SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DIRECTIONALLY RADIATING SOUND

• US 20080273725A1
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Hartung, Klaus, Hultz, Paul B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,724,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/302
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/022 Plurality of transducers corresponding to a plurality of sound channels in each earpiece of headphones or in a single enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

An audio system for a vehicle has at least one source of audio signals. At least one array of speaker elements is located at each seat position that radiates within a range of bass frequencies. For each at least one array, the speaker elements receive a common audio signal, and a respective filter is disposed between the common audio signal and each of the speaker elements. Each respective filter processes magnitude and phase of the common audio signal independently of each other respective filter to thereby define a directional audio radiation from the at least one array.

Claims

1. An audio system for a vehicle having a plurality of seat positions, said audio system comprising:

at least one source of audio signals;

at least one array of speaker elements located at each seat position that receives the audio signals and responsively radiates output audio signals within a range of bass frequencies;

wherein, for each at least one array,

the speaker elements receive a common said audio signal, and

a respective filter is disposed between the common audio signal and each of the speaker elements, wherein each said respective filter processes magnitude and phase of the common audio signal independently of each other respective filter to thereby define a directional audio radiation from the at least one array.

2. The system as in claim 1, including one said array at each said seat position.

3. The system as in claim 2, wherein each said array includes two said speaker elements.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein at least one said respective filter in each first said array at a first said seat position is optimized so that the filter reduces a magnitude of acoustic energy radiated from the first array to at least one other seat position of the plurality of seat positions, compared to a magnitude of acoustic energy radiated from the first array to the first seat position.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein, for each at least one array at each first said seat position, a first said speaker element is mounted in the vehicle at a first position, a second said speaker element is mounted in the vehicle at a second position, and the first position is closer than the second position to the head of an occupant of the first seat position.

6. An audio system for a vehicle having a plurality of seat positions, said audio system comprising:

at least one source of audio signals;

at least one array of speaker elements located at each seat position that receives the audio signals and responsively radiates output audio signals within a range of bass frequencies;

wherein, for each at least one array at each first said seat position,

the speaker elements receive a said audio signal,

a respective filter is disposed between the common audio signal and each of the speaker elements, wherein each said respective filter processes magnitude and phase of the audio signal received by the speaker element, and

a first said speaker element is mounted in the vehicle at a first position, a second said speaker element is mounted in the vehicle at a second position, and the first position is closer than the second position to the head of an occupant of the first seat position.