This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. ยง119 (a) on Patent Application No. 2014-255987 filed in Japan on Dec. 18, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field
This disclosure relates to a speaker array apparatus capable of outputting sound beams from a speaker array having a plurality of speakers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a speaker array apparatus has distributed identical audio signals to a plurality of speakers that are arranged in a matrix form or in a line form and has applied a predetermined delay time to each of the distributed audio signals. Accordingly, a sound based on each of the audio signals simultaneously reaches a predetermined focal point in a listening space. As a result, the acoustic energy in the vicinity of the focal point is increased by in-phase addition. The speaker array apparatus, in this manner, produces a sound beam having a strong directivity in the focal direction.
As an invention related to such a speaker array apparatus, for example, an invention disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711 is known. The speaker array apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711 simultaneously outputs multichannel (for example, a center channel: Cch, a front left channel: Lch, a front right channel: Rch, a surround left channel: SLch, and a surround right channel: SRch) audio beams each having a different directivity.
In addition, the speaker array apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711 reflects some of the multichannel audio beams on the wall surface of an installation space such as a room and then makes the audio beam for each channel reach a listening position from various directions. Thus, a listener at the listening position perceives an excellent surround effect.
A speaker array apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711 (US 2008-0165979 A1), in order to reproduce a multichannel surround sound, requires the output direction of an audio beam of each of channels to be set correctly. Therefore, the speaker array apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711, while sweeping with a test sound beam, picks up a direct sound and a reflected sound of the test audio beam by a microphone that is arranged at the listening position. Then, the speaker array apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711 obtains a relationship between an output angle of the test audio beam and a level of the picked-up audio signal. Thereafter, the speaker array apparatus specifies the output angle in which the level of the picked-up audio signal is at peak and determines the output angle of the audio beam of each channel based on the specified output angle.
In a multichannel surround sound, a mode adding a height channel has been proposed. The mode adds, to a horizontally directed sound field, a sound source of a height channel that reaches from the upper front side toward a listening position. Such a mode of adding the height channel enables a sound field according to a height or depth direction and thus can provide a higher level of the sound field.
The following considers a case in which the speaker array apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711 outputs an audio beam of a height channel. Even in such a case, the output direction of the audio beam of the height channel is required to be set correctly. In view of the foregoing, the speaker array apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711 may pick up a sound by a microphone that is arranged at a listening position while sweeping with a test audio beam in the vertical direction. Then, the speaker array apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711 determines the output direction of the audio beam of the height channel based on the relationship between the output angle of the test audio beam and the level of the picked-up audio signal.
In a case in which the speaker array apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-013711 sweeps with the test audio beam in the vertical direction, the microphone picks up a direct sound and a reflected sound of the test audio beam. As described above, the audio beam of the height channel is required to reach from the upper front side to the listening position. Therefore, the output direction of the audio beam of the height channel may preferably be set to an output angle of a test audio beam of which a reflected sound, reflected at a ceiling surface, has a peak of a signal level, among reflected sounds that the microphone has picked up. In another case in which the output direction of the audio beam of the height channel is set to an output angle corresponding to the direct sound of the test audio beam, a desired surround sound effect cannot be provided.
A speaker array apparatus according to various preferred embodiments of the present invention includes a speaker array including a plurality of speakers arranged in a matrix form or in a line form, a beam forming portion configured to distribute a sound signal to each of the speakers and to control an output timing of a sound that is output from each of the speakers so as to cause the speaker array to output a sound beam, a beam control portion configured to output to the beam forming portion a test signal and an output angle of a test sound beam based on the test signal and to output angle of a test sound beam based on the test signal and turn (sweep with) the test sound beam by changing the output angle, in a predetermined angle range in a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal direction, a microphone arranged at a listening position, a distance obtaining portion configured to obtain a distance between the speaker array and the microphone, and a storage portion configured to store pickup sound data generated by a sound picked up by the microphone, the pickup sound data being associated with the output angle.
The beam control portion sets the output angle corresponding to the peak of the signal level of the pickup sound data stored in the storage portion as the output angle of the sound beam of a height channel.
In such a case, the output angle of the sound beam of the height channel is required to be closer to the vertical direction as the speaker array and the listening position are closer. Accordingly, the beam control portion sets a minimum output angle of the angle range to be larger as the distance obtained by the distance obtaining portion is smaller. Thus, the test sound beam is output in a range of angle away from the angle of the direct sound of which the angle is close to the horizontal direction.
