# US 2019/0246227 A1 · Sound Processing Apparatus and Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0246227 A1 - Document ID: US20190246227A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/385,254 - Filed: 2019-04-16 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-17 - Assignees: Yamaha Corporation - Applicants: Yamaha Corporation - Inventors: Arata IMAI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190246227A1 ## CPC - H04S 1/002: {Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution (control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30)} - H04S 7/30: {Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field} - H04R 3/00: Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F) - H04R 3/12: for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)} - H04S 7/00: Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control - H04R 2430/01: Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems - H04S 2400/11: Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field (H04S2420/13 takes precedence) - H04S 2420/13: Application of wave-field synthesis in stereophonic audio systems - H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS - 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) ## Abstract A sound processing apparatus includes a signal processing device that individually performs first localization setting (e.g., sound volume panning) for setting localization of an input sound signal based on a value of a first parameter and second localization setting (e.g., delay panning) for setting localization of the input sound signal based on a value of a second parameter. In response to an adjustment by an operation device of the value of one of the first and second parameters, a control device automatically changes the value of the other of the first and second parameters. In this way, sound image localization based on the first localization setting and sound image localization based on the second localization setting are automatically controlled in an interlocked relation to each other. At least one of the sound signals localized based on the first and/or second localization setting is output to an output destination. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sound processing apparatus comprising: a signal processing device configured to individually perform first localization setting for setting localization of an input sound signal based on a value of a first parameter and second localization setting for setting localization of the input sound signal based on a value of a second parameter different from the first parameter; an operation device operable by a user for adjusting the value of the first parameter or the second parameter; a control device that, in response to an adjustment by the operation device of the value of one of the first parameter and the second parameter, automatically changes the value of other of the first parameter and the second parameter; and an output device that outputs at least one of the sound signal localized in accordance with the first localization setting and the sound signal localized in accordance with the second localization setting. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a selector that selects one of the sound signal localized in accordance with the first localization setting and the sound signal localized in accordance with the second localization setting, and wherein the output device outputs the sound signal selected by the selector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output device outputs each of the sound signal localized in accordance with the first localization setting and the sound signal localized in accordance with the second localization setting. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in accordance with the value of one of the first parameter and the second parameter adjusted via the operation device, the control device automatically changes the value of the other of the first parameter and the second parameter according to a criterion prescribing association between the value of the first parameter and the value of the second parameter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the criterion prescribes the association between the value of the first parameter and the value of the second parameter such that the localization of the sound signal set in accordance with the first localization setting and the localization of the sound signal set in accordance with the second localization setting become same as each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the criterion prescribes the association between the value of the first parameter and the value of the second parameter in accordance with respective environments of an output destination of the sound signal localized in accordance with the first localization setting and an output destination of the sound signal localized in accordance with the second localization setting. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the criterion is set by the user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the criterion associates the value of the first parameter and the value of the second parameter with each other in a stepwise manner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control device has a table storing the criteria prescribing the association. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first parameter is a parameter for setting localization based on a sound volume difference between a plurality of channels, and the second parameter is a parameter for setting localization based on a signal delay time difference between the plurality of channels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sound processing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the change by the control device comprises automatically changing, in accordance with the value of the one of the first parameter and the second parameter, the value of the other of the first parameter and the second parameter, based on characteristics of a sound volume difference and a time difference in localized sound signal between two ears of a listener. ### Claim 12 A method for adjusting a first parameter and a second parameter to be used in a signal processing device, the signal processing device being configured to individually perform first localization setting for setting localization of an input sound signal based on a value of the first parameter and second localization setting for setting localization of the input sound signal based on a value of the second parameter different from the first parameter, the method comprising: adjusting the value of the first parameter or the second parameter; in response to an adjustment of the value of one of the first parameter and the second parameter, automatically changing the value of other of the first parameter and the second parameter; and outputting at least one of the sound signal localized in accordance with the first localization setting and the sound signal localized in accordance with the second localization setting. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising selecting one of the sound signal localized in accordance with the first localization setting and the sound signal localized in accordance with the second localization setting, wherein the selected one of the sound signal localized in accordance with the first localization setting and the sound signal localized in accordance with the second localization setting is output. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of the sound signal localized in accordance with the first localization setting and the sound signal localized in accordance with the second localization setting is output. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein in response to the adjustment of the value of one of the first parameter and the second parameter, the value of the other of the first parameter and the second parameter is automatically changed in such a manner that, in accordance with the value of one of the first parameter and the second parameter adjusted by the adjustment, the value of the other of the first parameter and the second parameter is automatically changed according to a criterion prescribing association between the value of the first parameter and the value of the second parameter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the value of the other of the first parameter and the second parameter is automatically changed based on a table storing the criterion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first parameter is a parameter for setting localization based on a sound volume difference between a plurality of channels, and the second parameter is a parameter for setting localization based on a signal delay time difference between the plurality of channels. ### Claim 18 A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium storing a group of instructions executable by a processor for performing a method for adjusting a first parameter and a second parameter to be used in a signal processing device, the signal processing device being configured to individually perform first localization setting for setting localization of an input sound signal based on a value of the first parameter and second localization setting for setting localization of the input sound signal based on a value of the second parameter different from the first parameter, the method comprising: adjusting the value of the first parameter or the second parameter; in response to an adjustment of the value of one of the first parameter and the second parameter, automatically changing the value of other of the first parameter and the second parameter; and outputting at least one of the sound signal localized in accordance with the first localization setting and the sound signal localized in accordance with the second localization setting.