AVQ

Automatic Volume and eQqualization control

Interactive White Paper v1.6

 The problem and solution
Mobile phones Hands-free kits Car radios Portable Media Players
Comfortable reproduction of music or speech in varying noisy conditions requires constant changes in
sound level (with changes in noise level) and equalization (with changes in noise spectrum). For
example, the volume and equalization set for a standing car will no be adequate when the car is moving.
Today, the user has to change the sound volume manually which is uncomfortable and, in some cases
such as a hands-free car kit, even dangerous. Suitable manual frequency equalization is almost never
possible due to a large number of parameters to control on the fly.

Automatic Volume eQualization control (AVQ) technology provides an automatic alternative to manual
volume and equalizer adjustment. It permanently monitors noise conditions and changes the sound
being reproduced accordingly.

Figure on the right shows the basic AVQ scheme. Signal and noise
Signal and noise after
A microphone (already present in communication before
devices) is used to monitor the current noise

Combining from
Band EQ 1

Decomposition
on subbands
Gain > 1
conditions. The signal being equalized is divided Input signal

bands
on several frequency subbands. The microphone
signal is divided on the same frequency subbands Band EQ N
Gain = 1
and analyzed to extract noise level in each
subband without being affected by the Noise level
loudspeaker sound. The parameters are then fed Band Noise

Decomposition
on subbands
into the corresponding band equalization (gain) Mic signal
Estimation
blocks. These blocks dynamically amplify and
equalize the sound to be head equally well in Band Noise
varying noisy conditions ensuring sufficient but Estimation
not excessive signal to noise ratio over all
frequency range .

Demo ahead
Revision: 2.0 2
 AVQ Performance
The figures below illustrates the performance
The left figure shows sound and noise level in quiet conditions (e.g. in a standing car). The volume and
equalization of speech is set to be heard well (all above the noise level but not too much).
The middle figure shows the same speech level while the noise level and its spectrum has changed
(moving car). It is seen that parts of the speech spectrum are masked by noise. Accordingly, the
speech intelligibility is reduced dramatically.
The right figure demonstrates the spectrum of noise and equalized speech. Similar to the left figure,
the speech exceeds the noise level all over the frequency range (but not too much). This restores
intelligibility and provides a comfortable sound.

dB Original (quiet) conditions dB Noisy conditions, original speech dB Noisy conditions, equalized speech
Speech Noise Speech Noise Speech Noise
90 90 90
80 80 80
70 70 70
60 60 60
50 50 50
40 40 40
30 30 30
20 20 20
125Hz 250Hz 500Hz 1KHz 2KHz 4KHz 125Hz 250Hz 500Hz 1KHz 2KHz 4KHz 125Hz 250Hz 500Hz 1KHz 2KHz 4KHz

AVQ may also be called Audio Cruise Control as it totally eliminates the need to touch
sound controls while cruise conditions are changing.

Demo on the next slides

Revision: 2.0 3
 AVQ processing for voice communication
Being a part of Alango Voice Communication Package of technologies (VCP), AVQ
technology is tightly integrated with other Alango signal processing technologies. It shares
the same subband decomposition and noise estimation blocks.
Demo conditions:
- Varying background noise is an ambient noise around the user.
It cannot be changed/reduces as the DSP system has not control of it.
- Voice reproduced by the phone speaker is equalized according to the spectrum and
power of the ambient noise to provide equal intelligibility and perceptual loudness.
Voice in ambient noise without processing
Bulldozer Helicopter
Press any key to hear
unprocessed sound

Voice in ambient noise with AVQ processing

Bulldozer Helicopter
Press any key to hear
sound with AVQ

Revision: 2.0 4
 AVQ-Me processing demo for music

AVQ for Music and Entertainment (AVQ-Me) is devoted to those listening music, watching movies and
using their game consoles in mobile environments. While ambient noises change fast and
unpredictable, you just dont have time to stop. AVQ-Me does all for you, so enjoy your music, always.

Processed by
Without AVQ-Me AVQ-Me technology

Noise in the examples is ambient noise. AVQ-Me cannot reduce or change it, it amplifies
and equalizes the music instead

AVQ for Music and Entertainment (AVQ-Me) technology uses its own subband decomposition scheme
that is optimized for high quality music reproduction in such devices as portable media players, mobile
phones and car stereos.
Revision: 2.0 5