SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING FOCUSED DIRECTIONAL SOUND IN AN AUDIO SYSTEM

• US 20120027226A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Milford Desenberg
• Original Assignee: Milford Desenberg
• Inventors: Desenberg, Milford
• Application Number:
  US12/847,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20120027226A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

A system and method for providing focused directional sound in an audio system where the system effectively uses regular speakers on servo stands with satellite speakers adapted to rotate on two axes. The system allows for the tracking of the speakers to focus the sound toward a person or persons as they move within the room, thereby providing for a real-time optimal sound in relation to the movement of the persons. Sensors for tracking and activating the servos can be done using infrared technology, facial recognition technology or radio frequency technology.

Claims

1. A system for providing focused directional sound in an audio system comprising an audio speaker system having a speaker comprising at least one tweeter speaker or a general full range speaker, the system further comprising:

means for sensing real-time movements of a person or a group of persons in a room and adjusting a speaker movement without manually physically rotating said speaker;

a servo device associated with said speaker, said servo device being configured so as to rotate said speaker to direct an audio sound from said speaker toward said person or said group of persons as said person moves or said group of persons move in said room; and

processing means for analyzing a change of position data related to said movements and for electrically activating said servo device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for sensing real-time movements of said person or a group of persons comprises:

an infrared sensor located at said speaker, said infrared sensor having electronic circuitry for monitoring said movements within a room of said person or group of persons using thermal sensing technology.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for sensing real-time movements of said person or a group of persons comprises:

a radio frequency system comprising a radio frequency first component located at said speaker and a corresponding radio frequency second component to be carried by said person or one of said group of persons.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for sensing real-time movements of said person or a group of persons comprises:

a camera located at said speaker, said camera being in electronic communication with a facial recognition software wherein said software is programmed to recognize said person or said one of said group of persons and to track said movements of said person or said one of said group of persons.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said speaker is a satellite speaker.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said speaker comprises two or more satellite speakers.

7. The system according to claim 6, further comprising volume reduction or attenuation and delay processing means for adjusting a volume of one of said satellite speakers as said person or group of persons move closer to said one of said satellite speakers.

8. The system according to claim 3, further comprising a remote control device incorporating said radio frequency first component or second component.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said remote control device has programmed means for manually pre-setting a speaker direction toward a desired pre-set location.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said remote control device has programmed means for compensating between a physical location of said remote control device and a person'"'"'s ears.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said remote control device further comprises a microphone pick-up component configured to pick-up ambient noise, said system being programmed to cancel out said ambient noise.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein said remote control device further comprises a touch screen representative of said room and indicating speaker locations and people or sweetspot locations within the room.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein said remote control device further comprises means for manually adjusting a directional sound of individual speakers within said MOM.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system has means for directionally aligning said at least one speaker to direct sound toward a desired sound sweetspot location within said room or toward said person or said group of persons within said room, or toward a calculated optimal midpoint location within said room.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said speaker further comprises a parabolic dish, wherein said speaker is rotatable within the said parabolic dish or said parabolic dish is in mechanical communication with said speaker such that said parabolic dish and said speaker rotates in unison or said speaker moves on two axes inside said parabolic dish.

16. A method for providing focused directional sound in an audio system comprising an audio speaker system having a speaker comprising at least one tweeter speaker or a general full range speaker, the method comprising:

providing means for sensing real-time movements of a person or a group of persons in a room and adjusting a speaker movement without manually physically rotating said speaker;

providing a servo device associated with said speaker, said servo device being configured so as to rotate said tweeter to direct an audio sound from said speaker toward said person or said group of persons as said person moves or said group of persons move in said room; and

providing processing means for analyzing a change of position data related to said movements and for electrically activating said servo device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said means for sensing real-time movements of said person or a group of persons comprises:

an infrared sensor located at said speaker, said infrared sensor having electronic circuitry for monitoring said movements within a room of said person or group of persons using thermal sensing technology.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said means for sensing real-time movements of said person or a group of persons comprises:

a radio frequency system comprising a radio frequency first component located at said speaker and a corresponding radio frequency second component to be carried by said person or one of said group of persons.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein said means for sensing real-time movements of said person or a group of persons comprises:

a camera located at said speaker, said camera being in electronic communication with a facial recognition software wherein said software is programmed to recognize said person or said one of said group of persons and to track said movements of said person or said one of said group of persons.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein said speaker is a satellite speaker.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein said speaker comprises two or more satellite speakers.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising providing volume reduction or attenuation and delay processing means for adjusting a volume of one of said satellite speakers as said person or group of persons move closer to said one of said satellite speakers.

