Audio signal processing method and audio signal processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9942684-B2
Application number	US-201615212831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2016
Priority date	Jul 17, 2015
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

An audio signal processing method and an audio signal processing apparatus for synchronizing audio based on synchronization error between audio signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An audio signal processing method of a first audio signal processing apparatus, the method comprising:
outputting a first audio signal by the first audio signal processing apparatus;
receiving the first audio signal, the first audio signal output from the first audio signal processing apparatus;
receiving a second audio signal, the second audio signal output from a second audio signal processing apparatus;
detecting a first synchronization signal in the first audio signal;
detecting a second synchronization signal in the second audio signal;
determining a first synchronization error of a difference between a time at which the first synchronization signal is received and a time at which the second synchronization signal is received;
receiving a second synchronization error from the second audio signal processing apparatus, the second synchronization error being a difference between a time at which the first synchronization signal is received by the second audio signal processing apparatus and a time at which the second synchronization signal is received by the second audio signal processing apparatus; and
synchronizing audio output of the first audio signal processing apparatus with audio output of the second audio signal processing apparatus based on the first synchronization error,
wherein the synchronizing comprises:
calculating a system delay error based the first synchronization error and the second synchronization error; and
synchronizing the audio output of the first audio signal processing apparatus with the audio output of the second audio signal processing apparatus based on the system delay error.

2. The audio signal processing method of claim 1 , wherein the calculating comprises:
calculating a difference between the first synchronization error and the second synchronization error; and
calculating a half of the difference between the first synchronization error and the second synchronization error as the system delay error.

3. The audio signal processing method of claim 1 , wherein the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal use a region where a left (L) signal and a right (R) signal in the audio signal are equal beyond a set reference value.

4. The audio signal processing method of claim 1 , wherein the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal are one of an audible signal and an inaudible signal.

5. The audio signal processing method of claim 1 , wherein the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal are a watermark.

6. The audio signal processing method of claim 1 , wherein synchronizing comprises:
monitoring the first synchronization error; and
adaptively synchronizing the audio output of the first audio signal processing apparatus with the audio output of the second audio signal processing apparatus when the first synchronization error is greater than or equal to a set value.

7. The audio signal processing method of claim 1 , wherein the synchronizing comprises adjusting at least one of an audio clock rate or an audio sampling rate, wherein the audio sampling rate is adjusted through interpolation or decimation.

8. The audio signal processing method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a distance delay error according to a distance from the first audio signal processing apparatus to the second audio signal processing apparatus by using the system delay error and one of the first synchronization error and the second synchronization error; and
acquiring location information of the second audio signal processing apparatus based on the distance delay error.

9. The audio signal processing method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining an audio system layout based on the location information with respect to the second audio signal processing apparatus; and
setting a sound providing method based on the audio system layout.

10. The audio signal processing method of claim 9 , wherein the setting comprises setting at least one of a channel assignment and a sound component.

11. A first audio signal processing apparatus comprising:
a speaker configured to output a first audio signal;
a microphone configured to receive the first audio signal and receive a second audio signal output, the first audio signal output from the first audio signal processing apparatus and the second audio signal output from a second audio signal processing apparatus; and
a controller configured to detect a first synchronization signal in the first audio signal and a second synchronization signal in the second audio signal, determine a first synchronization error of a difference between a time at which the first synchronization signal is received and a time at which the second synchronization signal is received, and synchronize audio output of the first audio signal processing apparatus with audio output of the second audio signal processing apparatus based on the first synchronization error.

12. The audio signal processing apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a transceiver configured to receive a second synchronization error from the second audio signal processing apparatus, the second synchronization error being a difference between a time at which the first synchronization signal is received by the second audio signal processing apparatus and a time at which the second synchronization signal is received by the second audio signal processing apparatus,
wherein the controller is further configured synchronize by calculating a system delay error based the first synchronization error and the second synchronization error, and synchronizing the audio output of the first audio signal processing apparatus with the audio output of the second audio signal processing apparatus based on the system delay error.

13. The audio signal processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to calculate the system delay error by calculating a difference between the first synchronization error and the second synchronization error, and calculating a half of the difference between the first synchronization error and the second synchronization error as the system delay error.

14. The audio signal processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal use a region where a left (L) signal and a right (R) signal in the audio signal are equal beyond a set reference value.

15. The audio signal processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to synchronize by monitoring the first synchronization error and adaptively synchronizing the audio output of the first audio signal processing apparatus with the audio output of the second audio signal processing apparatus when the first synchronization error is greater than or equal to a set value.

16. The audio signal processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to synchronize by adjusting at least one of an audio clock rate or an audio sampling rate, wherein the audio sampling rate is adjusted through interpolation or decimation.

17. The audio signal processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a distance delay error according to a distance from the first audio signal processing apparatus to the second audio signal processing apparatus by using the system delay error and one of the first synchronization error and the second synchronization error, and to acquire location information of the second audio signal processing apparatus based on the dist

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cheon Byeong-Geun
• Kim Han-Ki
• Park Hae-Kwang
• Song Young-Suk
• Oh Eun-Mi
• Lim Dong-Hyun
• Cho Jae-Youn
• Son Joon-Ho

Classifications

• H04R29/007

  for public address systems (public address systems per se H04R27/00) · CPC title

• H04R2227/003

  Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet · CPC title

• H04S7/301 Primary

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

• H04R27/00

  Public address systems (circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; {monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007}; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title

• H04R2227/005

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