HEADREST SURROUND CHANNEL ELECTROACOUSTICAL TRANSDUCING

• US 20070098205A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Rosen, Michael, Holmi, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 8,098,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow

Abstract

An audio system including a first audio source, including a surround channel signal, coupled to an electroacoustical transducer mounted in the back of a seat of, for example, an automobile, so that the surround channel is radiated from the electroacoustical transducer. In one embodiment, the electroacoustical transducer is oriented to radiate substantially upwardly.

Claims

1. An audio system comprising:

a first audio source having a plurality of audio channel signals, said plurality of audio channel signals including a surround channel signal;

a seat having a seat back;

an electroacoustical transducer mounted in said seat back; and

electronic circuitry coupling said first audio source and said electroacoustical transducer for transmitting said surround channel signal to said electroacoustical transducer.

2. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said seat back comprises a headrest, and wherein said electroacoustical transducer is mounted in said headrest.

3. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said electroacoustical transducer is mounted along an axis to radiate upwardly from said seat back.

4. An audio system in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising,

a second electroacoustical transducer,

wherein said plurality of audio channels includes a right surround channel signal and a left surround channel signal,

wherein said electronic circuitry is adapted to transmit said left surround channel signal to said first transducer and said right channel signal to said second transducer,

and wherein said first electroacoustical transducer is positioned to one side of a normal head position of an occupant of said seat,

and said second electroacoustical transducer is positioned to an other side of said normal head position.

5. An audio system in accordance with claim 4, further including signal processing circuitry for modifying said left surround channel signal and said right surround channel signal to increase the perceived audible separation between sound radiated by said first transducer and sound radiated by said second transducer.

6. An audio system in accordance with claim 4, further comprising a second audio signal source, coupled to said circuitry for transmitting audio signals from said second source to said first transducer and said second transducer.

7. An audio system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said circuitry is adapted to transmit said left surround channel signal to said first transducer in the absence of a signal from said second source and to mute said left surround channel signal in the presence of a signal from said second source and wherein said circuitry is further adapted to transmit said right surround channel signal to said second transducer in the absence of a signal from said second source and to mute said right surround channel signal in the presence of a signal from said second source.

8. An audio system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said second audio signal source is a telephone.

9. An audio system, in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a second audio signal source, coupled to said circuitry, wherein said circuitry is adapted to transmit signals from said second audio signal source to said transducer.

10. An audio system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said circuitry is adapted to transmit said surround channel signal in the absence of a signal from said second source and to mute said surround channel signal in the presence of a signal from said second source.

11. An audio system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said second source is a telephone.

12. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said seat is an automobile seat.

13. A sitting device, comprising:

a back portion having an upper surface; and

an electroacoustical transducer, mounted in said upper surface along an axis and oriented to radiate substantially upward from said upper surface and further mounted so that the ears of a listener seated in said sitting device are non-axial with said axis.

14. A sitting device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said sitting device is an automobile seat.

15. A sitting device in accordance with claim 14, wherein said automobile seat comprises a headrest.

16. A sitting device in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a second electroacoustical transducer mounted in said upper surface along an axis and oriented to radiate upward from said upper surface.

17. A sitting device in accordance with claim 16, wherein said first transducer is positioned to the left of a user'"'"'s normal head position and said second transducer is positioned to the right of said user'"'"'s normal head position.

18. canceled

19. An automobile audio system for an automobile having a passenger compartment having a plurality of seats, said audio system comprising:

a first audio signal source

an electroacoustical transducer, mounted in one of said plurality of seats for radiating sound waves corresponding to said first audio signal source; and

a second audio signal source, wherein said first audio signal source and said second audio signal source are coupled to said transducer through circuitry, wherein said circuitry is adapted to transmit to said transducer a signal from said first source in the absence of a signal from said second source and, wherein in the presence of a signal from said second audio source said circuitry is adapted to treat a signal from said first source in a way selected from the group of ways consisting of (a) not transmitting the signal from the first audio source to the transducer, and (b) transmitting to said transducer a signal from said first audio source at a lower volume than a signal from said second audio source that is transmitted to said transducer.

23-24. -24. (canceled)

25. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said second audio source is coupled exclusively to said transducer.

26. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said signal from said first audio signal source is a surround signal.

27. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, further comprising an additional electroacoustic transducer, wherein said second audio signal source is coupled to said additional electroacoustic transducer.

28. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 27, wherein said first audio signal source and said second audio signal source are coupled to said transducer and to said additional transducer by said circuitry.

29. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said first audio signal source includes a plurality of output channels, one of said channels being a surround output channel which can output a surround signal to said circuitry.

30. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said first audio signal source can output a surround signal, and further including a plurality of electroacoustic transducers which are each mounted in one of said plurality of seats for radiating sound waves corresponding to said surround signal.

31. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 30, wherein said second audio signal source is coupled to one of said plurality of transducers.

32. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said second audio signal source includes a navigation annunciator.

33. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said second audio signal source includes a car phone

34. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said first audio signal source provides a digital audio signal.

35. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said first audio signal source provides an analog audio signal.

36. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said second audio signal source provides a digital audio signal.

37. An automobile sound system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said second audio signal source provides an analog audio signal.