US 7,483,540 B2Granted

Automatic audio system equalizing

AssigneeBose Corporation

InventorsWilliam M. Rabinowitz, Hilmar Lehnert, Keith D. Martin, Richard E. Saffran, Abhijit Kulkarni, Finn Arnold

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Abstract

An automated process for equalizing an audio system and an apparatus for implementing the process. An audio system includes a microphone unit, for receiving the sound waves radiated from a plurality of speakers, acoustic measuring circuitry, for providing frequency response measurement signals; a memory, for storing characteristic data signals representative of the loudspeaker units and further for storing the frequency response measurement signals; and equalization calculation circuitry, for providing an equalization pattern signal responsive to the frequency response measurement signals and responsive to the characteristic data signals representative of the plurality of loudspeaker units. Also described is an automated equalizing system including acoustic measuring circuitry including a microphone for providing frequency signals representative of responses at a plurality of locations; a memory, for storing the signals representative of frequency responses at the plurality of locations; and equalization calculation circuitry responsive to the signals representative of the frequency responses for providing an equalization pattern signal.

Claims35

Dependent claims

An audio system, comprising:

a source of audio signals;
signal processing circuitry coupled to said source for processing said audio signals to produce processed audio signals;
a plurality of loudspeaker units, coupled to said signal processing circuitry, constructed and arranged to be deployed about a room, for radiating sound waves responsive to said processed audio signals;
a microphone unit, for receiving said sound waves and for transducing said sound waves to electrical signals;
acoustic measuring circuitry, for receiving said electrical signals and providing frequency response signals;
a memory, coupled to said acoustic measuring circuitry, for storing characteristic data signals of said loudspeaker units and further for storing said frequency response signals;
and
equalization calculation circuitry, comprising a microprocessor running a software program wherein said software program is constructed and arranged to automatically validate at least one of a first frequency response or a second frequency response by causing the source of audio signals to cause radiation of a first sound wave from a first of the plurality of loudspeaker units to produce the first frequency response at a first location and then radiation of a second sound wave from said first of the plurality of loudspeaker units to produce the second frequency response at said first location and comparing the first and second frequency responses, said equalization calculation circuitry coupled to said memory, for providing an individual equalization pattern signal for each loudspeaker unit responsive to said frequency response signals and said characteristic data signals of an associated one of said plurality of loudspeaker units.

5 more elements

An audio system, comprising:

a source of audio signals;
signal processing circuitry coupled to said source for processing said audio signals to produce processed audio signals;
a plurality of loudspeaker units, coupled to said signal processing circuitry, constructed and arranged to be deployed about a room, for radiating sound waves responsive to said processed audio signals;
acoustic measuring circuitry, including a microphone, for receiving said sound waves and providing signals representative of frequency responses of each loudspeaker unit at a plurality of locations;
a memory, coupled to said acoustic measuring circuitry, for storing characteristic data signals of said loudspeaker units and further for storing said signals representative of frequency responses at said plurality of locations;
and
equalization calculation circuitry comprising a microprocessor running a software program wherein said software program is constructed and arranged to automatically validate at least one of a first frequency response or a second frequency response by causing the source of audio signals to cause radiation of a first sound wave from a first of the plurality of loudspeaker units to produce the first frequency response signal representative of a frequency response at a first location and then radiation of the second sound wave from said first of the plurality of loudspeaker units to produce a second frequency response signal representative of the frequency response at the first location and by comparing the first and second frequency response signals, said equalization calculation circuitry responsive to said signals representative of frequency response at said plurality of locations, and said characteristic data signals of an associated one of said plurality of loudspeaker units, for providing an individual equalization pattern signal for each loudspeaker unit.

4 more elements

An audio system comprising:

a source of audio signals;
signal processing circuitry coupled to said source for processing said audio signals to produce processed audio signals;
a plurality of loudspeaker units, coupled to said signal processing circuitry, constructed and arranged to be deployed about a room, for radiating sound waves responsive to said processed audio signals;
a microphone unit, for receiving said sound waves and for transducing said sound waves to electrical signals;
acoustic measuring circuitry, for receiving said electrical signals and providing frequency response signals;
a memory, coupled to said acoustic measuring circuitry, for storing characteristic data signals of said loudspeaker units and further for storing said frequency response signals;
and
equalization calculation circuitry, comprising a microprocessor running a software program
wherein said software program is constructed and arranged to cause the source of audio signals to cause radiation of a first sound wave to produce a first frequency response and then radiation of a second sound wave to produce a second frequency response and compare the first and second frequency responses, said equalization calculation circuitry coupled to said memory, for providing an individual equalization pattern signal for each loudspeaker unit responsive to said frequency response signals and said characteristic data signals of an associated one of said plurality of loudspeaker units
wherein said software program is constructed and arranged to cause radiation of said first sound wave with a first intensity and said second sound wave of a second intensity different from said first intensity and
wherein said software program is constructed and arranged to further include scaling one of the first and second frequency responses by an amount corresponding to the difference between said first intensity and said second intensity to produce a scaled signal that is used for comparison between said first and second frequency responses to provide an indication that the amplitude is outside an acceptable range, ambient noise is above an acceptable limit or that the frequency responses are otherwise unacceptable.

8 more elements

An audio system comprising:

a source of audio signals;
signal processing circuitry coupled to said source for processing said audio signals to produce processed audio signals;
a plurality of loudspeaker units, coupled to said signal processing circuitry, constructed and arranged to be deployed about a room, for radiating sound waves responsive to said processed audio signals;
acoustic measuring circuitry, including a microphone, for receiving said sound waves and providing signals representative of frequency responses of each loudspeaker unit at a plurality of locations;
a memory, coupled to said acoustic measuring circuitry, for storing characteristic data signals of said loudspeaker units and further for storing said signals representative of frequency responses at said plurality of locations;
and
equalization calculation circuitry comprising a microprocessor running a software program wherein said software program is constructed and arranged to cause the source of audio signals to cause radiation of a first sound wave to produce a first frequency response signal and then radiation of a second sound wave to produce a second frequency response signal and compare the first and second frequency response signals, said equalization calculation circuitry responsive to said signals representative of frequency response at said plurality of locations, and said characteristic data signals of an associated one of said plurality of loudspeaker units, for providing an individual equalization pattern signal for each loudspeaker unit;
wherein said software program is constructed and arranged to cause radiation of said first sound wave with a first intensity and said second sound wave of a second intensity different from said first intensity;
and
wherein said software program is constructed and arranged to further include scaling one of the first and second frequency responses by an amount corresponding to the difference between said first intensity and said second intensity to produce a scaled signal that is used for comparison between said first and second frequency responses to provide an indication that the amplitude is outside an acceptable range, ambient noise is above an acceptable limit or that the frequency responses are otherwise unacceptable.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.