Audio Phase Optimization Across Multiple Listening Positions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio systems, particularly those with multiple speakers in various configurations, face challenges in achieving optimal tuning due to the complexity of phase optimization, which is often skipped or performed manually, and existing software-based tuners lack compatibility with different manufacturers' systems and do not adequately address phase optimization.
Innovation Solution
A software-based automated phase optimization system that uses impulse response data to determine optimal phase shift values, generating a phase shift target curve compatible with any digital signal processor, allowing for automatic tuning of audio systems across multiple listening locations and legacy, current, and future components without requiring extensive modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If phase optimization is performed manually by an acoustics engineer, then the audio system can be tuned, but the process is time-consuming and subjective results are ambiguous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment and subjective listening with an automated software-based phase optimization system that uses objective algorithms to analyze impulse response data and calculate optimal phase shifts, eliminating human subjectivity and time consumption while maintaining or improving tuning accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service tuning by automating the entire phase optimization process through software that independently analyzes measurement data and generates phase correction parameters without requiring acoustics engineers or manual intervention
2Extent of automation
If existing software-based tuners are fully integrated with the audio system, then tuning automation is achieved, but the system cannot be used across different manufacturers without extensive modifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary measurement system that captures impulse response data independently of the audio system's proprietary architecture, allowing the phase optimization software to process data from any manufacturer's system through a universal interface without requiring integration with specific audio system components
Solution Approach 2:
The software-based phase optimization system is designed with universal compatibility to work with audio systems from any manufacturer by processing standardized impulse response data, eliminating the need for manufacturer-specific modifications and enabling broad adaptability across different audio equipment
3Measurement precision
If the number of filter combinations increases to optimize multiple speakers, then tuning precision can be improved, but the complexity exceeds human capability to fully optimize
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces human heuristic decision-making with automated software algorithms that can evaluate and optimize the exponential number of filter combinations through systematic computational analysis, transforming an intractable manual problem into a solvable computational task
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from impulse response measurements to iteratively optimize phase shifts across multiple speakers, using measured data to guide the selection of optimal filter combinations rather than relying on human intuition or exhaustive manual testing
Data Source
AI summary
A phase optimizer optimizes, for each listening position in a listening environment, a phase shift for each frequency in a range of predetermined frequencies. The phase optimizer determines a resultant phase value for each possible phase shift value and stores the resultant phase values for each possible phase shift value in an array. The phase optimizer calculates mean and standard deviation for the resultant phases stored in the array. The mean and standard deviations stored in the array are compared and phase shift values that result in the resultant phase values having the smallest mean and standard deviations are selected and are stored in memory. The phase optimizer optimizes each frequency, within a predetermined range of frequencies, for all possible phase shift values within a predetermined range of phase shift values and generates a phase shift target curve generated to be output by the phase optimizer.