JP3909749B2 - Audio field adjustment device for audio - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, for example, in an audio device for a vehicle, sets an appropriate delay for the sound output from each speaker so that the sound reaching from each speaker for a person sitting in a specific seat becomes a predetermined sound. The present invention relates to an audio sound field adjusting device capable of forming a predetermined sound field, and more particularly to an audio sound field adjusting device which can be easily set.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent audio equipment for vehicles, with the advance of digital processing technology for audio signals, the timing of audio output from speakers installed in the front, rear, left and right of the passenger compartment is individually changed to sit in a specific seat The sound field can be adjusted as if the person is sitting at the center of the entire speaker or sitting at an arbitrary place.
[0003]
Further, not only the above-described vehicle audio apparatus but also a home audio apparatus, a medium in which a large amount of audio data is recorded together with video data has come to be used due to the wide spread of DVD video in recent years. Audio devices with high acoustic effects are becoming popular. As a result, speakers, such as a home theater system, are arranged in front, back, left, and right in the listening room of people who use this audio device, and individual audio is output from each speaker to form an effective acoustic space as a whole. To be able to. In this system, it is possible to arbitrarily adjust the volume balance from each speaker and the delay time of the audio output, so that the sound field can be adjusted for the user of this system.
[0004]
Further, such a theater system has been used in vehicles due to the recent popularization of DVD video players for vehicles, and the spread of DVD audio is expected in the future. The formation of an appropriate acoustic space is becoming more important.
[0005]
In particular, audio devices for vehicles are used in the noise of engine sounds, running sounds, etc., and the user must sit in a specific seat and listen, and the user must move to an appropriate sound field. I can't. Depending on the type of use of the vehicle, the driver may listen mainly to the passenger seat, or the passenger seat may also listen mainly, and the back seat person may focus on the luxury vehicle. Sometimes I listen to it. Therefore, it is particularly important to form a predetermined sound field in the vehicle audio apparatus.
[0006]
As described above, various methods have been conventionally used to set the delay time for adjusting the output timing of each of the sounds output from the speakers existing in front, back, left, and right of the user to form a predetermined sound field. For example, there is a method as shown in FIG. That is, in the vehicle shown in FIG. 7, an example is shown in which a predetermined sound field is formed at the position of the user P sitting in the driver's seat of the left steering wheel, and here the setting is made so that the sound reaches all speakers simultaneously. An example is shown.
[0007]
The distance from the user P shown in FIG. 7 to the front left speaker FL is L1, the distance to the front right speaker FR is L2, the distance to the rear left speaker RL is L3, and the distance to the rear right speaker RR is L4 is set and this length is actually measured. When distance data as shown in the table of the figure is obtained in the illustrated embodiment, if the sound speed is 340 m / s, the voice arrival time (ms) from each speaker to the position of the user P is as shown in the table. For example, the time required for the sound from each speaker to reach earlier than the farthest speaker RR, that is, the time required to delay the sound output from each speaker is as shown in the table. Each is required. Therefore, by giving this delay time to the output of each speaker, it is possible for the user P to obtain a sound field as if sitting at the center of all the speakers.
[0008]
As a means for obtaining an appropriate sound field, there is a method as shown in FIG. 8, for example, in addition to measuring and adjusting the distance to each speaker as described above. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 8, as shown in FIG. 8A, the left and right speakers FL and FR in front are muted, and the user performs an input operation to the delay time setting unit by operating the scroll keys. The delay time of the rear left speaker RL is adjusted with reference to the rear right speaker RR farthest from the driver's seat while listening to actual music, and as a result, the position of the virtual rear left speaker (RL) is determined, and the delay The time setting value is stored in the memory.
[0009]
Next, as shown in FIG. 8 (b), the left front and rear speakers FL and RL are switched to the mute state, and the front right speaker FR with reference to the rear right speaker RR farthest from the driver's seat by the same means as described above. As a result, the position of the virtual front right speaker (FR) is determined and the set value is stored.
[0010]
Further, as shown in FIG. 8 (c), the rear right and left speakers RR and RL are switched to the mute state, and the virtual time corresponding to the front right speaker FR for which the delay time is set in the same manner as described above. The delay time of the front left speaker FL is adjusted with reference to the front right speaker (FR), and as a result, the position of the virtual front left speaker (FL) is determined and the delay time is stored.
