Stereophonic sound system

• US 20080044038A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Douglas W. Houle
• Original Assignee: Douglas W. Houle
• Inventors: Houle, Douglas W.
• Application Number:
  US11/648,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20080044038A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/97
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

The stereophonic sound system attenuates the audio power level delivered to the auxiliary speakers relative to the audio power level delivered to the main speakers so that the radiated sound pressure level from the auxiliary speakers is less than the radiated sound pressure level from the main speakers; blocks the tow frequency audio power from being delivered to the auxiliary speakers; and shapes the radiated dispersion pattern by controlling the phase relationship between the auxiliary speakers and the main speakers. This system widens the stereophonic sweet spot, eliminates soundstage shift, corrects off-axis response, and improves off-axis phantom image specificity, thus improving stereophonic realism over and above the present art. Stereophonic “realism” is a subjective assessment of the degree to which the sound from an audio system approaches that of live music.

Claims

2. A stereo loudspeaker system comprising:

a. a first and a second main speaker, the first main speaker being spaced apart from the second main speaker;

b. a first and a second auxiliary speaker, the first auxiliary speaker being positioned relative to the first main speaker, the second auxiliary speaker being positioned relative to the second main speaker;

c. means for blocking low frequency audio power from being delivered to the auxiliary speakers, the low frequency audio power being from about 100 Hz to about 3,000 Hz;

wherein acoustic power emanating from the first main speaker and the first auxiliary speaker blend together to form a wider dispersion angle than the acoustic power emanating from the first main speaker; and

wherein acoustic power emanating from the second main speaker and the second auxiliary speaker blend together to form a wider dispersion angle than the acoustic power emanating from the second main speaker.

3. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 2, whereby the blocking of the tow frequency audio power from being delivered to the auxiliary speakers prevents low frequency phase distortion between the auxiliary speakers and the main speakers.

4. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 2, whereby the blocking of the low frequencies reduces the power requirements for remaining stages and for the auxiliary speaker.

5. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 2, further comprising means for using phase shift circuits to vary the phase relationship between the main speakers and the auxiliary speakers, the phase shift circuits controlling the phase angle relationship between audio power delivered to the main speakers and audio power delivered to the auxiliary speakers.

6. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 5, whereby the blocking of the tow frequency audio power from being delivered to the auxiliary speakers prevents phase distortion between the auxiliary speakers and the main speakers.

7. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 2, whereby the right auxiliary speaker is mounted together with the right main speaker and the left auxiliary speaker is mounted together with the left main speaker.

8. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 2, whereby the left main, left auxiliary, right main, and right auxiliary speakers are mounted into a single integrated speaker.

9. A stereo loudspeaker system comprising:

a. a first and a second main speaker, the first main speaker being spaced apart from the second main speaker;

b. a first and a second auxiliary speaker, the first auxiliary speaker being positioned relative to the first main speaker, the second auxiliary speaker being positioned relative to the second main speaker;

c. means for using a phase shift circuit to vary the phase relationship between the main speakers and the auxiliary speakers, the phase shift circuit controlling the phase angle relationship between audio power delivered to the main speakers and audio power delivered to the auxiliary speakers;

wherein acoustic power emanating from the first main speaker and the first auxiliary speaker blend together to form a wider dispersion angle than the acoustic power emanating from the first main speaker; and

wherein acoustic power emanating from the second main speaker and the second auxiliary speaker blend together to form a wider dispersion angle than the acoustic power emanating from the second main speaker.

