Method for configuring an audio device of a speaker system, audio device, portable operating device, computer program, and machine-readable storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for configuring an audio device (12) of a speaker system (10), wherein a data connection (18) is established between the audio device (12) and a portable operating device (16) via near-field communication, and an operating surface (22) of the audio device (12) is transmitted from the audio device (12) to the portable operating device (16) via the data connection (18). The invention additionally relates to an audio device (12) of a speaker system (10), to an operating device (16) for configuring a speaker system (10), to a computer program, and to a machine-readable storage medium.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] Method for configuring an audio device of a public address system, audio device, portable control device, computer program and machine-readable storage medium

[0004] State of the art

[0005] The invention relates to a method for configuring an audio device of a public address system, an audio device, a portable operating device, a computer program and a machine-readable storage medium.

[0006] From DE 10 2012 223 799 A1, a sound reinforcement device with at least one loudspeaker device, with an amplifier and with a configuration means for configuring the amplifier for the at least one loudspeaker device is known, wherein the configuration means is designed as a portable operating device and the portable operating device is designed to transfer the amplifier configuration data to the amplifier via a wireless connection.

[0007] Disclosure of the invention

[0008] Advantages of the invention

[0009] The method according to the invention for configuring an audio device of a public address system, wherein a data connection is established between the audio device and a portable control device via near-field communication, wherein a user interface of the audio device is transmitted from the audio device to the portable control device via the data connection, has the advantage that the configuration of an audio device is improved because the portable control device allows larger and more legible display units of powerful portable control devices to be used. The invention contributes to operators and installers of the public address system being able to wirelessly connect the audio device to a portable control device, in particular a smartphone, as a display over short distances, in particular a maximum of a few centimeters.This saves costs for manufacturers and thus also for end users of audio devices, as NFC connectivity is more cost-effective than a display integrated into the audio device. Thus, the invention contributes to more cost-effective audio devices. Furthermore, resources are saved, as no displays need to be integrated into the audio device.

[0010] A method in which the transmitted user interface of the audio device is displayed on a display device of the portable operating device is advantageous. It is particularly advantageous that the audio device is configured via the transmitted user interface of the audio device using the portable operating device. A method in which the transmitted user interface of the audio device is used to display configuration data of the audio device on the portable operating device and / or input fields for entering the configuration data of the audio device are displayed on the portable operating device using the transmitted user interface of the audio device.

[0011] A method is particularly advantageous in which, during a first data connection established via near-field communication between the audio device and a portable operating device, the user interface of the audio device is transmitted from the audio device to the portable operating device. After the first data connection has been interrupted, during a second data connection established via near-field communication between the audio device and a portable operating device, configuration data entered via the user interface is transmitted from the portable operating device to the audio device. This helps the portable operating device to read out the data and display the user interface, for example by touching the audio device. The portable operating device can then be removed from the audio device, and the inputs, in particular the configuration, can be made via the user interface of the portable operating device.For example, by touching or bringing the portable control device closer to the audio device again, the inputs are transferred from the portable control device to the audio device. This provides a convenient method for a setup engineer to configure an audio device that doesn't have a display itself.

[0012] Furthermore, a method is advantageous in which the transmitted user interface of the audio device comprises at least one selection menu and / or at least one graphical control element and / or at least one input unit. These elements contribute to simple operation of the user interface.

[0013] A particularly advantageous method involves transmitting a user interface structure and / or user interface display data, particularly separately, from the audio device to the portable control device. This is advantageous because the structure only needs to be transmitted once, but the display data may need to be transmitted multiple times. The display is thus faster because the user interface structure is already present when new display data is generated. Display data is, in particular, data from the audio device, such as configuration data and / or network data, which are displayed in the user interface specified by the structure.

[0014] A method is advantageous in which, in order to establish the data connection between the audio device and the portable operating device, a distance of less than 0.5 meters, in particular less than 0.1 meters, particularly preferably less than 0.05 meters, is required between the audio device and the portable operating device. Alternatively or additionally, in order to establish the data connection between the audio device and the portable operating device, contact between the audio device and the portable operating device is detected by the audio device and / or the portable operating device. It is particularly advantageous in this case that the data connection is an NFC data connection. This has the advantage that the selected audio device can be reliably selected due to the short distances, even if several audio devices are arranged in the immediate vicinity. This therefore advantageously contributes to simple troubleshooting, since an audio device is clearly assigned.Furthermore, this contributes to a high level of security, since physical proximity between the two devices is necessary. The invention further relates to an audio device of a public address system, wherein the audio device is configured to establish a data connection between the audio device and a portable operating device via near-field communication, wherein the audio device is configured to transmit a user interface of the audio device to the portable operating device via the data connection. In particular, the audio device is configured to perform all steps of the method described above.

