Apparatus and method for generating virtual venues for a listening room

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for generating virtual venues in a listening room in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a vehicle audio controller configured to receive an incoming audio signal including entertainment data from an audio source for playback and to receive at least one captured audio signal from at least one microphone positioned in the listening room of the vehicle. The vehicle audio controller is further configured to receive a control signal indicative of a desired venue to playback the entertainment data and to adjust reverberation of at least one of the incoming audio signal and the at least one captured audio signal to playback the entertainment data in the desired venue.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects disclosed herein generally relate to an apparatus and method for generating virtual venues for a listening room. These aspects and others will be discussed in more detail herein.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles provide for a listening environment that differs greatly from the listening environment offered by different venues such as for example stadiums, festivals, recording studios, concert halls (e.g., large, medium, or small), etc. In general, sound recordings of audio captured in stadiums, festivals, recording studios, and concert halls, etc. may not translate well to the listening environment of the vehicle. For example, the listening environment within the vehicle is considerably smaller than the listening environment of the foregoing venues. Additionally, the listening environment for the vehicle provides for different sizes and shapes of various walls (e.g., front wall, rear wall, side walls, and a top wall) when compared to various walls of the venues noted above. The different sizes and shapes that define the listening environment of the vehicle may make it difficult for sound recordings captured in other venues to translate into the vehicle. Therefore, the user experience in the vehicle suffers.

SUMMARY

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for generating virtual venues in a listening room in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a vehicle audio controller configured to receive an incoming audio signal including entertainment data from an audio source for playback and to receive at least one captured audio signal from at least one microphone positioned in the listening room of the vehicle. The vehicle audio controller is further configured to receive a control signal indicative of a desired venue to playback the entertainment data and to adjust reverberation of at least one of the incoming audio signal and the at least one captured audio signal to playback the entertainment data in the desired venue.

In at least another embodiment, a method for generating virtual venues in a listening room is provided. The method includes receiving an incoming audio signal including entertainment data from an audio source for playback and receiving at least one captured audio signal from at least one microphone positioned in the listening room. The method further includes receiving a control signal indicative of a desired venue to playback the entertainment data and adjusting reverberation of at least one of the incoming audio signal and the at least one captured audio signal to playback the entertainment data in the desired venue of the listening room.

In at least another embodiment, a computer-program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that is programmed to generate virtual venues in a listening room is provided. The computer-program product includes instructions to receive an incoming audio signal including entertainment data from an audio source for playback and to receive at least one captured audio signal from at least one microphone positioned in the listening room. The computer-program product includes instructions to receive a control signal indicative of a desired venue to playback the entertainment data and to adjust reverberation of at least one of the incoming audio signal and the at least one captured audio signal to playback the entertainment data in the desired venue.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the listening environment within a vehicle, aspects disclosed herein generally provide a vehicle audio apparatus that alters audio parameters to make the audio or user experience within the vehicle sound like a different venue (e.g., stadium, concert hall (i.e., large, small, or medium), festival, or recording studio). For example, the vehicle audio apparatus may alter audio parameters to make the vehicle sound like Carnegie Hall, Yankee Stadium, etc. based on a user selection. Moreover, the vehicle audio apparatus may be arranged to simply make the listening environment within the vehicle sound larger than it really is (e.g., if the vehicle is a compact vehicle, the vehicle audio apparatus may provide for the audio experience to sound like the user is in a sports utility vehicle (“SUV”)). These aspects and others will be discussed in more detail.

FIG. 1generally depicts an overview of a vehicle10and corresponding listening environment12thereof. The vehicle10includes a vehicle audio system14arranged to playback audio within the listening environment12(or listening room) of the vehicle10. The listening environment12of the vehicle10generally defines a front wall16(e.g., an area of the vehicle10that includes an instrument panel, a front windshield, and a floor pan including upholstery and plastic trim (if applicable) below the instrument panel), a rear wall18(e.g., an area of the vehicle10that includes a passenger row of seats, a rear trunk compartment if a SUV, and/or a rear windshield), side walls20(e.g., an area of the vehicle10that includes an A-pillar, B-pillar, C-pillar, and/or D-pillar, front and/or rear doors and windows), and a top wall22(or ceiling) (e.g., an area of the vehicle10that includes a top metal pan and a headliner).

