Sound direction system

• US 20020125066A1
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Ricks, Bradley Joel, Rutkin, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,480,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 181/189
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/346 using phase variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30

Abstract

This invention provides a sound source system capable of producing a desired coverage pattern with high SPL that may be steered towards a desired listening area. The sound source system may provide an array of sound sources where the coverage pattern and SPL may depend on the height, width, and depth of the assembled array. Adding height and width to the array may narrow the vertical and horizontal coverage patterns that are projected, respectively. To maintain a substantially constant coverage pattern, a frequency shading techniques may be used to keep the height of the array constant relative to the wavelength. Adding depth to the array may provide greater SPL with minimal effect on the coverage pattern because array'"'"'s height and width have not changed. The sound source system may also coherently sum in the main lobe and provide substantial off-axis rejection. This may be done using an end-fired related principle where each sound source in the array may be delayed proportional to its delay distance. The delay distance for each sound source may be the shortest distance between the sound source and the reference plane. This allows the sound source system to provide a desired coverage pattern with a desired SPL.

Claims

1. A sound source system for directing sound, comprising:

a first plane and a second plane of sound sources, where at least one of the sound sources lies in a reference plane that is normal to a vector where a sound lobe from the first and second planes is aimed; and

an audio signal source coupled to a delay element that delays an audio signal to a sound source in the first plane or the second plane proportional to a delay distance between the reference plane and the sound source.

2. The sound source according to claim 1, further including an amplifier for amplifying the audio signal to the sound sources.

3. The sound source according to claim 1, where the first and second planes are aligned along a reference axis, where the vector is capable of aiming up to 360°

from the reference axis.

4. The sound source according to claim 1, where the sound lobe has a width angle and a height angle of about 90°

.

5. A sound source system for directing sound, comprising:

an array of sound sources forming a first plane and a second plane, where each sound source is positioned relative to a reference plane that is substantially normal to a vector for a sound lobe that is generated from the array of sound sources, where each sound source that has a delay distance between the sound source and the reference plane is coupled to a delay element that delays an audio signal to the sound source proportional to its delay distance to the reference plane.

6. The sound source system according to claim 5, where the vector for the sound lobe is generated between the first and second planes of the array of sound sources.

7. The sound source system according to claim 5, where the first plane is coupled to second plane of the array of sound sources.

8. The sound source according to claim 7, where the first and second planes are aligned along a reference axis, where the vector is capable of aiming up to 360°

from the reference axis.

9. The sound source according to claim 7, where the sound lobe has a width angle and a height angle of about 90°

.

10. The sound source system according to claim 5, where the array of sound sources and the sound lobe have a height, a width, and a depth, where adding more sound sources to the array of sound sources along the width reduces the width of the sound lobe, where adding more sound sources to the array of sound sources along the height reduces the height of the sound lobe;

and where adding more sound sources to the array of sound sources along the depth adds power to the sound lobe and increases an off-axis rejection.

11. The sound source system according to claim 5, where the delay distance for each sound source is a shortest distance between that sound source and the reference plane.

12. The sound source system according to claim 11, where the delay element delays the audio signal based on a time it takes for wave fronts to travel the delay distance for each sound source.

13. The sound source system according to claim 5, where the sound sources in the first and second planes are symmetrical to each other.

14. The sound source system according to claim 13, where two sound sources that are symmetrically arranged in the first and second planes are coupled to a same delay element.

15. The sound source system according to claim 5, where the array of sound sources are assembled from sound source elements, where each dual sound element has a cavity between two sound sources that are mounted on a base, where electromagnetic motors for each of the two sound sources face away from each other.

16. The sound source system according to claim 15, where the array of sound elements is between a left array and a right array, where the left and right arrays are formed from a base having two respective cavities between the base and two larger sound sources, where a divider wall separates the two cavities, and electromagnetic motors for each of the larger sound sources face out towards the electromagnetic motors of the two sound sources.

17. The sound source system according to claim 16, where the two sound sources have a cone diameter that is smaller than a cone diameter for the two larger sound sources.

18. The sound source system according to claim 15, where the base for the dual sound elements are adapted to assembled together to form columns and rows of the dual sound elements.

19. The sound source system according to claim 15, where the two sound sources have cone diameter of between about 4 inches (101.6 mm) and about 36 inches (914.4 mm).

20. The sound source system according to claim 15, where the two sound sources have cone diameter of about 12 inches (304.8 mm).

21. The sound source system according to claim 20, where outer ends of the cones are spaced about 0.2 to 0.3 times the left operating frequency wavelength.

22. The sound source system according to claim 20, where outer ends of the cones are spaced at least about 0.2 times the left operating frequency wavelength.

