Techniques for performing position calibration for multi-channel speaker systems using directional microphone arrays

Abstract

A method for performing position calibration for a multi-channel audio system includes capturing a test audio object emitted by a second audio output device using a plurality of directional microphones within a first audio output device. The method also includes determining, for each directional microphone of the plurality of directional microphones, a respective room impulse response (RIR) associated with the test audio object captured by the directional microphone. Additionally, the method includes determining a position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device based on the RIR, and assigning a respective channel in the multi-channel audio system to each of the first audio output device and the second audio output device based on the calculated positions. The method also includes transmitting audio from the first audio output device based on the respective channels assigned to the first audio output device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various implementation schemes generally involve audio output devices, and more specifically involve techniques for performing position calibration for multi-channel speaker systems using directional microphone arrays. Background Technology

[0002] The popularity of integrated home entertainment systems has surged with the advent of multi-channel speaker setups. These systems offer immersive audio experiences, enhancing the enjoyment of movies, music, virtual reality, and games. To meet the growing demand for seamless and clutter-free solutions, several companies have introduced operating systems that allow users to establish wireless connections between designated speaker groups, creating tightly integrated multi-channel speaker configurations. This wireless approach eliminates the need for extensive cabling, improving both the convenience and aesthetics of the room. However, the shift to wireless connectivity presents new challenges, namely the accurate detection and assignment of speaker channels during setup.

[0003] For optimal audio performance in multi-channel speaker systems, accurate speaker placement and channel assignment are crucial. Incorrectly assigned channels can lead to skewed audio positioning and compromised surround sound quality. Traditional wired systems rely on manual calibration procedures to determine speaker placement and assign corresponding channels. However, the transition to wireless connectivity requires innovative channel calibration methods.

[0004] Acoustic channel position calibration is a critical requirement for mitigating the possibility of sound image reversal and poor audio quality. Many existing commercial speaker calibration systems on the market use external microphones for accurate calibration. Besides the added clutter caused by external microphones, a significant drawback of relying on them for speaker calibration is the possibility of misalignment or incorrect placement. Users may not be able to accurately or consistently position the external microphone across different calibration sessions. This variability in microphone placement can lead to inconsistent calibration results, negatively impacting the overall audio quality and performance of a multi-channel speaker system. In other commercial systems, calibration involves facilitating field measurements by inserting microphones into the speakers themselves. While this type of calibration is more user-friendly, these systems do not perform automatic speaker assignment correction. This deficiency can result in an unsatisfactory listening experience, manifested as a reversed sound image when the left and right speakers are accidentally switched. Some other existing speaker systems utilize omnidirectional microphones to perform speaker position calibration using direction of arrival (DOA) information. However, this approach has limitations, especially when dealing with compact structures lacking sufficient spacing for microphone placement. For example, closely spaced omnidirectional microphones hinder accurate estimation of the time difference of arrival (TDOA) between various acoustic signals. The absence of a system that provides automated speaker channel assignment causes significant inconvenience to users and increases the risk of incorrect channel assignment.

[0005] As explained above, more effective technologies are needed to perform position calibration for multiple audio output devices and to achieve seamless automatic channel assignment in multi-device systems that include multiple audio output devices, such as compact audio output devices. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In various implementations, a computer-implemented method for performing position calibration for a multi-channel audio system includes: capturing a test audio object emitted by a first audio output device using a plurality of directional microphones within a second audio output device; determining a corresponding room impulse response (RIR) associated with the test audio object captured by the directional microphones for each of the plurality of directional microphones configured within the second audio output device; determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device based on the RIR; assigning corresponding channels in the multi-channel audio system to each of the first and second audio output devices based on the calculated positions; and emitting audio from the first audio output device based on the corresponding channels assigned to the first audio output device.

[0007] At least one technical advantage of the disclosed technology compared to existing technologies is that it enables automated calibration of speaker positions in wireless multi-channel speaker systems, thereby more accurately assigning each speaker to its appropriate channel within the multi-channel arrangement. Channel assignment calibration in the system ensures accurate reproduction of the sound image. Furthermore, compared to other methods involving factory measurements or field measurements using external microphones, the disclosed calibration technique automatically and accurately determines the position of each audio output device relative to other audio output devices. Unlike the limitations associated with external microphones or closely spaced omnidirectional microphones, the disclosed technology ensures robust and reliable calibration results even within compact structures. Therefore, the disclosed technology not only eliminates the risk of sound image reversal and audio quality degradation caused by manual or inconsistent calibration methods but also provides a streamlined and user-friendly setup process for performing automatic channel assignment in multi-channel systems. These technical advantages provide one or more technical improvements over existing methods. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To gain a more detailed understanding of the aforementioned features of the various embodiments, the inventive concept briefly outlined above can be described in more detail by referring to various embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings merely exemplify typical embodiments of the inventive concept and should therefore not be considered as limiting the scope in any way, and that other equally effective embodiments exist.

[0009] Figure 1 Examples of audio output devices configured according to various implementation schemes;

[0010] Figure 2A and Figure 2B It is based on various implementation plans. Figure 1 A diagram showing the relative position of the second audio output device to the first audio output device;

[0011] Figure 3 It is based on various implementation schemes for devices with two directional microphones. Figure 1 The room impulse response (RIR) signal calculated by each microphone in the audio output device;

[0012] Figure 4A , Figure 4B and Figure 4C It is based on a combination of various implementation plans. Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the arrangement of directional microphones in an exemplary directional microphone array within an audio output device;

[0013] Figure 5 It is based on various implementation plans. Figure 1A diagram illustrating the calibration signals between pairs of audio output devices among multiple audio output devices shown in the figure;

[0014] Figure 6 It is based on various implementation plans. Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the calibration signals between multiple audio output devices;

[0015] Figure 7 It is used for various implementation schemes. Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the process of calculating the RIR function for an audio output device;

[0016] Figure 8A and Figure 8B Provided according to various implementation schemes by Figure 1 A diagram illustrating how the device determines the relative angular position of the audio output device;

[0017] Figure 9 Examples of various implementation schemes for targeting Figure 1 A flowchart of the method steps for performing position calibration on multiple audio output devices;

[0018] Figure 10 Examples of various implementation schemes for targeting Figure 1 The flowchart shows the steps involved in determining the angular position of an audio output device. Detailed Implementation

[0019] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the various embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the inventive concept can be practiced without one or more of these specific details.

[0020] Figure 1 An audio output device 110A is illustrated, configured to implement one or more aspects of various embodiments. As shown, the audio output device 110A includes, but is not limited to, a processor 102, a memory 104, a storage device 106, an interconnect bus 108, a speaker 192, and an array of N directional microphones (including microphones 126A, 126B…126N). In various embodiments, the positioning of the N directional microphones 126 within the audio output device 110A allows for flexibility beyond being located directly in front of the speaker 192. For example, the N directional microphones 126 may be located above, below, or behind the speaker 192.

[0021] As shown in the figure, memory 104 includes, but is not limited to, a position calibration engine 114, device positions of each of the M-1 audio output devices (e.g., device positions 140B, 140C, ... 140M corresponding to the respective positions of audio output devices 110B, 110C ... 110M relative to audio output device 110A), a channel assignment module 128, and audio objects 124. For illustrative purposes, multiple instances of the same object are indicated by reference numerals identifying the object and letters identifying the instance, where necessary. Within the framework of position calibration engine 114, memory 104 may include additional components in various embodiments. These additional components may include an RIR peak amplitude module 152 and an RIR arrival time module 154.

