Vehicle Audio DSP Simulating Virtual Listening Environments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Audio systems in vehicles often provide a stale listening experience as they are pre-tuned for an estimated environment and lack dynamic adjustments to accommodate user preferences beyond basic settings like treble, bass, and balance.

Innovation Solution

A user interface is provided that allows users to adjust audio output by simulating a selected virtual listening environment, including controls for changing the size and distance from a stage, enabling personalized audio settings through a computing device with a display, communication interface, and processor, which transmits instructions to the speakers for real-time adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If audio systems are pre-tuned based on estimation of listening environment, then system complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but user control and adaptability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio system setupVSAvoiduser control

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-tuning the audio system based on estimation of the listening environment (vehicle cabin acoustics). The DSP is pre-configured with equalization curves and acoustic compensation settings that are calculated in advance during system setup, eliminating the need for manual tuning while maintaining adaptability through user-selectable presets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables parameter changes by allowing users to adjust multiple audio parameters beyond basic bass/treble controls. The DSP can modify equalization curves, acoustic compensation values, virtual surround parameters, and spatial audio settings in real-time based on user selection, providing extensive adaptability while maintaining ease of use through preset configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If basic controls (bass, treble, balance, fade) are provided for personalization, then device complexity is minimized, but audio experience quality and user satisfaction deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol interfaceVSAvoidaudio personalization

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control interface is segmented into multiple functional layers: basic controls (bass, treble, balance, fade) for simple adjustments, and advanced virtual environment controls (venue size, distance from stage, acoustic characteristics) for comprehensive personalization. Users can access different levels of control complexity as needed, with the interface automatically organizing the extensive parameter set into logical groups.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system adds another dimension to audio personalization by introducing virtual listening environment selection (concert hall, club, theater, etc.) as a new control layer above traditional equalization. This dimensional addition allows users to personalize audio experience through spatial and acoustic context selection rather than just frequency and balance adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If fixed speaker arrangement is used in vehicle, then manufacturing cost and complexity are reduced, but audio output quality and adaptability to different listening preferences worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeaker configurationVSAvoidacoustic output

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces mechanical adjustment of speaker positions with digital signal processing. The DSP calculates and applies acoustic compensation filters that simulate the effect of different speaker arrangements and listening positions. Virtual surround sound algorithms create the perception of speakers in locations where they do not physically exist, providing adaptability without mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system achieves adaptability through parameter changes in the audio signal rather than physical speaker reconfiguration. The DSP modifies timing, phase, frequency response, and spatial distribution parameters of audio signals to compensate for fixed speaker positions and simulate different acoustic environments, allowing the same hardware configuration to deliver varied acoustic outputs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10324683B2Control for vehicle sound output

Publication Date: 2019.06.18 HARMAN INT IND INC

AI summary

Embodiments are provided for outputting audio according to a simulated listening environment. An example computing device for adjusting audio output in a physical listening environment includes a display configured to present a user interface, a communication interface coupled to one or more speakers, a processor, and a storage device storing instructions executable by the processor to generate the user interface for presentation via the display, receive user input to the user interface requesting one or more adjustments to the audio output in the physical listening environment, the one or more adjustments including a geometric parameter of a simulated listening environment, and transmit, via the communication interface, instructions for performing the one or more requested adjustments to audio output by the one or more speakers.