Personal Sound Character Profiler Using Parametric Shelving Filters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Audio engineers face challenges in maintaining a consistent sound character across different acoustical environments, requiring manual fine-tuning and additional equipment to adjust loudspeaker systems, which is time-consuming and not easily adaptable to varying acoustic conditions.

Innovation Solution

The Personal Sound Character Profiler (PSCP) allows users to create and apply a personalized sound profile using a graphical user interface, adjusting sound settings on loudspeakers with parametric shelving filters, eliminating the need for extra equipment and enabling consistent sound across different rooms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual fine-tuning of loudspeaker systems is performed in different acoustical environments, then sound character consistency can be maintained, but time consumption and operational complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound character consistencyVSAvoidtime for manual fine-tuning

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calibration and measurement of the acoustical environment before the user needs to adjust settings. The processor automatically measures room acoustics and pre-calculates the optimal equalization parameters, so when the user enters the room, the sound character is already optimized without requiring manual fine-tuning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The loudspeaker system performs self-calibration by automatically measuring its own performance and the room acoustics using built-in microphones and processors. The system independently adjusts its equalization parameters without requiring external equipment or expert intervention, making the calibration process autonomous and eliminating time-consuming manual adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If additional equipment is used to adjust loudspeaker systems in different rooms, then sound character can be maintained, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound character consistencyVSAvoidadditional equipment requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The loudspeaker system integrates multiple functions into a single device: it acts as both the audio output device and the measurement instrument, and also serves as its own calibration tool. The built-in processor handles both playback and acoustic analysis, eliminating the need for separate measurement microphones, calibration equipment, or external processors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the existing acoustical environment itself as the measurement medium rather than requiring external sensors. By using the room's natural acoustic properties and the loudspeaker's own output as reference signals, the system eliminates the need for intermediary measurement devices while still achieving accurate room characterization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If loudspeaker systems are calibrated for specific acoustical environments, then optimal sound quality is achieved, but adaptability to different rooms decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound quality optimizationVSAvoidroom environment adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static pre-configured equalization settings to dynamic real-time adaptation. The processor continuously or on-demand measures the current room acoustics and adjusts equalization parameters dynamically based on the actual environment, allowing the system to optimize for each specific room while maintaining the ability to adapt to any acoustical condition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes its operational parameters (equalization curves, frequency response characteristics) based on measured room acoustics rather than using fixed settings. By adjusting parameters like gain at different frequencies, crossover points, and time alignment based on real-time measurements, the system achieves optimal sound quality for each unique environment while maintaining versatility across different room types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 high reliability in acoustically differing rooms by allowing users to maintain their preferred sound character, reducing the need for manual adjustments and additional hardware, and facilitating quick setup of multi-loudspeaker monitoring systems.

Implementation Method 1

the criteria comprise a wide bandwidth roll-off using at least one parametric shelving filter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectParametric shelving filter: Filter (electronic)

Data Source

PatentUS10448179B2Personal sound character profiler

Publication Date: 2019.10.15 GENELEC OY

AI summary

According to an exemplary aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising: at least one loudspeaker element, at least one processing core, at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus to produce sound via the loudspeaker element, wherein the at least one processing core is configured to adjust the sound according to criteria stored in the at least one memory, wherein the criteria comprise a wide bandwidth roll-off using at least one parametric shelving filter.