The vehicle audio system14may also include a plurality of microphones24a-24dpositioned about the interior of the vehicle10. For example, each microphone24a-24dmay be positioned equidistantly within the headliner (not shown) of the top wall22of the vehicle10to capture sound or a captured audio signal (e.g., music, noise captured from vehicle occupants that corresponds to the entertainment data on an incoming audio signal including entertainment data from an electronic audio source, speech (or dialogue from vehicle occupants), ambient noise from exterior of the vehicle10that enters into the interior of the vehicle10, and/or ambient noise from within a vehicle cabin, etc.) within the listening environment12of the vehicle10. It is recognized that any number of microphones24may be positioned within the listening environment12of the vehicle10. However, in the event only one or two microphones24are positioned within the vehicle10, audible sounds close to the microphones24may have a greater reverberation effect on the microphones24thereby causing a relatively unnatural sound.

The vehicle audio system14includes a vehicle audio apparatus (or vehicle audio controller)26that is arranged to employ any one or more noise cancellation techniques (e.g., active noise cancellation (ANC), room noise cancellation (RNC), and engine order cancellation (EOC)) to minimize the effects of road and engine noise (or any undesired audible noise in the ambient that does not coincide with the incoming audio data that is played back in the vehicle10) that is picked up by the microphones24a-24d. Various speakers28may be positioned about the vehicle10to playback the audio processed by the vehicle audio controller26. One or more speakers28may be positioned in one or more of the walls16,18,20, and22to transmit the audio into the vehicle cabin. For example, the vehicle audio controller26may transmit signals to the speakers28positioned about, or in the walls (e.g., front wall16, rear wall18, side walls20, and top wall22) in the vehicle10to provide the desired reverberation (or reverb) based on the selected venue. The speaker(s)28positioned within the headliner (or in the top wall22) of the vehicle10may replicate the reverb of a ceiling of the selected venue, the speakers(s)28positioned in the headrest in back row seating (or in the rear wall18) may replicate the reverb of the rear wall of the selected venue, the speaker(s)28positioned in the doors (or in the side walls20) of the vehicle10may replicate the reverb of the side walls of the selected venue. The speaker(s)28positioned on or within the instrument panel (or in the front wall16) may replicate the reverb of the front wall of the selected venue.

In general, a user (e.g., driver or passenger in the vehicle10) may select a corresponding venue (e.g., stadium, concert hall (large, small, or medium), recording studio) for the vehicle audio controller26to playback audio parameters to conform the audio in the listening environment. It is recognized that the venues may pertain to specific venues such as Yankee stadium, Carnegie Hall, etc. A user interface30may be electrically coupled to the vehicle audio controller26to enable the user to select the corresponding venue for the vehicle audio controller26to playback the audio. The vehicle audio controller26is configured to adjust the amount of reverb that is added to an incoming audio signal from an audio source60(i.e., FM channel, AM channel, High Definition (HD) station, satellite radio, cell phone, tablet, etc.) and/or the captured audio signal prior to audio playback to provide the perception that the user is actually listening to the audio while situated in the selected venue setting (e.g., stadium, concert hall, recording studio, etc.) as opposed to hearing the audio based on the actual walls16,18,20, and22(or the listening environment12) of the vehicle10. For example, the vehicle audio controller26may simulate any one or more of various walls (e.g., front, sides, rear, and top) for a corresponding virtual venue by adjusting the reverberation effect of the incoming audio and/or desired ambient sound prior to playback such that the user perceptually hears the audio in the selected venue.

The vehicle audio controller26may add the reverberation effect directly to the audio independent of any sound captured by the microphones24a-24dto achieve or generate the selected venue. In addition, the vehicle audio controller26may add the reverberation effect to the incoming audio signal from an electronic audio source (not shown) and to the captured audio signal by the microphones24a-24d. These aspects may create a more realistic effect of actually being at one of the corresponding venue locations. For example, assuming that the user selected a large concert hall venue via the user interface30, the vehicle audio controller26may playback the audio at a much louder volume that normal because the audio volume at a large concert hall may be much louder than the audio volume typically played back in the vehicle10. In addition, the user may be able to select a venue corresponding to a listening environment12for a larger vehicle10. The vehicle audio controller26may adjust the reverberation effect accordingly and playback the audio where it is perceived to be played back in a larger vehicle10. In general, reverberation aspects related to the various venues may be recorded or measured at the venues and then stored in memory (not shown) of the vehicle audio controller26for selection by the user. It is also recognized that in one embodiment, the system14may also allow the user the ability to select a particular location from within the selected venue (via the user interface30) so that the user can experience listening to the audio not only from the selected venue but from a particular location within the venue. The location from within the venue may correspond to a main floor, an upper level (i.e., rafters), a lower level, an intermediate level (i.e., various level(s) between the upper level and the lower level), on stage, on-stage right or left, etc.

