Light-Based Spatial Audio Metering for Loudspeaker Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio metering techniques fail to effectively visualize the spatial capabilities of loudspeaker arrays, particularly in spatial audio rendering techniques like audio beamforming, as they primarily rely on channel-based or object-based approaches that do not adequately represent directional sound emissions.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a visualization technique that uses properties of light to represent spatial audio outputs, allowing for intuitive metering of both scalar and vector outputs of audio devices. This involves mapping audio signal properties to light beams, enabling the visualization of acoustic coverage, directivity, and spatial clustering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional channel-based or object-based metering techniques are used, then the metering system is simple to implement, but it fails to provide sufficient information about spatial capabilities and directivity control of loudspeaker arrays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional 2D scalar visualizations to 3D volumetric light field visualizations. By mapping audio spatial data to three-dimensional light emissions, the system captures and displays directional information, acoustic coverage patterns, and spatial distribution that conventional metering cannot represent, thereby reducing information loss about spatial capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces light as an intermediary medium to bridge audio spatial data and human visual perception. Light beams serve as a mediator that translates invisible acoustic propagation paths and spatial relationships into visible forms, enabling intuitive understanding of complex spatial audio characteristics without requiring complex analytical tools
2Loss of information
If uniform color-mapping of virtual sound emitter surfaces is used, then the visualization is simple to generate, but it incorrectly implies omnidirectional sound emission and loses directivity information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying light properties (direction, intensity, color) at different spatial locations and angles according to the actual directivity patterns of loudspeaker elements. Each light beam's characteristics are locally optimized to represent the specific directional emission properties of individual drivers or speaker segments, accurately capturing non-uniform sound distribution patterns
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional approach of uniformly coloring virtual surfaces with a light-based optical system. Instead of using static graphical representations, the system employs dynamic light emissions that physically propagate through space, naturally encoding directional information through the geometry of light paths and enabling accurate representation of directivity control
3Measurement precision
If light-based spatial audio metering is implemented, then comprehensive spatial information including directivity and acoustic coverage is visualized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the loudspeaker array into individual drivers or discrete sound-emitting elements, with each element represented by separate light beams. This segmentation allows precise measurement and visualization of each element's directional characteristics, enabling accurate representation of complex spatial audio patterns while maintaining computational manageability through modular processing
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
This approach provides a comprehensive and intuitive visual representation of loudspeaker sound coverage, enhancing audio system calibration and spatial mix decisions by clearly depicting acoustic path, volume, coverage, and overlap using light propagation.
Implementation Method 1
uses properties of light to represent spatial audio outputs, allowing for intuitive metering of both scalar and vector outputs of audio devices. This involves mapping audio signal properties to light beams, enabling the visualization of acoustic coverage, directivity, and spatial clustering
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for visualizing sound coverage in a venue. An embodiment operates by receiving audio content from an audio source, analyzing a plurality of activated audio channels to determine properties of each audio signal within the plurality of activated audio channels, where the audio signal properties comprise one or more spectral, temporal, spatial components (e.g., energy, spectrum or directivity), receiving an audio system configuration of spatially clustered loudspeakers or sound beams of a venue, visualizing the properties of the audio signal based on a mapping of an intersection of a unique volumetric beam of colored light, representing the spectral, temporal, spatial components, with a portion of the venue and displaying the visualized audio signal as a virtual representation of sound coverage of the portion of the venue.