EP3220660A1 - Procédé conçu pour être mis en oeuvre dans un dispositif maître d'un système sonore, procédés de configuration correspondants pour un dispositif de rendu audio, dispositifs correspondants, système, programmes lisibles par ordinateur, supports de stockage lisibles par ordinateur et signal - Google Patents

Procédé conçu pour être mis en oeuvre dans un dispositif maître d'un système sonore, procédés de configuration correspondants pour un dispositif de rendu audio, dispositifs correspondants, système, programmes lisibles par ordinateur, supports de stockage lisibles par ordinateur et signal Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3220660A1
EP3220660A1 EP16305287.1A EP16305287A EP3220660A1 EP 3220660 A1 EP3220660 A1 EP 3220660A1 EP 16305287 A EP16305287 A EP 16305287A EP 3220660 A1 EP3220660 A1 EP 3220660A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
audio rendering
sound system
rendering device
audio
master device
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP16305287.1A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Ludovic Jeanne
Jean-Pierre Bertin
Anne Peaudouye
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Thomson Licensing SAS
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Thomson Licensing SAS
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Publication date
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Priority to EP16305287.1A priority Critical patent/EP3220660A1/fr
Publication of EP3220660A1 publication Critical patent/EP3220660A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R5/00—Stereophonic arrangements
    • H04R5/04—Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R27/00—Public address systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2227/00—Details of public address [PA] systems covered by H04R27/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2227/003—Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2227/00—Details of public address [PA] systems covered by H04R27/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2227/005—Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2420/00—Details of connection covered by H04R, not provided for in its groups
    • H04R2420/07—Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates to the field of audio rendering in a distributed system including at least one audio rendering device.
  • a method adapted to be performed in a master device of a sound system, corresponding configuring methods for an audio rendering device, corresponding devices, system, computer readable program products, computer readable storage media and signal are described.
  • Communication end-devices for instance set-top-box (STB), smartphones, tablets, personal computers or peripherals like printers, speakers (or audio renderers), microphone have become widely used nowadays. They can exchange data with other communication devices inside a communication network, for instance a local area network (LAN) thanks to wired communication interfaces (like Ethernet interface) or wireless communication interfaces, like WIFI® or Bluetooth® interfaces. More and more LAN services, notably WLAN services, are deployed in a home environment and used for day-to-day life. The use of wireless devices in a network prevents the need, for a user, from cabling or physically interconnecting devices. However, configuration can still be necessary.
  • LAN local area network
  • a system (like an audio and/or video system of a home network) comprising several communication devices can have multiple configurations, depending upon the number and the kind of devices present in the system.
  • an audio surround system can comprise different kind of audio renderers.
  • a kind of audio renderer also called subwoofer
  • Another kind of audio renderers like medium speaker or satellite speaker, can be configured in at least two audio rendering mode: one audio rendering mode is a high pass filter mode, another audio rendering mode is a bass booster mode. In the high pass filter mode, a satellite speaker only renders the high frequency part of an audio signal received. This mode is particularly adapted to configurations of audio system also comprising a subwoofer that renders the bass component of a received audio signal.
  • a satellite speaker further renders the bass part of the audio signal received.
  • This mode is particularly adapted to configurations of audio system without any subwoofer.
  • the present principles enable at least one of the above disadvantages to be resolved by proposing a method adapted to be performed at a master device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, said master device being adapted to output at least one audio channel to at least one audio rendering device of said sound system.
  • the method comprises:
  • the received representative information can be not only adapted to inform the master device of the connection to the sound system of a device (which can be a first type or not) but can be adapted to inform the master device that at least one audio rendering device being of the first type has been connected to the sound system.
  • the received representative information can be not only adapted to inform the master device of the connection to the sound system of a device (which can be a subwoofer or not) but can be adapted to inform the master device that at least one subwoofer has been connected to the sound system.
  • the representative information is further adapted to inform the master device that the sender of the representative information is itself an audio rendering device of a first type (for instance a subwoofer) or to identity the newly connected audio rendering device of the first type.
  • said sending is performed for each obtaining.
  • said sending to at least one audio rendering device of said sound system is performed to each audio rendering device of said first type and/or of a second type connected to said sound system.
  • said sending to at least one audio rendering device of said sound system is performed when no audio rendering device of said first type was connected to said sound system before said obtaining.
