SOUND REPRODUCTION APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR SPEAKER CHARGING/CALIBRATION EMPLOYED IN SAID APPARATUS

• US 20120121111A1
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: Sim, Wong Hoo, Toh, Boon Keat Eddy, Tan, Jeng Khim, Suprapmo, Susimin
• Granted Patent: US 8,638,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/182
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/028 Structural combinations of loudspeakers with built-in power amplifiers, e.g. in the same acoustic enclosure H04R2499/10 takes precedence; Single (sub)woofer with two or more satellite loudspeakers for mid- and high-frequency band reproduction driven via the (sub)woofer H04R2205/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement
• 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: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/308 Electronic adaptation dependent on speaker or headphone connection

Abstract

There is provided a sound reproduction apparatus including a sub-woofer unit and a plurality of wireless speakers. A method of speaker charging and speaker calibration using the sound reproduction apparatus is also provided. The sub-woofer unit may be configured to perform tasks of both charging a power source in each of the plurality of wireless speakers; and calibrating speaker identity for each of the plurality of wireless speakers. It is advantageous that both of the tasks are performed when the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit. The speaker identity may include, for example, left front, right front, left rear, right rear, and centre.

Claims

1. A sound reproduction apparatus including a sub-woofer unit and a plurality of wireless speakers, the sub-woofer unit being configured to perform tasks of both:

charging a power source in each of the plurality of wireless speakers; and

calibrating speaker identity for each of the plurality of wireless speakers,

wherein both of the tasks are performed when the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit.

2. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sub-woofer unit is either independently powered or powered by an external source.

3. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit by a wired connection.

4. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wired connection is a power line connection.

5. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 3, wherein the power source in each of the plurality of wireless speakers is charged via either the wired connection or induction charging.

6. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of wireless speakers is located in a receptor defining a shape of a base of each of the plurality of wireless speakers on a surface of the sub-woofer unit when each of the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit.

7. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein the speaker identity is selected from a group comprising:

left front, right front, left rear, right rear, and centre.

8. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 7, wherein the speaker identity depends on which receptor each of the plurality of wireless speakers is located in.

9. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 8, wherein each receptor includes an activator to reset the identity of the coupled wireless speaker, the activator being triggered when the wireless speaker is located in the receptor.

10. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of wireless speakers is located in a region defining a shape of a base of each of the plurality of wireless speakers on a surface of the sub-woofer unit when each of the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit.

11. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 10, wherein the speaker identity depends on which region each of the plurality of wireless speakers is located in.

12. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 11, wherein each region includes an activator to reset the identity of the coupled wireless speaker, the activator being triggered when the wireless speaker is located in the region.

13. A method for charging and calibrating speaker identity for a plurality of wireless speakers of a sound reproduction apparatus including a sub-woofer unit with a plurality of either receptors or regions, the method including:

placing each of the plurality of wireless speakers onto a surface of the sub-woofer unit to couple each of the plurality of wireless speakers to the sub-woofer unit;

charging each of the plurality of wireless speakers via either a wired connection or induction charging; and

calibrating speaker identity for each of the plurality of wireless speakers in accordance to either receptor or region each of the plurality of wireless speakers is located in.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sub-woofer unit is either independently powered or powered by an external source.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of receptors define a shape of a base of each of the plurality of wireless speakers on the surface of the sub-woofer unit.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of regions define a shape of a base of each of the plurality of wireless speakers on the surface of the sub-woofer unit.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the wired connection is a power line connection.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein either each receptor or each region includes an identity activator to reset the identity of the coupled wireless speaker, the identity activator being triggered when the wireless speaker is located in either the receptor or the region.