Stereophonic reproduction method and apparatus

• US 5,553,147 A
• Filed: 05/11/1993
• Issued: 09/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: One, Inc. (Quinstreet Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: One, Inc. (Quinstreet Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pineau, Joseph E. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US08/060,339
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 381/24, 381/89, 381/182, 381/88, 381/90, 381/193, 381/86, 181/144, 181/145
• 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 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30

Abstract

A method and apparatus for stereophonic reproduction uses conventional left and right stereophonic signals to energize a point source transducer in a complementary manner. The resultant interference sound pattern is interpreted by the brain of a listener to enable the listener to experience stereophonic hearing in a wide region surrounding the transducer, not just in the region of the plane of symmetry. A point source transducer may be simulated by a plurality of transducers positioned with the spacing therebetween less than a determinable maximum distance. While conventional stereophonic signals may be employed in the reproduction of sound, improved reproduction is obtained by producing the signals by recording sound with a pair of microphones arranged with the apogees of their respective field of polar response patterns facing substantially at 180° to one another.

Claims

1. A stereophonic sound system comprising:

a transducer means for producing first and second acoustic waves, in accordance with first and second stereophonic signals applied thereto, to effect a virtual point source acoustic pattern as perceived at a listening distance;

said transducer means having first and second acoustic transducers for producing said first and second acoustic waves respectively;

means for fixing said first and second acoustic transducers apart from each other a distance up to and not greater than a wavelength at substantially a highest operational frequency of said transducer means;

said means for fixing disposing said first and second acoustic transducers along a substantially common axis and with said first and second transducers each having respective backsides facing each other; and

means for applying first and second different stereophonic signals to first and second acoustic transducers to emit said first and second acoustic waves in correspondence with said first and second different stereophonic signals respectively.

2. The sound system according to claim 1 wherein said upper frequency ranges up to 12 kHz and defines an upper limit of width, height, depth and time coherent operation.

3. The sound system according to claim 2 further comprising means for producing stereophonic acoustic waves at frequencies above said upper frequency.

4. The sound system of claim 1 wherein:

said first and second acoustic transducers each have substantially conical transducer membranes; and

said conical transducer membranes have apex areas disposed apart from each other a distance up to and not greater than a wavelength at substantially a highest operational frequency of said first and second acoustic transducers.

5. The sound system according to claim 1 wherein said upper frequency ranges up to 9.5 kHz and defines an upper limit of width, height, depth and time coherent operation.

6. The sound system according to claim 5 further comprising means for producing stereophonic acoustic waves at frequencies above said upper frequency.

7. The sound system according to claim 1 wherein said upper frequency ranges up to 10 kHz and defines an upper limit of width, height, depth and time coherent operation.

8. The sound system according to claim 7 further comprising means for producing stereophonic acoustic waves at frequencies above said upper frequency.

9. A method for reproducing stereophonic sound corresponding to first and second stereophonic signals comprising:

energizing a first transducer with said first stereophonic signal to produce a first acoustic wave pattern;

energizing a second transducer with said second stereophonic signal to produce a second acoustic wave pattern; and

disposing said first and second transducers back to back within a distance not greater than a wavelength at about 9.5 KHz.

10. A stereophonic sound system comprising:

at least first and second transducer means for producing acoustic wave patterns;

means for disposing said at least first and second transducer means back to back within a distance of each other of not greater than a wavelength corresponding to an upper frequency of about 9.5 KHz defining temporally aligned and phase coherent operation of said first and second transducer means such that said acoustic wave patterns have virtual effective point sources spaced apart a distance not greater than said wavelength as perceived at a listening distance; and

means for energizing said first and second transducer means with first and second stereophonic signals to actuate said first and second transducer means to emit said acoustic wave patterns in correspondence with said first and second stereophonic signals.

11. A stereophonic sound system comprising:

transducer means for producing first and second acoustic wave patterns characterizeable at a listening distance as having first and second effective point sources respectively; and

said transducer means including at least first and second transducers;

means for applying first and second stereophonic signals to said first and second transducers respectively; and

means for disposing said first and second transducers back to back and within a distance of each other not greater than a limiting distance equal to or less than a wavelength at an operating frequency of said transducer means of about 9.5 KHz to virtually align said first and second effective point sources within said limiting distance of each other as perceivable at a listening distance.

12. The stereophonic sound system of claim 11 wherein:

said first and second traducers are substantially conical transducers;

said first and second effective point sources are virtually located substantially at apex areas of said first and second substantially conical transducers; and

said means for disposing disposes said apex areas within a distance of each other not greater than said limiting distance.

13. The sound system according to claim 11 wherein said operating frequency ranges up to 10 kHz and defines an upper limit of width, height, depth and time coherent operation.

14. The sound system according to claim 11 wherein said operating frequency ranges up to 12 kHz and defines an upper limit of width, height, depth and time coherent operation.

15. A stereophonic sound reproduction apparatus comprising:

audio transducers for reproducing sound waves from at least first and second stereophonic audio signals;

said audio transducers including at least first and second transducer means accepting said first and second stereophonic audio signals respectively;

means for mounting said first and second transducer means in substantially opposing directions with backs thereof facing each other;

said means for mounting disposing said first and second transducer means a distance apart not greater than a wavelength at an upper operational frequency limit of said first and second transducer means when said first and second stereophonic audio signals to produce corresponding audio wave fronts in substantial synchronization.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein:

said first and second transducer means include at least first and second substantially conical transducers, respectively, each having an apex area; and

said means for mounting includes means for fixing said apex areas within a distance of each other not greater than a wavelength at an upper operational frequency limit of said first and second transducer means.

17. The sound system according to claim 15 wherein said upper operational frequency limit ranges up to 9.5 kHz.

18. The sound system according to claim 15 wherein said upper operational frequency limit ranges up to 10 kHz.

19. The sound system according to claim 15 wherein said upper operational frequency limit ranges up to 12 kHz.