Automatic audio system equalizing

Abstract

An automated process for equalizing an audio system and an apparatus for implementing the process. An audio system includes a microphone unit, for receiving the sound waves radiated from a plurality of speakers, acoustic measuring circuitry, for calculating frequency response measurements; a memory, for storing characteristic data of the loudspeaker units and further for storing the frequency response measurements; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating an equalization pattern responsive to the digital data and responsive to the characteristic data of the plurality of loudspeaker units. Also described is an automated equalizing system including acoustic measuring circuitry including a microphone for measuring frequency response at a plurality of locations; a memory, for storing the frequency responses at the plurality of locations; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating, from the frequency responses, an optimized equalization pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method that uses a portable computer device that comprises a microphone and a processor, wherein the portable computer device is configured to communicate with an audio system, and wherein the audio system is adapted to transduce audio signals into test tones and radiate the test tones into a listening space, the method comprising:
 enabling the microphone of the portable computer device to receive sound;   while the microphone is enabled to receive sound and test tones are being radiated into the listening space by the audio system, transducing the radiated test tones at the microphone of the portable computer device as the portable computer device is being moved about the listening space;   calculating frequency responses for the transduced test tones;   calculating an equalization pattern using the calculated frequency responses to achieve a desired frequency response; and   applying the equalization pattern to audio signals transduced by the audio system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the frequency responses for the transduced test tones are continuously averaged to create a frequency response for the listening space. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calculating of the frequency responses is performed by the processor of the portable computer device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calculating of the equalization pattern is performed by the processor of the portable computer device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the equalization pattern is downloaded from the portable computer device to audio signal processing circuitry of the audio system to enable the applying of the equalization pattern to audio signals transduced by the audio system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test tones are stored in memory of the portable computer device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test tones include bursts of audio interspersed with silence. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio signals transduced by the audio system are from a digitally encoded audio signal source. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing instructions to a user to move about the listening space. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions are provided audibly, visually, or both audibly and visually. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions include a summary of what the user will be instructed to perform. 
     
     
         12 . A computer program product having a non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that, when performed by a portable computer device that comprises a microphone and a processor, the portable computer device being configured to communicate with an audio system and the audio system is adapted to transduce audio signals into test tones and radiate the test tones into a listening space, is configured to:
 enable the microphone of the portable computer device to receive sound;   while the microphone is enabled to receive sound and test tones are being radiated into the listening space by the audio system, transduce the radiated test tones at the microphone of the portable computer device as the portable computer device is being moved about the listening space;   calculate frequency responses for the transduced test tones; and   calculate an equalization pattern using the calculated frequency responses to achieve a desired frequency response, wherein the equalization pattern is applied to audio signals transduced by the audio system.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the frequency responses for the transduced test tones are continuously averaged to create a frequency response for the listening space. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the test tones are stored in memory of the portable computer device. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the test tones include bursts of audio interspersed with silence. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the audio signals transduced by the audio system are from a digitally encoded audio signal source. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 an audio system adapted to transduce audio signals into test tones and radiate the test tones into a listening space; and   a portable computer device that includes a microphone and a processor, the portable computer device configured to communicate with the audio system, wherein the portable computer device is configured to
 enable the microphone to receive sound, 
 transduce the radiated test tones at the microphone of the portable computer device as the portable computer device is being moved about the listening space, 
 calculate frequency responses for the transduced test tones, and 
 calculate an equalization pattern using the calculated frequency responses to achieve a desired frequency response, 
   wherein the equalization pattern is applied to audio signals transduced by the audio system.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the frequency responses for the transduced test tones are continuously averaged to create a frequency response for the listening space. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the portable computer device is further configured to download the equalization pattern to audio signal processing circuitry of the audio system to enable applying of the equalization pattern to audio signals transduced by the audio system. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the test tones are stored in memory of the portable computer device.