The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Hereinafter, a speaker array apparatus 1 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
As shown in
The speaker array 20 includes a plurality of speakers 21 that are arranged in a matrix form, in the central part of the front face of the apparatus body 1A. The speaker array 20 outputs each of the sound beams of a center channel (Cch), a front left channel (Lch), a front right channel (Rch), a surround left channel (SLch), and a surround right channel (SRch) (see
The speaker array apparatus 1 individually controls the delay time of each sound beam signal that is output to the corresponding speaker 21 of the speaker array 20 and outputs a sound beam from the speaker array 20. The speaker array apparatus 1 outputs the sound beam for each channel. The speaker array apparatus 1, as shown in
The height speaker array 30L, in the left end portion of the front face of the apparatus body 1A, includes a plurality of height speakers 31 that are each arranged along the vertical direction. The height speaker array 30L outputs a sound beam of a height left channel (HLch). The height speaker array 30R, in the right end portion of the front face of the apparatus body 1A, includes a plurality of height speakers 31 that are each arranged along the vertical direction. The height speaker array 30R outputs the sound beam of a height right channel (HRch). However, the plurality of height speakers 31 may be arranged in a matrix form.
It is to be noted that the height speaker array 30L and the height speaker array 30R are collectively referred to as the height speaker array 30.
The speaker array apparatus 1 individually controls the delay time of each sound beam signal that is output to the corresponding height speaker 31 of the height speaker array 30 and outputs a sound beam from the height speaker array 30. The speaker array apparatus 1 outputs the sound beam for each height channel. The speaker array apparatus 1, as shown in
If the timings of the sounds to be output from each of the speakers 21 and each of the height speakers 31 are adjusted, it is possible to control, with respect to the vertical direction, an output angle of sound beams to be output from the speaker array 20 and an output angle of sound beams SH to be output from the speaker array 30.
Control System of the Speaker Array Apparatus 1
Subsequently, a control system configuration of the speaker array apparatus 1 will be described in detail with reference to
The microphone 40 is a non-directional microphone and is connected to the A/D converter 2.
The A/D converter 2 converts (samples) an analog sound signal generated based on the sound that has been picked up by the microphone 40, into a digital sound signal, and outputs the digital sound signal to the system control portion 10.
The storage portion 3 stores pickup sound data including the digital sound signal that has been input to the system control portion 10. Specifically, the storage portion 3 stores the level (microphone input signal level) of the digital sound signal that has been input to the system control portion 10 and the output angle of a test sound beam that are in association with each other (
The operating portion 4 receives various setting inputs from a listener U and outputs a signal in accordance with the setting inputs to the system control portion 10.
The display portion 5, based on a control signal that has been output from the system control portion 10, displays contents in accordance with the control signal.
The system control portion 10 has a user I/F processing portion 11, a beam control processing portion 12, a measured data analysis processing portion 13, and a distance obtaining portion 14. Such processing portions, while being realized by a Central Processing Unit, for example, may also be realized by the execution of a program.
The user I/F processing portion 11 outputs the control signal to other processing portions of the speaker array apparatus 1 in accordance with an operation received by the operating portion 4. The user I/F processing portion 11 also outputs the control signal in accordance with the condition of the speaker array apparatus 1 to the display portion 5.
The beam control processing portion 12, during execution of a setting mode in which an output angle of the sound beam of each channel is set, outputs a test signal and an angle setting signal to the beam forming portion 15, the angle setting signal indicating the output angle of the test sound beam based on the test signal. The beam control processing portion 12 changes the output angle indicated by the angle setting signal so as to sweep with (turn) the sound beam that is output from the speaker array 20.
The measured data analysis processing portion 13 causes the storage portion 3 to store the pickup sound data that has been generated by the sound picked up by the microphone 40 during the execution of the setting mode.
In addition, the measured data analysis processing portion 13, when the collection of the pickup sound data is completed, detects a peak of the signal level in the pickup sound data stored in the storage portion 3. Then, the measured data analysis processing portion 13 obtains the output angle of the sound beam based on the peak. The measured data analysis processing portion 13 outputs the obtained output angle to the beam control processing portion 12. The measured data analysis processing portion 13, with respect to each of channels configuring a multichannel environment, outputs the output angle of the sound beam for each channel to the beam control processing portion 12.