It is further recognized that any incoming audio that is captured by the microphones24a-24dmay be muted by the vehicle audio controller26when: (i) any windows in the vehicle10are open, (ii) a sunroof in the vehicle10is open, or (iii) a convertible top in the vehicle10is down. For example, various electronic controllers (not shown) in the vehicle10may monitor vehicle status such as window status (e.g. open or closed for any window), sunroof status (e.g., open or closed), and convertible top status (e.g., up or down) and transmit information to the vehicle audio controller26over a data communication bus via a controller area network (CAN) or other multiplexed data bus. A mixer76may mute the captured audio at the microphones24and apply the reverberation effect to the incoming audio signal to generate the audio for playback in the venue selected by the user via the user interface30. For example, if a window is detected to be down or a convertible top is detected to be down, then the mixer76may mute the captured audio as the captured audio may be too loud or noisy.

FIG. 2generally depicts a method50for generating virtual venues within the listening environment12of the vehicle10in accordance to one embodiment.

In operation52, the vehicle audio controller26receives captured audio from any one or more of the microphones24positioned within the vehicle10.

In operation54, the vehicle audio controller26processes the incoming audio from the audio source60to recreate acoustic characteristics of the desired or selected venue. For example, the vehicle audio controller26adds the corresponding reverberation effect to generate the desired virtual venue as selected by the user.

In operation56, the vehicle audio controller26plays back the processed audio at the corresponding reverberation effect through the various speakers28to enable the user to listen to the audio based on the acoustics of the selected venue.

FIG. 3depicts a detailed implementation of the vehicle audio controller26that generates virtual venues within the listening room12of the vehicle10in accordance to one embodiment. It is recognized that the vehicle audio controller26may include any number of processors and memory that co-act with one another to execute any of the noted operations disclosed herein. An audio source60is configured to provide an incoming audio signal to the vehicle10(or to the vehicle audio controller26). It is recognized that the audio source60may be any one of an FM station, an AM station, a High Definition (HD) audio station, a satellite radio provider, an input from cell phone, an input from a tablet, etc. The user may select the corresponding audio source60via a source selector62positioned on the vehicle audio controller26or via the user interface30which may be positioned elsewhere on the vehicle10or on a mobile device (not shown).

A reverb extraction block64(or extraction block64) removes reverb from the incoming audio signal to provide a dry audio signal. This operation is performed to prepare the incoming audio signal to receive the corresponding reverberation effect for the selected venue. It is recognized that the reverb extraction block64may not be capable of completely removing the reverb from the incoming audio signal and that some remnants of reverb may still be present on the dry audio signal. A stereo equalization block66receives the dry audio signal from the reverb extraction block64. In general, the stereo equalization block66serves as a regular stereo equalizer in the vehicle10and is configured to equalize the incoming audio signal for user playback. An adder68receives an output from the stereo equalization block66. The relevance of the adder68will be discussed in more detail below.

The vehicle audio controller26is configured to receive an input from each corresponding microphone24in the vehicle10. As noted above, the audio captured by the microphones24may correspond to music, speech, and ambient noise within the vehicle10. A microphone equalization block70receives the captured audio from the microphones24and equalizes (i.e., boosts or weakens the energy of various frequency bands) the captured audio. A feedback equalization block72receives an output from the microphone equalization block70. The vehicle audio controller26includes a delay block74, the audio mixer76, and a spider reverb block78. The delay block74receives the dry audio from the extraction block64to time align the dry audio with the captured audio from the microphones24. This condition accounts for the delay of processing the incoming audio signal by the vehicle audio controller26. It is desirable to ensure that the playback of the entertainment data on the incoming audio signal is time aligned with the captured audio signal from the microphones24. Consider the example in which vehicle occupants are clapping or singing along with the entertainment data of the incoming audio signal, in this case it is desirable to time align the playback of the entertainment data on the incoming audio signal with the clapping or vocal inputs from the vehicle occupants (as captured by the microphones24) for playback. By capturing the playback of the entertainment data of the incoming audio signal and the clapping or vocal inputs (or other actions performed by the vehicle occupant(s) that coincide with entertainment data) by the microphones24, this aspect further provides the experience to the vehicle occupant(s) that he/she is located within the desired venue as one would expect to hear to some extent noise that coincides with the audio playback at a venue that includes an audience. Thus, by capturing the ambient noise in the vehicle10with the microphones24and combining this data with the entertainment data of the incoming audio signal and subsequently adjusting the reverb of the mix, this aspect enhances the experience for the vehicle occupant and provides the perception that the vehicle occupant is positioned within the desired venue.

