System and a method of providing sound to two sound zones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9635483-B2
Application number	US-201514623397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2015
Priority date	Feb 17, 2014
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A system and a method for providing sound into two different sound zones, where an a first signal and a second signal are accessed and converted into speaker signals generating the sound in the zones. interference value is determined. If the interference value exceeds a predetermined threshold, one or more parameter changes are determined to parameters of the conversion which, when implemented, will ensure that the interference in the first zone by sound in the second zone is maintained below a threshold limit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for providing sound into two sound zones, the system comprising:
a plurality of speakers configured to generate a first audio signal in a first of the sound zones and a second audio signal in a second of the sound zones; and
a controller configured to
access a first signal and a second signal and convert the first and second signals into a speaker signal for each of the speakers,
receive an input indicating a specified change in a parameter of at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal,
derive, from at least the input and at least one of the second audio signal and the second signal, an interference value, and
adapt the conversion in accordance with the input, based on a determination that the interference value is less than or equal to a threshold.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to derive the interference value also on the basis of the first audio signal and/or first signal.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a change of a number of parameters of the conversion.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output or propose the determined parameter change and to, thereafter, receive an input acknowledging the parameter change.

5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a second input identifying one or more parameter settings, the controller being configured to derive the interference value on the basis of also the second input and adapt the conversion also in accordance with the one or more parameter settings of the second input.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to, during the deriving step, determine whether the second audio signal comprises speech.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to derive the interference value on the basis of one or more of:
a signal strength of the second audio signal and/or the second signal,
a signal strength of the first audio signal and/or the first signal,
a PEASS value based on the first and second audio signals and/or the first and second signals,
a difference in level between the levels of different, predetermined frequency bands of the second signal and/or the second audio signal, and
a number of predetermined frequency bands within which a predetermined maximum level difference exists between the level of the first signal and/or audio signal and the level of the second signal and/or audio signal.

8. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to derive the interference value on the basis of one or more of:
a proportion, over time, where a level of the first signal or first audio signal exceeds that of the second signal or the second audio signal by a predetermined threshold,
an Overall Perception Score of a PEASS model based on the first and second audio signals and/or the first and second signals,
a dynamic range of the second signal and/or the second audio signal over time,
a proportion of time and frequency intervals wherein a level of the first signal or first audio signal exceeds a predetermined number multiplied by a level of a mixture of the first and second signals or first and second audio signals, and
a highest frequency interval of a number of frequency intervals where a level of a mixture of the first and second signals or first and second audio signals is the highest at a point in time.

9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a change in one or more of:
a level of the second signal or the second audio signal,
a level of the first signal or the first audio signal,
a frequency filtering of the second signal or the second audio signal,
a delay of the providing of the second signal vis-à-vis the providing of the first signal, and
a dynamic range of the second signal and/or the second audio signal.

10. A method of providing sound into two sound zones, the method comprising:
accessing a first signal and a second signal,
converting the first and second signals into a speaker signal for each of a plurality of speakers configured to provide, on the basis of the speaker signals, a first audio signal in a first zone of the two sound zones and a second audio signal in a second zone of the two sound zones,
receiving an input indicating a change in a parameter of at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal;
deriving, from at least the input and at least one of the second audio signal and the second signal, an interference value, and
adapting the conversion in accordance with the input, based on a determination that the interference value is less than or equal to the threshold.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the deriving step comprises deriving the interference value also on the basis of the first audio signal and/or first signal.

12. A method according to claim 10 , wherein determining the step comprises determining a change of a number of parameters of the conversion.

13. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the determining step comprises outputting or proposing the determined parameter change and wherein the adapting step comprises initially receiving an input acknowledging the parameter change.

14. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising the step of receiving a second input identifying one or more parameter settings, the deriving step comprising deriving the interference value on the basis of also the one or more parameter settings, and the adapting step comprising adapting the conversion also in accordance with the one or more parameter settings of the second input.

15. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the deriving step comprises determining whether the second audio signal comprises speech.

16. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the deriving step comprises deriving the interference value on the basis of one or more of:
a proportion, over time, where a level of the first signal or first audio signal exceeds that of the second signal or the second audio signal by a predetermined threshold,
an Overall Perception Score of a PEASS model based on the first and second audio signals and/or the first and second signals,
a dynamic range of the second signal and/or the second audio signal over time,
a proportion of time and frequency intervals wherein a level of the first signal or first audio signal exceeds a predetermined number multiplied by a level of a mixture of the first and second signals or first and second audio signals, and
a highest frequency interval of a number of frequency intervals where a level of a mixture of the first and second signals or first and second audio signals is the highest at a point in time.

17. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a change in one or more of
a level of the second signal or the second audio signal,
a level of the first signal or the first audio signal,
a frequency filtering of the second signal or the second audio signal,
a delay of the providing of the second signal in relation to the providing of the first signal, and
a dynamic range of at least one of the second signal and the second audio signal.

18. A method of providing sound into two sound zones, the method comprising:
accessing a first signal and a second signal,
converting the first signal and the second signal into a speaker signal for each of a plurality of speakers configured to provide, on the basis o

Assignees

• Bang & Olufsen As

Inventors

• Francombe Jonathan
• Baykaner Khan Richard

Classifications

• H04S7/301 Primary

  Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone · CPC title

• H04S2400/09

  Electronic reduction of distortion of stereophonic sound systems · CPC title

• H04S7/30

  Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field · CPC title

• H04R5/02

  Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R2227/005

  Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use · CPC title