23. The method according to claim 18, further comprising a remote control device incorporating said radio frequency first component or second component.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein said remote control device has programmed means for manually pre-setting a speaker direction toward a desired pre-set location.

25. The method according to claim 16, wherein said remote control device has programmed means for compensating between a physical location of said remote control device and a person'"'"'s ears.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein said remote control device further comprises a microphone pick-up component configured to pick-up ambient noise, said programmed means being programmed to cancel out said ambient noise.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein said remote control device further comprises a touch screen representative of said room and indicating speaker locations and people or sweetspot locations within the room.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein said remote control device further comprises means for manually adjusting a directional sound of individual speakers within said MOM.

29. The method according to claim 16, further comprising providing means for directionally aligning said speaker to direct sound toward a desired sound sweetspot location within said room or toward said person or said group of persons within said room, or toward a calculated optimal midpoint location within said room.

30. The method according to claim 16, wherein said speaker further comprises a parabolic dish, wherein said at least one speaker is rotatable within the said parabolic dish or said parabolic dish is in mechanical communication with said speaker such that said parabolic dish and said speaker rotates in unison or said speaker moves on two axes inside said parabolic dish.

31. A method for providing focused directional sound in an audio system comprising an audio speaker system having a speaker comprising at least one tweeter speaker or a general full range speaker, the method comprising:

tracking a movement of a person or a group of persons in a room using means for sensing real-time movements of said person or said group of persons in a room;

activating a servo device associated with said speaker, said servo device being configured so as to rotate said speaker to direct an audio sound from said speaker toward said person or said group of persons as said person moves or said group of persons move in said room; and

using processing means for analyzing a change of position data related to said movements and for electrically activating said servo device, automatically rotating said servo device so as to rotate said speaker to direct said audio sound toward said person or said group of persons as said person moves or said group of persons move in said room.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein said means for sensing real-time movements of said person or a group of persons comprises:

an infrared sensor located at said speaker, said infrared sensor having electronic circuitry for monitoring said movements within a room of said person or group of persons using thermal sensing technology.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein said means for sensing real-time movements of said person or a group of persons comprises:

a radio frequency system comprising a radio frequency first component located at said speaker and a corresponding radio frequency second component to be carried by said person or one of said group of persons.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein said means for sensing real-time movements of said person or a group of persons comprises:

a camera located at said speaker, said camera being in electronic communication with a facial recognition software wherein said software is programmed to recognize said person or said one of said group of persons and to track said movements of said person or said one of said group of persons.

35. The method according to claim 31, wherein said speaker is a satellite speaker.

36. The method according to claim 31, wherein said speaker comprises two or more satellite speakers.

37. The method according to claim 36, further comprising adjusting a volume of one of said satellite speakers as said person or group of persons move closer to said one of said satellite speakers using volume reduction or attenuation and delay processing means for making such adjustments, wherein when said speaker is close to a listener, a sound is decreased or delayed to have sound waves hit the listener in sync as if said listener is optimally between two speakers.

38. The method according to claim 33, further comprising a remote control device incorporating said radio frequency first component or second component.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein said remote control device has programmed means for manually pre-setting a speaker direction toward a desired pre-set location.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein said remote control device has programmed means for compensating between a physical location of said remote control device and a person'"'"'s ears.

41. The method according to claim 39, wherein said remote control device further comprises a microphone pick-up component configured to pick-up ambient noise, said programmed means being programmed to cancel out said ambient noise.

42. The method according to claim 39, wherein said remote control device further comprises a touch screen representative of said room and indicating speaker locations and people or sweetspot locations within the room.

43. The method according to claim 39, wherein said remote control device further comprises means for manually adjusting a directional sound of individual speakers within said MOM.

44. The method according to claim 31, further comprising directionally aligning said speaker to direct sound toward a desired sound sweetspot location within said room or toward said person or said group of persons within said room, or toward a calculated optimal midpoint location within said room.

45. The method according to claim 31, wherein said speaker further comprises a parabolic dish, wherein said speaker is rotatable within the said parabolic dish or said parabolic dish is in mechanical communication with said speaker such that said parabolic dish and said speaker rotates in unison or said speaker moves on two axes inside said parabolic dish.