[0022] Processor 102 can be any suitable processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), digital signal processor (DSP), and / or any other type of processing unit, or a combination of different processing units, such as a CPU configured to operate in conjunction with a GPU. Generally, processor 102 can be any technically feasible hardware unit capable of processing data and / or executing software applications.

[0023] Memory 104 may include random access memory (RAM) modules, flash memory cells, or any other type of memory cell or combinations thereof. Processor 102 is configured to read data from memory 104 and write data to said memory. Memory 104 includes various software programs executable by processor 102. For example The storage device 106 may include non-volatile storage devices for applications and data, and may include fixed disk drives or removable disk drives, flash memory devices, and CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Blu-ray, HD-DVD, or other magnetic, optical, or solid-state storage devices. An interconnect bus 108 connects the processor 102, memory 104, storage device 106, and any other components of the audio output device 110A.

[0024] Audio output device 110A is coupled to multiple M-1 audio output devices 110 located in physical space 112. example like Audio output devices 110B, 110C… 110M). In general, Figure 1 The document describes M audio output devices, including an audio output device 110A and M-1 audio output devices 110 coupled to the audio output device 110A. In various embodiments, M can be any number (…). For example (two, three, five, and / or six or more). Each of the M-1 audio output devices 110 coupled to the audio output device 110A operates substantially similarly to the audio output device 110A and has substantially similar components internally configured.

[0025] like Figure 1 As depicted, each of the M-1 audio output devices located in physical space 112 can establish a communication link with audio output device 110A via wireless technology. These wireless technologies may include technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other similar wireless methods, and the communication itself occurs via network 130. Furthermore, each of the M-1 audio output devices is capable of transmitting an audio signal 180, which becomes recognizable by audio output device 110A when positioned sufficiently close. Conversely, audio output device 110A is also capable of transmitting an audio signal 180, which becomes recognizable by audio output device 110A when positioned sufficiently close.

[0026] In some embodiments, the multiple audio output devices 110 include, for example, a collection of speakers in a home theater system. In some embodiments, a combination configuration of audio output devices 110A and M-1 audio output devices 110 constitutes a multi-channel speaker system. In some audio systems capable of rendering spatial audio ( For example In a home theater system, each audio output device 110 corresponds to a specific channel corresponding to a specific location within the physical space 112, such as the front left channel, front right channel, rear left channel, and rear right channel.

[0027] As shown in the figure, the position calibration engine 114 is a program stored in memory 104 and executed by processor 102, used to calibrate the relative position of each audio output device among the M-1 audio output devices 110 in the multi-channel speaker system. For example, (Including relative angular position). Similarly, each of the M-1 audio output devices 110 can also be configured with a substantially similar position calibration engine (not shown), which calibrates the relative position of the audio output device 110A (or any of the other audio output devices 110). Position calibration is performed for each of the M audio output devices 110 because of the effectiveness of the rendered spatial audio (including relative angular position). For exampleThe clarity of the audio signal perceived by the listener at a specific location within physical space 112 is related to the accuracy of the relative position of the audio output devices 110 within physical space 112. It is not about defining each of the M audio output devices 110 as a channel that renders a signal associated with a fixed location. For example Instead of positioning the left front speaker in the left front corner of the room, the audio output device 110A performs calibration to detect the position (or angle) of each of the M-1 audio output devices 110 relative to the audio output device 110A within the physical space 112. Based on the calibration, the audio output device 110A stores the relative device position 140 of each of the M-1 audio output devices 110. example like The device positions 140B, 140C, ... 140M correspond to the positions of the audio output devices 110B, 110C ... 110M relative to the audio output device 110A. As mentioned above, each of the M-1 audio output devices 110 can be configured to perform a similar calibration to determine the relative position information of the audio output device 110A (or even each of the other audio output devices 110).

[0028] In some embodiments, audio output device 110A generates an audio signal 180 for each of the plurality of audio output devices 110 to calibrate the position of each of the plurality of audio output devices 110 relative to audio output device 110A. For example, in an audio system in which the first audio output device 110A includes a left front speaker, position calibration engine 114 sends the audio signal 180 to a second audio output device 110B using speaker 192, the second audio output device including a right front speaker, the audio signal including an audio object 124. Notably, in some embodiments, the audio object 124 may be a stored chirp signal residing in memory 104. Alternatively, in other embodiments, position calibration engine 114 may generate the chirp signal in real time during calibration.

[0029] Although Figure 1 Not shown, but in various embodiments, the second audio output device 110B includes N directional microphones (which operate substantially similarly to the directional microphone 126 configured in the audio output device 110A), where N is any number. For example, (II, III, V, and / or 6 or more). As noted above, each of the M-1 audio output devices 110 is also configured with substantially the same... Figure 1The position calibration engine shown is similar to position calibration engine 114. For example, the position calibration engine in audio output device 110B also includes an RIR module (which is essentially the same as...). Figure 1 The depicted RIR peak amplitude module 152 operates similarly to the RIR arrival time module 154 (which is essentially the same as...). Figure 1 The RIR arrival time module 154 described operates similarly.

[0030] Continuing the example above, during calibration, each directional microphone within the second audio output device 110B (right front speaker) captures and processes audio object 124, enabling the calculation of the room impulse response (RIR) function corresponding to the audio signal received at each of the directional microphones (based on audio object 124). The RIR module within the second audio output device 110B (not shown) identifies the directional microphone from the set of N directional microphones that records the highest peak of the calculated RIR function. In this scenario, consider the left directional microphone (from the N microphones) positioned within the second audio output device 110B (where the second audio output device 110B corresponds to the right front speaker, and the first audio output device 110A corresponds to the left front speaker, as mentioned above). The left directional microphone, oriented towards the incoming audio signal 180 from the first audio output device 110 (which includes the left front speaker), can, for example, record the highest RIR peak. This result is attributed to the audio signal 180 reaching the left directional microphone via the most direct path (as per the...). Figure 2A and Figure 2B (To be discussed in further detail). Based on an estimate of the direction the left-side directional microphone is facing, the position (or angle) of audio output device 110B relative to audio output device 110A can be determined. In some embodiments, channel assignment module 128 is used to assign channels in a multi-speaker channel system to each of the first audio output device 110A and the second audio output device 110B based on the determined relative positions. In some embodiments, the relative position (or angle) of the second audio output device 110B relative to the first audio output device 110A is stored in memory at the second audio output device 110B. For example, Stored in a space dedicated to, essentially with Figure 1 (Similar to the device location 140 shown in the memory of the device location). In some embodiments, the relative location may also be sent to the first audio output device 110A and stored in device location 140B.

[0031] In some implementations, after calculating the geometry of the entire speaker arrangement in the multi-channel speaker system, the corresponding channels are assigned to each of the M audio output devices 110 using the channel assignment module 128 in the multi-channel speaker system. For example, continuing the example above, after determining the relative position of the second audio output device 110B relative to the first audio output device 110A using the directional microphone in the second audio output device 110B, a similar calibration can be performed to determine the relative positions of audio output devices 110C to 110M relative to audio output device 110A. Here, the first audio output device 110A sends audio object 124 to each of the other audio output devices 110C to 110M. Then, each audio output device 110C to 110M calculates and stores its relative position (or angle) relative to the first audio output device 110A by performing the calibration detailed above. It is worth noting that it is not necessary to send audio object 124 individually or differently to each audio output device. In fact, each of the M-1 audio output devices ( For example, The audio output devices 110B, 110C…110M can use the same audio object 124 to calculate the relative position of the first audio output device 110A. In some embodiments, the relative position (or angle) of each of the M-1 audio output devices 110 relative to the first audio output device 110A can also be sent to the first audio output device via network 130 and stored in device location 140.