The distance obtaining portion 14 obtains a distance between the height speaker array 30 and the listening position. In some embodiments, the distance obtaining portion 14 obtains the distance by using a test sound beam that is output from the speaker array 20.
The beam forming portion 15 has blocks each including a delay portion 16 and a power amplifier 17 for each of the speakers 21 of the speaker array 20. The beam forming portion 15 has blocks each including a delay portion 16 and a power amplifier 17 for each of the height speakers 31 of the height speaker array 30L and the height speaker array 30R. It should be noted that the beam forming portion 15, while being realized by a Digital Signal Processor, may also be realized by the execution of a program.
The block for each of the speakers 21 of the speaker array 20 includes the delay portion 16 configured to perform delay processing upon the sound signals according to each of the Lch, Rch, SLch, SRch, and Cch channels individually, an adder 18 configured to add sound signals that have been output from the delay portion 16, and the power amplifier 17 configured to amplify the signals that have been output from the adder 18. For the output of each of the blocks, the speakers 21 are connected to the blocks, respectively.
The beam forming portion 15, with such a configuration, after distributing an Lch sound signal to each of the blocks, delays each of the distributed sound signals by a predetermined delay time. The each delay time is set based on an Lch angle setting signal that has been output from the beam control processing portion 12. Accordingly, each of the sound beam signals that have been delayed individually is output to each of the speakers 21. Then, the Lch sound that has been output from each of the speakers 21 forms a sound beam having directivity at the output angle indicated by the angle setting signal. The beam forming portion 15 performs the same processing for the Rch, Cch, SLch, and SRch channels. The sound beams of the channels are also output from the speaker array 20 at a predetermined output angle.
The block for each of the height speakers 31 of the height speaker array 30L includes a delay portion 16 configured to perform delay processing upon the sound signals according to HLch, and the power amplifier 17 configured to amplify the signals that have been output from the delay portion 16. The block for each of the height speakers 31 of the height speaker array 30R includes a delay portion 16 configured to perform delay processing upon the sound signals according to HRch, and a power amplifier 17 configured to amplify the signals that have been output from the delay portion 16. For the output of each of the blocks according to the height speaker array 30R and the height speaker array 30L, the height speakers 31 are connected to the blocks, respectively.
The beam forming portion 15, with such a configuration, after distributing an HLch sound signal to each block, delays each of the distributed sound signals by a predetermined delay time. The each delay time is set based on an HLch angle setting signal that has been output from the beam control processing portion 12. Accordingly, each of the sound beam signals that have been delayed individually is output to each of the height speakers 31. Then, the HLch sound that has been output from each of the height speakers 31 forms a sound beam having directivity at the output angle shown in the angle setting signal. The beam forming portion 15 also performs the same processing for the HRch channel. The sound beam of the HRch channel is also output from the height speaker array 30R at a predetermined output angle.
Setting of the Output Angle of Each Sound Beam from the Speaker Array 20
Subsequently, the setting of the output angle of the sound beam of each of the Lch, Rch, SLch, SRch, and Cch channels by the speaker array 20 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
It should be noted that, in order to make the preferred embodiments of the present invention understood easily, the following description will be made of a case in which a room RO where the speaker array apparatus 1 is installed has a rectangular parallelepiped shape as an ideal shape and the apparatus body 1A of the speaker array apparatus 1 is installed near the center of the front wall WF of the room RO.
In such a case, the apparatus body 1A of the speaker array apparatus 1 is installed so as to face a center portion of the front wall WF as a desired position of the listener U so that the front face of the speaker array 20 is arranged in parallel to the front wall WF and also opposite to a rear wall WB. Before the setting of the output angle of the sound beam is started, the microphone 40 is connected to the A/D converter 2 and installed at a listening position (audience position) of the listener U. In this event, the height of the microphone 40 may preferably be matched to the height of the ears of the listener U.
When the installation of the apparatus body 1A and the microphone 40 of the speaker array apparatus 1 is completed and a setting mode related to the speaker array 20 is started, the speaker array apparatus 1, by outputting test sound beams from the speaker array 20 and picking up a sound by the microphone 40, measures a direct sound output angle AD of a direct sound SD from the speaker array 20 to the microphone 40 and a horizontal distance (hereinafter will be referred to as a listening distance) between the speaker array 20 and the microphone 40.
