Positionally Sequenced Loudspeaker System

• US 20090028371A1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Induction Speaker Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: General Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Bailey, Adam H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/386
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 5/04 Arrangements of electric connections to coils, e.g. leads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2209/041 Voice coil arrangements comprising more than one voice coil unit on the same bobbin
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/12 Non-planar diaphragms or cones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/025 Magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/046 Construction

Abstract

A variety of loudspeaker arrangements may have any of multiple adjacent magnetic circuits, single magnetic circuits, an improved loudspeaker voice coil assembly, multiple voice coil windings (124-127, 315-317), and commutated current. The radial direction of flux may alternate at adjacent poles and may have a controller that commands the current through each of the windings. The position of the moving components may be measured or inferred by the controller (213). An encoding track (318a) applied to the surface of the assembly may allow the assembly to function as part of a position transducer to permit appropriate action based on position. Calculated or sensed actual position may be used to determine the relative current in each of the windings and the controller may have compensation such as a motion control algorithm, thermal monitoring, and management of the driver. The voice coil assembly (305 c) may have foil conductors applied to a substrate to connect and interconnect a single or multiple voice coil windings with minimal effect on the magnetic gap (303b) width.

Claims

1. A loudspeaker system comprising:

a. a loudspeaker enclosure;

b. an air movement element contained at least partially within said loudspeaker enclosure;

c. a movable transfer attached to said air movement element;

d. an electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system to which said movable transfer is responsive;

e. a plurality of separately controllable electrical coils within said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system;

f. at least one magnet within said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system and adjacent said plurality of electrical coils;

g. a positionally sequential electronic commutation controller to which said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system is responsive.

2. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 1 wherein said at least one magnet within said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system and adjacent said plurality of electrical coils comprise a plurality of alternating pole adjacent magnets.

3. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 1 wherein said plurality of separately controllable electrical coils within said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system comprises a plurality of interleaved separately controllable electrical coils.

4. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 3 wherein said drive system comprises a plurality of switches responsive to said positionally sequential electronic commutation controller, and to which at least some of said plurality of interleaved separately controllable electrical coils are responsive.

5. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 4 wherein said plurality of interleaved separately controllable electrical coils comprise a plurality of opposing pairs of coaxial induction elements.

6. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 5 wherein said plurality of opposing pairs of coaxial induction elements comprise a plurality of opposite current flow direction coils.

7. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 6 wherein said plurality of opposite current flow direction coils comprise a plurality of counterwound coils.

8. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 5 wherein said positionally sequential electronic commutation controller comprises a drive efficacy lookup controller.

9. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 1 and further comprising at least one high aspect ratio current lead positioned adjacent said plurality of separately controllable electrical coils within said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system, and wherein said at least one high aspect ratio current lead is selected from a group consisting of:

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 2,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 3,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 5,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 10,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 100,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 2 to about 1000.

10. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 9 wherein said at least one high aspect ratio current lead comprises an axially interrupted trace.

11. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 10 wherein said at least one high aspect ratio current lead is positioned on a voice coil former.

12. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 11 wherein said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system comprises a voice coil discrete resolution sensor drive system.

13. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 1 wherein said at least one magnet within said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system and adjacent said plurality of electrical coils comprises a single magnet element.

14. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 13 wherein said drive system comprises a plurality of switches responsive to said positionally sequential electronic commutation controller, and to which at least some of said plurality of separately controllable electrical coils are responsive.

15. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 14 wherein said plurality of separately controllable electrical coils within said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system comprise a plurality of common polarity, electronically activated, positionally sequenced coaxial electrical coils.

16. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 15 wherein said positionally sequential electronic commutation controller comprises a drive efficacy lookup controller.

17. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 13 and further comprising at least one high aspect ratio current lead positioned adjacent said plurality of separately controllable electrical coils within said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system, and wherein said at least one high aspect ratio current lead is selected from a group consisting of:

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 2,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 3,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 5,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 10,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 100,

a current lead having an aspect ratio of at least about 2 to about 1000.

18. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 17 wherein said at least one high aspect ratio current lead comprises an axially interrupted trace.

19. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 17 wherein said at least one high aspect ratio current lead is positioned on a voice coil former.

20. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 17 wherein said electronically activated, positionally sequenced drive system comprises a voice coil discrete resolution sensor drive system.