  • said first and/or said second type of audio rendering device represents a rendering device belonging to a group comprising:
  • said obtaining comprises receiving said representative information from said communication network.
  • said method comprises:
  • said sending of said indicating of absence is performed for each detected disconnection.
  • said sending to at least one audio rendering device of said sound system is performed to each audio rendering device of said first type and/or of a second type connected to said sound system.
  • said sending is performed only when no audio rendering device of said first type is connected to said sound system after said disconnection.
  • said method comprises, at a time of a connection of an audio rendering device to said sound system, sending to said newly connected audio rendering device an indication of presence and/or absence, before said connection, of at least one already connected audio rendering device of said first type in said sound system.
  • said obtaining and/or said detecting comprises storing at least one datum indicative of said connection and/or disconnection of an audio rendering device of said first type, and said sending at the time of said connection of said newly connected audio rendering device comprises accessing said stored datum.
  • the present disclosure relates to a master device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, said master device being adapted to output at least one audio channel to at least one audio rendering device of said sound system and comprising at least one processor.
  • said processor is configured for:
  • the present disclosure relates to a master device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, said master device being adapted to output at least one audio channel to at least one audio rendering device of said sound system.
  • said master device comprises at least one memory and at least one processing circuitry configured to perform:
  • a master device of the present disclosure can be adapted to perform the corresponding method of the present disclosure in any of its embodiments.
  • the present disclosure relates to a configuring method, adapted to be performed at an audio rendering device at a time of a connection of said audio rendering device to a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network.
  • said method comprises sending to a master device of said sound system an information representative of a type of audio rendering devices to which said audio rendering device belongs to.
  • said first and/or said second type of audio rendering devices represents a rendering device belonging to a group comprising:
  • the present disclosure relates to an audio rendering device adapted to be connected to a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, said audio rendering device comprising at least one processor.
  • said processor is configured for sending to a master device of said sound system, at a time of a connection of said audio rendering device to said distributed sound system, an information representative of a type of audio rendering devices to which said audio rendering device belongs to.
  • the present disclosure relates to an audio rendering device adapted to be connected to a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network.
  • said audio rendering device comprises at least one memory and at least one processing circuitry configured to perform sending to a master device of said sound system, at a time of a connection of said audio rendering device to said distributed sound system, an information representative of a type of audio rendering devices to which said audio rendering device belongs to.
  • the present disclosure relates to a configuring method, adapted to be performed at an audio rendering device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, for setting an audio rendering mode of said audio rendering device.
  • said setting is performed according to at least one information received from a master device of said distributed sound system.
  • said information is representative of a presence and/or an absence of a connected audio rendering device of a first type in said distributed sound system.
  • said method is adapted to be performed at an audio rendering device of a second type.
  • said audio rendering mode belongs to a group comprising:
  • the present disclosure relates to an audio rendering device adapted to be connected to a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, said audio rendering device comprising at least one processor.
  • said processor is configured for setting an audio rendering mode of said audio rendering device, wherein said setting is performed according to at least one information received from a master device of said sound system.
  • the present disclosure relates to an audio rendering device adapted to be connected to a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network.
  • said audio rendering device comprises at least one memory and at least one processing circuitry configured to perform setting an audio rendering mode of said audio rendering device, wherein said setting is performed according to at least one information received from a master device of said sound system.
  • said information is representative of a presence and/or an absence of an audio rendering device of a first type in said distributed sound system.
  • said audio rendering device comprises a digital processing unit.
  • said audio rendering device comprises a power amplifier.
  • an audio rendering device of the present disclosure can be adapted to perform the corresponding configuring method of the present disclosure in any of its embodiments.
  • the present disclosure relates to a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network and comprising a least one master device, said master device being adapted to output at least one audio channel to at least one audio rendering device of said sound system.
  • said master device comprises at least one processor configured for:
  • said master device comprises at least one memory and at least one processing circuitry configured to perform:
  • the at least one audio rendering device and the master device of the system of the present disclosure can be adapted to perform the corresponding methods of the present disclosure in any of theirs embodiments.
  • a method adapted to be performed in a master device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, can involve:
  • the present disclosure relates to a non-transitory program storage product, readable by a computer.
  • said non-transitory computer readable program product tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform at least one of the methods of the present disclosure in any of its embodiments.
