System and method for remotely controlling audio equipment

Abstract

An innovative new series of personal near-field active monitor speakers incorporating a digital wireless receiver and an industry-standard digital serial data interface that provides for wireless and wired digital audio streaming, apps for mobile devices or computers (smart phones, tablets, laptops etc.) to provide remote configuration of studio monitor modeling, i.e., emulations of popular near-field reference monitors; artist signature modeling, i.e., emulations of the favorite settings of well-known recording artists and music producers; and remote room equalization using the microphone integrated in a mobile or desktop personal computer, or an attached external microphone.

1 . An audio system, comprising:
 a computer having:
 a user interface configured to receive user input; 
 a memory coupled to the user interface and having a sequence of instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor in the mobile computer generate control signals in response to user input received at the user interface; 
 a transmitter configured to transmit the control signals; 
   a speaker system having:
 at least one speaker; 
 a wireless receiver configured to receive the control signals and to receive and convert streamed digital audio signals into analog signals; 
 a microcontroller configured to receive data messages from the wireless receiver and generate corresponding messages; 
 at least one analog input terminal configured to receive the analog signals; 
 at least one digital serial data interface configured to receive the control signals and the streamed digital audio signals; and 
 a digital signal processor configured to process the control signals received by the wireless receiver and configured to control operation of the at least one speaker in response to the received control signals through generation of analog signals in response to the control signals. 
   
     
     
         2 . The audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer comprises either a mobile computer or a desktop personal computer. 
     
     
         3 . The audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the speaker is an active speaker. 
     
     
         4 . The audio system of  claim 3  wherein the speaker system includes at least one passive speaker coupled to the active speaker. 
     
     
         5 . The audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the speaker is a passive speaker configured to be coupled to an external amplification device, external digital signal processing, and an external digital wireless receiver. 
     
     
         6 . The audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to transmit digital audio signals to the speaker system to play through the speaker. 
     
     
         7 . The audio system of  claim 6 , wherein the received digital audio signal is processed by the digital signal processor. 
     
     
         8 . The audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the digital signal processor is structured to configure a parameter of the at least one speaker in response to the received control signals. 
     
     
         9 . The audio system of  claim 8 , wherein the parameter configuration includes at least one from among settings of other speaker models, settings of well-known music artists, and settings of music producers. 
     
     
         10 . The audio system of  claim 1  wherein the computer includes at least one audio transducer configured to convert sound into electronic signals, and the digital signal processor of the speaker system is configured to perform equalization of audio output of the at least one speaker in response to audio sounds received at the at least one audio transducer. 
     
     
         11 . The audio system of  claim 1 , wherein controlling operation of the speaker comprises adjusting at least one of: user equalization, delay, gain, dynamic equalization, noise gate, polarity invert, speaker equalization, gain trim and limiter. 
     
     
         12 . The audio system of  claim 1 , the speaker system further comprising:
 a first speaker;   a second speaker identical to the first active speaker; and   wherein a selection of a left and right channel for each speaker corresponding to a relative physical placement of the speakers is determined by an order in which they are wirelessly paired with the computer.   
     
     
         13 . The audio system of  claim 1 , the speaker system further comprising:
 a active speaker having a first serial data interface;   a second speaker identical to the first speaker having a second serial data interface;   wherein a selection of a left and right channel for each speaker corresponding to a relative physical placement of the speakers is determined by the choice of which of the first and second serial data interfaces is used to connect to the transmitting device.   
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 audio equipment;   a computer including a memory and a wireless transmitter, the memory configured to store a software program, and the wireless transmitter configured to transmit a controlling signal and a streamed digital audio signal to the audio equipment based on a user instruction;   a user interface coupled to the mobile computer and configured to receive an input and to generate the user instruction;   a receiver coupled to the audio equipment and configured to receive the controlling signal and streamed digital audio; and   a controller coupled to the receiver and configured to alter a sound parameter of the audio equipment in response to the controlling signal.   
     
     
         15 . The audio system of  claim 14 , wherein the computer comprises one of either a desktop personal computer or a mobile computer 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the receiver is configured to receive at least one of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is a digital signal processor. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the sound parameter of the audio equipment consists of at least one from among: user equalization, delay, gain, dynamic equalization, noise gate, polarity invert, speaker equalization, gain trim and limiter. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein altering the sound parameter includes configuring the parameter to conform to at least one from among: settings of other speaker models, settings of well-known music artists, and settings of music producers. 
     
     
         20 . A system, comprising:
 at least one electronic audio device having a wireless receiver, an industry-standard digital serial data interface and a controller,   the wireless receiver configured to receive a wireless control signal and streamed digital audio and the controller configured to adjust an audio output in response to the received control signal;   the industry-standard digital serial data interface configured to receive a control signal and a streamed digital audio signal via a wired cable connection and the controller configured to adjust an audio output in response to the received control signal;   a mobile computer having a user interface, a memory, a microphone, and a wireless transmitter, the mobile computer including a series of instructions stored in the memory and configured to carry out the following:
 receive input instructions via the user interface; 
 generate a control signal in response to the received input instructions and transmit the control signal via the wireless transmitter to the at least one electronic audio device; and 
 sense through the microphone an audio sound from the electronic audio device and transmit a results signal to the at least one electronic audio device. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the microphone is an external microphone configured to be coupled to the mobile computer. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the wireless receiver is configured to receive a radio frequency signal. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the industry-standard digital serial data interface is configured to receive data messages from a mobile or desktop personal computer via a wired cable connection. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one electronic audio device is a speaker. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein adjusting the audio output includes changing at least one parameter that includes one from among: user equalization, delay, gain, dynamic equalization, noise gate, polarity invert, speaker equalization, gain trim and limiter. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the parameter is changed to at least one of: a setting of other speaker models, a setting of well-known artists, and a setting of music producers. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the electronic audio equipment performs equalization of the audio output in response to the received results signal.