21-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A loudspeaker system comprising:

a. a loudspeaker enclosure;

b. an air movement element contained at least partially within said loudspeaker enclosure;

c. a movable transfer attached to said air movement element;

d. a high efficiency drive system to which said movable transfer is responsive comprising a plurality of separately controllable electrical coils; and

e. a controller to which said high efficiency drive system is responsive.

35. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said high efficiency drive system comprises a plurality of coaxial magnets.

36. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 35 wherein said plurality of electrical coils comprise a plurality of coaxial, positionally sequenced electrical coils and wherein said controller comprises a commutation controller to which said plurality of coaxial, positionally sequenced electrical coils are responsive.

37. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 35 wherein said high efficiency drive system is configured to consume low power for a given sound pressure level output.

38. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 35 wherein said high efficiency drive system is configured to produce low heat for a given sound pressure level output.

39. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 35 wherein said high efficiency drive system is selected from a drive system having parameters selected from a group consisting of:

a greater than about 120 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 95 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 75 kg/s to about 200 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 80 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location;

a greater than about 40 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location;

a greater than about 30 kg/s to about 100 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 120 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location with mechanical parameters that generate about a 70 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location for a conventional design;

a greater than about 95 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location 70 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 80 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location 25 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 40 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location 25 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 120 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location with mechanical parameters that generate about a 70 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location for a conventional 400 W, 12″

design;

a greater than about 95 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location 70 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location for a conventional 400 W, 12″

design;

a greater than about 80 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location 25 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location for a conventional 400 W, 12″

design;

a greater than about 40 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location 25 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location for a conventional 400 W, 12″

design;

a greater than about 120 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location for a five magnet, multi coil system;

a greater than about 95 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location for a single magnet, multi coil system;

a greater than about 80 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location for a five magnet, multi coil system;

a greater than about 40 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location for a single magnet, multi coil system;

a field centered efficiency value that is at least about 170% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

an off field efficiency value that is at least about 320% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

a field centered efficiency value that is at least about 135% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

an off field efficiency value that is at least about 160% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

a field centered efficiency value that is at least about 135% to about 200% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

an off field efficiency value that is at least about 160% to about 400% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

a greater than about 80 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 100 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 120 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 140 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 160 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 180 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 200 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 220 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 30 kg/s efficient drive system at a field centered location;

a greater than about 40 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location;

a greater than about 50 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location;

a greater than about 60 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location;

a greater than about 70 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location;

a greater than about 80 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location;

a greater than about 90 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location;

a greater than about 100 kg/s efficient drive system at an off field location;

an efficiency value that is at least about 120% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

an efficiency value that is at least about 150% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

an efficiency value that is at least about 200% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

an efficiency value that is at least about 250% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

an efficiency value that is at least about 300% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

an efficiency value that is at least about 350% of a mechanically similar conventional design;

an efficiency value that is at least about 400% of a mechanically similar conventional design.

150. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said drive system comprises:

a. a magnetic component; and

b. at least one coil component to which said movable transfer is responsive; and

c. at least one electronically activated coil switch to which said at least one coil component is responsive and which is responsive to said controller.

156. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 150 wherein said at least one electronically activated coil switch comprises at least one interleave electronically activated coil switch.

160. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said drive system comprises a position sensor.

172. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 and further comprising a commutator to which a plurality of electrical coils are responsive.

181. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said substantially discrete coil commutator comprises a position dependent commutator.

183. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 181 wherein said substantially discrete coil commutator comprises an overlapping activation commutator.

184. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 183 wherein said overlapping activation commutator comprises a counterbalanced transient current commutator.

186. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 172 wherein said drive system comprises a plurality of coaxial magnets, each having a magnet pitch dimension, and wherein said commutator has a positional commutation function that acts with a positional period about equal to twice a magnet pitch dimension.

201. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said drive system comprises a plurality of electrical coils.

206. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 201 wherein said plurality of electrical coils comprise a plurality of opposite current flow direction coils.

249. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said controller comprises an electronic compensator.

251. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 249 wherein said electronic compensator is selected from a group consisting of:

an acceleration calculation element,

a positional audio sensitivity compensator,

a motion effect compensator,

a past activity effect compensator,

a time of activity effect compensator,

a length of activity effect compensator,

a combined time and activity effect compensator,

a historical memory compensator,

a transient activity effect compensator,

a sensor input compensator,

a manufacturing effect compensator,

a non-linear effect compensator,

a non-sinusoidal effect compensator,

a phase shift effect compensator,

a position-dependent algorithm,

a motional voltage compensation algorithm,

a proportional algorithm,

an integral algorithm,

a derivative algorithm,

a proportional integral derivative algorithm, and

a position limit effect compensator.

252. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 249 wherein said electronic compensator comprises an out of field compensator.

254. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 252 wherein said out of field compensator comprises an intentionally magnetic suboptimal compensator.

256. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 249 wherein said electronic compensator comprises a positionally based compensator.

257. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 256 wherein said positionally based compensator comprises an actual position input.

258. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 257 wherein said positionally based compensator comprises a position sensor.

268. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said drive system comprises an intense power density drive system.

269. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said drive system comprises a low inductance drive system.

270. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said air movement element comprises a free movement element.

271. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said drive system comprises an intransigently extensile drive system.

272. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said controller comprises a drive efficacy lookup controller.

273. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said drive system comprises a low resistance drive system.

274. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said drive system comprises a narrow gap drive system.

275. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 34 wherein said drive system comprises an integrally sensed drive system.

40-89. -89. (canceled)

90. A loudspeaker system comprising:

a loudspeaker enclosure;

an air movement element contained at least partially within said loudspeaker enclosure;

a movable transfer attached to said air movement element;

an integrally sensed drive system to which said movable transfer is responsive; and

a controller to which said integrally sensed drive system is responsive.

91. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 90 wherein said integrally sensed drive system comprises a closely coupled sensor drive system.

92. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 91 wherein said closely coupled sensor drive system comprises:

a. a moveable drive component to which said movable transfer is responsive; and

b. position indicia applied to said moveable drive component.

97. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 92 wherein said position indicia comprises position encoding indicia.

98. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 97 wherein said position encoding indicia comprises optical position encoding indicia.

101. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 90 wherein said integrally sensed drive system comprises a voice coil discrete resolution sensor drive system.

93-96. -96. (canceled)

99-100. -100. (canceled)

102-108. -108. (canceled)

109. A loudspeaker system comprising:

a. a loudspeaker enclosure;

b. an air movement element contained at least partially within said loudspeaker enclosure;

c. a hollow cylindrical voice coil assembly having multiple coils;

d. a current commutator to which said multiple coils are responsive;

e. a cylindrical magnetic structure having a magnetic field; and

f. a controller to which said current commutator is responsive.

112. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 109 wherein said cylindrical magnetic structure is surrounded by a coaxial annular gap and wherein said hollow cylindrical voice coil assembly is located within said coaxial annular gap.

116. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 109 wherein said cylindrical magnetic structure comprises alternating axial layers having permanent magnet material and magnetically permeable material, and wherein said alternating axial layers are polarized in at least one direction along an axis of said cylindrical magnetic structure.

117. A loudspeaker system as described in claim 116 having an annular gap and wherein said cylindrical magnetic structure comprises an outside gap polarity opposite an adjacent inside gap polarity.

110-111. -111. (canceled)

113-115. -115. (canceled)

118-125. -125. (canceled)

126. A loudspeaker system comprising:

a. a loudspeaker enclosure;

b. an air movement element contained at least partially within said loudspeaker enclosure;

c. two hollow cylindrical voice coil assemblies, each having multiple coils;

d. a current commutator to which said multiple coils are responsive;

e. a cylindrical magnetic structure having a magnetic field; and

f. a controller to which said current commutator is responsive, responsive.

127-149. -149. (canceled)

151-155. -155. (canceled)

157-159. -159. (canceled)

161-171. -171. (canceled)

173-180. -180. (canceled)

182. (canceled)

185. (canceled)

187-200. -200. (canceled)

202-205. -205. (canceled)

207-248. -248. (canceled)

250. (canceled)

253. (canceled)

255. (canceled)

259-267. -267. (canceled)

276. A method of emitting sound from a loudspeaker comprising the steps of:

a. establishing a loudspeaker enclosure;

b. utilizing an electrical signal appropriate for audio;

c. electronically controllably position sequencing delivery of said electrical signal appropriate for audio;

d. causing a magnetically generated audio force in response to said electrical signal appropriate for audio;

e. transferring said magnetically generated audio force to an air movement element;

f. moving said air movement element in response to said step of transferring said magnetically generated audio force to an air movement element; and

g. emitting audio from said loudspeaker enclosure.

277-282. -282. (canceled)