Active acoustics performance shell

• US 20060060420A1
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wenger Corporation (Wenger NA)
• Original Assignee: Wenger Corporation (Wenger NA)
• Inventors: Freiheit, Ronald R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,600,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 181/287
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/8236 Stage shells

Abstract

An electroacoustic shell system adapted create a performance area where sound created by a performer is received, processed, and returned to the performer in the performance area. The system broadly includes an electroacoustic shell with a vertical panel and a canopy, a microphone and a speaker operably coupled to the shell, and an electronics processing assembly connected to the microphones and speakers for recording, broadcasting, and simulating sound.

Claims

1. An acoustic shell system for enhancing sounds made by at least one performer comprising:

a shell including a vertical panel and a canopy angularly extending upwardly from said vertical panel, wherein the area in front of said vertical panel and below said canopy partially defines a performance area occupied by a performer;

a microphone operably coupled to said canopy proximate the performance area;

a speaker proximate the performance area; and

an electronics processing assembly operably connected to said microphone and to said speaker such that sounds from the performance area captured by said microphone are fed to the electronics processing assembly for processing and then fed to said speaker for transmission as sound to the performance area.

2. The acoustic shell system of claim 1 wherein said speaker proximate the performance area is a wireless headphone.

3. The acoustic shell system of claim 1 wherein said speaker is operably connected to said canopy.

4. The acoustic shell system of claim 1 wherein the said vertical panel of said portable shell includes an absorber panel.

5. The acoustic shell system of claim 1 wherein the said vertical panel of said portable shell includes an absorber panel having a first portion facing said performance area and a second portion facing said vertical panel and wherein said speaker is operably coupled to the second portion of said absorber panel.

6. The acoustic shell system of claim 1 wherein the side of said vertical panel of said portable shell proximate said performance area has a first region having acoustic reflecting material and a second region having acoustic absorbing material and wherein the acoustic absorbing material is proximate said speakers.

7. An acoustic shell system for enhancing sounds made by at least one performer comprising:

a shell including an acoustic reflective vertical panel and an acoustic reflective canopy angularly extending upwardly from said vertical panel, wherein the area in front of said vertical panel and below said canopy partially defines an acoustic reflective performance area occupied by a performer;

a microphone operably coupled to said canopy proximate the acoustic reflective performance area;

an absorber panel operably coupled to said portable shell and defining a semi-anechoic reflective zone within the performance area;

a speaker operably coupled to said absorber panel proximate the semi-anechoic zone wherein said speaker faces away from the semi-anechoic zone within the performance area; and

an electronics processing assembly operably connected to said microphone and to said speaker such that sounds from the acoustic reflective performance area captured by said microphone are fed to the electronics processing assembly for processing and then fed to said speaker for transmission as sound to the performance area.

8. A method for using an acoustic shell system partially defining a performance area and an electronics processing assembly comprising the steps of:

providing an acoustic shell system for enhancing the sounds made by at least one performer including;

a shell including a vertical panel and a canopy angularly extending upwardly from said vertical panel, wherein the area in front of said vertical panel and below said canopy partially defines a performance area occupied by a performer;

a microphone operably coupled to said canopy proximate the performance area;

a speaker operably coupled to said vertical panel proximate the performance area;

creating sound in the performance area;

capturing the sound in the performance area with said microphone and converting the sound to a signal;

processing the signal with said electronics processing equipment;

transmitting the processed signal to said speaker;

broadcasting the processed signal as sound to the performer in the performance area.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of providing said electronics processing equipment includes providing a preamplifier and the step of processing the signal further includes altering the signal with said preamplifier.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of providing said electronics processing equipment includes providing a filter and the step of processing the signal further includes filtering the signal from said microphone with said filter.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of providing said electronics processing equipment includes providing a digital signal processor and the step of processing the signal further includes processing the signal from said microphone with said digital signal processor.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of providing said electronics processing equipment includes providing an audio amplifier and the step of processing the signal further includes amplifying the signal from said microphone with said audio amplifier.