[0011]
As a result of performing a series of operations as described above, with reference to the rear right speaker RR as shown in FIG. 8 (d), on the circumference with the radius of the substantial distance from the user to the rear right speaker, A delay time is set for each speaker such that there is a virtual rear left speaker (RL), a virtual front right speaker (FR), and a virtual front left speaker (FL).
[0012]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in an audio system in which speakers are present on the left and right of the front and rear of the user, the delay time for each speaker for providing an appropriate sound field with respect to the position P of the user therein. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the delay time of the audio output from each speaker can be obtained by measuring the distance to each speaker. It is cumbersome to measure all the distances between each speaker and the user's position P with a measure, and after that distance is measured, the above delay time is calculated using a calculator or the like. It must be done, and it is more troublesome.
[0013]
Further, in the case of using the method as shown in FIG. 8 that does not require such measurement, although there is no need for measurement and calculation, it is necessary to switch the output speaker three times. An ordinary user still has to perform troublesome work, and in an audio apparatus having this function, there is a high possibility that many people will not use it.
[0014]
Therefore, the present invention outputs from each speaker so that a predetermined sound field can be formed for a user at an arbitrary position in an audio apparatus having at least four speakers on the front, rear, left and right sides of the user. The main object of the present invention is to provide an audio field adjustment device that can easily set the audio delay time.
[0015]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, an audio field adjustment device according to the present invention includes an audio device including four speakers arranged at the front, rear, left, and right of the user. A speaker selection unit that sequentially selects each speaker group on the right side, and a sound output delay operation is manually performed for each speaker group that is sequentially selected by the speaker selection unit in a state where sound is output from the four speakers. the rear, and the delay adjustment means audio output for each loudspeaker group to the left and right to obtain a delay amount for each speaker group when the balance, the delay amount for each speaker group manually adjusted sequentially by the delay adjustment means Is added to each speaker and stored therein.
[0017]
In addition, another audio field adjustment apparatus for audio according to the present invention includes a precise sound field adjustment unit that can adjust each speaker individually after adjusting the delay amount.
[0018]
In addition, another audio field adjustment device for audio according to the present invention includes a display unit that displays an adjustment amount of each speaker being adjusted during manual adjustment of the delay amount.
[0019]
In addition, the audio field adjustment device for audio according to the present invention increases the delay amount only for other speakers when any of the speakers reaches a preset maximum value or minimum value during manual adjustment of the delay amount. Or it is made to decrease.
[0020]
In another audio sound field adjusting device according to the present invention, the audio sound field adjusting device is used in an audio device mounted on a vehicle.
[0021]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an audio sound field adjusting device capable of easily adjusting a sound field according to the present invention. An example in which the present invention is applied to a vehicle audio as shown in FIGS. Show. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to audio devices for general homes as well as for vehicles.
[0022]
In this audio apparatus, the signal of the FM / AM tuner unit 1 is digitized by the A / D converter 2, and the signal from the CD reproducing unit 3 is directly input to a DSP (digital signal processor) for signal processing. Yes. The DSP includes an output delay unit 5 that adjusts the output timing of the audio signal to each speaker as will be described later, so that the audio of each speaker can reach the listening point at which the user is located almost simultaneously, that is, In order to adjust the sound field so that the user's listening point is at the center of the virtual speaker arrangement, an output delay unit 5 for setting the output delay time of each speaker is provided.
[0023]
Thus, for example, the right speaker FR in front of the vehicle is output from the DSP with a delay of the delay time D _FR of the output delay unit 5, and the sound is output from the speaker FR via the D / A converter and the amplifier. Similarly, a delay time D _FL is given to the left speaker FL in front of the vehicle, a delay time D _RR is given to the right speaker RR behind the vehicle, and a delay time D _RL is given to the vehicle rear left speaker RL. As a result, the output is output from each speaker with a delay corresponding thereto.
[0024]
In order to adjust these delay times, the operation unit 6 can select one of the functions of the simple sound field adjustment according to the present invention and the precise sound field adjustment as shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. A sound field adjustment mode selection switching unit 7 is provided so as to be able to do so. Such a sound field adjustment mode selection switching unit 7 can be provided in various modes. For example, in the audio apparatus 20 shown in FIG. By pressing the CORR switch 21, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to switch from the first steady mode M1 to the simple sound field adjustment mode M2, the precise sound field adjustment mode M3, and the steady mode M1 in order.
