Audio Playback Calibration Using Mapped Room Acoustic Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media playback systems require physical detection of acoustic responses at multiple spatial locations within a room for calibration, which is cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines a room response by applying a mapping to a microphone location response, using historical data to approximate the room response without physical detection, allowing for calibration of playback devices for improved listening experiences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical detection of acoustic responses at multiple spatial locations is performed, then calibration accuracy is improved, but operation complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a microphone location response (obtained at a single fixed location) as a copy or proxy for the room response (which would require measurements at multiple locations). By applying a mapping between these two responses, the system approximates the multi-location calibration data from single-location data, thereby reducing operational complexity while maintaining acceptable calibration accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If physical detection of acoustic responses at multiple spatial locations is performed, then calibration accuracy is improved, but calibration time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent obtains a microphone location response at a single fixed location near the playback device and uses a mapping to approximate the room response that would otherwise require time-consuming measurements at multiple spatial locations. This copying approach dramatically reduces calibration time while providing sufficient accuracy for practical purposes.
3Ease of operation
If mapping approximation is used to determine room response, then operation simplicity is improved, but measurement precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a mapping between the microphone location response and the room response based on historical data or pre-characterized room acoustics. This mapping allows the system to approximate the room response from the simpler microphone location response, achieving a practical balance between operational simplicity and sufficient measurement precision for audio calibration purposes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient calibration of playback devices by eliminating the need for physical detection of acoustic responses, improving the listening experience through accurate audio adjustments based on room acoustics.
Implementation Method 1
A playback device in the room outputs audio content. The audio content may take the form of sound having predefined spectral content. Then, the audio content may be detected at one or more different spatial positions in the room to determine an acoustic response of the room
Implementation Method 2
The locations where microphone are moved to may be those locations where one or more listeners may experience audio playback during regular use of the playback device
Data Source
AI summary
An audio playback device comprises a microphone, a speaker, and a processor. The processor is arranged to output by the speaker first audio content and receive by the microphone an indication of the first audio content. A first acoustic response of a room in which the audio playback device is located is determined based on the received indication of first audio content. A mapping is applied to the first acoustic response to determine a second acoustic response. The second acoustic response is indicative of an approximated acoustic response of the room at a spatial location different from a spatial location of the microphone. The second audio content output by the speaker is adjusted based on the second response.