Audio Output System Speaker Location Detection and Channel Setup
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inconvenience in setting up home theater systems as they struggle to distinguish and arrange multiple speakers correctly, requiring manual configuration each time, which is time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus with communicators that transmit and receive radio signals to determine the location of audio output apparatuses using triangulation, establishing communication and automatically setting channels based on calculated positions, allowing for easy setup and adjustment of speaker configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual configuration is used to set speaker channels and locations, then users can precisely control each speaker's position and channel assignment, but the setup process becomes time-consuming and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-configuration where the electronic apparatus autonomously determines speaker locations and assigns channels without user intervention. The processor automatically calculates positions based on radio signal measurements and configures each speaker's channel based on its determined location, eliminating the need for manual setup while maintaining precise configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary location determination and channel assignment automatically during the initial connection phase. By pre-calculating speaker positions using time difference of arrival measurements and pre-assigning channels based on these positions, the system prepares the complete speaker configuration before user interaction is needed, thus eliminating subsequent manual configuration steps.
2Extent of automation
If automatic location determination is implemented using radio signals, then speaker configuration becomes automated and convenient, but the system complexity increases due to additional communicators and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The existing communicators in the electronic apparatus, originally designed for general communication functions, are made multi-functional by enabling them to perform location determination through radio signal transmission and reception. The processor leverages its existing computational capabilities to handle both communication tasks and location calculation algorithms, thus achieving automatic configuration without adding dedicated specialized hardware components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines the communication function and location determination function into a unified process. The same communicators used for audio signal transmission are also used for location-based radio signal communication. The processor merges communication management and location calculation tasks into a single integrated processing flow, reducing overall system complexity despite the added automation capability.
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 users to effortlessly arrange and configure speakers in a home theater system, simplifying the setup process and improving user experience by automating channel settings and output level adjustments based on speaker locations.
Implementation Method 1
determine a first distance between the first communicator and an audio output apparatus based on a first time difference between a time at which the first radio signal is transmitted and a time at which the first response is received
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus of an audio output system is provided. The electronic apparatus includes: a first communicator configured to transmit a first radio signal and receive a first response signal; a second communicator configured to transmit a second radio signal and receive a second response signal; and a processor configured to: determine a first distance between the first communicator and an audio output apparatus based on the first response signal, determine a second distance between the second communicator and the audio output apparatus based on the second response signal, determine a location of the audio output apparatus based on the first distance and the second distance; establish a communication connection with the audio output apparatus based on one from among the first response signal and the second response signal; and set a channel of the audio output apparatus based on the determined location of the audio output apparatus.