  • said non-transitory computer readable program product tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by a computer for performing, when said non-transitory software program is executed by a computer, a method adapted to be performed at a master device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network comprising:
  • said non-transitory computer readable program product tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by a computer for performing, when said non-transitory software program is executed by a computer, a configuring method, adapted to be performed at an audio rendering device at a time of a connection of said audio rendering device to a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, said method comprising sending to a master device of said sound system an information representative of a type of audio rendering devices to which said audio rendering device belongs to.
  • said non-transitory computer readable program product tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by a computer for performing, when said non-transitory software program is executed by a computer, a configuring method, adapted to be performed at an audio rendering device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, for setting an audio rendering mode of said audio rendering device, wherein said setting is performed according to at least one information received from a master device of said distributed sound system.
  • the present disclosure relates to a computer readable storage medium carrying a software program comprising program code instructions for performing at least one of the methods of the present disclosure, in any of its embodiments, when said non transitory software program is executed by a computer.
  • said computer readable storage medium tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by a computer for performing, when said non-transitory software program is executed by a computer, a method, adapted to be performed at a master device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network comprising:
  • said computer readable storage medium tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by a computer for performing, when said non-transitory software program is executed by a computer, a configuring method, adapted to be performed at an audio rendering device at a time of a connection of said audio rendering device to a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, said method comprising sending to a master device of said sound system an information representative of a type of audio rendering devices to which said audio rendering device belongs to.
  • said computer readable storage medium tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by a computer for performing, when said non-transitory software program is executed by a computer, a configuring method, adapted to be performed at an audio rendering device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network, for setting an audio rendering mode of said audio rendering device, wherein said setting is performed according to at least one information received from a master device of said distributed sound system.
  • the present disclosure relates to an electronic signal exchanged between a master device and at least one audio rendering device of a distributed sound system belonging to a communication network.
  • said electronic signal comprises an information representative of a presence of a connected audio rendering device of a first type to said sound system.
  • At least one embodiment of the present disclosure offers a new way of setting up an audio configuration of at least one audio rendering device (like an audio renderer of type subwoofer or satellite speaker) of a sound system comprising a master device (for instance a STB, a TV, a tablet, a smartphone or a PC) and belonging to a communication network (like a local area network).
  • a master device for instance a STB, a TV, a tablet, a smartphone or a PC
  • a communication network like a local area network
  • At least some embodiments of the present disclosure allow to have an at least partially automatic setup of the audio rendering mode of an audio rendering device (for instance a satellite speaker, a medium speaker, a tweeter speaker or a subwoofer) while reducing the complexity and/or the hardware manufacturing cost of the audio rendering device.
  • an at least partially automatic audio configuration of an audio rendering device like a satellite speaker, a medium speaker, a tweeter speaker or a subwoofer thanks to an exchange with the master device.
  • At least one embodiment of the present disclosure proposes a configuration process of an audio rendering device that adapts (at least partially) automatically the audio rendering mode of this rendering device according to the capabilities of the others audio rendering device present and enabled in the system.
  • At least one embodiment of the present disclosure can thus permit to suppress, or at least limit, the need of dedicated user switches (like mechanical switches) on the audio rendering devices or an implementation of a complicated method in a firmware of a master device and permits a dynamic audio rendering adaptation that follows the network changes (typically when a subwoofer is connected or not to the sound system).
  • At least some embodiments of the present disclosure can be adapted to a configuration of a wireless system comprising a variable number of devices.
  • a single firmware of an audio rendering device can be developed, that can be embedded in different kinds of renderer devices (like in a satellite speaker and in a subwoofer).
  • a sound system 100 is described.
  • the sound system can further comprise video processing capabilities.
  • the sound system 100 belongs to a communication network 110, for instance a wireless communication network.
  • the system 100 is a distributed sound system (for instance a surround sound system) that notably includes a master device 120, acting as a routing device, adapted to output at least an audio signal.
  • the master device can be a Set Top Box, a tablet, a PC, a smartphone, a Blue-ray player, a TV, or any kind of wireless device that can output audio channels.
  • this master device is a Set Top Box (STB) 120 which can receive an audiovisual signal (for instance from another communication network, like an internet network) and can output a video component of the audiovisual signal (that can be rendered by a display 130 for instance) and at least one audio component of the audiovisual signal (that can be rendered by an audio renderer 140, 142, 144, 146, 150 of the system 100 for instance).
  • the STB 120 is equipped with a peripheral device 122, for instance a dongle connected to one of the USB port of the STB, comprising wireless transmitting means adapted for output the audio channels.
  • the dongle 122 can optionally comprise wireless receiving means.
  • the system 100 also include audio renderers 140, 142, 144, 146, 150, acting as slave devices of the master device 120.
  • the audio renderers are either satellite loudspeakers 140, 142, 144, 146 or a subwoofer 150.
  • a subwoofer is a specialized audio renderer, in charge of the rendering of the low frequency part of an audio signal thanks to a low pass filter.
  • At least one of the audio renderers 140, 142, 144, 146, 150 of the system implements a configuring method 600 of the present disclosure.
  • every renderer of the system implements the method of the present disclosure.
  • the method 400 and the configuring method 600 of the present disclosure can be implemented respectively in a master device and in an audio renderer being part of a system also comprising other devices not implementing the configuring methods of the present disclosure, or a different embodiment of the configuring methods of the present disclosure.
  • a medium speaker can work in frequencies between 100 to 4000 Hz
  • a tweeter speaker can work in frequencies above 4000 Hz.
  • a satellite speaker can comprise a combination of at least one medium speaker and at least one tweeter speaker.
  • the communication network can be an Internet Protocol (IP) based network and the system can also comprise wired devices, like devices connected via an Ethernet connection.
  • IP Internet Protocol
  • Other types of wired connections can be used, if they are adapted to permit the respect of audio synchronization constraints between the wireless and wired part of the distributed sound system.
  • the display or the subwoofer can be connected by an Ethernet wired connection to the STB.
  • the protocol to be used to exchange data between the renderer devices and the master device 120 is a specific protocol, for instance a protocol used by the product TI CC85xx developed by Texas Instrument ®). Different types of protocols can be used, depending upon embodiments.
  • Figure 7 illustrates an exemplary structure of a message exchanged inside the sound system of figure 1 between an audio renderer device, acting as a slave device, and the master device.
  • a message can be transmitted from a slave to the master, or from the master to a slave.
  • a message can comprise the following fields:
  • the data field can be used for instance for the transmission of an identifier of an audio rendering device, of an indication related to a type of an audio rendering device and/or to an audio rendering characteristic of the audio rendering device.
  • the data field can comprise an indication about the phasing of the audio signals rendered by a subwoofer.
  • it can comprise an indication related to a frequency range and/or a volume range of an audio rendering device.
  • the data field can comprise several indications.
  • the renderers can have different or similar acoustic characteristics.
  • all the satellite speakers have the same acoustic characteristics, and the same firmware.
  • the system can comprise a heterogeneous set of satellite speakers, with different firmware, or different kinds of speakers.
  • the audio renderers present at a given moment in the system can vary.
  • a renderer can be either on or off.
  • An audio renderer can also be added or removed from the system by a user.
  • Figures 2A and 2B illustrate different wireless audio configurations of the system 100.
  • the system 100 can comprise the display (herein a TV set) 130, the STB 120, and two mono channel satellite speakers (a front left satellite speaker with high pass filter and a front right satellite speaker with high pass filter) and a subwoofer comprising a front left and a front right audio output with a low pass filter.
  • the wireless subwoofer is present and enabled.
  • the configuration is of type "2.0".
  • the system can comprise the same devices as in the example of figure 2A , except that the subwoofer is either absent or disabled.
  • Some speakers can be configured in at least two audio rendering modes: one audio rendering mode is a high pass filter mode, another one audio rendering mode is a bass booster mode.
  • the speaker In high pass filter mode, the speaker can only render the high frequency part of an audio signal received. In bass booster mode, the speaker can also render the bass part of the audio signal received.
  • each satellite speaker has to select an appropriate rendering mode:
  • the satellite speaker should eliminate the low frequency part of the received audio signal.
  • the speaker should also consider the low frequency part of the received audio signal.
  • an audio rendering device can be configured in different audio rendering modes, being for instance a mode being a combination of a "frequency range adaptation” mode and a "limited volume” mode, with a modified low and/or high frequency cut of the audio rendering device and a limitation of a volume of a rendered audio signal to a given value.