It is recognized that the delay block74may or may not apply a delay and that this condition is based on the processing speed of vehicle audio controller26. The mixer76is configured to mix the reverb from the audio captured by the microphones24with any remnants of reverb that are left on the on the incoming audio signal. The mixer76receives a signal WINDOW/CONVERTIBLE STATUS that indicates whether the window, convertible top, or sun roof is open or closed. Again, the mixer76may mute the captured signal from the microphones24if the window, convertible top, or sun roof is open and too much noise is on the signal. Likewise, the mixer76controls how much noise or voice data (i.e., captured audio data from the plurality of microphones24) in the vehicle10is fed back to the spider verb block78versus how much audio is fed into the spider verb block78. In general, the mixer76determines the blend of audio captured at the microphone24in relation to direct audio (or the dry audio) in order to achieve a desired blend.

The user interface30provides a control signal to the vehicle audio controller26that indicates a selected venue (or virtual venue) for the vehicle audio controller26to playback the audio. As noted above, the selected venue may correspond to any one of a stadium, a concert hall (e.g., large, small, or medium), recording studio)), and a listening environment of a vehicle10that is different from the listening environment12of the vehicle10that the user is positioned in. The spider reverb block78receives an output from the mixer76that corresponds to the mixed dry audio and the captured audio. The spider reverb block78generally includes a plurality of spider verb blocks80a-80n(or “80”) and a plurality of venue equalization blocks82a-82n(or “82”). In general, each spider verb block80and its corresponding venue equalization block82adds or adjusts the amount of reverb on the output from the mixer76to provide the selected or desired venue for the user. Specifically, the spider reverb block80replicates different reverberation characteristics of the different walls for the selected venues. The spider verb block78adjusts the reverberation to correspond to a designated or selected venue and the venue equalization block82controls the brightness characteristics for the walls16,18,20and22of the vehicle10to provide the desired brightness characteristics for the selected venue. The selected venue may correspond to a stadium venue, a large concert hall, a medium concert hall, and so on. For example, in the event the user selected that the vehicle audio controller26playback the audio as if the user was positioned in Carnegie Hall, the spider verb block80is configured to provide reverberation effect off the walls16,18,20and22of the vehicle10to sound like the walls of Carnegie Hall. Thus, this gives the user the perception that he/she is actually listening to audio in Carnegie Hall while actually sitting in the vehicle10. The vehicle audio controller26includes memory (not shown) that may store any number of desired venues and that may also take into account the various front, side, rear, and top walls of the selected venues and the manner in which the audio reflects or echoes off such surfaces of the walls. For example, the memory may store various pre-set frequency values that correspond to a characteristics of the walls for particular venue and the venue equalization block82may boost or decrease frequency levels of the audio output from the mixer76and the spider verb block80to further increase the perception that the user is actually located in the corresponding or selected venue.

For example, consider the scenario in which the selected venue generally provides a short ceiling that is made of metal and far away walls that have carpet on them. The ceiling may have very bright and fast reflection characteristics in comparison to the other wall that would sound very dull and have slower reflection times. The spider reverb block78adjusts the reverberation of the incoming audio signal and the captured audio signal to provide the desired venue and the corresponding venue equalization block82controls the equalization of the incoming audio signal and the captured audio signal to simulate playback in the desired venue and to simulate the brightness characteristics of walls of the desired venue. In general, the speakers28in the vehicle10globally provide an output that corresponds to a desired venue and corresponding speaker(s) in a given wall may each receive a discrete input to simulate the desired brightness characteristic for that given wall of the desired venue. For example, the speakers28in the ceiling of the vehicle10may receive an equalized output to provide the appearance that the sound that bounces off of the ceiling has a fast reflection time to coincide with the short ceiling of the selected venue as noted above. Likewise, the equalization may be adjusted differently for each audio output provided to a corresponding speaker28in a particular wall16,18,20, and22to coincide with various walls in the selected venue.