Specifically, the system control portion 10 outputs a test signal to the beam forming portion 15 and outputs an angle setting signal while changing the angle setting signal so that the test sound beam sweeps (turns). The output angle shown in the angle setting signal is set in a predetermined range (from the minus 45-degree direction to the plus 45-degree direction, for example) in the vertical direction when the horizontal direction is set to zero degrees. Then, the microphone 40 picks up the sound of each of the test sound beams that have been output from the speaker array 20. The A/D converter 2 converts a picked-up analog sound signal into a digital sound signal. The system control portion 10 causes the storage portion 3 to store pickup sound data including the digital sound signal in association with the output angle and analyzes the data and the output angle so as to specify the direct sound output angle AD of the direct sound SD (see
In addition, the distance obtaining portion 14, by calculating a time difference between an output timing of a test sound beam and a pickup sound timing of the direct sound of the test sound beam by the microphone 40, obtains a horizontal distance (hereinafter will be referred to as a listening distance) approximately between the speaker array 20 and the microphone 40. This listening distance is temporarily stored in the storage portion 3 and is used for the setting of the output angle of the sound beam of the height channel.
It is to be noted that the test signal that is output from the system control portion 10 may preferably be the signal of a sound having no periodicity, for example, around 4 kHz, and the signal of a sound such as a white noise having no periodicity. The band of the sound, since being higher in directivity than a low frequency region, is suitable for setting the output angle of the sound beam that is determined by the shape of the speaker array apparatus 1 and the arrangement of each of the speakers 21 of the speaker array 20.
Subsequently, the system control portion 10 sweeps with (turns) the test sound beam in the horizontal direction. Specifically, the system control portion 10 outputs a test signal to the beam forming portion 15 and outputs an angle setting signal while changing the angle setting signal. The output angle shown in the angle setting signal, in a case in which the speaker array 20 is viewed from the upper side of the room RO, is set between one direction (zero-degree direction) parallel with the front face of the speaker array 20 and the other direction (180-degree direction) parallel to the front face of the speaker array 20.
Then, the microphone 40 picks up a reflected sound reflected by the wall of the room RO and a direct sound that has been output from the speaker array 20. The A/D converter 2 converts a picked-up analog sound signal into a digital sound signal. The system control portion 10 causes the storage portion 3 to store pickup sound data including the digital sound signal in association with the output angle and analyzes the data and the output angle so as to set the output angle corresponding to a peak value of the gain level having a predetermined value or higher to an output angle on the horizontal plane of the sound beams of the Lch, Rch, SLch, SRch, and Cch.
In this way, when the output angle on the horizontal plane is set and an audio sound or the like is input from the outside, the speaker array apparatus 1, as shown in
Thus, the listener U can enjoy listening an ideal surround-sound because the listener U can listen, at the listening position, to the Cch sound that has been output from the speaker array apparatus 1 positioned in the front of the listening position, the Lch sound from the virtual speaker 90L positioned at the left front of the listening position, the SLch sound from the virtual speaker 90SL positioned at the left rear of the listening position, the SRch sound from the virtual speaker 90SR positioned at the right rear of the listening position, and the Rch sound from the virtual speaker 90R positioned at the right front of the listening position.
Setting of the Output Angle of Each Height Sound Beam SH from a Height Speaker Array 30
Subsequently, the setting of the output angle of the height sound beam SH of each of the HLch and HRch channels by the height speaker array 30 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
As described above, the sound beams of the height channels (HLch and HRch) reach to the listening position from the virtual speaker 90HL and the virtual speaker 90HR that are positioned in the upper front side to the listening position and produce a sound field according to the height direction (vertical direction). Therefore, the height sound beam SH is required to be output so as to reach the listening position (the microphone 40) after being reflected at least once by the ceiling CE of the room RO, and the output angle AH of the height sound beam SH is also set to meet the requirements.
In view of the above, as shown in
Subsequently, the system control portion 10 sets a sweep range RS of a test signal beam (S2). This sweep range RS is from a start angle AS with respect to the horizontal plane to an end angle AE. The start angle AS is the minimum angle of the sweep range RS, and the end angle AE is the maximum angle of the sweep range RS. Then, the system control portion 10, while outputting a test signal, outputs an angle setting signal while changing the angle setting signal so as to sweep with (turn) the test sound beam (S3). Furthermore, the system control portion 10, while performing the processing of step S3, picks up the sound of test sound beam that has been output from the height speaker array 30 by the microphone 40 and causes the storage portion 3 to store the pickup sound data together with the output angle indicated by the angle setting signal (S4). Then, the system control portion 10 obtains the output angle AH of the height sound beam SH by analyzing and specifying the angle corresponding to the peak level of the pickup sound data (S5). The setting of the output angle AH is thus completed. Subsequently, the speaker array apparatus 1 outputs the sound beam SH of the height channel with the set output angle AH (S6).
