Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus and method for estimating the amount of power that is to be consumed by an amplifier. An estimation section may be determined based on frame data of an input signal that is to be input to the amplifier. The estimation section may be stored to in a predetermined section, and the amount of power to be consumed by the amplifier may be estimated in advance based on the stored signal. The predetermined section may be determined in consideration of response a characteristic of a power supply of the amplifier. The amount of power may be calculated by assigning weight to the stored signal.

Abstract: A sound enhancement apparatus and method which produce low IMD over a broadband frequency region and performs BSE to offer a sound which is natural to the human ears, are provided. The sound enhancement apparatus includes a preprocessor, a BSE signal generator, and a gain controller. The preprocessor divides a source signal into a high-frequency signal and a low-frequency signal and analyzes the low-frequency signal to obtain prediction information regarding a degree of distortion that will be generated by the low-frequency signal. The BSE signal generator generates a higher harmonic signal for the low-frequency signal as a BSE signal to be substituted for the low-frequency signal, wherein the order of the higher harmonic signal is adjusted based on the prediction information regarding the degree of distortion. The gain controller adjusts a synthesis ratio of the low-frequency signal and the BSE signal adaptively depending on the prediction information regarding the degree of distortion.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for creating an acoustic radiation pattern, which may improve sound focusing performance to a target position. The acoustic radiation pattern creating apparatus may process an input signal which may be output through a speaker array in a room such that at least one vertical-directional reflected wave component of the input signal may overlap a direct sound of the input signal at the target position. Then, the acoustic radiation pattern creating apparatus may replicate the processed input signal by the number of output channels of the speaker array, and may process the replicated input signals such that the replicated input signals may form a predetermined radiation pattern in a horizontal direction in the room when the replicated input signals are output through the speaker array.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating directional sound is provided. By using a time-variant beam pattern, the apparatus may generate constant direct waves in a listening area and may vary reflected waves followed by the direct waves according to time. The apparatus may convolute the time-variant beam pattern with a sound signal, may process an acoustic signal, which may be obtained through convolution, into a multi-channel signal, and may amplify and output the multi-channel signal.

Abstract: A sound focusing technique is provided to transfer sound to a particular direction. In a sound focusing apparatus, first and second speakers may be arranged to emit sound in opposite directions to form a sound zone. An amplitude and/or a phase of a received signal may be adjusted by a signal processing unit to assign the received signal and the adjusted signal to the first and second speakers, respectively.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for controlling an acoustic radiation pattern output through an array of speakers. The apparatus stores a plurality of filter values for forming a plurality of corresponding control patterns set in advance from an input signal. The apparatus forms a compensation control pattern such that signals output through the array of speakers have an intended pattern in consideration of a filter value of a focusing filter. The apparatus selects at least one of the control patterns set in advance to form the compensation control pattern, and processes the input signal using a filter value corresponding to the selected control pattern.

Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus and method for estimating the amount of power that is to be consumed by an amplifier. An estimation section may be determined based on frame data of an input signal that is to be input to the amplifier. The estimation section may be stored to in a predetermined section, and the amount of power to be consumed by the amplifier may be estimated in advance based on the stored signal. The predetermined section may be determined in consideration of response a characteristic of a power supply of the amplifier. The amount of power may be calculated by assigning weight to the stored signal.

Abstract: A technology for controlling acoustic energy distribution in a control region is provided. A sound processing apparatus includes a control filter such that a controllable sound zone is formed in the control region, and the sound processing apparatus synthesizes the control filter and an input signal to transfer sound to a desired location or a specific user. The numbers, the size and the locating positions of the sound zone and/or the control region may be controlled.

Abstract: Provided are apparatus and method for focusing sound so that a sound radiation pattern output from an array speaker system composed of a plurality of speakers may approach a target sound radiation pattern. The sound focusing apparatus uses a focusing filter formed in consideration of sound characteristics of the array speaker system. In addition, the sound focusing apparatus may compensate for delay and gain values of each channel generated when an input signal is replicated to a plurality of channels and output through an array speaker in the array speaker system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating directional sound are provided to output sound towards a specific sound zone. The apparatus includes an internal loudspeaker array having at least one sound source and edge loudspeakers, each with a sound source having directivity, located at respective ends of the internal loudspeaker array.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for controlling output distortions of an amplifier. The apparatus for controlling output distortions of an amplifier, includes a compensation signal generator to predict a fluctuation of a supply voltage of a power supply using a prediction model which reflects fluctuations characteristics of the supply voltage, and to generate a compensation signal based on the prediction, and a compensator to transform an input signal using the compensating signal to control the output distortions.

