Speaker Optimization

Circuit
Steve Meadows
Tzu-Hao J. Lee
ECE 445
Sprin !""#
T$% &urves' T'akker
(. (ntroduction-
Title: Speaker Optimization Circuit
We wanted to work on a project related to acoustics. From that point, we came up
with several project possibilities. We chose to do the speaker optimization circuit for
surround sound system as we think it would be a nice feature for surround sound systems
as the locations these systems are applied in may not always be ideal and this circuit
would provide a more user-friendly solution for such situations.
Objective:
We assume that a basic surround sound speaker system has a location (probably in
the center of the speaker placements) where the system can provide ideal sound!. "ur
project aims to create an optimization system that allows a more arbitrary placement (but
still limited) of the speakers around the desired point.
#he $peaker "ptimization %ircuit ($"%) will calculate the distance from each speaker to
the location of the listener by measurin& the time it takes for a test sound from the
speaker (a click, for e'ample) to travel to a microphone, which will be placed at the
listener(s location.
With the distance as well as the time-delay information, we will attempt to modify (for
each speaker) two parameters) the intensity (volume), and the phase of the sound, which
will affect the *uality of the sound with the non-ideal positionin& of the speakers. +ore
parameters will be included if there is time available. With these parameter modifications,
an ideal sound! should be reproduced even with the speakers in more arbitrary locations
around the listener.
,ist of benefits we are lookin& for includes)
-ble for users to use their sound system optimally in non-ideal locations.
,ikewise, users will have more freedom in their speaker placement (different
an&les compared to the ideal placement provided in the desi&n section below) and
still ac*uire their desired surround system e'perience.
-ble to create ideal sound! with variable distances to user specified location,
which would have a different possible ran&e dependin& on the size of the room.
-ll above will be applicable to both movie and music instances.
,ist of features we are lookin& to include are)
-utomatic distance calculation based on speaker output and sensor detection at
specified location.
$imple-user interface with remote control to specify user specified position.
-dditional interface with remote control to specify modification for movie or
music and also reset for removin& modification.
-utomatic remi' of sound intensity and phase (via delay modification) for each
speaker.
((. )esin-
Block Diagram:
Block Descriptions:
%urrently, as we do not have our surround sound system yet, we do not have concrete
information re&ardin& the interface between our components. #he main issue is whether
the surround sound amplifier would provide analo& or di&ital si&nals. .ependin& on the
amplifier, -/. and ./- converters may also be necessary.
$urround $ound -mplifier)
#he surround sound amplifier will be part of the sound system that we purchase.
#his component is e'chan&eable, with the only limitation bein& that the system
will only be compatible with 0.1 surround sound system. #he amplifier will
provide the si&nals that will be modified by the speaker optimization circuit to
obtain ideal! sound with non-ideal placement of speakers.
$peaker "ptimization %ircuit)
#he speaker optimization circuit is the main component of this project desi&n. -
.$2 board/F23- board will be used for the al&orithm implementation. #here will
be three inputs for this circuit. #he speaker optimization circuit will take the
output of the surround sound amplifier system as one of its inputs. #he user
remote control will provide another input which will determine which al&orithm
will be used for modification of the input from the sound amplifier. #he final
input is a time delay value obtained from the sensor at the specified location,
which will be used in the modification of the si&nals.
4ser-5nterface 6 7emote %ontrol)
#he user-interface is a simple remote control with two buttons and a switch. #he
switch will be used for the selection of movie or music instance modification.
When the set button is pressed, the system will be&in runnin& the pro&ram and
first calculate the distance and time delay of each speaker in relation to the
specified location. .ependin& on which location the switch is at, the al&orithm
implemented by the speaker optimization circuit will be different. #he other
button is the reset button, and will cause a bypass of the al&orithm, preventin&
modification.
$peakers (8lack 8locks))
#he desi&n of this project will be able to support only one surround sound setup,
the 0.1 channel surround sound. #here will also be a limitation for the minimum
distance of the speakers to the specified location in relation to the size of the
room.
$ensor (White 8lock))
#he sensor unit will have two components) a microphone and a timin& device (we
will use the .$2 for this). #he unit will take the output of the speaker with the
microphone and a time will be recorded. With this information, the time it took
for the si&nal to travel will be calculated, and the distance between the speaker
and the specified location can be calculated by dividin& that value by the speed of
sound.
Performance Requirements:
#he new decibel value (intensity) should be within 09 of the ideal! decibel
value at the specified location.
- time delay variation of up to 09 due to processin& is acceptable.
(((. *eri+ication-
Testing:
#he user-interface remote control will be tested by usin& the .$2 to test whether
the e'pected si&nals are received.
#he intensity value will be tested by usin& a decibel meter to measure the
modified value and compare it to the ideal value measured beforehand.
#he phase chan&e will be tested by multiple instances of the si&nal that can be
obtained throu&h the .$2 board.
#he distance calculation will be tested by comparin& the value obtained by the
circuit to physically measured value.
Tolerance nal!sis:
#he sensor sub-system will need to accurately &ive us the distances from each speaker
to the point of listenin& for proper performance. 5t is reasonable to assume that users will
be usin& our system in rooms of varyin& temperature. $ince the speed of sound varies
with the temperature of the air throu&h which it travels, we will need our system to
produce accurate results for a variety of temperatures.
#he current desi&n does not take room temperate into account (i.e. the speed of sound
will be a sin&le hard-coded value in our .$2 code) so we will need to test the system at
e'treme temperatures (:; de&rees Fahrenheit and <; de&rees Fahrenheit). $ound intensity
is inversely proportional to the s*uare of the distance from the source, so to meet the 09
intensity value performance re*uirement, we will need to determine a constant for the
speed of sound such that the distance produced by the sensor sub-system is at least
accurate within s*rt(.;0)=1;;>??.@:9.
(*. Cost and Sc'edu,e-
Cost:
1. ,abor) A10/hour ' ?.0 ' :; hours > A?,?0; per person. $o the total labor cost is
?=A?,?0; > -4.5"".
?. 2arts)
0.1 $urround sound system) A:B
.$2 board) AC;; (est.)
$hure $+0D microphone) A1;;
$o the total parts cost is -5/0.
@. #otal > ,abor E 2arts > AC,0;; E A0:B > -5."/0.
Sc"e#ule)
.ate 3oals of the week .ivision
?/C
1. 2roposal (Wednesday)
?. .esi&n 7eview $i&nup
@. "rder sound system
Foe
Foe
$teve
?/11
1. "btain .$2 board
?. .ecide on $ensor
@. ,earn .$2 pro&rammin& software
C. .ecide on remote control purchase
or desi&nG
$teve
Foe
$teve
Foe
?/1D
1. 2erform ideal intensity
measurement with sound system
?. Write intensity calculation
al&orithm
@. Write time-delay adjustment
al&orithm
$teve
Foe
$teve
?/?0 1. 5nte&rate components without
sensor
8oth
@/@
1. #est intensity al&orithm with hard
coded values
?. #est phase/time-delay al&orithm
with hard coded values
$teve
Foe
@/1; 1. 2ut timin& device to&ether with
microphone
8oth
@/1B $prin& 8reak
@/?C 1. %omplete $ensor unit 8oth
C/1
1. $ensor unit testin& with $"%
?. -djust .$2 code as necessary to
correctly inte&rate sensor unit
8oth
8oth
C/D 1. #emperature tolerance test 8oth
C/10 1. "verall system test 8oth
C/?? 1. demo 8oth
C/?< 1. Final 2aper (#uesday) 8oth