[0025]
The operation unit 6 includes a speaker selection unit 8. For example, in the audio apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 3, when the BAND switch 22 is pressed, the precise sound field adjustment mode is selected and the simple sound field adjustment mode is selected. The speaker can be selected in a manner.
[0026]
In that case, for example, as shown in the first mode of FIG. 5A, when the precise sound field adjustment mode is selected, the four speakers are sequentially switched to FL, FR, RL, and RR to select the simple sound field adjustment mode. Occasionally, as shown in the second mode of FIG. 4B, the first front speaker group consisting of a pair of FL and FR as shown in (1), and then the pair of FL and RL as shown in (2). Left speaker group, right speaker group consisting of a pair of FR and RR as shown in (3), rear speaker group consisting of a pair of RL and RR as shown in (4), and then the front speaker group of (1) And in order.
[0027]
The operation unit 6 includes a delay set value adjustment unit 9. In this embodiment, the operation unit 6 includes a coarse adjustment unit 10 and a fine adjustment unit 11. The value is increased or decreased, and the fine adjustment unit 11 is operated during the final fine adjustment, so that the adjustment value can be increased or decreased by, for example, 0.1 ms. However, as a configuration of this portion, a coarse adjustment unit is not provided, and it is possible to always increase or decrease by 0.1 ms as a fine adjustment value. This fine adjustment can be performed by the rotary encoder 23 of FIG. 3, and when performing the coarse adjustment, it can be set to adjust by operating the UP and DN keys, for example.
[0028]
The operation signal from the operation unit 6 as described above enters the microcomputer 12, and the delay amount of each speaker in the output delay unit 5 of the DSP 4 can be adjusted, and the adjustment result is obtained, for example, by operating the confirmation key. Such a nonvolatile memory 13 stores the delay amount corresponding to each speaker.
[0029]
Further, for example, as shown in the display unit 14 of FIG. 3, the display unit 14 indicates that the adjustment mode currently being operated is the simple sound field adjustment mode, and the selected speaker group is the (FL-RL) group. It is displayed that the current delay amount is 2.5 ms for the speaker FL and 1.0 ms for the speaker RL. The user can make a reliable adjustment by looking at such a display and comparing his / her feeling with this number.
[0030]
In the embodiment of the present invention composed of the functional blocks as described above, the simple sound field adjustment process capable of easily adjusting the sound field can be sequentially performed according to an operation flow as shown in FIG. That is, in the simple sound field adjustment process, it is determined whether or not there is an operation input of the first sound field adjustment switch (step S1). In this determination, for example, the sound field adjustment mode selection switching unit 7 in the operation unit 6 shown in FIG. 1 is operated, and an operation for selecting any mode from the steady mode M1 is performed as shown in FIG. It can be determined by detecting whether or not. This operation is performed in the audio device of FIG. Since this operation is performed by operating the CORR switch 21, it is possible to detect whether or not this switch is operated in the steady mode.
[0031]
Next, it is determined whether or not the simple sound field adjustment mode is selected (step S2). This selection is made by the sound field adjustment mode selection switching unit 7 in FIG. By pressing the CORR switch, it is possible to determine whether or not the simple sound field adjustment mode of FIG. 4 has been selected, and the selection state is displayed on the display unit 14.
[0032]
When it is determined in step S2 that the mode is not the simple sound field adjustment mode, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, since it is the precise sound field adjustment mode, the process proceeds to step S12 and adjustment in the precise sound field adjustment mode is performed. Processing is performed. Since this mode is not directly related to the present invention, the description thereof will be omitted, but precise adjustment can be performed by the method shown in FIGS.
[0033]
When it is determined in step S2 that the simple sound field adjustment mode is selected, a speaker group (FL-FR) is selected by the speaker selection switch. Although this selection can be set to be automatically selected as an initial set value, it may be selected manually by operating the speaker selection unit 8 of FIG. This state is a speaker group selection state shown in (1) of FIG.
[0034]
Subsequently, the delay adjustment of this selected speaker group is performed (step S4). This adjustment can be performed by rotating the rotary encoder 22 shown in FIG. 3. In this case, it can be increased by 0.1 ms for each step of rotation of the rotary encoder. As an adjustment, it can be set to increase by 0.3 ms, and when fine adjustment is performed, for example, it can be set to increase or decrease by 0.1 ms by operating the UP and DN keys in FIG.