23. The sound source system according to claim 20, where outer ends of the cones are spaced less than about 0.3 times the left operating frequency wavelength.

24. The sound source system according to claim 15, where the dual sound element operate between about 50 Hz and about 250 Hz frequency range.

25. The sound source system according to claim 5, where the array of sound sources are assembled from sound source elements, where each sound source element includes two sound sources into a base that forms two respective cavities between the base and the two sound sources, where a divider wall separates the two cavities and electromagnetic motors for each sound sources face out.

26. The sound source system according to claim 25, where the base for the dual sound elements is adapted to assembled together to form a plane.

27. The sound source system according to claim 26, where the first plane and second plane of the dual sound elements are coupled to together with a space between the two planes, where the electromagnetic motors of the sound source elements from the two planes facing each other.

28. The sound source system according to claim 27, where a truss module is used to couple the first and second planes of the sound source elements.

29. The sound source system according to claim 25, where the two sound sources have a cone diameter of between about 4 inches (101.6 mm) and about 36 inches (914.4 mm).

30. The sound source system according to claim 25, where the two sound sources have a cone diameter of about 15 inches (381 mm).

31. The sound source system according to claim 25, where the dual sound element operate between about 50 Hz and about 250 Hz frequency range.

32. The sound source according to claim 5, where the sound source is housed in a box having a port.

33. The sound source according to claim 32, where the box has a trapezoidal side cross-section, where the boxes are stacked together forming the first and second planes of sound sources, where the sound sources in the first plane are offset relative to the sound sources in the second plane.

34. The sound source system according to claim 32, where the sound source has a cone diameter of between about 4 inches (101.6 mm) and about 36 inches (914.4 mm).

35. The sound source system according to claim 32, where the sound sources has a cone diameter of about 18 inches (457.2 mm).

36. The sound source system according to claim 32, where the sound source operate between about 25 Hz and about 125 Hz frequency range.

38. The sound source system according to claim 5, where the first plane forms an angle relative to the second plane, where the first and second planes are closer to each other in a first end than in a second end, where sound sources near the first end are driven with higher frequency audio signal than the sound sources in the second end.

39. The sound source system according to claim 37, where a frequency shading technique is used to drive the sound sources near the first end with higher frequency that the sound sources near the second end.

40. The sound source system according to claim 37, where the base is configured to stack the sound source elements to form columns and rows of the sound source elements, where each sound source is positioned relative to a reference plane that is substantially normal to a vector for a sound lobe that is generated from the columns and rows of the sound source elements, where each sound source that has a delay distance between the sound source and the reference plane is coupled to a delay element that delays an audio signal to the sound source proportional to its delay distance to the reference plane.

41. The sound source system according to claim 40, where the delay distance is a shortest distance between the sound source and the reference plane.

42. The sound source system according to claim 37, where each sound source has a cone diameter of about 12 inches (304.8 mm).

43. The sound source system according to claim 37, where the sound source operate between about 50 Hz and about 250 Hz frequency range.

44. The sound source system according to claim 37, further includes:

a larger sound source element having two larger sound sources enclosed by a larger base forming two cavities between the two larger sound sources and the larger base having a divider wall, where electromagnetic motors for the two sound sources face out, where the larger base is configured to stack the larger sound source elements to form a left array and a right array of the larger sound source elements, where the columns and rows of the sound source elements is between the left and right arrays, where each large sound source is positioned relative to the reference plane that is substantially normal to the vector, where each large sound source that has a delay distance between the large sound source and the reference plane is coupled to a delay element that delays the audio signal to the large sound source proportional to its delay distance to the reference plane.

46. The sound source system according to claim 45, where the base is configured to stack the sound source elements to form an array of the sound source elements.

47. The sound source system according to claim 45, where the base is configured to stack the sound source elements to form a left array and a right array of the sound source elements, where the left and right arrays are spaced apart and coupled together, where each sound source is positioned relative to a reference plane that is substantially normal to a vector for a sound lobe that is generated from the left and right arrays of the sound source elements, where each sound source that has a delay distance between the sound source and the reference plane is coupled to a delay element that delays an audio signal to the sound source proportional to its delay distance to the reference plane.

48. The sound source system according to claim 45, where the sound sources has a cone diameter of about 15 inches (381 mm).

49. The sound source system according to claim 45, where the sound source operate between about 50 Hz and about 250 Hz frequency range.

37. A sound source system, comprising:

a sound source element having two sound sources enclosed by a base forming a cavity between the two sound sources, where electromagnetic motors for the two sound sources face out.

45. A sound source system, comprising:

a sound source element having two sound sources enclosed by a base forming two cavities between the two sound sources and the base having a divider wall, where electromagnetic motors for the two sound sources face out.