[0032] In some implementations, once other audio output devices ( For example The relative position (or angle) of each audio output device (110B, 110C… 110M) with respect to the first audio output device 110A is considered sufficient to calculate the geometry of the entire speaker arrangement in the multi-channel speaker system. The channel assignment module 128 can then be used to assign the corresponding channel to each of the M audio output devices. In other words, when calculating the other audio output devices (… For example After determining the relative position (or angle) of each of the M audio output devices (110B, 110C… 110M) relative to the first audio output device 110A, sufficient information is available to assign an appropriate channel to each of the M audio output devices. Therefore, no further calibration is required to assign an appropriate channel.

[0033] However, in other embodiments, the verification process is performed by a position calibration engine 114, wherein the first audio output device 110A is calculated relative to other audio output devices ( ). For example The relative position (angle) of each audio output device in audio output devices 110B, 110C… 110M is used to identify other audio output devices. For example The calculated relative position (or angle) of each of the audio output devices (110B, 110C… 110M) relative to the first audio output device 110A is determined using a directional microphone housed in the first audio output device 110A. During discrete time intervals, each of the M-1 audio output devices 110 sends an audio output object, such as a chirp signal (or a similar audio output object substantially similar to audio object 124), to the first audio output device 110A. Using the directional microphone within the first audio output device 110A, calibration is applied at the first audio output device 110A to calculate and store the relative position of the first audio output device 110A relative to each of the other M-1 audio output devices 110.

[0034] With the first audio output device 110A configured as the primary entity (or control entity) in the system, the relative positions calculated and stored at each of the other M-1 audio output devices 110 are relayed to the first audio output device 110A via network 130. These relative positions are compared with the corresponding relative positions calculated and stored at the first audio output device 110A. When the relative positions sent from the other audio output devices correspond to the corresponding positions determined by the first audio output device 110A, the complete geometry of the speaker arrangement within the multi-channel system is confirmed. This confirmation is performed by the position calibration engine 114, and the confirmed positions can be stored in memory 104, specifically using device positions 140 in memory 104. The corresponding channels can then be assigned to each of the M audio output devices 110 in the multi-channel speaker system.

[0035] In some implementations, the relative positions may include angular positions associated with audio output devices 110A, depending on the number and configuration of the directional microphones within audio output device 110B. Generally, the M audio output devices 110 are typically positioned at the corners of a regular polygon that likely corresponds to the intended location of the channel. However, in some cases, instead of being positioned at the vertices of a square or rectangle, the M audio output devices 110 may be positioned at the vertices of a less predictable quadrilateral shape. Regardless of whether the M audio output devices are positioned at the corners of a regular polygon or a less predictable quadrilateral shape, an array of N directional microphones (where N is greater than 2) can be used to determine the angular position of the audio output device against which calibration is being performed. In such cases, the relative angular position of the audio output devices can be determined using the angular orientation of the directional microphones in the array that record the highest value of the calculated RIR function.

[0036] In some implementations, an interpolation process can be employed to obtain a more precise angular position of the target audio output device. This involves determining the angular orientation of the directional microphones adjacent to the directional microphone corresponding to the highest recorded RIR value, and the corresponding RIR calculations for these values. Interpolation is then performed using the angular orientations and RIR values ​​of the adjacent directional microphones, as well as the angular orientation and RIR values ​​of the directional microphone that recorded the highest peak RIR amplitude value. This technique yields a more refined angular position estimate for the audio output device being calibrated.

[0037] In some embodiments, in addition to the RIR peak amplitude module 152, the position calibration engine 114 also includes an RIR arrival time module 154, which determines the relative arrival time of RIR peaks between one or more microphones. In some embodiments, the RIR arrival time module 154 complements and cooperates with the RIR peak amplitude module 152 to help identify the directional microphone within an array of N directional microphones that most directly captures the audio signal 180 transmitted by the audio output device undergoing calibration. For example, in the aforementioned context, one directional microphone in the array of N directional microphones located at the second audio output device 110B typically records the highest peak RIR value. The RIR arrival time module 154 can be used to determine which directional microphone in the array of N directional microphones receives the audio signal 180 earlier than the other directional microphones. Typically, the directional microphone that records the peak RIR value will also receive the audio signal 180 earlier than the other directional microphones in the array of N directional microphones. In such cases, the RIR arrival time module 154 can be used to confirm that the directional microphone that records the highest peak RIR value also receives the audio signal 180 earlier than other modules.

[0038] However, subtle variations in the arrival times among the N directional microphones can limit the effectiveness of relying solely on arrival times to accurately determine which directional microphone maintains a more direct orientation toward the audio output device generating the audio signal 180. A challenge of relying entirely on arrival time calculations is the inherent imperfection of microphone directivity. Sound originating from the rear of the directional microphones can unintentionally affect the results. Furthermore, room reverberation can further complicate the timing of the RIR peak. Therefore, in several scenarios, the results derived from the RIR arrival time module 154 are used to reinforce the conclusions drawn by the RIR peak amplitude module 152. This composite information is then used to determine the relative position of the device undergoing calibration, including its angular position.

[0039] The disclosed technology utilizes an array of directional microphones to perform position calibration, achieving precise calibration of acoustic channel positions. Unlike existing calibration systems available on the market, the disclosed technology results in a compact speaker system. The use of directional microphones enables a streamlined design that aligns with modern trends in sleek and minimalist speaker aesthetics. This compact design offers significant advantages, particularly for slim or small speakers where space is limited for mounting additional components such as external microphones. By integrating the channel assignment system into such space-constrained speaker configurations, the disclosed technology achieves a breakthrough in accurate channel calibration without compromising the overall speaker design and form factor. Therefore, the disclosed technology lays the foundation for a more efficient, convenient, and visually appealing approach to setting up multi-channel speaker systems in contemporary home entertainment environments. The disclosed technology seamlessly integrates with contemporary trends in wireless and integrated entertainment systems, providing an elegant and effective solution to the challenges faced in multi-channel speaker configurations.

[0040] Figure 2A and Figure 2B It is based on various implementation plans. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the relative position of the second audio output device to the first audio output device. Figure 2A An example is shown where two audio output devices are oriented in the same direction and the main audio output device 210A is positioned directly to the right of the auxiliary audio output device 210B. Figure 2A The two audio output devices can be basically connected with Figure 1 The audio output device 110 operates similarly. The main audio output device 210A includes an array of two directional microphones 204A and 204B mounted directly behind the main lobe of the speaker 230A. Alternatively, the directional microphones 204A and 204B may be mounted above or below the speaker 230A. The auxiliary audio output device 210B includes the speaker 230B. It should be noted that... Figure 2AThe example only includes two audio output devices, and therefore, it is not necessary for both audio output devices to be equipped with directional microphones, since the main audio output device can be used to perform position calibration. However, the auxiliary audio output device 210B needs to be equipped with at least one speaker to transmit audio to the object 124 ( For example, (Chirp signal).

