Loudness level control for audio reception and decoding equipment

摘要

The application discusses a computer implemented method and apparatus for performing audio equalization in an audio receiver device, such as an integrated receiver/decoder or set top box, or integrated TV, connected to one or more audio playback devices, such as a television unit, computer screen and speakers, amplifier or home theater equipment. The method and apparatus use an equalization process which compares audio signals received in different audio formats (e.g. MPEG-1 Layer II, AC-3 2.0, AC-3 5.1 and HE-AAC) with one another, allowing a correction gain factor to be determined for equalizing the perceived loudness of the signals when played-back at a connected playback device. The correction gain factor is then applied in the audio receiver device before output.

主权项

1. A method that controls an audio receiver device to equalise loudness levels of output audio signals for playback on a connected audio reproduction device, comprising:
outputting at least a first audio signal and a second audio signal from an audio output of the audio receiver device for playback on the audio reproduction device, the first audio signal and the second signal being encoded in different audio formats, the first audio signal being output at a first loudness level and the second audio signal being output at a second loudness level; detecting playback of at least one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal occurring at the audio reproduction device; recording, with at least one of a microphone and another input, a first recorded audio signal and a second recorded audio signal corresponding to the detected playback of the first audio signal and the second audio signal; analysing the first recorded audio signal and the second recorded audio signal; determining a value indicating the loudness of at least one of the first recorded audio signal and the second recorded audio signal; based on the determined value, adjusting at least one of the first loudness level and the second loudness level until the value indicates that loudness of the first recorded audio signal and loudness of the second recorded audio signal are substantially the same as each other; and saving information corresponding to the first loudness level and the second loudness level in memory for future reproduction of the audio output signals.