WO2017174150A1

WO2017174150A1 - Image display device with adaptive volume level adjustment function

Info

Publication number: WO2017174150A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/057771
Authority: WO
Inventors: Melik Serhat MERCAN; Furkan COMERT; Gonca ERSAHIN; Muhammet Ali ISTEK; Ozgur Celebican
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2016-04-08
Filing date: 2016-04-08
Publication date: 2017-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-08

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image display device capable of adapting the volume level based on the ambient volume variance in the vicinity of said image display device. The present invention more specifically proposes an image display device comprising at least one loudspeaker and an adaptive sound level adjustment system automatically effectuating sound optimization through sound level adjustment by way of analyzing sound level deviances in the surrounding of said image display device.

Description

IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE WITH ADAPTIVE VOLUME LEVEL ADJUSTMENT FUNCTION

The present invention relates to an image display device capable of adapting the volume level based on the ambient volume variance in the vicinity of said image display device.

Image display devices may be preconfigured to apply certain predefined sound enhancement blocks being presented to the user in order for increasing the sound quality by way of enabling the user to select a sound preset. This approach does not yield completely satisfactory results for the unique reason that each of these predefined enhancement blocks basically aim to increase the sound quality for only one type of audio content.

It is to be noted that a variety of parameters play an important role in the audio performance of home based theatre systems such as location of the audio players, volume level, balance of the speakers and bass equalization.

The audio systems typically allow the user to manually set up the above-mentioned parameters through a controller on a control unit of the audio system. However, such fine-tunings and adjustment of the parameters can be complex and difficult especially for technically non-competent or older persons. A typical situation which affects the sound output quality is the case where an ambient sound generated from outside makes it harder to hear the sound of the TV set. In this case, the subsequent reaction of the user could be to increase the volume to compensate the generated noise. Therefore, noticeably improper sound quality may occur and manual adjustment of the settings may be needed for the optimal sound performance, which can cause dissatisfaction for the user.

An adaptive sound level system enables the user to hear the output sound better even when an external noise interferes with the broadcast program’s sound. The adaptive sound level system automatically adjusts the sound level depending on the ambient background noise.

A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as CN102833505, which discloses an automatic regulation method for the television volume. According to the automatic regulation system for the television volume, whether ambience sound around the television comprises a sound component with a preset telephone ring or not is judged so as to identify whether an incoming call is in the presence when a user watches the television; if so, a television volume lowering operation is automatically carried out; and the user does not need to manually operate to lower the television volume. The user does not need to look for the telephone while looking for a remote control device if the call is coming while the user watches the television, thereby bringing convenience for the user.

The present invention provides an adaptive sound level system automatically adjusting volume level of the image display device based on ambient noise deviations as defined by the characterizing features in Claim 1.

Primary object of the present invention is to provide an adaptive sound level system for automatic optimization of the sound level to output an improved audio quality at different environmental conditions with different background noise levels.

The image display device comprises an electronic control unit in communication with a microphone unit so that the sound level of the loudspeakers are adjusted depending on the ambient sound levels as measured by said microphone unit on a continuous or periodical basis.

The microphone unit’s readings are compared to a reference value and a corresponding voltage value is applied to the loudspeakers in accordance with a preloaded database.

If sound level values measured by the microphone unit exceed a predetermined level, a compensatory sound level corresponding to the currently applied user-defined sound level plus the exceeding portion of the measured environmental sound level with respect to the currently applied user-defined sound level value is applied to the loudspeakers.

The electronic control unit provides that the calculated compensatory sound level is kept constant even if the user increases the current volume level in response to an environmental noise. This prevents increase of the sound level in an additionally unnecessary amount because the instantaneous reaction of the user could be to even further increase the volume to compensate the environmental noise.

The same analogy also applies in case the user attempts at decreasing the compensatory sound level because he/she finds that the increased compensatory sound level is excessive; in this case, the electronic control unit provides that the sound level of the image display device is decreased relative to the compensatory sound level and not to the current sound level that was active before the environmental noise was detected by the microphone unit.

Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a system and method by which an image display device is operable, whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.

The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.