[0041] When position calibration is performed, sound signals can be emitted from the speaker 230B associated with the auxiliary audio output device 210B when the speaker 230A is muted. Figure 2A In the illustrated scenario, the directional microphone 204A is oriented towards the source of the incoming audio signal 220. Due to this alignment, the directional microphone 204A directly captures the incoming audio signal 220. Meanwhile, most of the signal reaching the directional microphone 204B is the reflected audio signal 222 from the wall 210. Therefore, the direct sound is received by the directional microphone 204A at a 0-degree angle, while the reflected sound approaches at the directional microphone 204B from the opposite angle, measured at 180 degrees.

[0042] The acoustic energy experienced at directional microphone 204A, typically calculated by performing RIR calculations, will be higher (or at least have a higher peak value) than the acoustic energy experienced at directional microphone 204B. Furthermore, the direct audio signal 220 will be experienced earlier at directional microphone 204A than the reflected audio signal 222 experienced at directional microphone 204B. If both directional microphones 204A and 204B use the audio signals received at their respective microphones ( For example, Performing RIR calculations on the chirped signal, the RIR calculated for the audio signal received at directional microphone 204A will record a higher peak value compared to the RIR calculated for the audio signal received at directional microphone 204B. Furthermore, the direct audio signal 220 will be received earlier at directional microphone 204A than the reflected audio signal will be received at directional microphone 204B.

[0043] Figure 3 It is based on various implementation schemes for devices with two directional microphones. Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the calculated RIR function for each directional microphone in the audio output device. (See also: Regarding...) Figure 2A The discussion concerns the audio output device 210A (which is essentially the same as...). Figure 1 In an audio output device (similar to 110A), two directional microphones 204A and 204B receive audio signals with different intensity levels transmitted from speaker 230B. Figure 3As shown, signal 310 can be associated with an RIR calculation performed on the audio signal received at directional microphone 204A, while signal 320 can be associated with an RIR calculation performed on the reflected audio signal received at directional microphone 204B. Figure 3 As depicted, signal 310 exhibits a more pronounced peak, and the peak duration ΔT 330 before the reflected audio signal reaches directional microphone 204B reaches directional microphone 204A.

[0044] Re-reference Figure 2B Examples of components with substantially similar structures are shown. Figure 2A A similar configuration, but in which the main audio output device 210A is rotated so that the incoming audio signal from the speaker 230B is not aligned with the directionality of the directional microphones 204A and 204B. Figure 2B This illustrates the challenges posed by incoming audio signals arriving at an angle in the context of two directional microphones. In this configuration, direct sound is received by directional microphone 204A at a 100-degree angle, while reflected sound approaches directional microphone 204B from the opposite angle, measured at 280 degrees. In this scenario, the direct audio signal 220 will, in most cases, record a higher RIR peak and arrive earlier at directional microphone 204A compared to the reflected audio signal 222 received at directional microphone 204B. However, at certain rotation angles, the energy contrast between the direct and reflected audio signals may not be significant enough for accurate calibration. The misalignment between the incoming audio signal and microphone directivity is particularly pronounced in multi-speaker, multi-channel systems. For these situations, additional microphones can be used for accurate calibration.

[0045] Figure 4A , Figure 4B and Figure 4C It is based on a combination of various implementation plans. Figure 1 The illustration shows the arrangement of directional microphones in an exemplary directional microphone array within an audio output device. In some embodiments, an arrangement of N directional microphones (where N is greater than 2) may be required to address the challenges of irregular wall reflections and audio signals arriving at tilt angles from multiple audio output devices positioned at various angles relative to the audio output device including the directional microphone array. Figure 4A Example with four directional microphones ( For example, An exemplary arrangement of directional microphones 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D, wherein the directional microphones are arranged in a circular formation along a circle and each microphone face outwards. In this configuration, the potential of the directional microphone 420 is not limited to merely calibrating the position of an audio output device that emits a direct audio signal 450 from the leftward direction relative to the microphone arrangement. Figure 4A The described configuration can also effectively calibrate the orientation of audio output devices located in various positions, including but not limited to those located behind, in front of, or to the right of audio output devices including directional microphone arrangements.

[0046] Figure 4B Example with four directional microphones ( For example, An exemplary arrangement of directional microphones 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D is provided, comprising two back-to-back microphone pairs. It should be noted that the arrangement is not limited to two pairs of directional microphones, but any number of directional microphone pairs is conceivable. Figure 4B The arrangement of these audio output pairs in the calibration system can be particularly useful in cases where the relative positions of all audio output pairs are calibrated individually beforehand (e.g., regarding the relative positions of all audio output pairs in the calibration system). Figure 5 (Further discussion).

[0047] Figure 4C Example with four directional microphones ( For example, An exemplary arrangement of directional microphones 420A, 420B, 420C, 420D, 420E, 420F, 420G, and 420H, wherein the directional microphones are distributed along a circle and each directional microphone faces outward. Figure 4C The placement of directional microphones and Figure 4A The exemplary arrangement is similar, but utilizes additional directional microphones. With more microphones, in addition to seamlessly identifying the left and right channels, the direction of sound arrival can be estimated, and the angular position associated with one or more other audio output devices in the multi-channel system can be determined. For example, in Figure 4C In this configuration, each directional microphone in the directional microphone array is associated with a corresponding angular orientation. The angular orientation of the directional microphone that records the highest RIR peak amplitude value in this arrangement can be used to calculate the relative angular position of the audio output device being calibrated.

[0048] Figure 5 It is based on various implementation plans. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the calibration signals between multiple audio output devices, representing a pair of audio output devices. Figure 5 The audio device arrangement includes multiple audio output devices ( For example, Audio output devices 502A, 502B, 502C, and 502D, wherein each audio output device includes a corresponding directional microphone array ( For example, Directional microphone arrays 530A, 530B, 530C, and 530D. Figure 5 In the context of the audio output device shown, the configuration of the directional microphone array can be selected from a range of options, including Figure 4A , Figure 4B or Figure 4C The configurations described, or similar alternatives. However, when considering the case where the individual calibration of two speaker pairs precedes the alignment of all speaker pairs in the system, Figure 4B The presented layout is a suitable choice. Alternatively, one could use... Figure 4A The layout shown.

[0049] Although Figure 2A and Figure 2B The described setup requires only a single calibration because it involves only two audio output devices; however, configurations with more than two audio output devices require multiple calibration processes to establish the relative positions of all audio output devices within the system. For example, for Figure 5 A loudspeaker system, wherein each audio output device includes at least four directional microphones ( For example, and Figure 4A or Figure 4B (Similarly arranged directional microphones in the system) will require four-channel calibration, with each audio output device dedicated to one of the four channels.

[0050] In some implementations, each audio output device in the audio output device pair can be calibrated separately first. example like, The rearward-facing audio output devices include audio output devices 502A and 502B, and the forward-facing audio output devices include audio output devices 502C and 502D. Audio object 124 can be emitted from audio output device 502A. For example, The relative position of audio output device 502(a) is determined using a chirp signal. The RIR function can be calculated for each directional microphone in the directional microphone array 530B using the directional microphone array in audio output device 502B. The position of audio output device 502B relative to audio output device 502A is determined using the orientation of the directional microphone in the directional microphone array 530B that records the highest RIR peak. After calibrating the rear audio output device pair including audio output devices 502A and 502B, the front audio output device pair including audio output devices 502C and 502D can be calibrated similarly.

