Loudspeaker Directional Control via Camera Position Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional loudspeaker systems face challenges in easily determining control parameters for directional control of speaker sets with multiple units, particularly in three-dimensional acoustic spaces, leading to difficulties in aligning directional characteristics with desired listening areas.

Innovation Solution

A loudspeaker system incorporating a camera to photograph the acoustic space, display the camera image, and allow users to designate target positions, calculate directional control angles based on the camera's angle of view, and adjust delay amounts between speaker units to achieve desired directional control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If delay amounts are determined based on preliminary envisaged positional relationship, then directional characteristics can be controlled, but accuracy deteriorates when actual installation position differs from planned position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirectional control accuracyVSAvoidinstallation flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement of the actual installation position and direction using a camera and position detection means before determining the delay amounts. This preliminary action captures the real-world installation state, allowing the system to subsequently calculate accurate delay amounts based on actual rather than planned positional relationships, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback by detecting the actual installation position and direction through camera imaging and position calculation, then using this detected information to determine the delay amounts. This feedback loop ensures that the directional control parameters are always based on the current actual state of the speaker apparatus, maintaining accuracy regardless of installation variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multiple phase adjustment circuits are installed to control directional characteristics, then sound distribution can be optimized, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound distribution controlVSAvoidnumber of phase adjustment circuits

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The camera and position detection means serve multiple functions: they detect the installation position, determine the front direction, and provide data for calculating delay amounts. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby controlling device complexity while maintaining reliable sound distribution control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary calculation process that uses the detected positional relationship and camera angle information to determine the delay amounts. This intermediary step translates physical installation data into control parameters without requiring direct complex circuitry for each transformation, simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If three-dimensional positional relationship is specified for listening target area, then directional control precision is improved, but ease of determining delay amounts deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirectional control precisionVSAvoidease of determining delay amounts

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual calculation and specification of three-dimensional positional relationships with an automated optical measurement system. The camera captures the acoustic space and the position detection means automatically calculates the three-dimensional positional relationship between the speaker apparatus and listening target area, achieving high precision without requiring users to perform complex manual measurements and calculations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2955934B1Amplification system

Publication Date: 2017.09.20 TOA CORP

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AI summary

Provided is a loudspeaker system capable of easily determining control parameters for controlling the directional characteristics of a speaker set including two or more speaker units. The loudspeaker system is configured to include: a speaker set 11 including two or more speaker units 2; a camera 15 adapted to photograph an acoustic space of the speaker set 11; a monitor 22 adapted to display a camera image 30 photographed by the camera 15; and a directional control parameter generating part 24 adapted to generate directional control parameters providing the directional characteristics of the speaker set 11. The directional control parameter generating parts 24 includes: a target position designation part 101 adapted to, on the basis of user operations, designate target positions 32 on the camera image 30; a directional control angle calculation part 103 adapted to, on the basis of the target positions 32, obtain directional control angles θ with respect to a front direction of the speaker set 11; and a directional control parameter determination part 104 adapted to, on the basis of the directional control angles θ, determine the directional control parameters.