Audio playback system monitoring

摘要

In some embodiments, a method for monitoring speakers within an audio playback system (e.g., movie theater) environment. In typical embodiments, the monitoring method assumes that initial characteristics of the speakers (e.g., a room response for each of the speakers) have been determined at an initial time, and relies on one or more microphones positioned in the environment to perform a status check on each of the speakers to identify whether a change to at least one characteristic of any of the speakers has occurred since the initial time. In other embodiments, the method processes data indicative of output of a microphone to monitor audience reaction to an audiovisual program. Other aspects include a system configured (e.g., programmed) to perform any embodiment of the inventive method, and a computer readable medium (e.g., a disc) which stores code for implementing any embodiment of the inventive method.

主权项

1. A method for monitoring audience reaction to an audiovisual program played back by a playback system including a set of M speakers in a playback environment, where M is a positive integer, wherein the program has a soundtrack comprising M channels, said method including steps of:
(a) playing back the audiovisual program in the presence of an audience in the playback environment, including by emitting sound, determined by the program, from the speakers of the playback system in response to driving each of the speakers with a speaker feed for a different one of the channels of the soundtrack; (b) obtaining audio data indicative of at least one microphone signal generated by at least microphone in the playback environment during emission of the sound in step (a); and (c) processing the audio data to extract audience data from said audio data, and analyzing the audience data to determine audience reaction to the program, wherein the audience data are indicative of audience content indicated by the microphone signal, and the audience content comprises sound produced by the audience during playback of the program.