METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OUTPUTTING SOUND THROUGH SPEAKER

• US 20150117686A1
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Jong-bae, PARK, Dong-kyu, LEE, Gyeong-tae, LEE, Joo-yeon, JO, Jong-in, KIM, Sung-joo, HWANG, Seon-ho, HYUN, Sang-min, KIM, Dae-joung, SON, Sung-ha, JUNG, Dong-hyun, AHN, Dae-kyung, WOO, Sang-sung
• Granted Patent: US 10,038,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/26 Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/045 using the distributed mode principle, i.e. whereby the acoustic radiation is emanated from uniformly distributed free bending wave vibration induced in a stiff panel and not from pistonic motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

An apparatus including a first speaker configured to output higher-frequency sound from among sound of a channel via at least one slit, and a second speaker configured to output lower-frequency sound from among the sound of the channel via at least one other slit. The at least one slit may have a thickness that is less than a wavelength of sound emitted.

Claims

1. A speaker apparatus comprising:

a first speaker configured to output higher-frequency sound from among sound of a channel via at least one slit; and

a second speaker configured to output lower-frequency sound from among the sound of the channel via at least one other slit.

2. The speaker apparatus of claim 1, wherein each slit has a thickness that is less than a wavelength of sound emitted.

3. The speaker apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first speaker and the second speaker are further configured to output sound of different channels, respectively, according to each location of the first and second speakers.

4. The speaker apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to sense a position of a user,

wherein the first and second speakers are configured to output sound by being moved according to the sensed position of the user, or the apparatus is configured to output sound via a slit that is adjacent to the sensed position of the user.

5. The speaker apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying an image,

wherein the first and second speakers are configured to output sound related to the displayed image.

6. The speaker apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a flat panel speaker configured to output sound at a location on the image displayed on the display at which the sound is generated using bending waves.

7. The speaker apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flat panel speaker is configured to output a haptic effect using the bending waves.

8. The speaker apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least two plates that are configured to slide in a vertical direction,

wherein the first speaker is located at an upper portion of a slit between the plates that slide in the vertical direction, and

the second speaker is located in a lower portion of the slit between the plates that slide in the vertical direction.

9. The speaker apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a flat panel speaker configured to output the higher-frequency sound using bending waves,

wherein the first or the second speaker is configured to output the lower-frequency sound.

10. The speaker apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second speakers are located along a horizontal direction or a vertical direction with respect to upper and lower portions of the speaker apparatus, according to a size of the display or a shape of the display.

11. The speaker apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and second speakers are located along a vertical direction with respect to upper and lower portions of the apparatus, and the display is a curved display.

12. The speaker apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second speakers are arranged in at least two directions to maximize a distance between the first and second speakers, according to a size or a shape of the display.

13. A method of outputting sound via a speaker, the method comprising:

determining whether a first speaker and a second speaker, which each output sound via at least one slit, are disposed on a same plane;

obtaining forward sound or backward sound from a sound signal to be output in response to determining that the first speaker and the second speaker are disposed on the same plane; and

outputting the forward sound or the backward sound through the first speaker and the second speaker,

wherein the outputting comprises the first speaker outputting higher-frequency sound from among sound of a channel via at least one slit, and

the second speaker outputting lower-frequency sound from among the sound of the channel via at least one other slit.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

outputting higher-frequency sound from among high-pitched sound via an upper speaker, from among the first and second speakers, in response to determining that the first and second speakers are disposed on different horizontal planes; and

outputting lower-frequency sound from among the high-pitched sound via a lower speaker from among the first and second speakers.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having recorded thereon a computer program that is executable by a computer to perform the method of outputting sound of claim 13.

16. An apparatus for outputting sound, the apparatus comprising:

a display comprising a screen;

at least two speakers configured to generate a sound zone in front of the display which has a width that is based on a position of the screen corresponding to where sound is being generated, each speaker having a thickness that is less than a wavelength of sound emitted therefrom.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least two speakers include a first speaker that is arranged along a top region of the display and a second speaker that is arranged along a bottom region of the display, and the first and second speakers are configured to generate a stereoscopic effect in the sound zone.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least two speakers include a first speaker that is arranged along a left region of the display and a second speaker that is arranged along a right region of the display, and the first and second speakers are configured to generate a stereoscopic effect in the sound zone.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of the at least two speakers comprise a plurality of slits formed in a side surface of each speaker to emit sound.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each slit comprises a thickness that is less than the wavelength of sound emitted therefrom.