  • one subwoofer can be configured (in an "offset phase" mode) to offset the phase of an audio signal to be rendered, in order to render an audio signal having a phase being different to a phase of an audio signal rendered by the other subwoofer.
  • a subwoofer can be configured to work in an opposite phase, compared to the other subwoofer.
  • Figure 3 describes the structure of a wireless audio renderer adapted to implement the method 600 of the present disclosure. It can be for instance a wireless renderer illustrated by figure 1 , like a satellite speaker 140, 142, 144, 146 or a subwoofer 150.
  • the audio renderer can include different devices, linked together via a data and address bus 300, which can also carry a timer signal.
  • a micro-processor 31 or CPU
  • At least one Input/ Output module 34 (like a tactile display, a switch, a led, a button, and so on), a ROM (or « Read Only Memory ») 35, a RAM (or « Random Access Memory ») 36, communication interfaces 371, 372 configured for the reception and/or transmission of data via a wireless connection, wired communication interfaces 38 (optional), a power supply 39.
  • the audio renderer can also include diverse audio rendering means. For instance, it can include at least one audio amplifier, at least one high pass filter, at least one bass booster, at least one low pass filter, at least one equalizer, at least one generator of psycho-acoustic effects, at least one audio compressor, or/and at least one mixer.
  • the audio renderer 140, 142, 144, 146, 150 can communicate with the master device 120 (linked to a display 130 as illustrated by figure 1 ) thanks to a wireless interface.
  • Each of the mentioned memories can include at least one register, that is to say a memory zone of low capacity (a few binary data) or high capacity (with a capability of storage of a whole program or of all or part of data representative of data to be calculated or displayed).
  • the microprocessor 31 loads the program instructions 360 in a register of the RAM 36, notably the processes needed for performing at least one embodiment of the configuring method described herein, and executes the program instructions.
  • the audio renderer includes several microprocessors.
  • the power supply 39 is external to the audio renderer.
  • the audio renderer can notably belong to a sound system further comprising at least one master device.
  • the sound system can also comprise at least another audio renderer, as illustrated by figures 1 and 2A to 2B .
  • microprocessor 31 can be configured for:
  • Figure 5 describes a master device, like a STB equipped or not with a dedicated dongle as the master device 120 illustrated by figure 1 .
  • the master device can include different devices, linked together via an USB protocol or via a data and address bus 500 which can also carry a timer signal.
  • it can include a micro-processor 51 (or CPU), at least one Input/ Output module 54, (like a tactile display, a switch, a led, a button, and so on), a ROM (or « Read Only Memory ») 55, a RAM (or « Random Access Memory ») 56, communication interfaces 571, 572 configured for the reception and/or transmission of data via a wireless connection, wired communication interfaces 58 (optional), a power supply 59.
  • the master device can also comprise other wireless connections, like WIFI or Bluetooth® connections (optional).
  • the master device can also include, or be connected to, a display module 504, for instance a screen or the TV set 130, directly connected to a graphics card 52 by a dedicated bus 50. This elements are optional.
  • the master device is adapted to output at least one audio channel to at least one audio rendering device 140, 142, 144, 146, 150 of the sound system 100 thanks to a wireless interface.
  • Each of the mentioned memories can include at least one register, that is to say a memory zone of low capacity (a few binary data) or high capacity (with a capability of storage of a whole program or of all or part of data representative of data to be calculated or displayed).
  • the microprocessor 51 loads program instructions 560 in a register of the RAM 56, notably the processes needed for performing at least one embodiment of the method performed in a master device described herein, and executes the program instructions.
  • microprocessor 51 can be configured for:
  • Figure 4 shows a particular embodiment of the method 400 of the present disclosure, implemented in a master device.
  • the master device can be a STB 120, or a specific dongle 122 connected to a legacy STB 120 and embedding a microcontroller implementing the method of the present disclosure, as illustrated by figure 1 .
  • the devices can communicate with a protocol requiring a pairing between a master device and a slave device
  • the user of the system of figure 1 has already switched on the master device (herein a STB).
  • the method 400 can comprise tracking 410 the presence (or absence) of a subwoofer in the audio wireless network.
  • the tracking 400 can relate to at least one other type of audio rendering devices of the sound system.