[0015] The invention further relates to a portable operating device for configuring an audio device of a sound system, wherein the portable operating device is designed to establish a data connection between the portable operating device and the audio device via near-field communication, wherein the portable operating device is designed to receive a user interface of the audio device via the data connection. Preferably, the portable operating device comprises a display device, wherein the portable operating device is designed to display the transmitted user interface of the audio device on the display device of the portable operating device. In particular, the portable operating device is designed to carry out all steps of the method described above. Preferably, the portable operating device is designed to receive a structure of the user interface and / or display data of the user interface, in particular separately from one another, from the audio device.In particular, the portable operating device receives at least one selection menu and / or at least one graphical operating element and / or at least one input unit. The portable operating device preferably comprises a user interface display application, wherein the user interface display application is configured to display the received user interface. In one variant, the user interface display application is configured to select at least one selection menu and / or a graphical operating element and / or at least one input unit depending on the received structure of the user interface and to display it in accordance with the specification of the received structure of the user interface.

[0016] The invention further comprises a computer program which is configured to carry out all steps of the described method when the computer program is executed on a control unit and / or an audio device of a sound system and / or a portable operating device for configuring a sound system, and a machine-readable storage medium, in particular a non-volatile machine-readable storage medium, on which the described computer program is stored.

[0017] The advantages described for the method apply accordingly to the audio device, the portable operating device, the computer program and the machine-readable storage medium.

[0018] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the figures and from the dependent claims.

[0019] Short description of the drawings

[0020] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings using several figures and explained in more detail in the following description.

[0021] They show:

[0022] Fig. 1 a sound system,

[0023] Fig. 2 is a flowchart of a method for configuring an audio device of a sound system,

[0024] Fig. 3 an audio device of a sound system, and

[0025] Fig. 4 a portable control device for configuring an audio device of a sound system.

[0026] Description of implementation examples

[0027] The following describes a method for configuring an audio device of a public address system. A data connection is established between the audio device and a portable control device via near-field communication, and a user interface of the audio device is transmitted from the audio device to the portable control device via the data connection. Furthermore, an audio device of a public address system, a portable control device for configuring a public address system, a computer program, and a machine-readable storage medium are described.

[0028] To carry out the process for configuring an audio device in a sound system, an (NFC) antenna (NFC: Near Field Communication) together with a media converter, e.g. for converting NFC <-> FC (FC: Inter-Integrated Circuit), is connected to a processor, in particular a microcontroller, inside the audio device. On the outside, the (NFC) antenna is integrated into an accessible and suitable location on the audio device, e.g. on the front panel of an amplifier, and prominently marked, e.g. with a logo, in particular the NFC logo, preferably combined with the manufacturer's logo. NFC is an international transmission standard for the contactless exchange of data based on loosely coupled coils with low transmission rates. FC is a serial data bus used within devices.The portable operating device, in particular a smartphone, is placed close to the antenna of the audio device to establish the data connection. Preferably, an application is started on the portable operating device. Alternatively, when NFC is used as the transmission protocol, simple, text-based information is read, depending on the smartphone manufacturer, either directly with applications on the portable operating device or with the help of NFC applications available in application stores, and configuration data is transferred from the portable operating device back to the audio device. With the aid of a configuration application on the portable operating device, further interaction options are possible, such as graphic elements or the user changing device data via the display of the portable operating device, in particular the touch display.Since near-field communication requires close proximity between the two communication participants, the audio device and the portable control device (for example, approximately 10 cm with NFC), this can be considered similar to actual physical access to the audio device. This also enables security-critical operations, such as changing the IP address (IP: Internet Protocol) of the audio device or resetting the audio device to its factory settings (factory reset). This requires that the audio devices are physically accessible only with access control, for example, by being installed in a rack in a locked room.