[0051] After calibrating the left and right channels for each pair, the same procedure can be used to calibrate the relative positions of the two pairs. For example, audio output device 502A or audio output device 502B can transmit audio object 124, which is received by a directional microphone array in audio output device 502C or audio output device 502D. Using the RIR function calculated by the directional microphone array in either audio output device 502C or 502D, the position of the front pair including audio output devices 502C and 502D relative to either of the devices in the rear pair can be determined. Alternatively, one of the devices in the front pair can transmit audio object 124, while the directional microphone array in either of the devices in the rear pair can be used to determine the relative positions of the front pair devices. The appropriate channels can then be assigned to each device in the four-channel system.

[0052] In some implementations, instead of calibrating the device pairs separately, the relative position (including angular position) of each device in a multi-channel system with respect to one of the master or controller devices can be determined. Figure 6 It is based on various implementation plans. Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the calibration signals between multiple audio output devices. Figure 6 The audio device arrangement includes multiple audio output devices ( For example, Audio output devices 602A, 602B, 602C, and 602D, wherein each audio output device includes a corresponding directional microphone array ( For example, Directional microphones are arranged in 630A, 630B, 630C, and 630D.

[0053] exist Figure 6 In the context of the audio output device shown, the configuration of the directional microphone array can be selected from a range of options, including Figure 4A , Figure 4B or Figure 4C The configurations described, or similar alternatives. However, when considering the determination of each device in a multi-channel system relative to one of the master or controller devices ( For example, When considering the relative position (including angular position) of the main audio output device 602A, Figure 4C The arrangement presented is a suitable choice. Because Figure 4C The setup involves multiple directional microphones, so each audio output device can derive a more precise angular position relative to the main device. For example, if in Figure 6 The illustrated audio output device uses Figure 4C The directional microphone configuration allows for the use of a specific directional microphone during the calculation of the relative position between the audio output device 502D and the audio output device 502A. For example , Figure 4C The orientation of the directional microphone 420A in the microphone is adjusted to improve the accuracy of determining the relative angular positioning of the audio output device 502D with respect to the audio output device 502A.

[0054] To determine the relative angular position of each of the audio output devices 602B, 602C, and 602D with respect to the main audio output device 602A, a chirp signal (or any other similar signal) can be sent from audio output device 602A to each of the other audio output devices 602B, 602C, and 602D. Based on the received audio signals at each of the other audio output devices 602B, 602C, and 602D, the RIR function is calculated for each of the directional microphones 630B, 630C, and 630D configured for the corresponding directional microphone. Based on the orientation of the directional microphones associated with the peak RIR value, the angular position of each of the other audio output devices with respect to the main audio output device 602A is calculated. As previously mentioned, the angular position can be stored at the respective audio output device. In some embodiments, when using... Figure 1 When the channel assignment module 128 is configured to perform channel assignment based on the calculated relative angular positions, configuring the main audio output device 602A to perform channel assignment may also involve sending these calculated angular positions to the main audio output device 602A. In some embodiments, these positions may be stored in device position 140 at the main audio output device 602A, such as... Figure 1 The description.

[0055] However, in some implementations, an additional verification process is performed, wherein a chirp signal is sent from each of the other audio output devices 602B, 602C, and 602D to the main audio output device 602A during discrete time intervals. Using a directional microphone arrangement 630A and the calibration process described above, the main audio output device 602A determines a relative angular position associated with each of the other audio output devices. The main audio output device 602A then compares the determined relative angular position with a previously calculated angular position sent from each of the other audio output devices to the main audio output device 602A. Once each of the other audio output devices has verified that each of the calculated relative angular positions matches the previously calculated angular position, channel assignment is performed. Afterward, each of the audio output devices 602A, 602B, 602C, and 602D can be grouped into the system and a channel assigned using the correct angular position.

[0056] Figure 7 It is based on various implementation schemes for integration into Figure 1This diagram illustrates the process of calculating the RIR function for directional microphones in an audio output device. The RIR calculation at each directional microphone can be performed by the position calibration engine at the corresponding audio output device. For example, Figure 1 The position calibration engine 114 shown is executed. Figure 7 As shown, a chirp signal 710 is emitted by the speaker 780 of the audio output device, and the chirp signal is received at the directional microphone of the audio output device. It should be noted that in some embodiments, Figure 1 The audio object 124 mentioned is not limited to a chirp signal, but can also be any other type of signal. Using the chirp signal 710, the inverse signal is determined. In some embodiments, the inverse signal can be an inverse chirp signal 712. Then, an impulse function h(n) 720 is derived for the chirp signal 710, such as that received by a directional microphone. The position calibration engine at the corresponding audio output device then uses the impulse function h(n) 720 derived from the chirp signal 710 to calculate a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) 716. The position calibration engine also calculates an FFT 714 from the inverse chirp signal 712. The FFT 714 of the inverse chirp signal is then multiplied by the FFT associated with the chirp signal 710. The result of the multiplication is used to calculate an inverse Fast Fourier Transform 718 to generate an RIR signal 722.

[0057] As previously mentioned, in some implementations, an interpolation process may be used to obtain a more precise angular position of the target audio output device. Figure 8A and Figure 8B Provided according to various implementation schemes by Figure 1 A diagram illustrating how the device determines the relative angular position of the audio output device.

[0058] refer to Figure 8A It includes eight directional microphones ( For example, In the arrangement of directional microphones (820A, 820B… 820H), in some cases, the audio signal 880 received at the directional microphone arrangement 800 may not be perfectly aligned with the directionality of any of the directional microphones in the arrangement. Figure 8A In the example, either directional microphone 820A or directional microphone 820B can record the highest peak RIR value. Although the audio output device from which the audio signal 880 is emitted can be estimated by using the angular orientation of either directional microphone 820A or 820B (as is now known), Figure 8AThe angular position is shown in the figure, but in various embodiments, a more accurate angular position can be calculated by performing interpolation. In some embodiments, interpolation is performed using the RIR values ​​and angular orientation associated with the directional microphone receiving the highest RIR peak and one or more directional microphones adjacent to the directional microphone receiving the highest RIR peak.

[0059] Figure 8B This illustrates how a more precise angular position of an audio output device can be calculated by performing interpolation. In a typical microphone setup, the audio signal may exhibit its maximum intensity across three adjacent directional microphones within a multi-microphone configuration. However, relying solely on the angular orientation of the directional microphone associated with the highest RIR value to infer the angular source location of the audio signal may not yield a highly accurate angle determination. Therefore, to achieve accurate angle calibration, the position calibration engine 114 also needs to consider the angular orientation of adjacent directional microphones. Figure 8B As shown, in a directional microphone arrangement, for example, six microphones, the highest intensity of the incoming sound signal can be experienced across three adjacent directional microphones, and with respect to the angular orientation α N 804 associated directional microphone N ( Figure 8B The highest RIR value is experienced at (not shown in the image). In some scenarios, using only the angle orientation 804 to determine the angular location of the audio source will not be accurate enough. Therefore, the angle orientation α associated with the directional microphone N-1 will be required. N-1 802 and the angular orientation α associated with the directional microphone N+1 N+1 806 is used to determine a more precise angular position.

[0060] like Figure 8B As shown, it can be used with directional microphones N-1, N, and N+1 ( Figure 8B The associated RIR peaks of each of the directional microphones (not shown) are plotted on the y-axis, and the associated angular orientation of each directional microphone is plotted on the x-axis. A straight line 840 can be drawn through the highest RIR point associated with directional microphone N and the lowest RIR point associated with directional microphone N+1. Using the slope of line 840, another line 820 is also drawn using the peak RIR value recorded at directional microphone N-1. The intersection of lines 820 and 840 can be used to determine the actual angular position α of the audio source. ACTUAL 808. This technology provides a more precise angular position estimate for audio output devices that are being calibrated.

