Vehicle directional electroacoustical transducing

• US 20070116298A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Torio, Guy, Holmi, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 8,090,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/86
• 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 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

Vehicle audio systems including directional loudspeakers, particularly directional arrays. An exemplary audio system for a vehicle includes a plurality of audio channels. The vehicle includes a first passenger position and a second passenger position ahead of the first passenger position. The audio system includes a first directional loudspeaker positioned ahead of the first passenger position and in back of the second passenger position, constructed and arranged to radiate directionally a first audio channel so that a direction toward the first passenger position is one of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction and so that a direction toward the second passenger position is the other of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction.

Claims

1. An audio system for a vehicle, the audio system comprising a plurality of audio channels, the vehicle comprising a first passenger position and a second passenger position ahead of the first passenger position, the audio system comprising:

a first directional loudspeaker positioned ahead of the first passenger position and in back of the second passenger position, constructed and arranged to radiate directionally a first audio channel so that a direction toward the first passenger position is one of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction and so that a direction toward the second passenger position is the other of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction.

2. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the directional loudspeaker is further constructed and arranged to radiate a second audio channel.

3. An audio system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the directional loudspeaker is further constructed and arranged to radiate directionally the second audio channel so that a direction toward the passenger position to which the first channel low radiation direction is directed is a second channel high radiation direction and the direction toward the passenger position to which the first channel high radiation direction is directed is a second channel low radiation direction.

4. An audio system in accordance with claim 3, the vehicle further comprising a third passenger position to the right and ahead of the first passenger position and to the right of the second passenger position and a fourth passenger position, to the right of the first passenger position, to the right and in back of the second passenger position, and in back of the third passenger position;

wherein the directional loudspeaker is mounted in back of the second and the third passenger positions, ahead of the first and fourth passenger positions, to the right of the first and the second passenger positions, and to the left of the third and the fourth passenger positions; and

wherein the directional loudspeaker is further constructed and arranged to radiate directionally a third audio channel so that a direction toward the third passenger position is one of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction and to radiate directionally a fourth audio channel so that the direction toward which the third channel low radiation direction is directed is a fourth channel high radiation direction.

5. An audio system in accordance with claim 3, further comprising circuitry for delaying one of a first audio channel signal and a second audio channel signal to the first directional loudspeaker.

6. An audio system in accordance with claim 5, further comprising circuitry for delaying the other of the first audio channel signal and the second audio signal to the second directional loudspeaker.

7. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the directional loudspeaker is mounted in vehicle door.

8. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the directional loudspeaker is mounted in or on a seatback of a seat associated with the second passenger position.

9. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the directional loudspeaker is mounted in a headliner of the vehicle.

10. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the directional loudspeaker is mounted in a B-pillar.

11. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a second loudspeaker, positioned ahead of the second passenger position, constructed and arranged to radiate the first audio channel.

12. An audio system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the first loudspeaker is constructed and arranged to directionally radiate the first channel so that the direction toward the first passenger position is a high radiation direction and wherein the second loudspeaker is a directional loudspeaker constructed and arranged to radiate the first audio channel so that the direction toward the second passenger position is a high radiation direction.

13. An audio system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the second loudspeaker is further constructed and arranged to radiate the first audio channel so that a direction toward a vehicle windshield is a low radiation direction.

14. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first directional loudspeaker is constructed and arranged to alternatively radiate omni-directionally or directionally based on pre-determined criteria.

15. An audio system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the pre-determined criteria comprises the presence or absence of an occupant of the first passenger position.

16. An audio system in accordance with claim 15 further comprising a detector for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant of the first passenger position.

17. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the SPL in the low radiation direction is a level at least −

6 dB with respect to the maximum radiation in any direction for points equidistant from the directional loudspeaker.

18. An audio system in accordance with claim 17, wherein the SPL in the low radiation direction is a level at least −

10 dB with respect relative to the maximum radiation in any direction for points equidistant from the directional loudspeaker.

19. An audio system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the SPL in the high radiation direction is within 4 dB of the maximum radiation in any direction for points equidistant from the directional loudspeaker.

20. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, the vehicle comprising a third passenger position in back of the first passenger position, the audio system further comprising a second directional loudspeaker positioned in back of the first directional loudspeaker and ahead of the third passenger position, constructed and arranged to radiate directionally the first audio channel so that the direction toward the first passenger position is one of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction and so that the direction toward the third passenger position is the other of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction.

21. An audio system in accordance with claim 20, wherein the second directional speaker is constructed and arranged to radiate directionally a second audio channel so that the direction toward the third passenger position is a high radiation direction and so that the direction toward the first passenger position is a low radiation direction.

22. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the directional loudspeaker is constructed and arranged to alternatively radiate the first audio channel or an audio signal from an auxiliary device.

23. An audio system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the auxiliary device is a radiotelephone.

24. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising circuitry for delaying a first channel audio signal to the first directional loudspeaker.

25. An audio system for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first directional loudspeaker is constructed and arranged to radiate directionally a second channel so that the direction toward the first passenger position is the other of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction.

26. An audio system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the first directional loudspeaker is further constructed and arranged to radiate directionally the second channel so that the direction toward the second passenger position is the other of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction.

27. An audio system in accordance with claim 26, wherein the SPL in the low radiation direction is a level at least −

6 dB with respect to the maximum radiation in any direction for points equidistant from the directional loudspeaker.

28. An audio system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a third passenger position to the right and ahead of the first passenger position and to the right of the second passenger position, wherein the first directional loudspeaker is constructed and arranged to radiate directionally the first audio channel so that the direction toward the second passenger position is a high radiation direction and so that more acoustic energy is directed toward the third passenger position than is directed towards the second passenger position.

29. An audio system in accordance with claim 28, wherein the direction toward the second passenger position and the direction toward the third passenger position are both high radiation directions.

30. A method for operating a vehicle audio system for a vehicle, the audio system comprising a plurality of audio channels, the vehicle comprising a first passenger position and a second passenger position ahead of the first passenger position, the method comprising:

radiating directionally a first audio channel so that a direction toward the first passenger position is one of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction and so that a direction toward the second passenger position is the other of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30, further comprising radiating a second audio channel.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein the radiating the second audio channel comprises radiating directionally the second audio channel so that a direction toward the passenger position to which the first channel low radiation direction is directed is a second channel high radiation direction and the direction toward the passenger position to which the first channel high radiation direction is directed is a second channel low radiation direction.

33. A method in accordance with claim 32, the vehicle further comprising a third passenger position to the right and ahead of the first passenger position and to the right of the second passenger position and a fourth passenger position, to the right of the first passenger position, to the right and in back of the second passenger position, and in back of the third passenger position and wherein the directional loudspeaker is mounted in back of the second and the third passenger positions, ahead of the first and fourth passenger positions, to the right of the first and the second passenger positions, and to the left of the third and the fourth passenger positions, the method further comprising

radiating directionally a third audio channel so that a direction toward the third passenger position is one of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction and

radiating directionally a fourth audio channel so that the direction toward which the third channel low radiation direction is directed is a fourth channel high radiation direction.

34. A method in accordance with claim 32, further comprising delaying one of a first audio channel signal and a second audio channel signal to the first directional loudspeaker.

35. A method in accordance with claim 34, further comprising delaying the other of the first audio channel signal and the second audio signal to the second directional loudspeaker.

36. A method in accordance with claim 31, further comprising radiating omni-directionally a second audio channel.

37. A method in accordance with claim 30, the vehicle further comprising a second loudspeaker, positioned ahead of the second passenger position, the method further comprising radiating a second audio channel.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein radiating the second channel comprises radiating directionally the second audio channel so that the direction toward the second passenger position is a high radiation direction.

39. A method in accordance with claim 38, wherein the radiating the second audio comprises radiating directionally the second audio channel so that a direction toward a vehicle windshield is a low radiation direction.

40. A method in accordance with claim 30, where in the radiating is alternatively comprises one of radiating omni-directionally or radiating directionally based on pre-determined criteria.