In step S2, the system control portion 10, based on the listening distance D between the height speaker array 30 and the microphone 40 (listening position), sets the start angle AS and the sweep range RS.
As shown in
Setting of the Output Angle AH of the Height Sound Beam SH in a Case in which the Listening Distance D is Large
The setting of the output angle AH in the case in which the listening distance D is large will be described in detail with reference to
As shown in
In addition, as the listening distance D is larger, the sound beams from the height speaker array 30 are less likely to overlap the listening position (the listener U and the microphone 40). Moreover, the output angle AH, in principle, becomes smaller as the listening distance D becomes larger. Accordingly, the speaker array apparatus 1, by setting the start angle AS to be small and the sweep range RS to be large, can detect the output angles AH without omission. Thus, in such a case, the speaker array apparatus 1 can reliably set the output angle AH of the height sound beam SH.
Setting of the Output Angle of the Height Sound Beam SH in a Case in which the Listening Distance D is Small
The setting of the output angle of the height sound beam SH in the case in which the listening distance D is small will be described in detail with reference to
As shown in
In addition, as the listening distance D is smaller, the sound beams from the height speaker array 30 are more likely to overlap the listening position (the listener U and the microphone 40). Moreover, the output angle AH, in principle, becomes larger as the listening distance D becomes smaller. In view of the foregoing, the speaker array apparatus 1, by setting the output angle AH to be large and the sweep range RS to be small, can perform the sweep of the test sound beam from the output angle having no effect on the overlapping at the listening position and can also efficiently set the output angle AH of the height sound beam SH.
It should be noted that, while illustration is omitted, even in any of
In addition, when the output angle of the sound beam is set, the system control portion 10 may control each portion of the speaker array apparatus 1 to execute the sweep of the test sound beam a plurality of times and execute a process such as an integrating/averaging process upon the digital sound signal of the pickup sound data. This enables the system control portion 10 to increase the measurement accuracy.
Moreover, in the preferred embodiment described above, the speaker array apparatus 1 obtains the direct sound output angle AD by sweeping with (turning) the test sound beams that are output from the speaker array 20.
However, the speaker array apparatus 1 may obtain the direct sound output angle AD by sweeping with (turning) the test sound beams that are output from the height speaker array 30. In this regard, it is not essential to the preferred embodiment to obtain the direct sound output angle AD. For example, a value obtained by dividing 100 by the listening distance D may be used without obtaining the direct sound output angle AD as the start angle AS as it is.
Subsequently, a preferred embodiment (a second preferred embodiment) different from the above described first preferred embodiment will be described in detail with reference to
Setting of the Output Angle of the Height Sound Beam SH According to the Second Preferred Embodiment
The setting of the output angle of the height sound beam SH of each of the HLch and HRch channels will be described in detail with reference to
The speaker array apparatus 1 according to the second preferred embodiment obtains the direct sound output angle AD and, sets, as the start angle AS, an angle obtained by adding the direct sound output angle AD to a predetermined offset angle AO (see
The Offset Angle AO
The offset angle AO will be described in detail with reference to
The system control portion 10, as the offset angle AO, sets a value smaller than an angle difference A3 between an angle A1 corresponding to the main lobe and an angle A2 corresponding to the side lobe adjacent to the main lobe. In other words, the system control portion 10 does not set the offset angle AO to the angle difference A3. In the example shown in
While some preferred embodiments have been described based on the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above described preferred embodiments and can be modified in various ways. For example, while, in the above described preferred embodiments, the speaker array apparatus 1 includes the speaker array 20 configured to produce a horizontally directed sound field and the height speaker array 30 configured to produce a height (vertical) directed sound field in the apparatus body 1A, the present invention is not limited to such a mode. For example, the speaker array apparatus 1 can be configured to have only the height speaker array 30.
Alternatively, the speaker array may have a configuration in which the sound beam can be swept (turned) in the vertical direction, and, for example, a plurality of speakers configuring the speaker array may be installed in a row in the vertical direction. Therefore, the speaker array 20 in the above described preferred embodiments may also be functioned as a speaker array that outputs the sound beam of the height channel.
