Multi-Speaker Volume Calibration for Balanced Sound Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-speaker systems, adjusting volume levels can result in disproportionate changes between speakers due to varying relationships between logical volume levels and actual sound pressure levels, especially when speakers from different manufacturers are used, leading to perceived imbalances.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a lookup table to convert selected sound pressure levels into product-specific logical volume levels for each speaker, ensuring balanced volume adjustments by accounting for non-standardized relationships between logical volume levels and sound pressure levels across different speaker products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a standardized logical volume level is sent to multiple speakers, then the control is simple and uniform, but the actual sound pressure levels become imbalanced due to manufacturer-specific variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the volume control parameter from a standardized logical value to a manufacturer-specific calibrated value. Each speaker manufacturer defines their own volume-to-sound-pressure relationship parameters, allowing the system to send standardized logical volume levels while each speaker interprets them according to its specific acoustic characteristics, thus maintaining both operational simplicity and sound pressure consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies manufacturer-specific calibration data to each speaker individually. Each speaker has its own set of calibrated parameters that reflect its specific acoustic properties, allowing the system to tailor the volume interpretation locally for each speaker while maintaining a unified control interface.
2Manufacturing precision
If manufacturer-specific volume calibration is implemented for each speaker, then sound pressure balance is achieved, but the system complexity increases due to multiple lookup tables
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal volume control system that can handle multiple speaker manufacturers through a common interface. The single logical volume level sent to all speakers serves multiple functions: it acts as a standardized control signal while each speaker's local calibration table translates it to the appropriate manufacturer-specific parameters, achieving both universality in control and specificity in execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a software intermediary layer that manages the complexity of multiple manufacturer-specific lookup tables. This intermediary translates the user's single volume adjustment into appropriate manufacturer-specific values by consulting the relevant calibration data, shielding the user from the underlying complexity while maintaining precise control over each speaker's output.
3Device complexity
If volume adjustments are made without manufacturer-specific calibration, then the control system remains simple, but one speaker becomes significantly louder or softer than others
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calibration work by pre-defining manufacturer-specific volume parameters and lookup tables during system setup or manufacturing. This preliminary action captures the acoustic characteristics of each speaker type, so that during normal operation, the system can reliably produce balanced sound pressure levels without requiring real-time adjustments or complex runtime calculations.
Data Source
AI summary
When the volume is adjusted in a multi-speaker system, it is desirable that one speaker does not change volume disproportionately with respect to another speaker. A method is presented for adjusting a volume level of one or more speakers. Each speaker can have a non-standardized relationship between logical volume level that is input to the speaker and sound pressure level that is produced by the speaker. A selected volume level, corresponding to a sound pressure level, can be received via a user interface. A stored lookup table can be accessed to convert the sound pressure level to a first product-specific logical volume level for each speaker. The stored lookup table can tabulate the non-standardized relationship between logical volume level and sound pressure level for each speaker. Data corresponding to the first product-specific logical volume level can be transmitted to each speaker.