Speaker Array Beam Setting for Room-Adaptive Surround Sound
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing speaker array systems for surround-sound have limited flexibility in installation, requiring ideal room shapes and manual adjustments for optimal audio beam angles, which can be time-consuming and dependent on expert knowledge, making it difficult for users to set up effective surround-sound systems in non-ideal environments.
Innovation Solution
A speaker array apparatus that includes a matrix or line arrangement of speakers, a test sound sweep mechanism, a microphone for collecting direct and reflected sounds, and a signal processing system to automatically detect and set optimal beam angles based on signal levels, allowing for easy setup regardless of room shape or furniture layout.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If automatic beam angle setting is implemented using room geometry information, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects room geometry using sensors and autonomously calculates optimal beam angles without user intervention. The speaker array apparatus performs self-configuration by processing detected spatial information to determine playback positions, eliminating the need for manual setup while maintaining system simplicity for the end user.
2Manufacturing precision
If professional adjustment is required for accurate beam angles, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with automated optical/electronic detection and calculation systems. Sensors detect room geometry and the system computationally determines precise beam angles, substituting professional audio technician expertise with automated measurement and processing technology to achieve accurate setup without specialized knowledge.
3Reliability
If ideal room shapes are required for proper installation, then reliability of audio reproduction is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts beam angles based on detected room geometry rather than requiring fixed ideal configurations. By using sensors to measure actual room dimensions and characteristics, the system calculates optimized playback positions tailored to each specific installation environment, allowing reliable audio reproduction in diverse room shapes and sizes including irregular and non-rectangular spaces.
4Measurement precision
If manual adjustment by specialists is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary automatic detection and calculation of beam angles during initial installation, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual adjustments. Sensors immediately capture room geometry data and the system autonomously computes optimal settings, achieving specialist-level precision significantly faster than manual methods without requiring iterative listening and adjustment.
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 quick and efficient setup of multi-channel surround-sound systems by automatically determining and adjusting audio beam angles, improving sound balance and reducing the need for expert intervention, even in non-ideal installation environments.
Implementation Method 1
a speaker array constituted by a plurality of speakers disposed in a matrix... outputting a plurality of audio beams... adjusts the timing when a surround-sound is output from each speaker unit... emit the surround-sound like beams
Implementation Method 2
collecting a test sound including direct sounds and reflected sounds of the audio beams output from the speaker array
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a speaker array apparatus and a method for setting audio beams in a speaker array apparatus, in which the degree of freedom in the place where the speaker array apparatus is installed is high, and a user can set audio beams easily. A speaker array apparatus 1 sweeps a range of from 0 degree to 180 degrees in front of a speaker array 10 with audio beams based on an audio signal limited to a band where the angles of the audio beams can be adjusted. The speaker array apparatus 1 collects direct sounds or reflected sounds of the audio beams through a nondirectional microphone 2. The speaker array apparatus 1 analyzes the collected audio data, detects peaks not lower than a threshold value, and checks symmetry among the peaks. When there is a symmetry, the angles where the peaks were detected are set as angles with which audio beams of respective channels of a surround-sound should be output. Thus, outgoing angles of the audio beams can be set in optimum positions in accordance with the shape of a room or the installation position where the speaker array apparatus is installed.