JP2012004733A - Acoustic system using optical communication - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an acoustic system using a visual light communication so as for an audience to feel an optimal sense of presence.SOLUTION: An acoustic system comprises: a plurality of speakers 20; a remote controller 40 operated by an audience; an LED lighting device 50; and an amplifier 30 sending voice data to the each speaker with an optical communication. The each speaker 20, the remote controller 40, the amplifier 30 and the LED lighting device 50 have optical communication means. At least one of the each speaker, the amplifier and the LED lighting device comprises: a calculating distance section 54 for calculating a distance between the each speaker and the remote controller by using light for communication; and a parameter setting section 55 for setting an output level of the voice data output from the each speaker corresponding to the distance between the each speaker and the remote controller calculated by the calculating distance section 54. The voice data output from the amplifier and the set voice parameters are distributed to the each speaker through the optical communication. The voice output outputted from the each speaker is controlled based on the voice data and the parameters.

Description

  The present invention relates to an acoustic system that distributes audio data to each speaker and detects the position of each speaker and listener by optical communication.

  Visible light communication is a communication system in which LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) such as illumination light and traffic lights blink at high speed and information is transmitted with visible light. Visible light communication has higher secrecy than not using radio waves, and can be used in places where use of radio waves is restricted. Visible light communication has a lower possibility of interference than radio waves, and can avoid malfunctions with other electronic devices.

  For the reasons described above, visible light communication can reliably transmit and receive sound signals and is effectively used for an acoustic system. Patent Document 1 discloses an acoustic system in a gaming machine using visible light communication. This system includes a woofer speaker, a main speaker, a sub-speaker, and an N.P. This is an acoustic system that uses one channel (N is an integer) to form a sound field due to the surround effect.

  In the acoustic system using visible light communication described in the cited document 1, it is not assumed that the listener moves. However, in the surround system, each speaker is usually arranged so that the position of the listener is at the center. When the listener moves, the distance from each speaker changes, and the sound volume from each speaker changes, resulting in a problem that the intended presence cannot be obtained. For example, a listener who listens to musical sounds from a sound system in a gymnasium, a stadium, etc. may move while listening. In such a situation, the sound system using the visible light communication of cited reference 1 is applied. It is not preferable to do.

  As an invention paying attention to this point, Patent Document 2 discloses a surround system including a device that measures a distance between an arbitrary listening point and a speaker of each channel, although visible light communication is not used. . This system transmits the distance data measured by the distance measuring device to the surround system by wired communication or wireless communication, and controls the volume of the speaker of each channel according to the volume adjustment amount generated based on this distance data. Yes.

JP 2006-158703 A JP 2007-043320 A

The surround system described in the cited document 2 corresponds to the movement of the listener. However, even if the invention of the cited document 2 and the visible light communication of the cited document 1 are combined, the following demand cannot be met.
(1) In the invention of the cited document 2, the position of the speaker of each channel is fixed. For this reason, the present invention is not applicable when the speaker is not installed at a position expected in advance, such as in a concert performed outdoors or in a gymnasium, or when the installation location of the speaker is limited at home.
(2) In the invention of the cited document 2, the listening point is measured by optical autofocus means. However, when the position of the listener changes greatly, it is difficult to measure the position by focusing on the position.

  The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and can appropriately respond to a change in the installation position of a speaker or a movement of a listener to obtain an optimal sense of reality. An object is to provide an acoustic system using communication.

The present invention is characterized by the following points.
(1) A plurality of speakers, a remote controller operated by a listener, an LED lighting device, and an amplifier that distributes audio data to each speaker through optical communication.
(2) Each speaker, remote controller, amplifier, and LED lighting device is provided with optical communication means.
(3) At least one of the speakers, the amplifier, and the LED lighting device includes a distance calculation unit that calculates a distance between each speaker and the remote controller using light for communication, and each calculated by the distance calculation unit. A parameter setting unit that determines the output level of the audio data output from each speaker is provided according to the distance between the speaker and the remote controller.
(4) Audio data from the amplifier and set audio parameters are distributed to each speaker by the optical communication, and audio output from each speaker is controlled based on the audio data and parameters.

  Moreover, it is also an aspect of the present invention that the installation positions of the speakers are moved.

  According to the present invention, by determining the position of the remote controller and the position of each speaker that the listener has in hand with the visible light, the surround system of the listener and each speaker does not change the presence even if the listener moves. Can be realized. In addition, since this system uses visible light as a transmission / reception signal, it is possible to construct a system that is not affected by others. Furthermore, this system can be easily constructed by interlocking with LED lighting, a television, and the like.