In addition, while, in the above described preferred embodiments, the height speaker array 30, as shown in
In addition, while the speaker array apparatus 1 according to the above described preferred embodiments has a multichannel configuration including the seven channels: Lch, Rch, SLch, SRch, Cch, HLch, and HRch, the prevent invention is not limited to this mode, and, as long as the configuration is capable of outputting the sound beam that reproduces the height channels (HLch and HRch), various configurations can be employed. For example, the multichannel (Lch, Rch, SLch, SRch, and Cch) configuration that produces a horizontal directed sound field can be variously changed to stereo channel (Lch and Rch).
Moreover, while the speaker array apparatus 1, based on the listening distance D, sets both the height sweep start angle AS and the sweep range RS, a mode in which either the start angle AS or the end angle AE is set may be employed.
Then, the sweep range according to the preferred embodiments means a range in which the output angle of the sound beam according to the height channel is set, that is, the sweep range of a test sound beam, and a range in which the data of a sound that has been picked up by the microphone 40 is analyzed. Accordingly, a configuration in which the sweep range of a test sound beam and the analysis range of the picked-up sound data are made different from each other can also be employed. For example, in a sweep range, relating to the sound data of a sound picked up by performing the sweep of the test sound beam, a configuration in which the analysis range with respect to the sound data is limited within an appropriate range can be employed based on positional information (the listening distance D, for example). Specifically, the speaker array apparatus 1, in an analysis angle range with reference to the horizontal direction, sets an analysis start angle to be larger as the listening distance D is smaller. It should be noted that the analysis start angle is a minimum angle within the analysis angle range. Accordingly the analysis angle range doesn't include the direct sound output angle AD. Moreover the speaker array apparatus 1 sets the analysis angle range to be smaller as the listening distance D is smaller. Accordingly the speaker array apparatus 1 can effectively detect the peak of the signal level of the reflected sound of the test sound beam.
Moreover, while the speaker array apparatus 1 according to the first preferred embodiment, as the listening distance D, uses a distance approximating the horizontal distance between the speaker array 20 and the microphone 40, the present invention is not limited to such a mode. More specifically, the listening distance may be a distance including the difference in height between the speaker array 20 and the microphone 40 and can also employ the shortest distance between the speaker array 20 and the height speaker array 30.
Furthermore, while, in the above described preferred embodiments, before the output angle AH of the height sound beam SH is set, the sweep direction of a test sound beam is a direction of sweeping (turning) from a zero-degree side to a vertically upward side in the case in which the horizontal direction is set to zero degrees, the preferred embodiments are not limited to such a mode and the mode can be changed to a configuration in which the sweep direction is from the vertically upward side toward the horizontal direction. In a case in which the sweep direction of the test sound beam in the above described preferred embodiments is changed, the end angle AE is set based on the listening distance D in the case of the first preferred embodiment.
Similarly, in the case of the second preferred embodiment, the end angle AE may be set based on the direct sound output angle AD and the offset angle AO.
Additionally, while, in the above described preferred embodiments, the listening distance D or the direct sound output angle AD is read from the storage portion 3 to be used, the preferred embodiments are not limited to such a mode. Before the output angle of the height sound beam SH in the height speaker array 30 is set, the listening distance D or the direct sound output angle AD can also be measured by using the test sound beams from the height speaker array 30.
Moreover, the listening distance D or the direct sound output angle AD may also be set by using the information that has been input from the operating portion 4. The information to be input from the operating portion 4 includes the horizontal distance (that is, the listening distance D) from the center of the apparatus body 1A to the microphone 40 and a distance (difference in height) in the vertical direction between the apparatus body 1A and the microphone 40, and the direct sound output angle AD can be calculated by using a difference between the listening distance D and the height. It should be noted that the distance to be input from the operating portion 4 is required to be measured by a listener.
Finally, the above described preferred embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the following claims, not by the foregoing preferred embodiments. Further, the scope of the present invention is intended to include the scopes of the claims and all possible changes and modifications within the senses and scopes of equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2014-255987 | Dec 2014 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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8041060 | Takumai | Oct 2011 | B2 |
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20090028358 | Suzuki | Jan 2009 | A1 |
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20110013778 | Takumai | Jan 2011 | A1 |
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2006-13711 | Jan 2006 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160182996 A1 | Jun 2016 | US |