Passive and Active Virtual Height Filter Systems for Upward Firing Drivers
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an interface to a speaker system having at least an upward-firing driver transmitting reflected sound waves relative to a direct-firing driver; and
a virtual height filter applying a frequency response curve to a signal transmitted to the upward-firing driver to create a target transfer curve that imparts a frequency response to the reflected sound waves that accentuates a perception of virtual height to a listener in the listening environment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments are directed to a virtual height filter for use with or in an upward-firing speaker system that reflects sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker, and that provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The virtual height filter is provided by any one or combination of analog or digital filter circuits, or mechanical structures including speaker grill, enclosure, or driver design or configuration.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an interface to a speaker system having at least an upward-firing driver transmitting reflected sound waves relative to a direct-firing driver; and a virtual height filter applying a frequency response curve to a signal transmitted to the upward-firing driver to create a target transfer curve that imparts a frequency response to the reflected sound waves that accentuates a perception of virtual height to a listener in the listening environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A virtual height filter for use in a speaker system reflecting sound waves off a room ceiling to a listening position in the room, comprising:
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an active virtual height filter circuit configured to generate at least part of a frequency response curve to a signal transmitted to an upward-firing driver to create a target transfer curve that compensates for height cues present in sound waves transmitted directly through the room in favor of height cues present in the sound reflected off the ceiling by at least partially removing directional cues from the speaker location and at least partially inserting directional cues from the reflection point; and a passive virtual height filter system configured to generate at least part of the frequency response curve, and incorporated in a mechanical aspect of the upward-firing driver or an enclosure enclosing the upward-firing driver. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for providing a virtual height filter transfer function to speaker system having an upward-firing driver reflecting sound off of a surface in a room, the method comprising:
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providing an active virtual height filter circuit configured to generate at least part of a frequency response curve to a signal transmitted to an upward-firing driver to create a target transfer curve that compensates for height cues present in sound waves transmitted directly through the room in favor of height cues present in the sound reflected off the surface by at least partially removing directional cues from the speaker location and at least partially inserting directional cues from the reflection point; and providing a passive virtual height filter system configured to generate at least part of the frequency response curve, and incorporated in a mechanical aspect of the upward-firing driver or an enclosure enclosing the upward-firing driver. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification