# US 7,412,067 B2 · Acoustic apparatus and acoustic setting method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,412,067 B2 - Document ID: US7412067B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/863,462 - Filed: 2004-06-08 - Published: 2004-12-23 - Granted: 2008-08-12 - Earliest claimed: 2003-06-19 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Hiroshi Koyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7412067B2 ## CPC - H04R 29/008: {Visual indication of individual signal levels (visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40)} - 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)} - H04R 2420/03: Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers - H04S 3/00: Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic (H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence) - H04S 7/40: {Visual indication of stereophonic sound image} - 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) - H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS ## Abstract A setting up operation for connecting a number of speakers can be easily executed by a system in which setups and pattern numbers are stored in a memory. When the user operates an operation input unit and selects an easy setup, a default setting pattern number is read out from the memory and displayed on the display. The user operates encoders by watching display contents on a display. When the pattern number corresponding to his own speaker construction obtained by a chart or the like is displayed, he determines it by a key operation. A microcomputer stores the determined pattern number in a memory and the speaker setup corresponding to the pattern number is read out from a ROM in the microcomputer. Each unit of an acoustic apparatus is controlled on the basis of the read-out speaker setup, thereby performing the speaker setup. The user can perform the speaker setup merely by inputting the pattern number using the encoders. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An acoustic apparatus to which three or more speakers can be connected and that can reproduce surround sounds, comprising: output control means for controlling audio signal outputs of a plurality of channels; a table for storing information representing a plurality of different speaker setups that can be constructed by said plurality of channels and storing a plurality of identification codes for identifying said plurality of different speaker setups in correspondence to each other, each respective speaker setup having a respective number of speakers in which each speaker is a respective type of speaker, wherein each respective speaker setup is different from each other; operating means having an easy setup mode for selecting an identification code corresponding to a desired speaker setup from said plurality of identification codes in accordance with an operation by a user, said operating means further having an individual setup mode in which control for every speaker in said desired speaker setup is individually set by said user; selection means for selecting between said easy setup mode and said individual setup mode in accordance with an operation by said user; and display means for displaying said identification code selected by said user in said easy setup mode, wherein said acoustic apparatus has a batch setup mode in which said control for every speaker in said desired speaker setup is set based on said identification code selected by said user in said easy setup mode, and wherein said easy setup mode is used for an initial speaker arrangement prior to normal operation of the acoustic apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The acoustic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein predetermined limitations are provided for each of the different speaker setups that can be constructed by said plurality of channels. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The acoustic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means displays a speaker setup and a corresponding identification code. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The acoustic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means displays a three-dimensional display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The acoustic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means output the display to an external monitor apparatus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The acoustic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control of every speaker set by the batch setup mode can be changed in said individual setup mode. ### Claim 7 A method for setting up an acoustic apparatus to which three or more speakers can be connected and that can reproduce surround sounds, comprising: controlling audio signal outputs of a plurality of channels; storing in a table information representing a plurality of different speaker setups that can be constructed by said plurality of channels and storing in the table a plurality of identification codes for identifying said plurality of different speaker setups in correspondence to each other, each respective speaker setup having a respective number of speakers in which each speaker is a respective type of speaker, wherein each respective speaker setup is different from each other; providing an easy setup mode for selecting an identification code corresponding to a desired speaker setup from said plurality of identification codes in accordance with an operation by a user, and providing an individual setup mode in which control for every speaker in said desired speaker setup is individually set by said user; selecting between said easy setup mode and said individual setup mode in accordance with an operation by said user; and displaying said identification code selected by said user in said easy setup mode, wherein said acoustic apparatus has a batch setup mode in which said control for every speaker in said desired speaker setup is set based on said identification code selected by said user in said easy setup mode, and wherein said easy setup mode is used for an initial speaker arrangement prior to normal operation of the acoustic apparatus.