[0035]
Next, it is determined whether or not the balance between the front and rear speaker groups has been adjusted (step S5). If the balance has not been adjusted yet, the adjustment in step S4 is performed, and the same operation is repeated thereafter. When it is determined in step S5 that the front and rear speaker groups have been adjusted, for example, by pressing a confirmation function key, the adjustment value, that is, the delay amount is stored in the storage unit corresponding to the speakers FL and FR in the nonvolatile memory 13 of FIG. To remember. Even without the confirmation function key operation as described above, for example, the following operation can be automatically stored.
[0036]
The above operation is shown in FIG. 6 (a). In the state where audio is output from all the speakers, only the front speaker group (FL, FR) is adjusted for delay. The delay is such that each speaker exists at a position far away from the other. Such a virtual speaker arrangement is shown as a broken-line speaker in the figure, and is shown as (FL) and (FR).
[0037]
Next, in the same manner, the speaker selection switch ( F L, R L ), and similarly, the speaker selection switch (RL, RR) is selected (step S7), and then the delay adjustment of the selected speaker group is performed. (Step S8), it is determined whether or not the left and right speaker groups have been adjusted (Step S9). If the adjustment cannot be made, the process returns to Step S8 and the same operation is repeated. Add to the previous value and store (step S10)
[0038]
That is, in this step S10, for example, as shown in FIG. 6B, the left speaker group on the left side in a state where the front left speaker FL has given a delay amount that exists behind D1 by the previous operation. The delay amount is adjusted so that (FL, RL) is positioned rearward by D2 with respect to the right speaker group. Thereby, the front left speaker FL can be adjusted so that this speaker exists at a position separated by (D1 + D2) obtained by adding the current adjustment value to the previous adjustment value. This final adjustment state is almost the same as the finely adjusted state shown in FIG. 8, and it can be understood that the adjustment can be made almost the same as the precise adjustment by this simple sound field adjustment.
[0039]
After the adjustment as described above, the user can use, for example, T. as a sound field adjustment mode selection switch in the audio apparatus shown in FIG. By operating the CORR switch, the routine returns to the steady mode M1 as shown in FIG. 4 (step S11), and this simple sound field adjustment process is terminated (step S13).
[0040]
In the present invention, as described above, the user adjusts the delay amount of the front speaker group while actually listening to the sound, and then the delay amount of the left speaker group is adjusted. Adjustment is possible only by adjusting, which is almost the same as when adjusting the sound field precisely.
[0041]
In the above embodiment, the left speaker group is adjusted after the front speaker group and the adjustment is finished. However, if necessary, the front speaker group may be finely adjusted again. . In addition, after the adjustment, the adjustment is performed in the fine adjustment mode, and in this case, for example, the adjustment as shown in FIG. 7 may be performed. In the above adjustment, when setting in the simple sound field adjustment mode and then adjusting in the precise sound field adjustment mode, the adjustment value set in the simple adjustment mode is stored in the nonvolatile memory. The adjustment in the fine adjustment mode can be started from the set adjustment value.
[0042]
In the above embodiment, an example in which an optimal sound field is formed for the driver's seat in the vehicle with the driver's seat on the left side is shown. It is also possible to adjust so that an optimal sound field is formed with respect to the same method. In this case, the right speaker group is adjusted next to the front speaker group. This is the same as when adjusting so that an optimal sound field is formed for the person in the driver's seat of the vehicle on the right side. Further, for the person in the left rear seat, the left speaker group is adjusted after the rear speaker group adjustment. For the person in the rear right seat, the right speaker group is adjusted after the rear speaker group adjustment.
[0043]
In the above adjustment, the maximum value can be set to 9.9 ms, for example, so that the delay amount does not become too large, and can be set so as not to be delayed beyond this. In that case, for example, an adjustment amount of 8.0 ms is set in order to adjust D1 in FIG. 6A, and then the adjustment amount is gradually increased when adjusting the tonality of D2 in FIG. When 1.9 ms is reached, the front left speaker FL has a maximum value of 9.9, and is not increased any further. Thereafter, only the adjustment amount of the left rear speaker RL is increased so that a predetermined adjustment is performed. Further, in the above adjustment, when one speaker becomes a preset minimum value, it is possible to reduce the delay amount only for the other speaker, thereby making an appropriate adjustment.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
The audio sound field adjusting device according to the present invention is an audio device including four speakers arranged on the front, rear, left, and right of a user, and the front and rear speaker groups, the left speaker group, and the right speaker group among the four speakers. With the speaker selection section to select in order and the sound output from the four speakers, the audio output delay operation is manually performed for each speaker group selected in order by the speaker selection section, and the front and rear, left and right A delay amount adjusting means for obtaining a delay amount for each speaker group when the sound output is balanced for each speaker group, and a delay amount for each speaker group manually adjusted in order by the delay amount adjusting means for each speaker. since a memory for adding and storing, so it is possible to form a predetermined sound field to the user at any position, the output from the speakers In setting the delay time of the audio that readily it becomes possible to set, two delay adjustment operation is carried out only in a reliable voice delay time setting it can be performed.