It is a figure which shows an example of the acoustic system using visible light communication which concerns on this embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the surround communication system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the movement of the listener which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining an example of operation | movement of the acoustic system using visible light communication which concerns on this embodiment.

[Configuration of the embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a 5.1 channel surround system. The acoustic system 10 of the present embodiment is installed on a plurality of speakers 20a to 20f (speakers 20 when each speaker is not distinguished), an amplifier 30 provided with a sound source, a remote control 40 held by a listener, a ceiling, and the like. The illumination device 50 is included.

  The speakers 20a, 20b, and 20c are respectively arranged at the front center, right side, and left side of the listener. The speakers 20d and 20e are respectively arranged on the left side and the right side behind the listener. A low-frequency range reproduction-only speaker 20f (not shown) is arranged in front of the listener.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the present embodiment. The configuration of each device will be described with reference to FIG.

  The speaker 20 includes a visible light transmission unit 21, a visible light reception unit 22, a speaker information storage unit 23, a demodulation unit 24, and a sound output unit 25. The visible light transmission unit 21 transmits information such as an ID number and a channel number that the speaker information storage unit 23 has to the LED illumination device 50 by visible light communication. In the present embodiment, these pieces of information are transmitted from the visible light transmission unit 21 to the LED lighting device 50 at regular intervals, but may be transmitted based on a request from the remote controller 40. The visible light receiving unit 22 receives audio data from the LED lighting device 50 and parameters for increasing / decreasing its output through visible light communication. The demodulator 24 demodulates the audio data received by the visible light receiver 22 according to the parameters. The sound output unit 25 outputs the audio data demodulated by the demodulation unit 24 as sound.

  The amplifier 30 includes a visible light transmission unit 31, a visible light reception unit 32, a sound source unit 33, an output control unit 34, and a modulation unit 35. The visible light transmission unit 31 converts the audio data output from the sound source unit 33 into data for visible light communication by the modulation unit 35, and then transmits the data to the LED illumination device 50 by visible light communication. The visible light receiving unit 32 receives information such as an operation command from the LED lighting device 50 by visible light communication. The sound source unit 33 includes, for example, a sound source such as a CD and a DVD, an external sound source such as a TV and a video deck, and in this embodiment, has a 5.1 channel sound source corresponding to each speaker of the speaker 20. .

  Based on the operation command received by the visible light receiving unit 32, the output control unit 34 controls on / off of the sound source unit 33 (output or stop of audio data), volume adjustment of the entire system, channel switching, and the like. Further, as will be described later, when the LED illumination unit 50 measures the position of the speaker 20 according to a command from the remote controller 40, if the speaker 20 does not exist in a range where a realistic sensation can be appropriately obtained, the amplifier 30 It also has a function to display an abnormality.

  The remote control 40 includes a visible light transmission unit 41, a remote control information unit 42, and an operation unit 43. The visible light transmission unit 41 transmits information (for example, recognition information such as an ID number and channel number) included in the remote control information unit 42 and a system operation command to the LED lighting device 50 by visible light communication. In the present embodiment, the recognition information is transmitted from the visible light transmission unit 41 to the LED lighting device 50 at a constant period, but may be transmitted based on a request from the operation unit 43. The operation unit 43 sends information stored in the remote control information unit 43 and an operation command such as on / off of the system or start of position detection of the speaker or the remote control to the LED lighting device 50 according to the operation of the listener. Send.

  The LED illumination device 50 includes a visible light transmission unit 51, a visible light reception unit 52, a position measurement unit 53, a distance calculation unit 54, a parameter setting unit 55, a superimposition unit 56, and an operation command output unit 57. The visible light transmitter 51 transmits information (audio data and operation commands) from the superimposing unit 56 and the operation command output unit 57 to the speaker 20 and the amplifier 30 by visible light communication. The visible light receiving unit 52 receives an operation command and recognition information from the remote controller 40 and recognition information from the speaker 20 by visible light communication.

  The position measurement unit 53 measures the positions of these devices based on the information received from the speaker 20 and the information received from the remote controller 40. The position measurement is performed using a device that receives an optical signal, for example, a device having a light receiving element whose position can be specified, such as an image sensor or a CMOS camera. Further, when the position measurement unit 53 measures the position of each speaker 20 and the speaker 20 does not exist in a range where a realistic sensation can be appropriately obtained, the position measurement unit 53 transmits the information to the amplifier 30 via the visible light transmission unit 51. It transmits to the output control part 34. The position measurement unit 53 enables discrimination of speakers at the front center, right side, left side, rear left side, and right side of the listener.

