Multi-dimensional sound reproduction system

• US 5,533,129 A
• Filed: 08/24/1994
• Issued: 07/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: April Walker
• Original Assignee: Herbert I. Gefvert
• Inventors: Gefvert, Herbert I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brinich, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US08/295,253
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 381/24, 381/27, 381/61, 381/87-90, 381/18
• US Class Current: 381/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/022 Plurality of transducers corresponding to a plurality of sound channels in each earpiece of headphones or in a single enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/024 Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

A unified loudspeaker system and method for use with a home theater stereo surround sound receiver. A plurality of binaural (dual) loudspeakers are housed in a single loudspeaker enclosure having a multiply-segmented face portion. Left and right loudspeakers are canted away from a center loudspeaker to provide more complete audio coverage of a defined listening area with audio channel separation. Six (6) equalized soundfields generated via five (5) surround sound channels from the loudspeaker enclosure configuration provide arrival times of the soundfields according to that of a live performance. Conventional two-channel stereo input sources may be combined by the system to provide desired soundfields. The preferred embodiment for a full dimensional sound field system contemplates the use of a Dolby Pro Logic AC-3 five or six channel receiver or the like as an input source. The conventional two channel stereo input sources may be combined by the system in a derived format to provide desired formats: Main Left (L), Main Right (R), Center (C), Surround Left (LS) and Surround Right (RS). A sub-woofer may also be provided.

Claims

1. A multi-dimensional sound reproduction system housed in one or more speaker enclosures for creating multiple audio soundfields in a defined listening area responsive to a plurality of signals comprising:

a loudspeaker enclosure having a multiply-segmented face portion, said enclosure comprising,

a centrally located binaural voice coil loudspeaker facing directly forward from the face portion of said enclosure into the defined listening area,

a left-side located binaural voice coil loudspeaker, canted away from said centrally located loudspeaker, facing left of center forward from the face portion of said enclosure to provide left-side audio coverage of the defined listening area with audio channel separation from said centrally located loudspeaker, and

a right-side located binaural voice coil loudspeaker, canted away from said centrally located loudspeaker, facing right of center forward from the face portion of said enclosure to provide right-side audio coverage of the defined listening area with audio channel separation from said centrally located loudspeaker; and

a network for receiving, combining and delivering plural signals, said network comprising,

means for receiving audio left channel signals including means for receiving left channel tweeter and left channel main signals,

means for receiving audio right channel signals including means for receiving right channel tweeter and right channel main signals,

means for deriving center channel signals from a combination of said received signals, delivering said derived center channel signals to the voice coils of the central loudspeaker,

means for deriving a left surround effects channel from a combination of said received signals, delivering said received left and derived left surround effects channel signals to the voice coils of the left-side loudspeaker, said left surround effects deriving means comprises means for deriving an ambience left signal by subtracting the received right signal from the received left signal, and

means for deriving a right surround effects channel signal from a combination of said received signals, delivering said received right and derived right surround effects channel signals to the voice coils of the right-side loudspeaker, said right surround effects deriving means comprises means for deriving an ambience right signal by subtracting the received left signal from the received right signal.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for generating six (6) equalized soundfields defined as left, ambience left, center left, center right, ambience right and right soundfields via five (5) channels comprising said left, left surround effects, center, right surround effects and right channels.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said enclosure is positionable atop a television receiver providing a unified home theater system improving spaciousness, directionality and 3-D imaging.

4. A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said network further comprises means for receiving audio left surround, center and right surround channel signals from output terminals of a surround sound receiver.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4 further comprising terminals mounted on said enclosure providing signals for driving loudspeakers external to said enclosure.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein main left and main right channels are provided to loudspeakers separate and external to said enclosure for greater audio coverage of the defined area.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6 further comprising a subwoofer external to said enclosure for enhanced bass response.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said receiving means of said network may receive signals from multiple sources including radio, television, audio reproduction, multimedia systems and the like.

9. A method of multi-dimensional sound reproduction for creating multiple audio soundfields in a defined listening area responsive to a plurality of signals, comprising the steps of:

providing a loudspeaker enclosure having a multiply-segmented face portion;

positioning a center binaural voice coil loudspeaker centrally, facing directly forward from the face portion of the enclosure into the defined listening area;

positioning left binaural voice coil loudspeaker left of the center loudspeakers and canted away therefrom, facing left of center forward from the face portion of the enclosure to provide left-side audio coverage of the defined listening area with audio channel separation from the center loudspeaker;

positioning a right binaural voice coil loudspeaker right of the center loudspeaker and canted away therefrom, facing right of center forward from the face portion of the enclosure to provide right-side audio coverage of the defined listening area with audio channel separation from the center loudspeaker;

receiving audio left channel signals including left channel tweeter and left channel main signals;

receiving audio right channel signals including right channel tweeter and right channel main signals;

deriving center channel signals from a combination of signals received in said receiving steps, delivering the derived center channel signals to the voice coils of the center provided loudspeaker;

deriving a left surround effects channel signal from a combination of signals received in said receiving steps, delivering the received left and the derived left surround effects channel signals to the voice coils of the left provided loudspeaker, said left surround effects deriving step comprising the step of deriving an ambience left signal by subtracting the received right signal from the received left signal; and

deriving a right surround effects channel signal from a combination of signals received in said receiving steps, delivering the received right and the derived right surround effects channel signals to the voice coils of the right provided loudspeaker, said right surround effects deriving step comprising the step of deriving an ambience right signal by subtracting the received left signal from the received right signal.