Vehicle-mounted stereophonic sound field reproducer/silencer

• US 20030103636A1
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Daisuke, Ieda, Masahiro, Yamagishi, Yutaka, Hayakawa, Fujio, Kotani, Yutaka, Kitano, Toyoaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/302
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/727 with speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/879 with additional features not related to head-rest positioning, e.g. heating or cooling devices or loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0217 for loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0017 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/161 in systems with fluid flow G10K11/162 takes precedence; gas flow silencers or exhaust apparatus for machines or engines in general or for internal combustion engine F01N, noise absorbers in pipes or pipe systems F16L55/02; noise absorption in air conditioning and ventilation F24F13/24; silencing exhaust or propulsion jets in aircraft B64D33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/108 Communication systems, e.g. where useful sound is kept and noise is cancelled
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/12 Rooms, e.g. ANC inside a room, office, concert hall or automobile cabin
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1282 Automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3221 Headrests, seats or the like, for personal ANC systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3225 Radio or other sources used in ANC for transfer function estimation; Means to avoid interference between desired signals, e.g. from a car stereo, and the ANC signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted three dimensional sound signal reproducing-silencing unit includes at least two speakers disposed for each of seats to be occupied by listeners so as to generate a three dimensional sound field space in a region inclusive of left and right external ears of each of the listeners, and three dimensional signal processing means for converting an output signal from a sound source into a three dimensional sound field signal for supplying it to each of the speakers, thereby reproducing a three dimensional sound field with rich presence for each of the seats. The unit also includes antiphase signal generating means for supplying a silencing signal to the three dimensional signal processing means, thereby silencing sounds for each of the seats without giving an effect on the other seats.

Claims

1. A three dimensional sound field reproducing unit comprising:

at least two speakers respectively disposed for both left and right sides of listener and these speakers disposed for each of seats to be occupied by listeners so as to generate a three dimensional sound field space in a region inclusive of left and right external ears of each of the listeners; and

three dimensional signal processing means for converting an output signal from a sound source into a three dimensional sound field signal for supplying it to each of said speakers.

2. The three dimensional sound field reproducing unit according to claim 1, wherein said output signal from said sound source is supplied to said three dimensional signal processing means by closing a seating switch to be closed on seating of the listener, and an operation switch to be closed by the listener for selection of the sound source.

3. The three dimensional sound field reproducing unit according to claim 1, further comprising sound source selecting means, disposed on an input side of said three dimensional signal processing means, for selecting a desired sound source from a plurality of different sound sources.

4. The three dimensional sound field reproducing unit according to claim 1, wherein said speakers are disposed in each headrest.

5. The three dimensional sound field reproducing unit according to claim 1, wherein said speakers are disposed on a ceiling so as to surround a head of each of seated listeners in accordance with left and right external ears of the listener.

6. A three dimensional sound field silencing unit comprising:

at least two speakers respectively disposed for both left and right sides of listener and these speakers disposed for each of seats to be occupied by listeners so as to generate a three dimensional sound field space in a region inclusive of left and right external ears of each of the listeners;

three dimensional signal processing means for converting an output signal from a sound source into a three dimensional sound field signal for supplying it to each of said speakers;

volume detecting means for detecting volume in the three dimensional sound field space; and

antiphase signal generating means for supplying a silencing signal that cancels a vehicle noise based on the detected volume from said volume detecting means to said three dimensional signal processing means.