Audio System Listening Zone Configuration via Visual Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio system configuration methods require additional equipment such as microphones and complex software processing, or in-depth knowledge of acoustics, making it difficult and cumbersome to determine and switch between multiple listening zones.
Innovation Solution
A method and device using a camera to visually select and configure a listening area by overlaying graphic representations of potential listening zones onto a video feed, allowing users to intuitively choose and adjust the geometric parameters of the listening area in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If additional equipment such as microphones and complex software processing are used to determine listening zones, then the precision of listening zone determination is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a camera to capture visual images of the room and creates a graphical representation (overlay) that replicates the listening zone geometry on the display screen. This visual copy allows users to see and select listening zones without requiring physical microphones or complex acoustic measurement equipment, thereby maintaining precision while reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/acoustic measurement system (microphones, sound recordings, acoustic processing) with an optical system (camera, video display, graphical overlay). The camera captures the room layout visually, and the display presents the listening zone information graphically, substituting complex acoustic measurement with simple visual presentation.
2Manufacturing precision
If in-depth knowledge of acoustics and sound reinforcement is required for configuration, then the manufacturing precision of audio configuration is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a visual intermediary (graphical overlay on display screen) that mediates between the complex acoustic configuration parameters and the user. Instead of requiring users to understand acoustic concepts, the overlay visually represents listening zones as geometric shapes that can be easily selected and adjusted, maintaining configuration precision while dramatically improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses visual display elements (graphical representations with different colors and shapes) to represent different listening zone configurations. This visual coding allows users to distinguish and select between different acoustic configurations without needing to understand the underlying acoustic parameters, making the system easy to operate while maintaining precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple listening zones are configured with different sound processing configurations, then the adaptability of the audio system is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the room space into distinct listening zones represented as separate geometric shapes (polygons) on the display overlay. Each listening zone is visually segmented and can be independently selected and configured. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple listening zones with different acoustic configurations while making each zone easy to identify and measure through its visual representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the three-dimensional acoustic space into a two-dimensional visual representation on the display screen. The listening zones are shown as flat geometric overlays that users can easily see, select, and manipulate. This dimensional transformation makes it simple to detect and measure multiple listening zones without the complexity of working with three-dimensional acoustic parameters.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of configuring (300) an audio system implemented by a device (100) comprising a processor (105) is described, the method comprising - configuring (304) an audio processing processor (107) for generating one or more audio signals feeding one or more respective audio sources (108, 109) as a function of one or more geometric parameters defining a listening area chosen by a user, the method further comprising: - obtaining (301), from a camera, a video of a location where sound is broadcast by the audio source(s) (108, 109); - generating a signal representative of a video to be displayed on a display device (101), the video to be displayed comprising all or part of the video obtained by the camera;- the overprinting (302), in the video to be displayed, of at least one graphic representation (401) of a listening zone among several listening zones, the video with overprint displayed on the screen constituting a visual feedback in real time adapted to help the user in the configuration of the place where the listening zone is located; the obtaining (303) of data representative of a choice, by the user, of a displayed listening zone, for the configuration (304) of the audio processing processor (107). A corresponding device is also described.;