50. A sound source system, comprising:

a sound source enclosed in a box having a port, where a magnetic motor for the sound source is within the box.

51. The sound source system according to claim 50, where the box has a trapezoidal side cross-section.

52. The sound source system according to claim 51, where the boxes are stacked together forming the first and second planes of sound sources, where the sound sources in the first plane are offset relative to the sound sources in the second plane, where each sound source is positioned relative to a reference plane that is substantially normal to a vector for a sound lobe that is generated from the sound sources in the first and second, where each sound source that has a delay distance between the sound source and the reference plane is coupled to a delay element that delays an audio signal to the sound source proportional to its delay distance to the reference plane.

53. The sound source system according to claim 50, where the sound sources has a cone diameter of about 18 inches (457.2 mm).

54. The sound source system according to claim 50, where the sound source operate between about 25 Hz and about 125 Hz frequency range.

55. A method for directing sound, comprising:

grouping a plurality of sound sources into a first plane and a second plane of sound sources, where each sound source is positioned relative to a reference plane that is substantially normal to a vector for a sound lobe that is generated from the plurality of sound sources; and

delaying an audio signal to each sound source that has a delay distance between the sound source and the reference plane proportional to its delay distance to the reference plane.

56. The method according to claim 55, further including amplifying the audio signal to each sound source.

57. The method according to claim 55, where the sound sources in the first plane are positioned symmetrically relative to the sound sources in the second planes, where a delay element delays the audio signal to two symmetrically positioned sound sources having a substantially the same delay distance.

58. The method according to claim 55, further including stacking the sound sources so that the sound sources in the first plane is offset relative to the sound sources in the second plane.

59. The method according to claim 55, further including stacking the sound sources to form an array having columns and rows of sound sources, where electromagnetic motors for each of the sound sources in the first and second planes face out.

60. The method according to claim 55, further including:

assembling the sound sources to form a left array and a right array, where electromagnetic motors for the sound sources in the left and right arrays face out, and where the left array defines the first plane and the right array defines the second plane;

spacing the left and right arrays to control a width of the sound lobe; and

coupling the left and right arrays so that the magnetic motors from the left array and the right arrays face each other.

61. The method according to claim 55, further including spacing the first plane from the second plane to control a width of the sound lobe.

62. The method according to claim 55, where the first and second planes are substantially parallel to each other.

63. The method according to claim 55, further including frequency shading the audio signal to provide the sound lobe with consistent coverage vertically along most operating frequencies.

64. The method according to claim 55, further including combining a smaller dual sound element between a left array and a right array, where the smaller dual sound element has a cavity between two smaller sound sources that are mounted on a base, where electromagnetic motors for each of the two sound sources face away from each other, and where the left and right arrays are formed from a larger base having two respective cavities between the larger base and two larger sound sources, where a divider wall separates the two cavities, and electromagnetic motors for each of the larger sound sources face out towards the electromagnetic motors of the two smaller sound sources.

65. A method for directing sound, comprising:

defining a vector for a sound lobe and a reference plane that is normal to the vector;

grouping a plurality of means for emitting sound into a first plane and a second plane;

coupling a common signal source that provides audio signals to each means for emitting sound;

delaying audio signals to each means for emitting sound that has a delay distance between the each means for emitting sound and the reference plane proportional to its delay distance to the reference plane.

66. A system for directing sound, the system comprising:

a plurality of means for emitting sound arranged in a array in a plane, the array having an extent along a desired lobe, where each means for emitting sound comprises a pair of cones facing each other on a common axis.

67. The system of claim 66, where:

each means for emitting sound further comprises a cavity bounded in part by the pair of cones; and

each means for emitting sound comprises an electromagnetic motor located outside the cavity.

69. The system of claim 68, where:

each means for emitting sound comprises a cone and a sound source; and

each means for emitting sound further comprises a cavity bounded in part by the respective cone, the sound source being located outside the cavity.

68. A system for directing sound, the system comprising:

a first plurality of means for emitting sound arranged in a left array in a first plane, the left array having an extent along a desired lobe; and

a second plurality of means for emitting sound arranged in a right array in a second plane, the right array having an extent along the desired lobe, where each means for emitting sound of the first plurality is arranged on a respective common axis with a means for emitting sound of the second plurality.

70. A system for directing sound, the system comprising:

a first plurality of means for emitting sound arranged in a first array in a first plane, the first array having an extent along a desired lobe;

a second plurality of means for emitting sound arranged in a second array in a second plane, the second array having an extent along the desired lobe;

where;

each means for emitting sound comprises a cone and a sound source; and

each means for emitting sound further comprises a cavity bounded in part by the respective cone, the cavity comprising walls at an angle of between 20° and

60°

.