  There are various techniques for measuring the position in the position measurement unit 53, such as a technique using a triangulation method, but detailed description thereof is omitted. In the present embodiment, the position measurement is based on the light from the speaker 20 and the remote controller 40, but is not limited to this. For example, you may measure using the reflected light of the light output from LED lighting apparatus 50, and the speaker 20 and the remote control 40 have a function to measure a position, and the information of the position measured by this function is LED You may transmit to the illuminating device 50. FIG.

  The distance calculation unit 54 is based on the information about each position of the speaker 20 and the position of the remote control 40 supplied from the position measurement unit 53, that is, the distance between each speaker 20 and the remote control 40, that is, between the listener and each speaker. Each distance is calculated.

  The parameter setting unit 55 sets a parameter for adjusting the output level (volume) of each speaker based on the distance between each speaker 20 and the listener obtained from the distance calculation unit 54. For example, when an output adjustment table in which the relationship between the distance between each speaker and the listener and the volume output from each speaker is prepared in advance and the distance between each speaker is obtained from the distance calculation unit 54, The parameters of each speaker are set so that the volume recorded in this output adjustment table can be obtained.

  When a plurality of speakers are arranged around the listener as in the 5.1 channel surround system, the sound image is not necessarily heard if the volume of each speaker is determined only by the distance between each speaker and the listener. It is not always localized at the position of the person. Therefore, it is desirable to set the parameters of each speaker in accordance with the relationship between the positions of each speaker and the listener.

  The superimposing unit 56 superimposes the audio data received by the visible light receiving unit 52 from the amplifier 30 and the parameter information from the parameter setting unit 55, and distributes the same to each speaker 20 via the visible light communication unit 51. The operation command output unit 57 supplies the operation command transmitted from the remote controller 40 to the output control unit 34 of the amplifier 30 via the visible light transmission unit 51.

  In the above-described visible light communication, in order to avoid light interference between the devices, for example, the signals from the respective devices may be synchronized with the synchronization signals from the LED lighting device 50, and the outputs of the respective devices may be sequentially arranged. For example, the output from each device may be multiplexed.

[Operation of the embodiment]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the basic operation of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the listener operates the 5.1 surround system using the remote controller 40. When the listener moves with the remote controller 40, the distance between the listener and each speaker 20 changes. In the present embodiment, the change in the distance between the listener and each speaker 20 accompanying this movement is detected in the LED lighting device 50, and the output level of the sound output from each speaker is adjusted according to the distance, Provide optimal surround for listeners. In addition, although this embodiment is based on a listener's movement, also when each speaker 20 moves, the LED lighting apparatus 50 adjusts an output level.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for specifically explaining an example of the operation of the present embodiment. First, as for the power source of the speaker 20, the amplifier 30 and the LED lighting device 50 of the acoustic system 10 using visible light communication, the operation unit 43 of the remote controller 40 is operated, and the operation command is distributed to each device by visible light communication. As a result, it is turned ON (step S100). Each device power ON may be performed not by operating the operation unit 43 but by operating a switch of each device. Next, the operation unit 43 of the remote controller 40 is operated to instruct the position measurement unit 53 of the LED lighting device 50 to perform position measurement through visible light communication. (Step S110).

  The position measuring unit 53 measures each position of each speaker 20 and the remote controller 40 by receiving visible light (step S120). When the measurement value is obtained, the position measurement unit 53 proceeds to the next step S130 (step S120: OK). On the other hand, if the measurement value at each position cannot be obtained due to a communication abnormality at this time (step S120: NO), the communication abnormality information is transmitted to the amplifier 30 and the remote controller 40 without proceeding to the next step S130, and displayed. (Steps S230 and S240), and the process proceeds to the next Step S210.

  The position measurement unit 53 analyzes the acquired measurement values and determines the positions of the speakers 20 and the remote controller 40. In this case, the position of each device can be expressed by a coordinate system based on a fixed device such as the LED lighting device 50 or the amplifier 30 (step S130). Also, which speaker corresponds to which speaker of the 5.1 channel is determined from the position of each speaker and the recognition information (ID) received from each speaker.