[0029] Figure 1 shows a sound system 10. The sound system 10 comprises at least one audio device 12. In Figure 1, five audio devices 12 are arranged in a rack 14. The audio device 12 is, for example, an audio amplifier and / or an active loudspeaker box and / or an audio controller and / or an audio matrix and / or an audio mixer. In the preferred embodiment, the audio device 12 is an audio amplifier, which are installed in stacks in the rack 14. The sound system 10 further comprises at least one portable operating device 16. In the preferred embodiment, the portable operating device 16 is a portable telephone, in particular a smartphone with a touch-sensitive display device 20.To configure the audio device 12, a data connection 18 is established between the audio device 12 and the portable control device 16 via near-field communication by bringing the portable control device 16 closer to the audio device 12, in particular by bringing the portable control device 16 closer to the front of the audio device 12 behind which the antenna is located. A user interface 22 of the audio device 12 is transmitted from the audio device 12 to the portable control device 16 via the established data connection 18. In the preferred embodiment, the transmitted

[0030] The user interface 22 of the audio device 12 is displayed on the display device 20 of the portable control device 16. An operator can then configure the audio device 12 by entering user input via the user interface 22 displayed on the display device 20 of the portable control device 16. The user input is transmitted in the form of configuration data from the portable control device 16 via the data connection 18 to the audio device 12 and stored in the audio device 12 as configuration data.

[0031] Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of a method for configuring an audio device of a sound system according to Figure 1. After the start 30 of the method, in the first method step 32, after the portable operating device approaches the audio device via near-field communication, in particular via NFC, a data connection is established between the audio device and the portable operating device. In the second method step 34, a structure of the user interface is transferred from the audio device to the portable operating device via the established data connection. A structure of the user interface relates to the layout, in particular the graphical layout and / or the logical layout, of the user interface, for example which operating elements are required and / or where the operating elements are arranged on the user interface and / or the design of selection menus.In the third method step 36, display data of the user interface and preferably the link between the display data and the structure of the user interface are transmitted from the audio device to the portable control device via the established data connection. The second method step 34 and the third method step 36 are preferably carried out separately from one another and in chronological sequence. In one variant of the preferred exemplary embodiment, the third method step 36 is carried out first, followed by the second method step 34. In a further variant of the preferred exemplary embodiment, the second method step 34 and the third method step 36 are carried out simultaneously. In the fourth method step 38, the transmitted user interface of the audio device is displayed on a display device of the portable control device.In a variant of the fourth method step 38, additional configuration data of the audio device are displayed by the portable operating device using the transmitted user interface of the audio device. In the fifth method step 40, an operator enters operating input in the form of configuration data via the user interface of the audio device displayed on the portable operating device. The entered configuration data are transmitted to the audio device via the established data connection such that the audio device is configured using the portable operating device via the transmitted and displayed user interface of the audio device. In the sixth method step 42, the audio device is configured using the configuration data transmitted from the portable operating device to the audio device. The configuration includes, for example, the number and / or power and / or resistance of the loudspeakers connected to the audio device.In the seventh method step 44, the data connection between the audio device and the portable operating device is cleared down again and the end 46 of the method is reached. Figure 3 shows an audio device 12 of a public address system according to Figure 1, wherein the audio device 12 is designed to carry out the steps provided for the audio device 12 of the method described with reference to Figure 2. The audio device 12 comprises a primary functionality, for example the amplification of audio signals. To configure the audio device 12, in particular to configure the primary function of the audio device 12 and / or to configure a communication connection of the audio device 12 to a network, the audio device 12 comprises a processor 54 which is connected to an antenna 52 via a media converter 52. In the preferred exemplary embodiment, the antenna 52 is designed as an NFC antenna and the media converter 52 is designed to receive signals from the processor 54, in particular l.2 C data signals into NFC signals and / or vice versa. The audio device 12 further comprises a memory 58 in which the user interface 22 of the audio device 12 is stored. The processor 54 is configured to transmit the user interface 22 stored in the memory 58 via the media converter 52 and the antenna 50 as near-field communication signals. Furthermore, the processor 54 is configured to receive configuration data via the antenna 50 and the media converter 52 and to configure the audio device 12 with the configuration data. The audio device 12 further comprises a logo 56. The logo 56 is arranged on the outside of the housing of the audio device 12 in the immediate vicinity of the antenna 50. The audio device 12 is thus configured to transmit the user interface 22 of the audio device 12 stored in the memory 58 to a portable operating device 16 via a data connection.