1. A stereo loudspeaker system comprising:

a. a first and a second main speaker, the first main speaker being spaced apart from the second main speaker;

b. a first and a second auxiliary speaker, the first auxiliary speaker being positioned relative to the first main speaker, the second auxiliary speaker being positioned relative to the second main speaker;

c. means for blocking low frequency audio power from being delivered to the auxiliary speakers, the low frequency audio power being from about 100 Hz to about 3,000 Hz;

d. means for using a phase shift circuit to vary the phase relationship between the main speakers and the auxiliary speakers, the phase shift circuit controlling the phase angle relationship between audio power delivered to the main speakers and audio power delivered to the auxiliary speakers; and

e. means for attenuating audio power level delivered to the first and the second auxiliary speakers, first auxiliary audio power level delivered to the first auxiliary speaker being attenuated relative to the first main audio power level delivered to the first main speaker so that radiated sound pressure level from the first auxiliary speakers is equal to or less than the radiated sound pressure level from the first main speaker, second auxiliary audio power level delivered to the second auxiliary speaker being attenuated relative to the second main audio power level delivered to the second main speaker so that radiated sound pressure level from the second auxiliary speakers is equal to or less than the radiated sound pressure level from the second main speaker;

wherein acoustic power emanating from the first main speaker and the first auxiliary speaker blend together to form a wider dispersion angle than the acoustic power emanating from the first main speaker; and

wherein acoustic power emanating from the second main speaker and the second auxiliary speaker blend together to form a wider dispersion angle than the acoustic power emanating from the second main speaker.

10. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 9, whereby the phase shift circuit alters the electrical phase of the audio power delivered to the auxiliary speaker with respect to the main speaker.

11. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 9, whereby the right auxiliary speaker is mounted together with the right main speaker and the left auxiliary speaker is mounted together with the left main speaker.

12. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 9, whereby the left main, left auxiliary, right main, and right auxiliary speakers are mounted into a single integrated speaker.

13. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 9, further comprising means for attenuating audio power level delivered to the first and the second auxiliary speakers, first auxiliary audio power level delivered to the first auxiliary speaker being attenuated relative to the first main audio power level delivered to the first main speaker so that radiated sound pressure level from the first auxiliary speakers is equal to or less than the radiated sound pressure level from the first main speaker, second auxiliary audio power level delivered to the second auxiliary speaker being attenuated relative to the second main audio power level delivered to the second main speaker so that radiated sound pressure level from the second auxiliary speakers is equal to or less than the radiated sound pressure level from the second main speaker;

14. A stereo loudspeaker system comprising:

a. a first and a second main speaker, the first main speaker being spaced apart from the second main speaker;

b. a first and a second auxiliary speaker, the first auxiliary speaker being positioned relative to the first main speaker, the second auxiliary speaker being positioned relative to the second main speaker;

c. means for attenuating audio power level delivered to the first and the second auxiliary speakers, first auxiliary audio power level delivered to the first auxiliary speaker being attenuated relative to the first main audio power level delivered to the first main speaker so that radiated sound pressure level from the first auxiliary speakers is equal to or less than the radiated sound pressure level from the first main speaker, second auxiliary audio power level delivered to the second auxiliary speaker being attenuated relative to the second main audio power level delivered to the second main speaker so that radiated sound pressure level from the second auxiliary speakers is equal to or less than the radiated sound pressure level from the second main speaker;

wherein acoustic power emanating from the first main speaker and the first auxiliary speaker blend together to form a wider dispersion angle than the acoustic power emanating from the first main speaker; and

wherein acoustic power emanating from the second main speaker and the second auxiliary speaker blend together to form a wider dispersion angle than the acoustic power emanating from the second main speaker.

15. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 13, whereby the attenuation power level of the first and second auxiliary speakers relative to the first and second main speakers is at a lower power end of a setting range of a just noticeable difference power level.

16. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 13, whereby the right auxiliary speaker is mounted together with the right main speaker and the left auxiliary speaker is mounted together with the left main speaker.

17. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 13, whereby the left main, left auxiliary, right main, and right auxiliary speakers are mounted into a single integrated speaker.

18. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 13, further comprising means for blocking tow frequency audio power from being delivered to the auxiliary speakers, the low frequency audio power being from about 100 Hz to about 3,000 Hz.

14-1. The stereophonic loudspeaker system of claim 13, whereby the first and second audio power level delivered to the first and second auxiliary speakers is less than the first and second audio power lower delivered to the first and second main speakers.