Abstract: A loudspeaker output correcting device operable under control of a control element, and comprising a first loudspeaker for outputting a first test signal, a second loudspeaker for outputting a second sound signal including a second test signal such that the phase of the second test signal is almost the same as that of the first one and when the second test signal is combined with the first one, the power characteristic is a constant value, sound collecting element for collecting the outputted first and second test signals, computing element for computing the difference between the first distance between the first loudspeaker and the sound collecting element and the second distance; between the second loudspeaker and the sound collecting element from the spectrum of the combined signal produced by combining the collected first and second signals, and correcting element for correcting the output relative characteristics of the first and second loudspeakers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sound field correcting system and a reverberation adjusting apparatus capable of correcting a reverberation time characteristic by an easy operation without setting a complicated parameter. A surround system 100 has a sound reproducing apparatus 120 for adjusting a reverberation component of sound on the basis of a reverberation characteristic of a listening room 10 and amplifying the sound by a speaker system 130; and a microphone 140 for collecting the amplified sound in a specific listening position in the listening room 10.

Abstract: A localization control apparatus outputs an input audio signal to one channel among plural channels, and based on the input audio signal, outputs a control signal for controlling an audio signal for another channel among the plural channels. In the localization control apparatus, an attenuating unit attenuates the input audio signal. A delaying unit, according to band, separates and delays the audio signal attenuated by the attenuating unit. A generating unit generates the control signal by combining each component of the audio signal separated and delayed by the delaying unit.

Abstract: A sound separating apparatus includes a converting unit that respectively converts signals of two channels into frequency domains by a time unit, the signals representing sounds from sound sources. The apparatus also includes a localization-information calculating unit that calculates localization information regarding the frequency domains and a cluster analyzing unit that classifies the localization information into clusters and respectively calculates central values of the clusters. Finally, the apparatus further includes a separating unit that inversely converts, into a time domain, a value that is based on the central value and the localization information, and separates a sound from a given sound source included in the sound sources.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to retrieve and process a piece of content to be processed by a simple method at the time of storing content recorded in a CD into an HDD or the like, reading desired content out of the content stored in the HDD from the HDD, and performing a process such as reproduction on the read content. A processor of the invention includes: a storage 1 for storing at least one piece of information so as to be associated with jacket image information of an image related to the content; means for obtaining target medium image data by capturing an image of a jacket of a CD related to the content to be reproduced; means for collating the target medium image data with jacket image information stored in the storage 1 and obtaining the content corresponding to the target medium image data from the storage 1; and means for reproducing the obtained content.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sound reproducing system and a sound reproducing apparatus that can provide a high realistic sensation to a user, without having to do a troublesome task on the user's side. A surround-sound system (100) includes: an array speaker system (20) that is formed with speaker units SPU having the same characteristics; and a signal processing apparatus (120) that drives the speaker units SPU independently of one another and amplifies an audio signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sound reproducing system capable of accurately analyzing a reverberation characteristic of amplified sound including an arrival direction of a reverberation component, which is more natural, and has higher realistic sensation. A surround system 100 has a speaker system 130, a signal processing apparatus 120 for recognizing a reverberation characteristic of a listening room 10 and adjusting a reverberation component of sound source to be amplified on the basis of the recognized reverberation characteristic, and a microphone array 140 constructed by a plurality of microphones M disposed in the listening room 10 and having the same characteristics, and in which distances among the microphones M are determined in advance. In the case where sound source is amplified and output from the speaker system 130 to the listening room 10, the microphone array 140 collects amplified sound in a specific listening position in the listening room 10.

Abstract: In correcting the sound field, the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF are sounded by the noise. The attenuation factors of the inter-band attenuators ATF11 to ATFki for adjusting gains of the band-pass filters BPF11 to BPFki to the frequency in respective channels are corrected based on detection results of the reproduced sounds of the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF. Then, the attenuation factors of the channel-to-channel attenuators ATG1 to ATG5 are corrected based on the detection results of the reproduced sounds of the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF. Then, the delay times of the delay circuits DLY1 to DLY5 are corrected based on the detection results of the reproduced sounds of the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF. Then, the attenuation factor of the channel-to-channel attenuator ATGk is corrected based on the detection result of the reproduced sound of the loudspeaker 6WF as the subwoofer, whereby the levels of the reproduced sounds reproduced by the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF are adjusted to be made flat over the audio frequency band.

