WIRELESS AND WIRED SPEAKER HUB FOR A HOME THEATER SYSTEM

• US 20090067640A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KSC Industries Inc.
• Original Assignee: KSC Industries Inc.
• Inventors: King, Jeff JR., McCarty, William A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,575,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/024 Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/026 Single (sub)woofer with two or more satellite loudspeakers for mid- and high-frequency band reproduction driven via the (sub)woofer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

A method and system for communicating audio, video, and/or control signals within a home entertainment system. A plurality of audio channels is communicated between a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver. The wireless transmitter is located proximate to a speaker housing. In some embodiments the speaker housing also encloses a center channel loudspeaker. The center channel loudspeaker transmits an audio signal to a remote loudspeaker. An exemplary remote loudspeaker is a subwoofer loudspeaker. The subwoofer loudspeaker provides one or more received audio channels to one or more surround loudspeakers.

Claims

1. An entertainment system comprising:

a speaker housing having a loudspeaker, wherein the loudspeaker is configured to broadcast a first channel of an audio signal;

a transmitter located proximate to the audio source in a first selected area of a room and configured to wirelessly transmit a plurality of channels of the audio signal, wherein the plurality of channels is different than the first channel;

a receiver located remote from the transmitter in a second selected area of the room, wherein the receiver is configured to wirelessly receive the plurality of channels; and

a second speaker housing located proximate to the receiver and having a second loudspeaker and an amplifier, wherein the amplifier is configured to amplify at least two of the received channels, and wherein the second loudspeaker is configured to broadcast one of the amplified channels and route the other amplified channel to a third speaker housing.

2. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the first and second selected areas correspond to a pair of speaker locations.

3. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker is a center channel loudspeaker.

4. The entertainment system of claim 3, wherein the center channel loudspeaker comprises a digital sound processor.

5. The entertainment system of claim 3, further comprising an audio module configured to provide the first channel and the plurality of channels to the center channel loudspeaker.

6. The entertainment system of claim 5, wherein the audio module comprises a digital sound processor.

7. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker is a subwoofer loudspeaker.

8. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker is a center rear loudspeaker.

9. The entertainment system of claim 8, wherein the center rear loudspeaker is configured to transmit a video signal that is associated with the audio signal.

10. The entertainment system of claim 7, wherein the subwoofer loudspeaker is configured to transmit a video signal that is associated with the audio signal.

11. The entertainment system of claim 7, wherein the subwoofer loudspeaker comprises a digital sound processor.

12. The entertainment system of claim 7, further comprising an audio module configured to provide the first channel and the plurality of channels to the subwoofer loudspeaker.

13. The entertainment system of claim 12, wherein the audio module comprises a digital sound processor.

14. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the second speaker routes the other amplified channel to the third speaker housing a wired connection.

15. In a surround sound system having a plurality of distinct audio channels, a method of distributing audio channels comprising:

wirelessly transmitting at least two of the audio channels from a transmitter located proximate to an audio source to a wireless receiver located proximate to a first speaker;

amplifying the wirelessly transmitted channels with amplifier circuitry located proximate to the first speaker;

routing a first one of the amplified audio channels to the speaker using a wired connection; and

routing a second one of the amplified audio channels to a second speaker using a wired connection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first speaker is a center channel loudspeaker.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second speaker is a sub woofer loudspeaker.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first speaker is a sub woofer loudspeaker.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second speaker is a center channel loudspeaker.

20. A method for routing an audio signal in a home theater system, the method comprising:

receiving a first audio signal which comprises a plurality of audio channels;

amplifying one of the plurality of audio channels;

transmitting a second audio signal which comprises at least two audio channels from the plurality of audio channels;

amplifying one of the transmitted audio channels; and

providing the amplified audio channel to a surround loudspeaker via a wired connection.