Audio Routing Matrix for Conference Room Echo Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Establishing proper audio signal routing in conference rooms is time-consuming, error-prone, and requires extensive expertise, especially when combining multiple rooms, leading to sub-optimal audio performance and increased commissioning time.
Innovation Solution
A method for automatically establishing and managing audio routing by pre-defining a matrix with necessary cross-points, removing unnecessary ones, and using a user interface to select only allowable cross-points, which are then programmed into a digital signal processor to ensure optimal audio quality, preventing issues like echo and feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual audio routing setup is performed by experts, then audio quality can be optimized, but commissioning time and complexity increase exponentially
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-defines a matrix of allowable cross-points between audio inputs and outputs based on acoustic echo cancelling requirements before the user performs routing setup. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for experts to manually analyze and determine proper routing during commissioning, automatically ensuring audio quality while dramatically reducing setup time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all possible audio signal routings are allowed, then routing flexibility increases, but error-prone manual configuration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complete routing matrix into allowable and non-allowable cross-points based on acoustic echo cancelling principles. By presenting only the allowable segment to the user through the graphical interface, the system maintains routing flexibility within safe boundaries while preventing configuration errors that would degrade audio quality.
3Reliability
If extensive expertise is required for audio routing, then audio performance can be optimized, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically applying acoustic echo cancelling routing principles and pre-defining the allowable cross-points matrix. This eliminates the need for user expertise in audio routing while maintaining optimized audio performance, as the system independently manages the complex routing decisions based on pre-programmed acoustic principles.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple conference rooms are combined, then conference capacity increases, but routing complexity increases exponentially
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal routing matrix framework that works consistently across single and multiple conference room scenarios. The same pre-defined allowable cross-points principles and graphical interface methods apply regardless of the number of rooms being combined, eliminating the exponential increase in routing complexity while maintaining the ability to handle multiple rooms.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method for establishing the routing of audio signals between a plurality of audio inputs and a plurality of audio outputs in a conferencing system. The method includes establishing a matrix comprising at least one available cross-point, where each cross-point defines a particular mapping of an audio input to an audio output, receiving user input that results in the selection of one or more available cross-points, and based on the selection of one or more available cross- points, automatically establishing in a programmable processor the mapping of audio inputs to audio outputs defined by the selected cross-points.