[0061] Figure 9 Examples of various implementation schemes for targeting Figure 1 A flowchart of the method steps for performing position calibration on multiple audio output devices. Figure 9 The method steps can be at least partially derived from, for example... Figure 1 The corresponding position calibration engine (basically similar to the position calibration engine 114 of the audio output device 110) is applied in each audio output device 110. Although Figure 9 The method steps are relative to Figure 1 The audio output device 110 and the technology illustrated in Figures 2 to 8 are described in this paper, but many systems configured to perform method steps in any order can fall within the scope of various embodiments.

[0062] As shown in the figure, method 900 begins at step 902, where the position calibration engine 114 of the audio output device 110A (which may be a controller audio output device in a multi-channel system) causes the audio output device to output an audio object 124, which in various embodiments may be a chirped signal. However, in other embodiments, the audio output device may output a tone at a given frequency, a frequency sweep within a portion of the human audible frequency range and / or the human inaudible frequency range, white noise, or pink noise, etc.

[0063] Step 904 is performed for each of the other audio output devices in the plurality of audio output devices. For example, as regarding Figure 1 As discussed, when audio output device 110A sends audio object 124, it can be transmitted to other M-1 audio output devices ( For example, A calibration process is performed at each audio output device (110B, 110C, … 110M) to determine the relative position of audio output device 110A.

[0064] At step 906, the position calibration engine in each of the other audio output devices determines a first relative angular position associated with the audio output device that emitted the chirp signal (e.g., regarding...). Figure 10 (Further detailed discussion). For example, regarding... Figure 1 The discussion focuses on each of the other audio output devices during the calibration process. For example Each directional microphone within the second audio output device 110B captures and processes an audio object 124, thereby enabling the calculation of the RIR function corresponding to the audio object 124 received at each of the directional microphones. The RIR peak amplitude module within the second audio output device 110B identifies, for example, the directional microphones from a set of N directional microphones that record the peak value of the calculated RIR function. Based on an estimate of the orientation of the directional microphones recording the peak RIR values, the position (or angle) of the audio output device 110B relative to the audio output device 110A can be determined. A similar calibration process is performed for each of the other audio output devices that are part of the multi-channel system. (See regarding...) Figure 8A and Figure 8BAs discussed, step 906 may also include determining a more precise angular position of the audio output device by performing an interpolation operation.

[0065] At step 908, the audio output device ( For example The main audio output device 110A determines a second relative angular position for each of the other M-1 audio output devices, and performs a comparison between the first relative angular position determined by each of the M-1 audio output devices and the second relative angular position determined by the main audio output device 110 for each of the M-1 audio output devices. (As previously stated...) Figure 1 As indicated, the verification process is performed by the position calibration engine 114, wherein the calculated relative position (or angle) of each of the other audio output devices (e.g., audio output devices 110B, 110C, ... 110M) relative to the first audio output device 110A is verified by calculating the relative position (or angle) of the first audio output device 110A relative to each of the other audio output devices (e.g., audio output devices 110B, 110C, ... 110M). Therefore, a directional microphone housed in the control audio output device 110A is used to determine the relative position of the first audio output device 110A relative to each of the other M-1 audio output devices 110. During discrete time intervals, each of the M-1 audio output devices 110 sends an audio output object, such as a chirp signal (or a similar audio output object substantially similar to audio object 124), to the audio output device 110A. Using a directional microphone within the first audio output device 110A, calibration (as described above) is applied at the audio output device 110A to calculate the relative position of the audio output device 110A with respect to each of the other M-1 audio output devices 110. When the audio output device 110A is configured as the primary entity (or control entity) in the system, the first relative positions calculated and stored at each of the other M-1 audio output devices 110 are relayed to the first audio output device 110A via network 130. These relative positions are then compared with corresponding second relative positions calculated and stored at the first audio output device by the audio output device 110A.

[0066] At step 910, in response to determining that the second relative angular position determined by audio output device 110A for each of the other audio output devices is related to the corresponding first relative angular position, the relative position of each of the other audio output devices is stored at the main audio output device 110A. By storing the relative position of each of the other M-1 audio output devices at audio output device 110A, the complete geometry of the speaker arrangement within the multi-channel system is confirmed.

[0067] At step 912, channels can be assigned based on the determined relative position of each of the plurality of audio output devices. Figure 1 Each audio output device in the system's audio output devices. (As per...) Figure 1 As discussed, after storing the relative position of each of the other M-1 audio output devices at audio output device 110A, each of the multiple M audio output devices can be assigned to a corresponding channel in the multiple channels of the multi-channel system.

[0068] In step 914, audio is output at the output of each of the multiple audio output devices according to the corresponding channel assignment. For example, receiving multi-channel audio ( For example (At the main audio output device or control audio output device), and distribute the multi-channel audio to other audio output devices based on the assignment. Then, each audio output device outputs one or more channels assigned to it.

[0069] Figure 10 Examples of various implementation schemes for targeting Figure 1 The flowchart 1000 shows the steps of determining the angular position of the audio output device. Figure 10 The method steps can For example Depend on Figure 1 The position calibration engine 114 application. Despite Figure 10 The method steps are relative to Figure 1 The audio output device 110A is described, but many systems configured to perform method steps in any order fall within the scope of various embodiments. It should be noted that the steps of flowchart 1000 can be used as... Figure 9 This is performed as part of step 906 of the illustrated method 900.

[0070] At step 1002, a chirp signal is received from the audio output device. For example, refer to... Figure 6 It can receive the chirping signal sent by the audio output device 602A at the audio output device 602D.

[0071] At step 1004, a reverse chirp signal is determined from the chirp signal. For example, the reverse chirp signal 712 can be calculated from the chirp signal 710, such as... Figure 7 As shown.

[0072] Step 1006 is performed for each of the multiple directional microphones. For example, a given arrangement (e.g., with...) Figure 4A , Figure 4B and Figure 4C The exemplary arrangement shown configures multiple directional microphones at the audio output device 602D.

[0073] At step 1008, an FFT of the chirped signal is calculated for each directional microphone. For example, as... Figure 7 As shown, the FFT 716 of the chirped signal is calculated.

[0074] At step 1010, an FFT of the reverse chirp signal is also calculated for each directional microphone. For example, as... Figure 7 As shown, the FFT 714 of the reverse chirped signal is calculated.

[0075] At step 1012, the FFT of the chirped signal is multiplied by the FFT of the inverse chirped signal. For example, as... Figure 7 As shown, the FFT 714 of the inverse chirped signal is multiplied by the FFT 716 of the chirped signal.

[0076] At step 1014, the IFFT of the result of the multiplication is calculated to determine the RIR associated with the received chirped signal. For example, refer again... Figure 7 The RIR signal 722 is calculated using IFFT 718, which is obtained by multiplying FFT 714 by FFT 716.

[0077] At step 1016, the directional microphone associated with the highest peak RIR value among the plurality of directional microphones is identified. As previously mentioned, typically, the directional microphone with the highest peak RIR value will also receive the audio signal earlier than the other directional microphones and is associated with the earliest arrival time of the audio signal among the plurality of directional microphones.