A speaker equalization block84receives an output from the spider verb block78to provide a more even audio response in the vehicle10. The speaker equalization block84compensates for issues with the speakers28in the vehicle10. A mute block86is provided to simply remove the amount of reverb added by the spider verb block78if the user elects to hear the incoming audio in a normal mode. The user interface30may transmit a signal indicative of a request to the vehicle audio controller26to disable the reverberation effect that is added to obtain the selected venue. In response to the request, the vehicle audio controller26may activate the mute block86to simply disable the playback of the audio in the selected venue. The adder68receives the output from the spider reverb block78(or from the mute block86) and also receives the output from the stereo equalization block66and sums the two audio inputs together to provide a digital version of the inputs. A digital to analog converter (DAC)88receives the digital output from the adder68and converts the digital output into an analog output. The analog output corresponds to the audio that is to be played back for the user at the selected venue. Various power stages (or power amplifiers)90boost the analog output for playback at the speakers28.

FIG. 4generally depicts a method100for generating the virtual venues within the listening room of the vehicle with the vehicle audio controller26ofFIG. 3. It is recognized that the operations as noted in connection withFIG. 4may be performed in any order and that it is contemplated that various operations may be performed concurrently with one another. The order of the operations as performed may vary based on a particular implementation.

In operation102, the vehicle audio controller26receives an incoming audio signal from the audio source60. As noted above, the audio source60may correspond to any one of an FM station, an AM station, a High Definition (HD) audio station, a satellite radio provider, an input from cell phone, an input from a tablet, etc. In general, the incoming audio signal may correspond to audio data that is to be played back to entertain vehicle occupants in the vehicle10.

In operation104, the vehicle audio controller26removes reverb from the incoming audio signal to provide a dry audio signal.

In operation106, the vehicle audio controller26receives a captured audio signal from each microphone24in the vehicle10. For example, the vehicle audio controller26boosts or weakens the energy of various frequency bands for each captured audio signal. As noted above, the captured audio signal generally corresponds to music, noise captured from vehicle occupants that corresponds to the entertainment data on an incoming audio signal including entertainment data from an electronic audio source, speech (or dialogue from vehicle occupants), and/or ambient noise from exterior of the vehicle10that enters into the interior of the vehicle10, ambient noise from within a vehicle cabin, etc.

In operation108, the vehicle audio controller26equalizes each captured audio signal. For example, the vehicle audio controller26boosts or weakens the energy of various frequency bands of the captured audio signal.

In operation110, the vehicle audio controller26may optionally employ time delay or delay the transmission of the dry audio signal with the captured audio signal to ensure that the playback of the entertainment data on the dry audio signal coincides with the captured audio signal.

In operation112, the vehicle audio controller26determines whether any one of a window, convertible top, and sun roof is open. If the vehicle audio controller26determines that any one of the window, the convertible top, and the sun roof is closed, then the method100moves to operation114. If the vehicle audio controller26determines that any one of the window, the convertible top, and the sun roof is open, then the method100moves to operation120.

In operation114, the vehicle audio controller26mixes the reverb on the captured audio signals with the dry audio signal to achieve a desired blend of noise, music and/or voice information on the captured audio signal versus entertainment data on the incoming audio signal as received from the audio source60.

In operation116, the vehicle audio controller26receives a control signal indicative a desired venue to be simulated in the vehicle10during audio playback.

In operation118, the vehicle audio controller26adjusts the reverb of the mixed captured audio signal and the dry audio signal to playback entertainment data on the incoming audio signal from the audio source60at the selected venue in the vehicle10. In addition, the vehicle audio controller26equalizes the frequency of the mixed captured audio signal and the dry audio signal to provide the desired brightness characteristic for the various walls of the selected venue.

In operation120, the vehicle audio controller26mutes the captured audio signal as such a signal carries too much noise (e.g., environmental noise such as wind, road noise, etc.) given that one of the one of the window, the convertible top, and the sun roof is open. In this case, the vehicle audio controller26in operation118may simply adjust the reverb of the incoming audio signal from the audio source60to playback back the incoming audio signal at the selected venue in the vehicle10.