41. A method in accordance with claim 40, wherein the pre-determined criteria comprise the presence or absence of an occupant of the first passenger position.

42. A method in accordance with claim 41 further comprising detecting the presence or absence of an occupant of the first passenger position.

43. A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein the SPL in the low radiation direction is a level at least −

6 dB with respect to the maximum radiation in any direction for points equidistant from the directional loudspeaker.

44. A method in accordance with claim 43, wherein the SPL in the low radiation direction is a level at least −

10 dB with respect to the maximum radiation in any direction for points equidistant from the directional loudspeaker.

45. A method in accordance with claim 44, wherein the SPL in the high radiation direction is within 4 dB of the maximum radiation in any direction for points equidistant from the directional loudspeaker.

46. A method in accordance with claim 30, the vehicle comprising a third passenger position in back of the first passenger position, the audio system further comprising a second directional loudspeaker positioned in back of the first directional loudspeaker and ahead of the third passenger position, the method further comprising

radiating directionally the first audio channel so that the direction toward the first passenger position is one of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction and so that the direction toward the third passenger position is the other of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction.

47. A method in accordance with claim 46, further comprising radiating directionally a second audio channel so that the direction toward the third passenger position is a high radiation direction and so that the direction toward the passenger position toward which the first channel high radiation is directed is a low radiation direction.

48. An audio system in accordance with claim 30, comprising alternatively radiating directionally so that the direction toward the second passenger position is a high radiation direction the first audio channel or audio signals from an auxiliary device.

49. An audio system in accordance with claim 48, wherein the auxiliary device is a radiotelephone.

50. An audio system in accordance with claim 30, delaying a first channel audio signal to the first directional loudspeaker.

51. A method for operating a vehicle audio system for a vehicle in accordance with claim 30, further comprising

radiating directionally a second channel so that the direction toward the second passenger position is the one of a low radiation direction and a high radiation direction and so that the direction toward the first passenger position is the other of the high radiation direction and the low radiation direction.

52. A method in accordance with claim 51, wherein the SPL in the high radiation direction is within 4 dB of the maximum radiation in any direction for points equidistant from the directional loudspeaker.

53. An audio system for a vehicle, the vehicle comprising passenger positions and an acoustically reflective surface, the audio system comprising:

a directional loudspeaker, constructed and arranged to radiate directionally acoustic energy so that the direction toward a passenger position is one of a high radiation direction and a low radiation direction and so that the direction toward the reflective surface is the other of the high radiation direction and the low radiation direction.

54. An audio system in accordance with claim 53, wherein the reflective surface is a windshield.

55. An audio system in accordance with claim 53, wherein the reflective surface is one of a tailgate window and a rear window.

56. A method for operating a vehicle audio system, the vehicle comprising passenger positions and an acoustically reflective surface, the method comprising:

radiating directionally acoustic energy so that the direction toward a passenger position is one of a high radiation direction and a low radiation direction and so that the direction toward the reflective surface the other of a high radiation direction and a low radiation direction.

57. A method for operating an audio system in accordance with claim 56, wherein the reflective surface is a windshield.

58. A method for operating an audio system in accordance with claim 56, wherein the reflective surface is one of a tailgate window and a rear window.

59. An audio system for a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a passenger location and a microphone for detecting acoustic energy, the audio system comprising:

a directional loudspeaker constructed and arranged to radiate sound directionally so that the direction toward the passenger location is a high radiation direction and so that the direction toward the microphone is a low radiation direction.

60. An audio system in accordance with claim 59, wherein the microphone is a component of a vehicle noise compensation system.

61. An audio system in accordance with claim 60, wherein the microphone is a component of a radiotelephone system.

62. An audio system in accordance with claim 59, wherein the microphone is a component of a radiotelephone system.

63. An audio system in accordance with claim 59, wherein the microphone is a directional microphone and where the direction from the microphone toward the directional loudspeaker is a low detection direction.

64. An audio system in accordance with claim 63, wherein the direction from the microphone toward a passenger location is a high detection direction.