Fig. 1 demonstrates a general exemplary diagram according to which the image display device of the invention executes the method of operation according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to an image display device having an automatic sound enhancement function. The present invention further relates to an image display device performing sound enhancement function by analyzing ambient sound level and calibrating sound volume level (intensity) of at least one loudspeaker in electrical signal communication with the TV set.

According to the present invention, the image display device may be connected to various audio source devices such as set-top box, digital multimedia player, game console etc., with numerous connection options, such as for instance HDMI, Scart and USB connections. In case a set-top box is connected to the image display device through an HDMI cable and the program being watched is a sport event, the image display device conventionally determines the genre of the program and adjusts the audio frequency settings such that one of the predefined equalizer settings (presets) corresponding to the sport event is selected. By changing the equalizer preset, one typically alters the frequency response of the audio system, in this case the image display device’s audio system and adjusts the gain at a frequency band.

The present invention relates to an image display device automatically effectuating sound performance optimization through sound level adjustment by analyzing ambient sound level deviances in the specific environment in association with said image display device. Typically, for instance at least one built-in loudspeaker being in electrical communication with said image display device outputs sound waves in association with the broadcast program received by the image display device.

The image display device of the invention comprises an adaptive sound level system with a microphone unit that is adapted for receiving environmental sounds. Said microphone unit continuously or periodically effectuates measurement of the ambient sound level and accordingly monitors changes during regular operation of the image display device as will be delineated hereinafter.

The image display device typically comprises an electronic control unit to adjust and control the sound level of the loudspeakers. The microphone unit provides real-time data so as to be processed by the electronic control unit to drive said loudspeakers.

An internal memory unit of the image display device stores operational data and includes a database of sound levels. Said database comprises corresponding voltage values for individual sound levels. The sound level value varies depending on the background noises in the environment. The sound level value measured by the microphone unit is compared to a predetermined reference value in the database and if the environmental noise exceeds the predetermined reference value, the loudspeakers are driven such that sound level thereof is adjusted to compensate the environmental noise. The amount of environmental noise is determined by subtracting the current sound level of the TV set as set by the user from the measured sound level by the microphone unit. In other words, the additionally increased sound level of the loudspeakers is equal to the portion of the environmental sound exceeding the current sound level of the TV.

The electronic control unit accordingly performs measurement of the ambient sound level by means of said microphone unit and retrieves from the database the necessary voltage value in order for driving the loudspeakers. The sound level values measured by the microphone unit during the regular operation of the image display device are compared with the predetermined threshold value and if exceeding, the voltage corresponding to a sound level corresponding to the currently applied user-defined sound level plus the exceeding portion of the measured environmental sound level with respect to the currently applied user-defined sound level value is applied to the loudspeakers. Therefore, the compensatory sound level equals the environmental sound level also including the currently applied user-defined sound level value.

It is to be noted that the temporary fluctuations in the ambient noise in the form of unexpected noises, such as a single telephone ringing, clicking of a pen top, thunder or fireworks are ignored. More specifically, short periods of ambient noise do not affect the operation of the image display device as long as they last less than a predetermined time duration, such as optionally 3 second. In order for obtaining a continuously comfortable sound level in terms of the quality of the viewing experience and without requiring any user intervention, the image display device therefore recalibrates the driving voltage of the loudspeakers.

Therefore, change of the TV set sound level by the user due to ambient noise variations in the surrounding of the image display device is avoided by dynamically adapting the applied voltage to the ambient sound level. To this end, the image display device takes measurements, preferably each time it is turned on and on a continuous or periodical basis. Dynamically varied voltage values to obtain different loudspeaker sound levels provide an automatically improved sound quality for the image display device during its operation.