[0047]
In addition, the audio field adjustment device for audio according to the present invention includes the precise sound field adjustment means that can adjust each speaker individually after the adjustment of the delay amount. A user who is not satisfied with the sound field adjustment can perform accurate sound field adjustment by the next precise sound field adjusting means. Further, by performing simple sound field adjustment in advance, it is possible to easily perform the accurate sound field adjustment without errors and more easily than when performing a precise sound field adjustment operation from the beginning.
[0048]
In addition, since the audio field adjustment device for audio according to the present invention includes a display unit that displays the adjustment amount of each speaker being adjusted at the time of manual adjustment of the delay amount, the user simply relies on a sense. Instead, it is possible to confirm the actual state by looking at the adjustment amount, and more accurate adjustment is possible.
[0049]
In addition, the audio field adjustment device for audio according to the present invention increases the delay amount only for other speakers when any of the speakers reaches a preset maximum value or minimum value during manual adjustment of the delay amount. Or, since it has been reduced, it is possible to prevent an excessive or excessive delay amount from being set even when adjustment is performed by the user's intuition, and when one speaker reaches the maximum value or the minimum value, The amount of adjustment can be further increased or decreased for these speakers.
[0050]
Further, in another audio sound field adjusting device according to the present invention, since the audio sound field adjusting device is used in an audio device mounted on a vehicle, it is difficult for a user to move to an appropriate sound field. In a vehicle audio device, an optimal sound field can be easily formed for a predetermined user. Also, depending on the mode of use of the vehicle, there are various types of audio for vehicles such as when the driver is the main person, when the passenger seat is the main person, and when the rear seat person is the main user. In the apparatus, it is possible to immediately form a sound field adapted to the mode.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of the same embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of an audio device to which the device according to the present invention is applied.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example in which mode selection is performed by operating a sound field adjustment switch in the same embodiment.
5A and 5B are diagrams showing an example of mode selection by operating a speaker selection switch in the embodiment, wherein FIG. 5A is a diagram showing a first selection mode used during precision sound field adjustment, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the 2nd selection mode used at the time of field adjustment.
6A and 6B are diagrams showing a delay amount adjusting operation in the embodiment, where FIG. 6A shows a state in which a delay amount of a front speaker group is set, and FIG. 6B shows a delay amount of a left speaker group thereafter; It is a figure which shows the state which has set.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a first example in a conventional precision sound field adjustment operation.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a second example in the conventional precision sound field adjustment operation.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 FM / AM tuner 2 A / D converter 3 CD playback unit 4 DSP
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Output delay part 6 Operation part 7 Sound field adjustment mode selection switching part 8 Speaker selection part 9 Delay setting value adjustment part 10 Coarse adjustment part 11 Fine adjustment part 12 Microcomputer 13 Non-volatile memory 14 Display part

Claims (5)

In an audio device having four speakers arranged at the front, rear, left and right of the user,
A speaker selection unit for sequentially selecting front and rear, left and right speaker groups of the four speakers;
With the sound output from the four speakers, the sound output delay operation is manually performed for each speaker group sequentially selected by the speaker selection unit, and the sound is output for each of the front and rear, left and right speaker groups. A delay amount adjusting means for obtaining a delay amount for each speaker group when
Manual adjusted delay amount for each speaker group, the audio sound field adjustment device which is characterized in that a memory for adding and storing for each speaker in order in the delay adjustment means.  2. The audio field adjustment device for audio according to claim 1, further comprising precision sound field adjustment means for adjusting each speaker individually after adjusting the delay amount.  The audio sound field adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays an adjustment amount of each speaker being adjusted during manual adjustment of the delay amount.  The delay amount is increased or decreased only for other speakers when any speaker reaches a preset maximum value or minimum value during manual adjustment of the delay amount. Audio field adjustment device for audio.  The audio sound field adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the audio sound field adjusting device is used in an audio device mounted on a vehicle.

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