Abstract: A sound reproducing apparatus for providing an optimal virtual sound source and a sound reproducing method therefor are provided. The sound reproducing apparatus includes a virtual sound signal generation unit for generating more than one virtual sound signal corresponding to locations and the number of target virtual sound sources on the basis of more than one inputted sound signal, and a virtual sound signal downmix unit for downmixing said more than one virtual sound signal to virtual sound signal outputs corresponding to a predetermined number of output channels. The number and locations of diversely variable virtual sound sources are provided, thereby obtaining an effect of providing an optimal virtual sound source adaptively depending on each different environment.

Abstract: A directional sound generating apparatus and a directional speaker array including the same are disclosed. The directional sound generating apparatus includes a sound transducer, a reflection plate which is located behind the sound transducer, and a blocking plate which is provided between a front portion and a back portion of the sound transducer.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for controlling a sound field through an array speaker. The method includes calculating a coefficient of a filter that controls sound pressure of an input signal, based on a sound pressure ratio of a suppression area that suppresses sound emitted from an array speaker and an emphasis area that emphasizes the sound, and sound pressure efficiency in the emphasis area, generating a plurality of output signals that focuses the sound to the emphasis area by filtering the input signal based on the calculated coefficient of the filter, and outputting a sound field controlled sound based on the generated plurality of output signals. Accordingly, a listener in a predetermined direction and distance from the array speaker can clearly hear sound, without wearing an earphone or a headset so as to focus the sound only to the listener.

Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for focusing sound using an array speaker system. The method includes generating a plurality of delayed signals to be focused to a predetermined position from an input signal, filtering a low-frequency signal having a frequency that is lower than a reference frequency from the delayed signals, generating low-frequency focusing signals divided into 2 groups by adjusting a gain of the filtered low-frequency signal, and applying the low-frequency focusing signals divided into the 2 groups to speaker units of the array speaker system at both sides with respect to a center portion of the array speaker system and outputting the low-frequency focusing signals through the speaker units. In this way, the performance of sound focusing for the low-frequency signal can be improved and thus a listener located a predetermined distance from and in a predetermined direction relative to the array speaker system can clearly listen to the low-frequency focusing signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for outputting a sound source signal by using a virtual speaker are provided. The method includes generating a virtual sound source signal delayed by a virtual delay value, instead of by the minimum delay value, according to a sampling rate of an input sound source signal, from the input sound source signal; generating a speaker output signal in which a sampling rate is changed based on the input sound source signal and the generated virtual sound source signal; and outputting the generated speaker output signal. Thus, a non-uniform radiation pattern, which causes distortion in a sound radiated from a speaker array, is removed and the limitation of a frequency band of a controllable sound source signal is overcome, thereby providing a stable sound.

Abstract: Provided are an array speaker system and a method of implementing the same. The array speaker system includes a group setting unit setting one or more combinations of a plurality of speakers included in an array speaker system into at least one group according to a predetermined adjustment factor, a signal assignment unit dividing an input signal into at least one sound source signal according to the adjustment factor and selectively assigning the divided sound source signal(s) to the set group(s), a sound adjustment unit adjusting a sound source signal to be output through speakers within the group according to sound source characteristics of the group, and a signal output unit outputting the adjusted sound source signal through the speakers within the group.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for localizing a sound image of an input signal to a spatial position are provided. The method of localizing a sound image to a spatial position includes: extracting from a head related impulse response (HRIR) measured with respect to changes in the position of a sound source, first information indicating a reflection sound wave reflected by the body of a listener; extracting from the HRIR second information indicating the difference between sound pressures generated in two ears, respectively, when a direct sound wave generated from the position of the sound source arrives at the two ears, respectively, of the listener; extracting third information indicating the difference between times taken by the direct sound wave to arrive at the two ears, respectively, from the HRIR; and localizing a sound image of an input signal to a spatial position by using the extracted information.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of externalizing a sound image output to headphones are provided. The method of externalizing a sound image output to headphones includes: localizing the sound image of an input signal to a predetermined area in front of a listener; and signal-processing a left signal component and a right signal component of the input signal with different delay values and gain values, respectively. According to the method and apparatus, the sound image output to the headphones can be localized to a virtual sound stage in front of the listener, thereby reducing tiredness occurring when listening through headphones, and even when a sound source includes many monophonic component, the sound image can be externalized.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for audio bass enhancement using stereo speakers. By filtering a baseband signal of an input signal whose frequency is lower than a blocking frequency calculated based on the distance between first and second speakers, delaying the filtered signal for a predetermined time period, combining a signal component of the input signal output from the first speaker and a signal component of the delayed signal output from the first speaker and making the combined signal component correspond to the first speaker, and combining a signal component of the input signal output from the second speaker and a signal component of the delayed signal output from the second speaker and making the combined signal component correspond to the second speaker, deep and rich audio bass can be provided by a simple operation without structural modification of speakers with respect to micro speakers in which audio bass reproduction is not conventionally performed efficiently.