Virtual audio system tuning

A method of virtually tuning an audio system that incorporates an acoustic compensation system, where the audio system is adapted to play audio signals in a listening environment using one or more sound transducers, the acoustic compensation system comprising an audio sensor located at a sensor location in the listening environment, wherein transfer functions from each sound transducer to the audio sensor location are inherent, and wherein there is a sound evaluation location in the listening environment, and wherein transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location are inherent, the method further comprising:

• recording noise at the sensor location;
• recording noise at the sound evaluation location simultaneously with recording noise at the sensor location;
• creating virtual transfer functions for each sound transducer to the sensor location, based on the inherent transfer functions from each sound transducer to the sensor location;
• creating virtual transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location, based on the known transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location;
• processing audio signals through the virtual sound transducer to sensor location transfer functions;
• processing audio signals through the virtual sound transducer to evaluation location transfer functions;
• creating a virtual sensor signal by combining the audio signals processed through the virtual sound transducer to sensor location transfer functions with the noise recorded at the sensor location;
• and
• creating an audio evaluation signal by combining the audio signals processed through the virtual sound transducer to evaluation location transfer functions with the noise recorded at the sound evaluation location.

A method of virtually tuning an audio system that includes an acoustic compensation system, where the audio system is adapted to play audio signals in a vehicle cabin over one or more sound transducers, the acoustic compensation system comprising an adaptive processor that processes the audio signals, and a microphone located at a sensor location in the vehicle cabin, wherein there is a sound evaluation location in the vehicle cabin, wherein transfer functions from each sound transducer to the sensor location are inherent, and wherein transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location are inherent, the method comprising:

• recording sound at the sensor location, and binaurally recording sound at the sound evaluation location simultaneously with recording sound at the sensor location, wherein the sound is recorded with the vehicle operating under a variety of vehicle operating conditions;
• creating virtual transfer functions from each sound transducer to the sensor location, based on the inherent transfer functions from each sound transducer to the sensor location;
• creating virtual transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location, based on the inherent transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location;
• processing audio signals through the virtual sound transducer to sensor location transfer functions;
• processing audio signals through the virtual sound transducer to evaluation location transfer functions;
• creating a virtual sensor signal by combining the audio signals processed through the virtual sound transducer to sensor location transfer functions with the sound recorded at the sensor location;
• creating an audio evaluation signal by combining the audio signals processed through the virtual sound transducer to evaluation location transfer functions with the sound recorded at the sound evaluation location;
• inputting the virtual sensor signal to the adaptive processor, wherein the virtual sensor signal is used by the adaptive processor to cause modifications to the audio signals;
• inputting to the adaptive processor one or more acoustic compensation system inputs selected from the group of acoustic compensation system inputs consisting of an engine RPM signal, a music signal, a signal representative of vehicle speed, and a signal representative of the state of a vehicle function, wherein the acoustic compensation system inputs are used by the adaptive processor to cause modifications to the audio signals;
• creating the virtual sensor signal and the audio evaluation signal using the recorded sound;
• and
• analyzing the audio evaluation signal, wherein analyzing the audio evaluation signal comprises applying the audio evaluation signal to headphones.

A method of virtually tuning an audio system that includes an acoustic compensation system, where the audio system is adapted to create audio signals that modify or cancel engine harmonics in a vehicle cabin, the acoustic compensation system comprising a processor that processes the audio signals, and a microphone located at a sensor location in the vehicle cabin, wherein there is a sound evaluation location in the vehicle cabin, wherein transfer functions from each sound transducer to the sensor location are inherent, and wherein transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location are inherent, the method comprising:

• recording sound at the sensor location, recording sound at the sound evaluation location, and recording one or more non-acoustic signals that are associated with the engine, all such recording taking place simultaneously, and wherein such recordings are made with the vehicle operating under a variety of engine operating conditions;
• creating virtual transfer functions from each sound transducer to the sensor location, based on the inherent transfer functions from each sound transducer to the sensor location;
• creating virtual transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location, based on the inherent transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location;
• processing audio signals through the virtual sound transducer to sensor location transfer functions;
• processing audio signals through the virtual sound transducer to evaluation location transfer functions;
• creating a virtual sensor signal by combining the audio signals processed through the virtual sound transducer to sensor location transfer functions with the sound recorded at the sensor location;
• creating an audio evaluation signal by combining the audio signals processed through the virtual sound transducer to evaluation location transfer functions with the sound recorded at the sound evaluation location;
• inputting the virtual sensor signal and the recorded non-acoustic signals to the processor, wherein the inputs are used by the processor to cause modifications to the audio signals, to modify or cancel one or more engine harmonics;
• inputting to the processor an engine RPM signal, wherein the engine RPM signal is used by the processor to cause modifications to the audio signals;
• creating the virtual sensor signal and the audio evaluation signal using the recorded sound;
• and
• analyzing the audio evaluation signal.

A method of virtually tuning an audio system that includes an acoustic compensation system, where the audio system is adapted to play audio signals in a vehicle cabin over sound transducers, the audio signals used to modify engine harmonics in the vehicle cabin, wherein there is a sound evaluation location in the vehicle cabin, and wherein transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location are inherent, the method comprising:

• recording sound at the sound evaluation location and simultaneously recording one or more non-acoustic signals that are associated with the engine, wherein such recordings are made with the vehicle operating under a variety of engine operating conditions;
• determining engine harmonics from the recorded non-acoustic signals;
• creating virtual transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location, based on the inherent transfer functions from each sound transducer to the evaluation location;
• using the recorded non-acoustic signals to cause modifications to the audio signals, so as to modify one or more engine harmonics;
• processing audio signals through the virtual sound transducer to evaluation location transfer functions;
• creating an audio evaluation signal by combining the audio signals processed through the virtual sound transducer to evaluation location transfer functions with the sound recorded at the sound evaluation location;
• and
• analyzing the audio evaluation signal.