  The distance calculation unit 54 determines each distance between each speaker 20 and the remote controller 40 according to the measurement result of the position measurement unit 53 (step S140). Next, the parameter setting unit 55 sets a parameter based on each distance between the speaker 20 and the remote controller 40 (step S150).

  The operation command output unit 57 requests the sound source unit 33 of the amplifier 30 to output sound data (step S160). The sound data from the sound source unit 33 is sent to the LED illumination device 50 by visible light communication, The signal is received by the visible light receiving unit 52 and sent to the superimposing unit 56 (step S170).

  The superimposing unit 56 transmits the sound source information and parameters as superimposition information to each speaker 20 (step S180). Each speaker 20 receives and demodulates the superimposed visible light, and outputs a sound at a volume corresponding to each distance between the listener and each speaker (step S200).

  In this way, when the position is again measured by the remote controller 40 due to the movement of the listener while the system is in operation, the process returns to step S110 and the above processing is repeated (step S210: OK). On the other hand, if the position is not measured by the remote controller 40 because the listener does not move, and the performance is finished as it is, and the respective power supplies are turned off, the operation of the acoustic system 10 is finished ( Step S210: NO, S220: OK). When each power source is not turned off, that is, when there is no movement of the listener and the sound output from the speaker is continued (step S220: NO), the process proceeds again to step S210 and waits for the operation of the remote control or the power switch.

[Effect of the embodiment]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the position of the listener is determined by visible light communication between the remote controller and the LED lighting device, and each speaker is also determined by visible light communication. Therefore, as compared with the prior art in which the speakers are fixed, the optimum surround effect can be obtained in consideration of the positions of both the listener and each speaker. In addition, audio data and operation commands are transmitted and received through visible light communication, and the position of the remote control and each speaker is determined using the same visible light using an image sensor and a CMOS camera on the LED lighting device side. The position of the person or the speaker is more reliable than the system using autofocus disclosed in Patent Document 2. In addition, since transmission / reception of audio data and operation commands and transmission / reception of visible light for position determination can be performed using the same device, the configuration of each device can be simplified.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes, for example, the following modifications.

(1) In the embodiment, the application of the surround system is a 5.1 channel surround system, but is not limited thereto. For example, the sound system using visible light communication of the present invention may be applied to a 6.1 channel surround system, a 7.1 channel surround system, or the like having a larger number of channels than a 5.1 channel surround system.

(2) In the embodiment, the communication method uses visible light communication, but is not limited to this. For example, the communication method may be an infrared communication method or a mixture of a visible light communication method and other communication methods.

(3) In the embodiment, the LED lighting device 50 is provided with means such as a position measurement unit, a distance calculation unit, and a parameter setting unit, but is not limited thereto. For example, these means may be provided in the amplifier 30.

(4) It is possible to integrate the amplifier and the speaker. In that case, the optical communication means between the amplifier and each speaker or LED lighting device can be shared by the amplifier and the speaker provided with the amplifier.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Acoustic system using visible light communication, 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f ... Speaker, 21 ... Visible light transmission unit, 22 ... Visible light reception unit, 23 ... Speaker information storage unit, 24 ... Demodulator 25 ... Sound output unit 30 ... Amplifier 31 ... Visible light transmitter 32 ... Visible light receiver 33 ... Sound source unit 34 ... Output control unit 35 ... Modulator 40 ... Remote control 41 ... Visible Light transmitting unit 42 ... Remote control information unit 43 ... Operating unit 50 ... LED lighting device 51 ... Visible light transmitting unit 52 ... Visible light receiving unit 53 ... Position measuring unit 54 ... Distance calculating unit 55 ... Parameter Setting unit 56 ... Superimposition unit 57 ... Operation command output unit

Claims (2)

In an acoustic system using optical communication including a plurality of speakers, a remote controller operated by a listener, an LED lighting device, and an amplifier that distributes audio data to each speaker by optical communication,
Each speaker, remote controller, amplifier and LED lighting device is provided with optical communication means,
At least one of each of the speakers, the amplifier, and the LED lighting device includes a distance calculation unit that calculates a distance between each speaker and the remote controller using communication light;
In accordance with the distance between each speaker and the remote controller calculated by the distance calculation unit, a parameter setting unit that determines the output level of the audio data output from each speaker is provided.
Deliver audio data from the amplifier and set audio parameters to each speaker by the optical communication,
An acoustic system using optical communication, which controls audio output from each speaker based on the audio data and parameters.   The acoustic system using optical communication according to claim 1, wherein each of the speakers is moved in its installation position.

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