[0032] Figure 4 shows a portable operating device 16 for configuring an audio device of a sound system according to Figure 1, wherein the portable operating device 16 is designed to carry out the steps provided for the portable operating device 16 of the method described with reference to Figure 2. The portable operating device 16 comprises a display device 20. In the preferred exemplary embodiment, the portable operating device 16 is a smartphone and / or a portable computer with a touch-sensitive display device 20. The portable operating device 16 preferably has a size (length x width) of less than 45 cm x 25 cm, preferably less than 30 cm x 15 cm, in particular less than 20 cm x 10 cm. The portable operating device 16 further comprises an antenna 50. In the preferred embodiment, the antenna 50 is designed as an NFC antenna. The portable operating device 16 further comprises a processor 54 which is connected to the antenna 50 and the display device 20.The portable operating device 16 is configured to receive a user interface 22 of the audio device 12 via a data connection using the antenna 50 and to display the user interface 22 on the display device 20. The user interface 22 comprises a selection menu 60 and / or at least one graphical control element 62 and / or at least one input unit 64.

Claims

Claims 1 . Method for configuring an audio device (12) of a sound system (10), wherein a data connection (18) is established between the audio device (12) and a portable operating device (16) via near-field communication, characterized in that a user interface (22) of the audio device (12) is transmitted from the audio device (12) to the portable operating device (16) via the data connection (18).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmitted user interface (22) of the audio device (12) is displayed on a display device (20) of the portable control device (16).

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the audio device (12) is configured by means of the portable operating device (16) via the transmitted operating interface (22) of the audio device (12).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that configuration data of the audio device (12) are displayed by the portable operating device (16) by means of the transmitted operating interface (22) of the audio device (12) and / or input fields for entering the configuration data of the audio device (12) are displayed by the portable operating device (16) by means of the transmitted operating interface (22) of the audio device (12).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a first data connection (18) established via the near-field communication between the audio device (12) and a portable operating device (16), the operating interface (22) of the audio device (12) is transmitted from the audio device (12) to the portable operating device (16), and after the first data connection (18) has been interrupted, in a second data connection via the Configuration data entered via the user interface (22) are transmitted from the portable control device (16) to the audio device (12) via a data connection (18) established by near-field communication between the audio device (12) and a portable control device (16).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitted user interface (22) of the audio device (12) comprises at least one selection menu (60) and / or at least one graphical control element (62) and / or at least one input unit (64).

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a structure of the user interface (22) and / or display data of the user interface (22), in particular separately from one another, are transmitted from the audio device (12) to the portable control device (16).

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in order to establish the data connection (18) between the audio device (12) and the portable operating device (16), a distance between the audio device (12) and the portable operating device (16) of less than 0.5 meters, in particular less than 0.1 meters, particularly preferably less than 0.05 meters, is required, and / or in order to establish the data connection (18) between the audio device (12) and the portable operating device (16), contact between the audio device (12) and the portable operating device (16) is detected by the audio device (12) and / or the portable operating device (16).

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data connection (18) is an NFC data connection.

10. Audio device (12) of a sound system (10), wherein the audio device (12) is designed to establish a data connection (18) between the audio device (12) and a portable operating device (16) via near-field communication, characterized in that the audio device (12) is designed to transmit a user interface (22) of the audio device (12) to the portable control device (16) via the data connection (18).

11. Audio device (12) according to claim 10, characterized in that the audio device (12) is designed to carry out all steps of the method according to one of claims 1 to 9.

12. Portable operating device (16) for configuring an audio device (12) of a sound system (10), wherein the portable operating device (16) is designed to establish a data connection (18) between the portable operating device (16) and the audio device (12) via near-field communication, characterized in that the portable operating device (16) is designed to receive a user interface (22) of the audio device (12) via the data connection (18).

13. Portable operating device (16) according to claim 12, characterized in that the portable operating device (16) comprises a display device (20), wherein the portable operating device (16) is designed to display the transmitted operating interface (22) of the audio device (12) on the display device (20) of the portable operating device (16).

14. Portable operating device (16) according to one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the portable operating device (16) is designed to carry out all steps of the method according to one of claims 1 to 9.

15. A computer program configured to execute all steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 when the computer program is executed on a control unit and / or an audio device (12) of a sound system (10) and / or a portable operating device (16) for configuring a sound system (10).

16. Machine-readable storage medium, in particular non-volatile machine-readable storage medium, on which the computer program according to claim 15 is stored.

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