[0078] In step 1018, the angular position of the audio output device is determined. (Reference) Figure 6 For example, based on the orientation of the directional microphones recording peak RIR values ​​in the directional microphone arrangement 630D at the audio output device 602D, the relative angular position of the audio output device 602D relative to the audio output device 602A can be determined. (Regarding...) Figure 8A and Figure 8BThe discussed angle position can also be obtained by interpolating the angle position associated with the directional microphone having the highest RIR value between one or more other directional microphones adjacent to the directional microphone having the highest RIR value in the microphone arrangement 630D.

[0079] In summary, the technique for performing position calibration for a multi-channel loudspeaker system includes: causing a first audio output device among a plurality of audio output devices to output a chirp signal. The chirp signal is captured at a second audio output device among the plurality of audio devices using a plurality of directional microphones. For each of the plurality of directional microphones included in the second audio output device, an RIR signal associated with the chirp signal is calculated. Further, the directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones that records the highest value of the calculated RIR signal (and / or receives the chirp signal at the earliest time) is identified. The relative position of the first audio device is derived by estimating the orientation of the identified directional microphone having the highest value of the calculated RIR signal. In some embodiments, the angular relative position of the first audio device may also be obtained by performing interpolation between the angular position associated with the directional microphone having the highest RIR value and one or more other directional microphones adjacent to the directional microphone having the highest RIR value in the microphone arrangement of the multi-channel loudspeaker system. Channels in the multi-channel loudspeaker system are then assigned to the first audio device based on the relative position, and audio is transmitted from the first audio device through the assigned channels.

[0080] At least one technical advantage of the disclosed technology compared to existing technologies is that it enables automated calibration of speaker positions in wireless multi-channel speaker systems, precisely assigning each speaker to its appropriate channel within the multi-channel arrangement. The disclosed calibration technique utilizes the relative positions of the speakers, thus providing a seamless and efficient method for channel assignment to each speaker in a multi-channel audio environment. Furthermore, compared to other methods involving field measurements performed at a factory or external microphone, the disclosed calibration technique automatically and accurately determines the position of each audio output device relative to other audio output devices. Unlike the limitations associated with external microphones or closely spaced omnidirectional microphones, the disclosed technology ensures robust and reliable calibration results even within a compact structure. Therefore, the disclosed technology not only eliminates the risk of sound image reversal and audio quality degradation caused by manual or inconsistent calibration methods, but also provides a streamlined and user-friendly setup process for performing automatic channel assignment in multi-channel systems. These technical advantages provide one or more technical improvements over existing methods.

[0081] 1. According to some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for performing position calibration for a multi-channel audio system includes: using a plurality of directional microphones within a first audio output device to capture a test audio object emitted by a second audio output device; determining a corresponding room impulse response (RIR) associated with the test audio object captured by the directional microphones for each of the plurality of directional microphones; determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device based on the RIR; assigning corresponding channels in the multi-channel audio system to each of the first and second audio output devices based on the position; and emitting audio from the first audio output device based on the corresponding channel assigned to the first audio output device.

[0082] 2. The computer-implemented method according to Clause 1, wherein the test audio object is a chirped signal.

[0083] 3. The computer-implemented method according to claims 1 to 2, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device comprises: identifying a first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones that records the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR; and calculating the position of the second audio output device using the angular orientation of the first directional microphone.

[0084] 4. The computer-implemented method according to claims 1 to 3, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device further comprises: estimating the orientation of one or more other directional microphones adjacent to the first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones, and performing interpolation.

[0085] 5. The computer-implemented method according to claims 1 to 4, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device further comprises: calculating the arrival time of the test audio object for each of the plurality of directional microphones; identifying a first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones that records the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR and the earliest arrival time of the test audio object; and calculating the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device by estimating the direction in which the first directional microphone is oriented in association with the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR and the earliest arrival time of the test audio object.

[0086] 6. The computer-implemented method according to clauses 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of directional microphones are arranged in a circular formation.

[0087] 7. The computer-implemented method according to Clauses 1 to 6, wherein the plurality of directional microphones are arranged as back-to-back microphone pairs.

[0088] 8. A computer-implemented method according to claims 1 to 7, wherein determining the corresponding RIR of a first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones comprises: calculating an inverse signal from the test audio object; calculating a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the test audio object as captured by the first directional microphone; calculating a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the inverse signal; multiplying the FFT of the test audio object as captured by the first directional microphone with the FFT of the inverse signal; and calculating the corresponding RIR as an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) of the result of the multiplication.

[0089] 9. The computer-implemented method according to claims 1 to 8, further comprising: using the plurality of directional microphones within the first audio output device to capture another test audio object emitted by the third audio output device; determining, for each of the plurality of directional microphones, a relative internal radio frequency (RIR) associated with the other test audio object captured by the directional microphone; determining, based on the RIR, the position of the third audio output device relative to the first audio output device; assigning corresponding channels in the multi-channel audio system to each of the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device based on the determined position; and emitting audio from the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device based on the corresponding channels assigned to the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device.

[0090] 10. The computer-implemented method according to claims 1 to 9, further comprising: causing the first audio output device to emit another test audio object; receiving from the second audio output device a position of the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device, the position being calculated at the second audio output device using the other test audio object; comparing the received position of the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device with the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device; and in response to determining that the received position of the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device is related to the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device, assigning a corresponding channel in the multi-channel audio system to each of the first audio output device and the second audio output device.

[0091] 11. According to some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the following steps: using a plurality of directional microphones within a first audio output device to capture a test audio object emitted by a second audio output device; determining a corresponding room impulse response (RIR) associated with the test audio object captured by the directional microphones for each of the plurality of directional microphones; determining a position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device based on the RIR; assigning a corresponding channel in a multi-channel audio system to each of the first and second audio output devices based on the position; and emitting audio from the first audio output device based on the corresponding channel assigned to the first audio output device.

[0092] 12. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media as described in Clause 11, wherein the test audio object is a chirped signal.

[0093] 13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to clauses 11 to 12, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device comprises: identifying a first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones that records the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR; and calculating the position of the second audio output device using the angular orientation of the first directional microphone.

[0094] 14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to clauses 11 to 13, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device further comprises: estimating the orientation of one or more other directional microphones adjacent to the first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones, and performing interpolation.

[0095] 15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media as described in clauses 11 to 14, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device further comprises: calculating the arrival time of the test audio object for each of the plurality of directional microphones; identifying a first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones that records the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR and the earliest arrival time of the test audio object; and calculating the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device by estimating the direction in which the first directional microphone is oriented in association with the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR and the earliest arrival time of the test audio object.

[0096] 16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claims 11 to 15, further comprising: using the plurality of directional microphones within the first audio output device to capture another test audio object emitted by the third audio output device; determining a corresponding RIR associated with the other test audio object captured by the directional microphone for each of the plurality of directional microphones; determining the position of the third audio output device relative to the first audio output device based on the RIR; assigning corresponding channels in the multi-channel audio system to each of the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device based on the determined position; and emitting audio from the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device based on the corresponding channels assigned to the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device.

[0097] 17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claims 11 to 16, further comprising: causing the first audio output device to emit another test audio object; receiving from the second audio output device a position of the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device, the position being calculated at the second audio output device using the other test audio object; comparing the received position of the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device with the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device; and in response to determining that the received position of the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device is related to the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device, assigning a corresponding channel in the multi-channel audio system to each of the first audio output device and the second audio output device.