  • the method 400 can comprise obtaining 411 an information, from the subwoofer, representative of its connection to the audio wireless network.
  • the obtaining 411 can comprise receiving the information, from the subwoofer, thanks to the communication network.
  • the obtaining can be performed thanks to a user interface (for instance a dedicated switch).
  • the master device can for instance receive a message with:
  • the data field can comprise an indication about the phasing of the audio signals rendered by the subwoofer.
  • the master device can retransmit the received message to all slaves present without having knowledge of the content of the field "command".
  • the master device can analyze the "command" field of a message and retransmit the message when it contains a value representative of a presence of a subwoofer.
  • Such embodiments can thus be adapted to a use of a legacy set top box, equipped with a specific peripheral device, for instance as specific dongle taking in charge the acoustic configuration of the system, with audio renderers implemented the configuring method 600 illustrated by figure 6 of the present disclosure.
  • the method can comprise 412 storing at least one datum related to the presence of a subwoofer in a memory (for instance a flash memory) of the master device.
  • a memory for instance a flash memory
  • the method can also comprise sending 413 to all the satellite speakers present in the system a message indicative of the presence of the subwoofer.
  • the sending can be performed by means of unicast messages (to each satellite speakers present) of by means of a multicast message broadcasted in the sound system.
  • the sending can comprise sending the message to all audio rendering devices of the system, or to least a type of audio rendering device.
  • the sending can comprise sending the message to at least one audio rendering device of subwoofer type (for instance, a subwoofer different from the one just being connected to the system).
  • the master device can for instance send a message with:
  • the data field can comprise an indication about the phasing of the audio signals rendered by the subwoofer.
  • the master device can transmit several messages (one per indication for instance) to the audio rendering devices.
  • the method further can comprise detecting 414 the disconnection of the subwoofer (using its transport protocol for instance), updating 415 the at least one datum related to the presence of the subwoofer in the memory of the master device, in order to reflect the absence of the subwoofer, and transmitting 416 a message indicative of an absence of subwoofer to all the connected speakers.
  • the transmitting 416 can be performed by means of unicast messages (to each satellite speakers present) of by means of a multicast message broadcasted in the sound system.
  • the master device can for instance send a message with:
  • the method in parallel to the tracking of the subwoofer presence, if a satellite speaker connects to the audio network, the method can further comprise detecting 420 the connection of a satellite speaker, accessing 430 the stored presence datum in order to determine the presence or the absence of a subwoofer, and sending 440 a message indicative of the presence or absence of a subwoofer to the newly connected satellite speaker.
  • the sending 440 can be optional, depending upon the presence or absence of a subwoofer. Indeed, in embodiments where the default audio rendering mode of a newly connected speaker is "high pass filter" mode, the sending of a message indicative of a presence of a subwoofer can be omitted, while the sending of a message indicative of the absence of a subwoofer can be mandatory. At the opposite, in embodiments where the default audio rendering mode of the newly connected speaker is "bass booster mode" the sending of a message indicative of a presence of a subwoofer can be mandatory, while the sending of a message indicative of the absence of a subwoofer can be omitted.
  • the method can be performed in a master device of a sound system comprising a subwoofer that do not implement the method of the present disclosure.
  • the master device can obtain a connection information thanks to a user interface.
  • Figure 6 show a particular embodiment of the method 600 of the present disclosure, implemented in the illustrated embodiment in a satellite speaker or in a subwoofer.
  • it can be one of the satellite speakers 140, 142, 144, 146 illustrated by figure 1 or the subwoofer 150 illustrated by figure 1 .
  • the method can be embedded in other kinds of speaker.
  • the same firmware can be implemented in each audio renderer.
  • the method can comprise, once the device is connected to the communication network, testing 610 (by reading of a variable located in a configuration file of a read only memory for instance) if the audio renderer is a satellite speaker or a subwoofer. If the audio renderer is a subwoofer, the method can comprise sending 670 a message representative of a presence of a subwoofer in the audio wireless network to the master device (as already explained in link with figure 4 ).
  • the subwoofer device can for instance send a message with:
  • the data field can comprise an indication about the phasing of the audio signals rendered by the subwoofer or an identifier of the subwoofer.
