to the near-field speakers according to a second filter that causes the listener to perceive a narrow soundstage. A user input of a variable value is received and, in response, distribution of the audio signals is transitioned from the first mode to the second mode, the extent of the transition being variable based on the value of the user input.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method of adjusting signals in an automobile audio system having at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener's head in a vehicle cabin of an automobile and at least a first fixed speaker and a second fixed speaker positioned near a left corner and a right corner, respectively, of the vehicle cabin forward of the intended position of the listener's head, the computer-implemented method comprising:

processing a source audio signal having at least two channels, including:
identifying content of the source audio signal as being of a first type or a second type;
and
upmixing the source audio signal to generate at least three component channel signals;
if the content is identified as being of the first type, applying a first set of weights to the component channel signals at each of a set of designated positions other than the actual locations of the speakers to cause the listener to perceive a first soundstage, otherwise, applying a second set of weights to the component channel signals at each of the set of designated positions to cause the listener to perceive a second sound stage;
receiving user input to effect a transition between the first soundstage and the second soundstage to a user-desired soundstage;
combining the first set of weights and the second set of weights to generate a combined set of weights, the relative contribution of the first set of weights and the second set of weights in the combined set of weights being based on a value of the user input;
and
applying the combined set of weights to the component channel signals at each of the set of designated positions to cause the listener to perceive the user-desired soundstage.

6 more elements

An audio system for an automobile, the system comprising:

at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener's head in a vehicle cabin of the automobile;
at least a first fixed speaker and a second fixed speaker positioned near a left corner and a right corner, respectively, of the vehicle cabin forward of the intended position of the listener's head;
and
an audio signal processor configured to:
process a source audio signal having at least two channels, including:
identify content of the source audio signal as being of a first type or a second type;
and
upmix the source audio signal to generate at least three component channel signals;
if the content is identified as being of the first type, apply a first set of weights to the component channel signals at each of a set of designated positions other than the actual locations of the speakers to cause the listener to perceive a first soundstage, otherwise, applying a second set of weights to the component channel signals at each of the set of designated positions to cause the listener to perceive a second sound stage;
receive user input to effect a transition between the first soundstage and the second soundstage to a user-desired soundstage;
combine the first set of weights and the second set of weights to generate a combined set of weights, the relative contribution of the first set of weights and the second set of weights in the combined set of weights being based on a value of the user input;
and
apply the combined set of weights to the component channel signals at each of the set of designated positions to cause the listener to perceive the user-desired soundstage.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/938,478Filed 11 Nov 2015
Priority: 31 May 2013
Published: 17 Mar 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H04S 7/303
Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation: tracking of listener position or orientation
H04R 5/02
Stereophonic arrangements: spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
H04S 1/007
Two-channel systems: in which the audio signals are in digital form
H04S 5/00
Pseudo-stereo systems

Family

Application13/906,997Continuation · filed 31 May 2013
Application14/938,478Continuation
US 2014/0355793 A1Published application
US 9,215,545 B2Related patent
US 9,615,188 B2Related patent
US 2016/0080881 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.