[0098] 18. According to some embodiments, an audio output device includes: a memory storing instructions; one or more processors executing the instructions to perform steps including: using a plurality of directional microphones within the audio output device to capture a test audio object emitted by another audio output device; determining a corresponding room impulse response (RIR) associated with the test audio object captured by the directional microphones for each of the plurality of directional microphones; determining a position of the other audio output device relative to the audio output device based on the RIR; assigning corresponding channels in a multi-channel audio system to each of the audio output device and the other audio output device based on the position; and emitting audio from the audio output device based on the corresponding channels assigned to the audio output device.

[0099] 19. The audio output device according to Clause 18, wherein the plurality of directional microphones are arranged in a circular formation or as back-to-back microphone pairs.

[0100] 20. The audio output device according to clauses 18 to 19, wherein the plurality of directional microphones are located above or below a speaker in the audio output device.

[0101] The descriptions of various embodiments have been presented for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments.

[0102] Aspects of this disclosure may be embodied as a system, method, or computer program product. Therefore, aspects of this disclosure may take the form of a completely hardware implementation, a completely software implementation (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or an implementation combining software and hardware aspects, all of which may generally be referred to herein as a “module,” “system,” or “computer.” Furthermore, any hardware and / or software technology, process, function, component, engine, module, or system described in this disclosure may be implemented as a circuit or collection of circuits. Additionally, aspects of this disclosure may be in the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable media, on which computer-readable program code is embodied.

[0103] Any combination of one or more computer-readable media may be used. A computer-readable medium can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices, or apparatuses, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media will include: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer floppy disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing media. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium that can contain or store programs for use by or connected to an instruction execution system, device, or apparatus.

[0104] The foregoing description of aspects of this disclosure is based on flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this disclosure. It should be understood that each block in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine. When executed via a processor of a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, these instructions enable the performance of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams. Such processors can be, but are not limited to, general-purpose processors, special-purpose processors, special-purpose processors, or field-programmable gate arrays.

[0105] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this respect, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may not occur in the order shown in the drawings. For example, depending on the functionality involved, two blocks shown consecutively may be executed substantially simultaneously, or sometimes in reverse order. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented by a special-purpose hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or by a combination of special-purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0106] While the foregoing describes embodiments of this disclosure, other and additional embodiments of this disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope of this disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing position calibration on a multi-channel audio system, the method comprising: Multiple directional microphones within the first audio output device are used to capture test audio objects emitted by the second audio output device; For each of the plurality of directional microphones, a corresponding room impulse response (RIR) associated with the test audio object captured by the directional microphone is determined; The position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device is determined based on the RIR; Based on the location, the corresponding channel in the multi-channel audio system is assigned to each of the first audio output device and the second audio output device; as well as Audio is emitted from the first audio output device based on the corresponding channel assigned to the first audio output device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the test audio object is a chirped signal.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device comprises: Identify the first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones that records the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR; as well as The position of the second audio output device is calculated using the angular orientation of the first directional microphone.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device further comprises: Estimate the orientation of one or more other directional microphones adjacent to the first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones, and perform interpolation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device further includes: Calculate the arrival time of the test audio object for each of the plurality of directional microphones; Identify the first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones that records the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR and the earliest arrival time of the test audio object; as well as The position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device is calculated by estimating the direction in which the first directional microphone is oriented, which is associated with the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR and the earliest arrival time of the test audio object.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of directional microphones are arranged in a circular formation.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of directional microphones are arranged as a back-to-back microphone pair.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the corresponding RIR of the first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones comprises: Determine the inverse signal from the test audio object; Calculate the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the test audio object as captured by the first directional microphone; Calculate the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the inverted signal; Multiply the FFT of the test audio object captured by the first directional microphone by the FFT of the inverted signal; and The corresponding RIR is calculated as the inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) of the result of the multiplication.

9. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, further comprising: Use the plurality of directional microphones within the first audio output device to capture another test audio object emitted by the third audio output device; For each of the plurality of directional microphones, a corresponding RIR is determined that is associated with the other test audio object captured by the directional microphone; The position of the third audio output device relative to the first audio output device is determined based on the RIR; Based on the determined location, the corresponding channel in the multi-channel audio system is assigned to each of the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device; as well as Audio is transmitted from the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device based on the respective channels assigned to the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: The first audio output device is caused to emit another test audio object; Receive the position of the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device from the second audio output device, the position being calculated at the second audio output device using the other test audio object; The position received by the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device is compared with the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device; as well as In response to determining that the position received by the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device is related to the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device, a corresponding channel in the multi-channel audio system is assigned to each of the first audio output device and the second audio output device.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the following steps: Multiple directional microphones within the first audio output device are used to capture test audio objects emitted by the second audio output device; For each of the plurality of directional microphones, a corresponding room impulse response (RIR) associated with the test audio object captured by the directional microphone is determined; The position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device is determined based on the RIR; Based on the location, the corresponding channel in the multi-channel audio system is assigned to each of the first audio output device and the second audio output device; as well as Audio is emitted from the first audio output device based on the corresponding channel assigned to the first audio output device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the test audio object is a chirped signal.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device comprises: Identify the first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones that records the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR; as well as The position of the second audio output device is calculated using the angular orientation of the first directional microphone.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device further comprises: Estimate the orientation of one or more other directional microphones adjacent to the first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones, and perform interpolation.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device further comprises: Calculate the arrival time of the test audio object for each of the plurality of directional microphones; Identify the first directional microphone among the plurality of directional microphones that records the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR and the earliest arrival time of the test audio object; as well as The position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device is calculated by estimating the direction in which the first directional microphone is oriented, which is associated with the highest peak value of the corresponding RIR and the earliest arrival time of the test audio object.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising: Use the plurality of directional microphones within the first audio output device to capture another test audio object emitted by the third audio output device; For each of the plurality of directional microphones, a corresponding RIR is determined that is associated with the other test audio object captured by the directional microphone; The position of the third audio output device relative to the first audio output device is determined based on the RIR; Based on the determined location, the corresponding channel in the multi-channel audio system is assigned to each of the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device; as well as Audio is transmitted from the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device based on the respective channels assigned to the first audio output device, the second audio output device, and the third audio output device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising: The first audio output device is caused to emit another test audio object; Receive the position of the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device from the second audio output device, the position being calculated at the second audio output device using the other test audio object; The position received by the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device is compared with the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device; as well as In response to determining that the position received by the first audio output device relative to the second audio output device is related to the position of the second audio output device relative to the first audio output device, a corresponding channel in the multi-channel audio system is assigned to each of the first audio output device and the second audio output device.

18. An audio output device, comprising: Multiple directional microphones; One or more speakers; The memory stores instructions; as well as One or more processors execute the instructions to perform the steps, the steps including: The plurality of directional microphones are used to capture test audio objects emitted by another audio output device; For each of the plurality of directional microphones, a corresponding room impulse response (RIR) associated with the test audio object captured by the directional microphone is determined; The position of the other audio output device relative to the audio output device is determined based on the RIR; Assigning the corresponding channel in the multi-channel audio system to each of the audio output device and the other audio output device based on the location; and Audio is emitted using the one or more speakers based on the corresponding channel assigned to the audio output device.

19. The audio output device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of directional microphones are arranged in a circular formation or as back-to-back microphone pairs.

20. The audio output device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of directional microphones are located above or below a speaker in the audio output device.

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