  • a message where the destination field of the received message has the value dedicated to "broadcast”, can be a way of asking the master device to retransmit the received message to all slaves present (even if the master device has no knowledge of the content of the field "command").
  • the method can comprise setting 620 the audio rendering mode of the audio rendering device to a default value.
  • This setting is optional.
  • the default value can be a static value configured by a manufacturer or retailer of the audio rendering device and stored in a Read Only Memory of the speaker. In such an embodiment, the value can be the same for each start-up of the speaker.
  • the default value can be a value previously set during a former powering on of the audio rendering device and memorized in a persistent memory of the speaker.
  • the default value can be read in a flash memory of the audio rendering device.
  • the audio rendering mode can be for instance the high pass filter mode for a satellite speaker, or an "offset phase" mode in case of a subwoofer.
  • the method can also comprise loading 630 an acoustic configuration (for instance a bass booster configuration), according to the default value assigned to the audio rendering mode of the audio rendering device.
  • This loading 630 can be optional in some embodiments where the audio rendering device wait the message from the master device to configure its audio rendering mode.
  • the method can comprise receiving 640 a message from the master device.
  • This message can for instance be indicative of a presence or an absence of a subwoofer in the network.
  • the method can comprise updating 660 the audio rendering mode of the audio rendering device (to a "high pass filter” mode or “offset phase” mode in the above example) and loading 670 an acoustic configuration adapted to this mode.
  • the method can comprise updating 660 the audio rendering mode of the audio rendering device (to a "bass booster” mode or to a "no offset phase” mode in the above example) and loading 630 an acoustic configuration adapted to this mode.
  • the updating 620 can comprise storing 622 an information representative of the audio rendering mode in a FLASH memory of the audio rendering device.
  • the storing 622 can be performed during, just before or just after the updating.
  • the method further can comprise accessing the stored information at the time of a booting of the audio rendering device (for instance after a pressure of a switch on/off button) and setting the audio rendering mode of the audio rendering device according to the stored value read.
  • firmware can be embedded in a satellite speaker and in a subwoofer and/or only a subwoofer can be present in the system.
  • steps 610 and 670 can be optional for a satellite speaker and steps 610 to 660 can be optional for a subwoofer.
  • the audio renderer at the booting of the audio renderer, when no message representative of the presence of a subwoofer has been received during a given duration (thanks a timer for instance), the audio renderer can assume that no subwoofer (except eventually the audio rendering device where the method is implemented itself) is present in the sound system, and can set its audio rendering mode accordingly.
  • the audio renderer when no message representative of the absence of a subwoofer has been received during a given duration (thanks a timer for instance) at the booting of the audio renderer, the audio renderer can assume that a subwoofer (different eventually from the audio rendering device where the method is implemented) is present in the sound system and can set its audio rendering mode accordingly.
  • test 610 of being a subwoofer can be optional and the sending 670 can be performed for other kind of audio rendering devices.
  • the method can comprise sending a message comprising its type of audio rendering device and/or its frequency range.
  • the speaker can for instance send a message with:
  • Such a message can then be broadcasted by the master device (similarly to the particular embodiment illustrated by figure 4 but with a tracking of a presence and/or absence of the speaker).
  • an audio rendering mode of an audio rendering device can be a "frequency range adaptation" mode (where the audio rendering device adapts the low and/or high frequency cut for an audio signal to be rendered) or an "unchanged frequency range” mode (where the audio rendering device keeps its own low and high frequency cut for an audio signal to be rendered) or a combination of one of those two modes with other modes.
  • the method can comprise comparing the frequency range received with the own frequency range of the audio rendering device. If the frequency ranges are different, then a change of the audio rendering mode is needed 650.
  • the method can then comprise updating 660 the audio rendering mode of the audio rendering device with the value "frequency range adaptation" mode and, loading 630 an acoustic configuration of the audio rendering device accordingly.
  • the loading 630 can comprise modifying the frequency range of the audio rendering device according to the type of audio rendering device and to the frequency range comprised in the received message.
  • the method can comprise setting the high frequency cut of the subwoofer device to the low frequency cut received (or in other words, to the lowest value of the frequency range received).
  • the method can comprise setting the low frequency cut of the tweeter speaker to the high frequency cut received (or in other words, to the highest value of the frequency range received).