65. An audio system for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of audio channels;

a directional loudspeaker;

a first operating mode characterized by the directional loudspeaker radiating one of the audio channels; and

a second operating mode characterized by the directional loudspeaker radiating a different one of the channels.

66. An audio system for a vehicle in accordance with claim 65, wherein the one of the audio channels is a center channel and the different one of the channels is one of a right channel and a left channel.

67. An audio system in accordance with claim 66, wherein the second operating mode is further characterized by the directional loudspeaker radiating the other of the right channel and the left channel.

68. An audio system in accordance with claim 67, wherein the directional loudspeaker radiates the left channel directionally so that the direction toward a passenger position on the right is a high radiation direction and wherein the directional loudspeaker radiates the right channel directionally so that the direction toward a passenger position on the left is a high radiation direction.

69. An audio system in accordance with claim 68, wherein the directional loudspeaker radiates the left channel directionally so that the direction toward the passenger position on the left is a low radiation direction and radiates the right channel so that direction toward the passenger position on the right is a low radiation direction.

70. An audio system in accordance with claim 66, wherein the directional loudspeaker is constructed and arranged so that the source of the center channel radiation appears to be a video display.

71. An audio system in accordance with claim 70, wherein the directional loudspeaker radiates the center channel toward the video display so that the center channel radiation reflects off the video display.

72. An audio system in accordance with claim 65, wherein the first operating mode is further characterized by the directional loudspeaker radiating the center channel so that a direction toward a front passenger position is a low radiation direction.

73. A method for operating a vehicle audio system, the audio system comprising a plurality of audio channels and a plurality of directional loudspeakers, the method comprising:

alternatively radiating by one of the plurality of directional loudspeaker one of a first directional radiating pattern and a second directional radiating pattern.

74. A method for operating a vehicle audio system in accordance with claim 73, wherein

the radiating the first directional radiating pattern comprises radiating the center channel by a first plurality of speakers and

wherein the radiating the second radiating pattern includes radiating the center channel by one of the directional loudspeakers, the one of the directional loudspeakers not included in the first plurality of loudspeakers.

75. A method for operating a vehicle audio system in accordance with claim 73, further comprising:

alternatively radiating by a second of the plurality of directional loudspeaker one of the first directional radiating pattern and the second directional radiating pattern.

76. A method for operating a vehicle audio system in accordance with claim 73, further comprising

selecting, by a user, the first radiating pattern or the second radiating pattern.

77. A method for operating a vehicle audio system in accordance with claim 73, further comprising:

automatically selecting, based on a sensed condition, the first radiating pattern or the second radiating pattern.

78. An audio system for a vehicle comprising a directional loudspeaker mounted in a door of the vehicle.

79. An audio system for a vehicle in accordance with claim 78, wherein the directional loudspeaker is a directional array.

80. An audio system in accordance with claim 79, wherein the audio system includes a plurality of channels including a surround channel and wherein the directional loudspeaker is constructed and arranged to radiate directionally the surround channel so that the direction toward the front of the vehicle is a high radiation direction.

81. An audio system in accordance with claim 80, wherein the audio system is constructed to radiate directionally the surround channel so that the direction toward the rear of the vehicle is a low radiation direction.

82. An audio system in accordance with claim 81, wherein the audio system is constructed and arranged to radiate directionally another of the plurality of channels so that the direction toward the rear of the vehicle is a high radiation direction.

83. An audio system in accordance with claim 82, wherein the audio system is constructed and arranged to radiate directionally the another of the plurality of channels so that the direction toward the front of the vehicle is a low radiation direction.

84. An audio system in accordance with claim 80, wherein the audio system is constructed and arranged to radiate directionally another of the plurality of channels so that the direction toward the rear of the vehicle is a high radiation direction.

85. An audio system in accordance with claim 80, wherein the audio system is constructed and arranged to alternatively radiate the surround channel directionally or omni-directionally.

86. An audio system in accordance with claim 78, wherein the audio system includes a plurality of channels including a surround channel and wherein the directional loudspeaker is constructed and arranged to radiate the surround channel toward the front of the vehicle.