Abstract: In correcting the sound field, the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF are sounded by the noise. The attenuation factors of the inter-band attenuators ATF11 to ATFki for adjusting gains of the band-pass filters BPF11 to BPFki to the frequency in respective channels are corrected based on detection results of the reproduced sounds of the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF. Then, the attenuation factors of the channel-to-channel attenuators ATG1 to ATG5 are corrected based on the detection results of the reproduced sounds of the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF. Then, the delay times of the delay circuits DLY1 to DLY5 are corrected based on the detection results of the reproduced sounds of the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF. Then, the attenuation factor of the channel-to-channel attenuator ATGk is corrected based on the detection result of the reproduced sound of the loudspeaker 6WF as the subwoofer, whereby the levels of the reproduced sounds reproduced by the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF are adjusted to be made flat over the audio frequency band.

Abstract: A filter coefficient of a graphic equalizer GEQ is corrected based on detection results of reproduced sounds generated by supplying a noise to all frequency band loudspeakers 6FL to 6RR and a low frequency band exclusively reproducing loudspeaker 6WF via the graphic equalizer GEQ. Then, attenuation factors of channel-to-channel attenuators ATG1 to ATG5 are corrected based on the detection results of the reproduced sounds generated by supplying the noise to the loudspeakers 6FL to 6RR via the graphic equalizer. Then, delay times of delay circuits DLY1 to DLYk are corrected based on the detection results of the reproduced sounds generated by supplying the noise to the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF via the graphic equalizer.

Abstract: In correcting the sound field, loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF are sounded by the noise. The attenuation factors of the inter-band attenuators ATF11 to ATFki for adjusting gains of the band-pass filters BPF11 to BPFki to the frequency in respective channels are corrected based on detection results of the reproduced sounds of the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF. The attenuation factors of channel-to-channel attenuators ATG1 to ATG5 are corrected based on the detection results of the reproduced sounds of the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF. The delay times of delay circuits DLY1 to DLY5 are corrected based on the detection results of the reproduced sounds of the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF. The attenuation factor of a channel-to-channel attenuator ATGk is corrected based on the detection result of the reproduced sound of the loudspeaker 6WF as the subwoofer. Therefore, the levels of the reproduced sounds reproduced by the loudspeakers 6FL to 6WF are adjusted to be made flat over the audio frequency band.

Abstract: In the sound field control system, the signal processing unit includes BPFs for dividing the sound signal into a plurality of frequency bands, and APFs for correcting the sound signal by adding a reflection sound pattern to the sound signal. APFs consist of the infinite impulse response type filter, with the delay amount and the gain being variable as coefficients. Once the sound field control processing is executed, the reverberation characteristic of the sound signal passing through BPFs and APFs is measured in the reproduction sound field, and compared with the reverberation characteristic of the original sound field measured in advance. As the result of the comparison, the coefficient showing a property most analogous to the reverberation characteristic of the original sound field is set to APFs in the zone.

Abstract: Reverberation characteristics of an original sound field and a reproduction sound field are measured and a difference between the reverberation characteristics is obtained. A reflected sound pattern added to reproduction sound is calculated so that the reverberation characteristics of the reproduction sound field approximate to the reverberation characteristics of the original sound field from the difference between the reverberation characteristics and is added and reproduced in the reproduction sound field. A frequency is divided into predetermined bands and a reflected sound pattern to be added is obtained similarly in the respective bands and is added to the corresponding frequency band of the reproduction sound and reproduced. Measurement of the reverberation characteristics is obtained by inputting an impulse signal to a speaker and collecting a generated sound wave by a microphone provided in a position corresponding to the head of a listener and analyzing the sound wave by an analyzer.