  • Such an embodiment may permit to avoid an overlap of the frequencies of the audio signals rendered by different kind (or types) of audio rendering devices, or a frequency "hole" between audio signals rendered by the different kind (or types) of audio rendering devices.
  • the setting can be performed according to the highest of the low frequency cut and/or the lowest of the high frequency cut received and elated to a connected audio rendering device.
  • the method 600 implemented in a first audio rendering device can comprise sending a message comprising the volume range of the first audio rendering device to the master device, which can track the presence and /or absence of the first audio rendering device and in turn broadcast the message to at least a second rendering device (similarly to the illustrated embodiment of figure 4 ).
  • the audio rendering mode of the second audio rendering device can be set to a "limited volume” mode (where the second audio rendering device adapts the volume range for an audio signal to be rendered according to the received message) or an "unchanged frequency range” mode (where the audio rendering device keep its own volume range for an audio signal to be rendered) or a combination of one of those two modes with other modes.
  • the method 600 implemented in the second audio rendering device can comprise when a message is received (at 640), comparing the volume range received with the own volume range of the second audio rendering device. If the volume ranges are different, then a change of the audio rendering mode is needed 650.
  • the method can then comprise updating 660 the audio rendering mode of the audio rendering device with the value "limited volume” mode and, loading 630 an acoustic configuration of the audio rendering device accordingly.
  • the loading 630 can comprise modifying the volume range of the audio rendering device according to the volume range comprised in the received message.
  • the method can comprise limiting the maximum volume rendered by the second audio rendering device to the highest value of the received volume range (that is to say the 30 dB value).
  • Such an embodiment can permit to get a better balancing of signal rendered by different kind (or types) of audio rendering devices.
  • the setting can be performed according to the lowest value of a higher limit of the volume range received and related to a connected audio rendering device.
  • aspects of the present principles can be embodied as a system, method, or computer readable medium. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure can take the form of an hardware embodiment, a software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, and so forth), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that can all generally be referred to herein as a "circuit", module" or "system”. Furthermore, aspects of the present principles can take the form of a computer readable storage medium. Any combination of one or more computer readable storage medium may be utilized.
  • a computer readable storage medium can take the form of a computer readable program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium and having computer readable program code embodied thereon that is executable by a computer.
  • a computer readable storage medium as used herein is considered a non-transitory storage medium given the inherent capability to store the information therein as well as the inherent capability to provide retrieval of the information therefrom.
  • a computer readable storage medium can be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
EP16305287.1A 2016-03-16 2016-03-16 Procédé conçu pour être mis en oeuvre dans un dispositif maître d'un système sonore, procédés de configuration correspondants pour un dispositif de rendu audio, dispositifs correspondants, système, programmes lisibles par ordinateur, supports de stockage lisibles par ordinateur et signal Withdrawn EP3220660A1 (fr)

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EP16305287.1A EP3220660A1 (fr) 2016-03-16 2016-03-16 Procédé conçu pour être mis en oeuvre dans un dispositif maître d'un système sonore, procédés de configuration correspondants pour un dispositif de rendu audio, dispositifs correspondants, système, programmes lisibles par ordinateur, supports de stockage lisibles par ordinateur et signal

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EP16305287.1A EP3220660A1 (fr) 2016-03-16 2016-03-16 Procédé conçu pour être mis en oeuvre dans un dispositif maître d'un système sonore, procédés de configuration correspondants pour un dispositif de rendu audio, dispositifs correspondants, système, programmes lisibles par ordinateur, supports de stockage lisibles par ordinateur et signal

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US10366542B2 (en) * 2016-08-26 2019-07-30 Nokia Technologies Oy Audio processing for virtual objects in three-dimensional virtual visual space

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20110289545A1 (en) * 2009-01-19 2011-11-24 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Sink device and wireless transmission system
US20150331663A1 (en) * 2012-06-06 2015-11-19 Sonos, Inc Playback According to Playback Responsibility in Group

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20110289545A1 (en) * 2009-01-19 2011-11-24 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Sink device and wireless transmission system
US20150331663A1 (en) * 2012-06-06 2015-11-19 Sonos, Inc Playback According to Playback Responsibility in Group

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10366542B2 (en) * 2016-08-26 2019-07-30 Nokia Technologies Oy Audio processing for virtual objects in three-dimensional virtual visual space

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