In a nutshell, the present invention proposes an image display device comprising at least one loudspeaker and an adaptive sound level adjustment system automatically effectuating sound optimization through sound level adjustment by way of analyzing sound level deviances in the surrounding of said image display device.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said adaptive sound level adjustment system comprises an electronic control unit to adjust and control the sound level of said at least one loudspeaker in accordance with ambient sound level being measured.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, a microphone unit of the image display device obtains real-time ambient sound level data so as to be processed by said electronic control unit to drive said at least one loudspeaker.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, said at least one loudspeaker is driven by said electronic control unit at a sound level in the manner that a currently set sound level remains constant relative to environmental noise.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, an internal memory unit of the image display device stores operational data in the form of a database of sound levels associated with corresponding loudspeaker voltage values.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the microphone unit continuously or periodically effectuates measurement of the ambient sound level.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, sound level values measured by the microphone unit during operation of the image display device are compared with a predetermined threshold value and if exceeding, a voltage value corresponding to a compensatory sound level corresponding to the exceeding portion of the measured environmental sound level with respect to the predetermined threshold value being added to a currently applied sound level is applied to the said at least one loudspeaker.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the electronic control unit of the image display device provides that the microphone unit takes measurements each time the image display device is turned on.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the electronic control unit provides that the calculated compensatory sound level being activated is kept constant if the current sound volume level of the image display device is increased in response to an ambient sound level greater than said predetermined threshold value. This advantageously prevents further increase of the volume compared to the calculated compensatory sound level.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the electronic control unit provides that if the sound level of the image display device is decreased when the compensatory sound level is active, the sound level of the image display device is decreased relative to the compensatory sound level. Therefore, at this stage, the image display device interprets the user’s volume decreasing command relative to the calculated compensatory sound level, which is more effective in providing a clearer TV sound in view of the continuing ambient noise compared to the case where the ambient noise would suppress the sound of the TV set if the sound level were decreased relative to the current sound level instead of the compensatory sound level.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, transition from actual sound level to compensatory sound level and from compensatory sound level to a decreased compensatory sound level is effected in a gradual manner.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, said compensatory sound level is activated in response to an ambient sound level effective for a predetermined time duration.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, said predetermined time duration is at least three seconds.

The automatic adjustment of the sound level by way of increasing the applied voltage through the adaptive sound level adjustment system ensures a more pleasant viewing experience on the part of users due to the improved sound quality. The adaptive sound level adjustment system eliminates the adverse effects of environmental sound fluctuations on the sound quality and ensures that the sound level set by the user remains constant relative to the environmental noise, thereby preventing the user from repetitively turning the volume up during television viewing.

Claims

An image display device comprising at least one loudspeaker and an adaptive sound level adjustment system automatically effectuating sound optimization through sound level adjustment by way of analyzing sound level deviances in the surrounding of said image display device characterized in that;

said adaptive sound level adjustment system comprises an electronic control unit to adjust and control the sound level of said at least one loudspeaker in accordance with ambient sound level being measured,

a microphone unit of the image display device obtains real-time ambient sound level data so as to be processed by said electronic control unit to drive said at least one loudspeaker and,

said at least one loudspeaker is driven by said electronic control unit at a sound level in the manner that a currently set sound level remains constant relative to environmental noise.
An image display device as in Claim 1, characterized in that an internal memory unit of the image display device stores operational data in the form of a database of sound levels associated with corresponding loudspeaker voltage values.
An image display device as in Claim 1, characterized in that the microphone unit continuously or periodically effectuates measurement of the ambient sound level.
An image display device as in Claim 3, characterized in that sound level values measured by the microphone unit during operation of the image display device are compared with a predetermined threshold value and if exceeding, a voltage value corresponding to a compensatory sound level corresponding to the currently applied user-defined sound level plus the exceeding portion of the measured environmental sound level with respect to the currently applied user-defined sound level value is applied to the said at least one loudspeaker.
An image display device as in Claim 1, characterized in that the electronic control unit of the image display device provides that the microphone unit takes pressure measurements each time the image display device is turned on.
An image display device as in Claim 4, characterized in that the electronic control unit provides that the calculated compensatory sound level being activated is kept constant if the current sound volume level of the image display device is increased in response to an ambient sound level greater than said predetermined threshold value.
An image display device as in Claim 4 or 6, characterized in that the electronic control unit provides that if the sound level of the image display device is decreased when the compensatory sound level is active, the sound level of the image display device is decreased relative to the compensatory sound level.
An image display device as in Claim 7, characterized in that transition from actual sound level to compensatory sound level and from compensatory sound level to a decreased compensatory sound level is effected in a gradual manner.
An image display device as in Claim 4, characterized in that said compensatory sound level is activated in response to an ambient sound level effective for a predetermined time duration.
An image display device as in Claim 9, characterized in that said predetermined time duration is at least three seconds.