Speaker Distortion Feedback Control for Automatic Band Gain Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Amplifier and speaker systems experience distortion at high volumes due to nonlinearities in speaker components and housings, leading to harmonic and intermodulation distortion, which affects sound quality and intelligibility.
Innovation Solution
A speaker system with automatic volume adjustment that converts input and microphone signals to frequency domain signals, analyzes distortion levels, and adjusts gain in specific frequency bands to reduce distortion, using a distortion analyzer and corrector to control the speaker driver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If larger, higher-power speaker systems are used to reduce distortion at high volumes, then distortion threshold is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a microphone captures the actual speaker output, converts it to frequency domain signals, and analyzes distortion levels. The system then generates gain adjustment signals to dynamically control the speaker driver, creating a closed-loop control system that automatically maintains low distortion without requiring larger, more expensive hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts speaker gain in real-time based on measured distortion levels. By continuously monitoring output signals and adapting gain settings, the system optimizes performance adaptively rather than relying on static, over-engineered hardware solutions, thereby reducing cost while maintaining reliability
2Reliability
If dynamic compression is used to reduce apparent distortion, then distortion is reduced, but engineering complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses real-time feedback from a microphone to measure actual distortion produced by the speaker. This measured distortion information feeds back to the gain controller, which automatically adjusts speaker gain to maintain low distortion. This objective measurement-based approach is simpler than subjective, application-specific compression parameter engineering
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-diagnosis and self-correction by automatically measuring its own distortion output and adjusting its gain accordingly. This autonomous operation eliminates the need for external engineering intervention to tune compression parameters for each specific application, reducing overall system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A speaker system featuring automatic volume adjustment to avoid excess distortion includes a first converter for converting an input signal to an input frequency domain signal; and a second converter for converting a microphone signal to an environmental frequency domain signal. A distortion analyzer receives output of the first and second converter and determines at least one distortion level and provides at least one gain adjustment signal used to control a corrector to adjust gain of a speaker driver. The system performs a method of reducing distortion by automatically adjusting volume in each of a plurality of frequency bands including converting an input signal to a frequency domain input signal; converting a microphone signal to an environmental frequency domain signal; determining a distortion level; generating a gain adjustment signal; and adjusting gain of a signal provided to a speaker driver.