Abstract: A sound field control system measures impulse response in a playback sound field, calculates the binaural level difference expressed as the ratio between the ensemble mean values of signals to two detection sections installed at the positions corresponding to both ears, and sets the coefficient of the digital filter of a sound source correction section so that the error between the binaural level difference in a target sound field and the binaural level difference in the playback sound field becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value. The sound source correction section makes correction to an audio signal of a low frequency band so that the error between the binaural level difference in a target sound field and the binaural level difference in the playback sound field becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: A sound field characteristic decision system SI measures the impulse response of a sound field 10 to be reproduced, divides the measured impulse response into a plurality of blocks for frequency components and time components, and calculates a weighted linear sum based on a weight coefficient of each of the blocks, so that a sense of spaciousness in the sound field 10 is decided. A sound field control system SF calculates information to be added for each of the blocks according to a difference from a sense of spaciousness in a desired sound field, adds the calculated information to a sound source, and performs synthesis again.

Abstract: A sound field measuring apparatus has: an exponential pulse generator 11 which outputs a pulse signal to speakers 4a, 4b, . . . ; a microphone 6 which is disposed in an acoustic space 5 where the speakers 4a, 4b, . . . are disposed, and which detects a pulse signal output from each of the speakers 4a, 4b, . . . ; and a calculation section 15 which detects a time when the signal detected by the microphone 6 exceeds a predetermined threshold. The calculation section 15 calculates a time period from a time when the pulse signal is generated by the exponential pulse generator 11 to the time when the signal exceeds the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An information providing machine provides a network user with information that helps the network user in determining a place to go. The user designates an area and makes a map request. The information providing machine sends map data to the user in response to the request from the user. Every time the user makes a map request, popularity point is given to locations existing in the designated area. The popularity point is accumulated and used by the network user.

Abstract: A signal of a whole audio frequency band is input to input lines CHL and CHR having band-split digital band pass filters BFL1 to BFLn and BFR1 to BFRn, attenuators ATL1 to ATLn and ATR1 to ATRn, delay elements ZL1 to ZLn and ZR1 to ZRn, and adders 21 to 24, thereby causing speakers 25 and 26 to generate sounds. The reproduced sounds are picked up by microphones 27 and 28 placed at listening positions. The obtained pick-up signals PR and PL are passed through band-split digital band pass filters BFL1′ to BFLn′ and BFR1′ to BFRn′ which are set to the same bands as those of the band-split digital band pass filters BFL1 to BFRn, to generate test data DL1(t) to DLn(t) and DR1(t) to DRn(t). On a basis of the test data, an interaural correlation coefficient &rgr;RL is calculated.

Abstract: Reverberation characteristics of an original sound field and a reproduction sound field are measured and a difference between the reverberation characteristics is obtained. A reflected sound pattern added to reproduction sound is calculated so that the reverberation characteristics of the reproduction sound field approximate to the reverberation characteristics of the original sound field from the difference between the reverberation characteristics and is added and reproduced in the reproduction sound field. A frequency is divided into predetermined bands and a reflected sound pattern to be added is obtained similarly in the respective bands and is added to the corresponding frequency band of the reproduction sound and reproduced. Measurement of the reverberation characteristics is obtained by inputting an impulse signal to a speaker and collecting a generated sound wave by a microphone provided in a position corresponding to the head of a listener and analyzing the sound wave by an analyzer.

Abstract: A rear speaker and a front speaker are provided in a room. A microphone is disposed at a listening position between the front and rear speakers for picking up a first sound from the front speakers and a second sound from the rear speaker. Time lags of the first sound and the second sound is obtained from the outputs of the microphone, and the time difference between the time lags is obtained. An antiphase audio signal opposite to a reflected composite signal included in the first sound picked up by the microphone is provided by the sound field correcting circuit. The antiphase audio signal with the same amplitude is delayed based on the time difference and emitted from the rear speaker so as to cancel the reflected composite signal.