Wireless Speaker Audio Control With Reverberation-Based Gain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless speakers often suffer from unintended reflection and reverberation due to their placement flexibility, leading to degraded sound quality at the user's listening point, and existing signal processing methods struggle to effectively suppress reverberation in diverse room environments.
Innovation Solution
An audio output controller for wireless speakers that includes multiple speaker units and a microphone for measuring reverberation, allowing for gain adjustment of individual speaker units to minimize reverberation and reflection, using autonomous, master-slave, or slave measurement modes to optimize sound quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wireless speakers are placed in various positions for flexibility, then placement versatility is improved, but sound quality deteriorates due to unintended reflection and reverberation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary reverberation measurement before audio reproduction by outputting measurement sound from each speaker unit and measuring the reverberation characteristics. Based on these measurements, the system determines appropriate gain values in advance to suppress reverberation, thereby resolving the contradiction between placement flexibility and sound quality by pre-configuring optimal settings for each speaker's position.
Solution Approach 2:
The system measures and adjusts reverberation characteristics individually for each speaker unit based on its specific position and orientation. By determining gain values separately for each speaker unit according to its local environment (reverberation time, reflection patterns), the system optimizes sound quality for each speaker's unique placement while maintaining overall system flexibility.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If signal processing is used to suppress reverberation at a specific listening point, then sound quality at that point is improved, but the control cannot be appropriately performed when room environment or listening position changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback by measuring the actual reverberation characteristics of the room environment using microphones and using this measurement information to adjust the gain of each speaker unit. This closed-loop approach allows the system to adapt to changes in room environment and listening position, maintaining effective reverberation suppression across different conditions rather than relying on fixed signal processing parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the gain parameter of each speaker unit based on measured reverberation characteristics. By adjusting these parameters according to the actual environmental conditions (reverberation time, reflection patterns) rather than using fixed signal processing settings, the system achieves both effective reverberation suppression and adaptability to environmental changes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple speaker units are used to spread sound in all directions, then placement flexibility is improved, but excess reverberation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different gain values to each speaker unit based on its individual reverberation characteristics. By measuring and adjusting each speaker unit's output separately according to its specific position, orientation, and local reverberation environment, the system maintains placement flexibility while suppressing excess reverberation that would otherwise accumulate from multiple speakers operating at uniform levels.
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
The solution effectively suppresses excess reverberation, improving sound quality at the user's listening point by adjusting speaker gains based on measured reverberation characteristics, regardless of speaker placement and room environment changes.
Implementation Method 1
unintended reflection or reverberation may occur on the wall or ceiling of a room
Implementation Method 2
unintended reflection or reverberation may occur on the wall or ceiling of a room
Data Source
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AI summary
The present technology relates to an audio output controller, an audio output control method, and a program that can improve sound quality. An audio output controller includes multiple speaker units installed so as to face different directions, outputs measurement sound from at least one speaker unit of the multiple speaker units, and controls a gain of the speaker unit on the basis of a reverberation characteristic when the measurement sound is measured by a microphone in a predetermined position. Measurement sound output from a speaker unit installed in another audio output controller is measured by the microphone. Alternatively, measurement sound output from an installed speaker unit is measured by the microphone. The present technology can be applied to a wireless speakers, for example.