AUTOMATICALLY RECONFIGURABLE STEREO SPEAKER SYSTEM

• US 20080292120A1
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kelce S. Wilson
• Original Assignee: Kelce S. Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Kelce S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,986,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• 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

An embodiment of an audio system comprises a speaker system configured to automatically change a coupling of an audio speaker from a first channel input to a second channel input if an external speaker is coupled to a first output. In embodiments of the invention, the speaker that connects to an audio source, such as an audio card of a personal computer (PC), automatically swaps channels based on the jack into which an external speaker is plugged. Thus, the reconfiguration of the audio system is automatic for the user in some embodiments, requiring nothing more from the user than selecting one of two jacks for use with an external speaker.

Claims

1. An audio system comprising:

a speaker system configured to automatically change a coupling of an audio speaker from a first channel input to a second channel input if an external speaker is coupled to a first output.

2. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the first output comprises:

a first switch comprising;

a first node;

a second node; and

a third node,

wherein the first switch is selectively configurable to couple the first node to either the second node or to the third node, wherein the first node is coupled to the audio speaker, wherein the second node is coupled to the first channel input, and wherein the third node is coupled to the second channel input.

3. The audio system of claim 2 wherein the first switch is configured to automatically couple the first node to the third node upon the external speaker coupling to the first output.

4. The audio system of claim 2 wherein the first switch is configured to automatically couple the first node to the second node upon the external speaker decoupling from the first output.

5. The audio system of claim 2 further comprising:

a second output; and

a second switch comprising;

a fourth node; and

a fifth node,

wherein the second switch is selectively configurable to couple the fourth node to the fifth node or to decouple the fourth node from the fifth node, wherein the fourth node is coupled to the third node, and wherein the fifth node is coupled to the second channel input.

6. The audio system of claim 5 wherein the second switch is configured to automatically decouple the fourth node from the fifth node upon an external speaker coupling to the second output.

7. The audio system of claim 5 wherein the second switch is configured to automatically couple the fourth node to the fifth node upon the external speaker decoupling from the second output.

8. The audio system of claim 2 wherein the first switch comprises a mechanically-actuated switch configured to automatically couple the first node to the third node upon a 3.5 millimeter (mm) male jack coupling to the first output and to automatically decouple the first node from the third node upon the 3.5 mm male jack decoupling from the first output.

9. The audio system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second output coupled to the second channel input.

10. The audio system of claim 9 wherein the speaker system is configured to automatically decouple the audio speaker from the second channel input if an external speaker is coupled to the second output.

11. The audio system of claim 9 wherein the first output and the second output each comprises a 3.5 millimeter (mm) female connector.

12. The audio system of claim 9 wherein the first output and the second output each comprises a mono 3.5 millimeter (mm) female connector.

13. The audio system of claim 1 further comprising:

an input connection system coupled to the audio speaker.

14. The audio system of claim 13 wherein the input connection system comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a stereo 3.5 millimeter (mm) male jack and a stereo 3.5 mm female connector.

15. The audio system of claim 13 further comprising:

an amplifier electrically disposed between the input connection system and the audio speaker.

16. The audio system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first audio module coupled to the audio speaker,

a controller;

a separator coupled to the first audio module and the controller; and

an electrically-controllable switch coupled to the audio module, wherein the controller is configured to provide input to the first audio module for controlling at least one selected from the list consisting of volume, tone and balance.

17. The audio system of claim 16 further comprising:

a second audio module;

a control module;

a modulator coupled to the control module; and

a stereo cable removably coupled to both the second audio module and modulator at a first end of the cable and the separator at a second end of the cable, wherein second audio module is configured to provide audio signals to the first audio module, wherein the control module is configured to provide control signals to the controller, and wherein the modulator is configured to minimize interference of the control signals with the audio signals.

18. A audio system comprising:

an input comprising a first channel input and a second channel input;

an audio speaker;

a first channel output;

a second channel output; and

a channel selector configured to automatically couple the first channel input to the speaker if no external speaker is coupled to the first channel output and to automatically couple the second channel input to the speaker if an external speaker is coupled to the first channel output.

19. An audiovisual system comprising:

a first signal conversion device comprising a first output and a second output,

wherein the first signal conversion device is configured to accept a plurality of incoming signals, and

wherein the first signal conversion device is configured to convert a first one of the plurality of incoming signals if no external device is coupled to the first output and to convert a second one of the plurality of incoming signals if an external device is coupled to the first output.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the first signal conversion device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an audio speaker and a visual display.