Apparatus for providing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer, system, method and computer program

Abstract

An apparatus for processing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer includes an equalization parameter determinator for determining a set of equalization parameters and an equalizer configured to equalize an input audio signal, to obtain an equalized audio signal. Different concepts for the determination of the set of equalization parameters include an image recognition, an evaluation of an identification signal which is provided by the sound transducer via an audio connection, and a measurement of the impedance of the sound transducer over frequency. Also, an upload functionality and a download functionality are provided.

1 . An apparatus for processing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer, the apparatus comprising:
 an equalization parameter determinator for determining a set of equalization parameters; and   an equalizer configured to equalize an input audio signal, to acquire an equalized audio signal;   wherein the equalization parameter determinator comprises a sound transducer identification configured to identify a sound transducer using an image recognition, and a parameter selection configured to select a set of equalization parameters in dependence on a result of the sound transducer identification;   wherein the image recognition is configured to identify the sound transducer on the basis of a specific shape of the sound transducer.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to download one or more sets of equalization parameters associated with one or more sound transducers from a server, or to use one or more sets of equalization parameters associated with one or more sound transducers comprised by an internal database. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus for processing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer, the apparatus comprising:
 an equalization parameter determinator for determining a set of equalization parameters; and   an equalizer configured to equalize an input audio signal, to acquire an equalized audio signal;   wherein the equalization parameter determinator is configured to acquire a set of equalization parameters using a measurement of an impedance of the sound transducer over frequency;   wherein the equalization parameter determinator is configured to combine equalization parameters associated with a plurality of reference sound transducers, the reference impedance curves over frequency of which exhibit at least a similarity in at least one distinctive feature with the measured impedance over frequency of the sound transducer, to acquire the set of equalization parameters.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the equalization parameter determinator is configured to access a database which comprises an association between reference impedance curves over frequency and associated sets of equalization parameters. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the equalization parameter determinator is configured to acquire an information about one or more distinctive features of the reference impedance curves over frequency, to identify a plurality of reference impedance curves over frequency which share at least one distinctive feature with the measured impedance over frequency of the sound transducer, and to provide the set of equalization parameters using a combination of equalization parameters associated with the identified reference impedance curves. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the equalization parameter determinator is configured to combine fitting features of a plurality of sets of equalization parameters associated with different reference impedance curves over frequency, to acquire the set of equalization parameters associated with the measured impedance over frequency of the sound transducer. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the reference impedance curves over frequency are based on a previous impedance measurement using reference sound transducers, and wherein the sets of equalization parameters associated with the reference sound transducers are based on a pre-computation on the basis of a previous frequency response measurement using the reference sound transducers. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the apparatus for processing an audio signal is configured to acquire results of a measurement of an impedance over frequency of the sound transducer from an impedance measurement device configured to determine a ratio between voltage and current at a sound transducer connection for different frequencies. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the impedance measurement device is configured to determine a complex-valued impedance of the sound transducer over frequency. 
     
     
         10 . A system, comprising:
 a global equalization database, which defines an association between types of sound transducers and corresponding sets of equalization parameters and which is accessible by multiple apparatuses for processing an audio signal of multiple users, such that it is possible to share an equalization parameter setting identified by a user with other users;   an apparatus for processing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer, the apparatus comprising:
 an equalization parameter determinator for determining a set of equalization parameters; and 
 an equalizer configured to equalize an input audio signal, to acquire an equalized audio signal; 
 wherein the equalization parameter determinator is configured to set the equalization parameters in dependence on a user input from a user interface; and 
 wherein the equalization parameter determinator is configured to upload the set of equalization parameters and an information about the sound transducer to the global equalization database, which is accessible by multiple apparatuses for processing an audio signal of multiple users, such that it is possible to share an equalization parameter setting identified by a user with other users. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the equalization parameter determinator further comprises a sound transducer identification configured to identify a sound transducer and a parameter selection configured to select a set of equalization parameters based on the identification of the sound transducer;
 wherein the apparatus is configured to download one or more sets of equalization parameters from the global equalization database; and   wherein the sound transducer identification is configured to take into account the one or more downloaded sets of equalization parameters.   
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 a global equalization database; and   an apparatus for processing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer according to  claim 1 ,   wherein the global equalization database defines an association between types of sound transducers and corresponding sets of equalization parameters,   wherein the global equalization database is accessible by multiple apparatuses for processing an audio signal of multiple users, such that it is possible to share an equalization parameter setting identified by a user with other users.   
     
     
         13 . A method for processing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer, the method comprising:
 determining a set of equalization parameters; and   equalizing an input audio signal, to acquire an equalized audio signal;   wherein determining the set of equalization parameters comprises identifying a sound transducer using an image recognition, and selecting a set of equalization parameters in dependence on a result of the sound transducer identification,   wherein the image recognition comprises identifying the sound transducer on the basis of a specific shape of the sound transducer.   
     
     
         14 . A method for processing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer, the method comprising:
 determining a set of equalization parameters; and   equalizing an input audio signal, to acquire an equalized audio signal;   wherein a set of equalization parameters is acquired using a measurement of an impedance of the sound transducer over frequency;   wherein the method comprises combining equalization parameters associated with a plurality of reference sound transducers, the reference impedance curves over frequency of which exhibit at least a similarity in at least one distinctive feature with the measured impedance over frequency of the sound transducer, to acquire the set of equalization parameters.   
     
     
         15 . A method for processing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer, the method comprising:
 determining a set of equalization parameters; and   equalizing an input audio signal, to acquire an equalized audio signal;   wherein the equalization parameters are set in dependence on a user input from a user interface; and   wherein the set of equalization parameters and an information about the sound transducer are uploaded to a global equalization parameter database, which is accessible by multiple apparatuses for processing an audio signal of multiple users; and   sharing an equalization parameter setting identified by a user with other users.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program for performing the method according to  claim 13  when the computer program runs on a computer. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program for performing the method according to  claim 14  when the computer program runs on a computer. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program for performing the method according to  claim 15  when the computer program runs on a computer. 
     
     
         19 . A system, comprising:
 a global equalization database; and   an apparatus for processing an audio signal for reproduction by a sound transducer according to  claim 3 ,   wherein the global equalization database defines an association between types of sound transducers and corresponding sets of equalization parameters,   wherein the global equalization database is accessible by multiple apparatuses for processing an audio signal of multiple users, such that it is possible to share an equalization parameter setting identified by a user with other users.