Light enhanced sound device and method

• US 5,896,457 A
• Filed: 09/20/1996
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dehryll W. Galloway, Sylvan F. Tyrrel
• Original Assignee: Dehryll W. Galloway, Sylvan F. Tyrrel
• Inventors: Tyrrel, Sylvan F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Vivian
• Application Number:
  US08/716,129
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 381/25, 381/56, 381/61, 381/300, 84/464 R, 600/207
• US Class Current: 381/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/00 Two-channel systems H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

A device (10) for producing light enhanced sound from a music source (36) producing music signals on at least a first (54) and second (56) channel is provided. The device (10) includes a speaker (18 or 20) for reproducing music from the music signals. The device (10) also includes axis-crossing detection circuitry (69) coupled to the first (54) and second (56) channels that detects when the music signal on each channel crosses the time-axis and generates an axis-crossing signal. The present device (10) further includes light control circuitry (81) coupled to the axis-detecting circuitry (69) operable to generate a light signal responsive to the axis crossing signals. The present device (10) also includes a light (42) coupled to the light control circuitry (81). The light (42) is illuminated responsive to the light signal.

Claims

1. A device for producing light enhanced sound from a stereophonic music source producing music signals on at least a first channel and a second channel, the device comprising:

an axis-crossing detection circuitry operable to detect when the music signal on each channel crosses the time-axis, to initiate a transition in a first axis-crossing detection signal when an axis-crossing is detected in the music signal of the first channel, and to initiate a transition in a second axis-crossing detection signal when an axis-crossing is detected in the music signal of the second channel;

a light control circuitry operable to enable a light signal for a period of time that corresponds to a phase difference between the music signal of the first channel and the music signal of the second channel and that corresponds to a phase difference between the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal, wherein the light signal is generated for certain periods at a flicker rate below 50 Hz; and

a light operable to illuminate in response to the light signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the speaker further comprises:

a first speaker coupled to the first channel; and

a second speaker coupled to the second channel.

3. The devices of claim 1, wherein the light further comprises a first and second light each responsive to the light signal.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a frequency divider circuitry operable to reduce the frequency of the first axis-crossing detection signal to generate a first frequency divided signal, and operable to reduce the frequency of the second axis-crossing detection signal to generate a second frequency divided signal, wherein the light control circuitry is operable to enable the light signal in response to the first frequency divided signal and the second frequency divided signal.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the frequency divider circuitry includes a divide by N circuit.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the light control circuitry includes a modulator operable to enable the light signal in response to the first frequency divided signal and the second frequency divided signal.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the frequency divider circuitry reduces the frequency of the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal by about the same amount.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a frequency divider circuitry coupled between the axis-crossing detection circuitry and the light control circuitry for generating a derivative of the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal for use by the light control circuitry in enabling the light signal.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising an activity control for adjusting the gain of the music signal.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the axis-crossing detection circuitry includes a variable gain amplifier whose gain is controlled by the activity control.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the music signals are analog signals.

12. The devices of claim 1, wherein the light is a stage lighting.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the light is a video backlighting device.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the music signals are digital signals.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the axis-crossing detection circuitry is further operable to read the most significant bit (MSB) of the digital music signal of the first channel and to initiate a transition in the first axis-crossing detection signal when the MSB of the digital music signal of the first channel transitions, and to read the MSB of the digital music signal of the second channel and to initiate a transition in the second axis-crossing detection signal when the MSB of the digital music signal of the second channel transitions.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the light is one of a stage lighting and a video backlighting device.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the light control circuitry includes a modulator operable to enable the light signal in response to the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the MSB of the digital music signal of the first channel is the first axis-crossing detection signal and the MSB of the digital music signal of the second channel is the second axis-crossing detection signal.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the light control circuitry includes a modulator that compares the MSB of the digital music signal of the first channel to the MSB of the digital music signal of the second channel and generates the light signal in response.

20. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a frequency divider circuitry operable to reduce the frequency of the first axis-crossing detection signal to generate a first frequency divided signal, and operable to reduce the frequency of the second axis-crossing detection signal to generate a second frequency divided signal, wherein the light control circuitry is operable to enable the light signal in response to the first frequency divided signal and the second frequency divided signal.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein:

the axis-crossing detection circuitry is further operable to intercept the most significant bit (MSB) in each digital music signal of each channel; and

the light control circuitry further operable to generate light signals related to transitions in the MSBs in each signal of each channel to control the generation of red, green, and blue light signals.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the light is one of a display, a stage light, and video backlighting device.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the stereophonic music source is a coherent music sources.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein a user of the device will detect an illuminated light from the light before the corresponding portion of the music signals are heard by the user.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein the phase difference between the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal is independent of near-balanced amplitude variations between the music signal of the first channel and the music signal of the second channel.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the light control circuitry includes a modulator operable to enable the light signal in response to the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the modulator provides an Exclusive-OR function.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal are quasi-digital signals.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal are digital signals.

30. A device for producing light enhanced sound from a stereophonic music source producing music signals on at least a first and second channel, the device comprising:

a headset comprising;

a speaker for reproducing music from the music signals;

an axis-crossing detection circuitry operable to detect when the music signal on each channel crosses the time-axis, to initiate a transition in a first axis-crossing detection signal when an axis-crossing is detected in the music signal of the first channel, and to initiate a transition in a second axis-crossing detection signal when an axis-crossing is detected in the music signal of the second channel

a light control circuitry operable to enable a light signal for a period of time that corresponds to a phase difference between the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal, wherein the light signal is generated for certain periods at a flicker rate below 50 Hz; and

a visor coupled to the headset comprising;

a light operable to illuminate in response to the light signal.

31. The device of claim 30 wherein the speaker further comprises:

a first speaker coupled to the first channel; and

a second speaker coupled to the second channel.

32. The device of claim 30, wherein the light further comprises a first and second light each responsive to the light signal.

33. The device of claim 30, further comprising:

a frequency divider circuitry operable to reduce the frequency of the first axis-crossing detection signal to generate a first frequency divided signal, and operable to reduce the frequency of the second axis-crossing detection signal to generate a second frequency divided signal, wherein the light control circuitry is operable to enable the light signal in response to the first frequency divided signal and the second frequency divided signal.

34. The device of claim 30, further comprising:

a frequency divider circuitry coupled between the axis-crossing detection circuitry and the light control circuitry for generating a derivative of the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal for use by the light control circuitry in enabling the light signal.

35. The device of claim 30, further comprising an activity control for adjusting the gain of the music signal.

36. The device of claim 30, wherein the visor further comprises:

a lens operable to produce a horizontal eye light pattern from the light illuminated from the light.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the horizontal eye light pattern is sized to cover about the area of a closed eye.

38. The device of claim 30, wherein the music signals are digital signals.

39. The device of claim 30, wherein the music signals are analog signals.

40. A method for generating light enhanced sound from a stereophonic music source producing music signals on at least a first and a second channel, the method comprising:

detecting when the music signal on each channel crosses the time-axis;

generating a first axis-crossing detection signal that transitions when an axis-crossing is detected in the music signal of the first channel

generating a second axis-crossing detection signal that transitions when an axis-crossing is detected in the music signal of the second channel;

generating a light signal that is enabled for a period of time that corresponds to a phase difference between the first axis-crossing detection signal and the second axis-crossing detection signal, wherein the light signal is Generated for certain periods at a flicker rate below 50 Hz; and

illuminating a light in response to the light signal.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

reproducing music from the music signals at a first speaker.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein illuminating a light further comprises:

illuminating a first and a second light responsive to the light signal.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

reducing the frequency of the first axis-crossing detection signal to generate a first frequency divided signal; and

reducing the frequency of the second axis-crossing detection signal to generate a second frequency divided signal, wherein generating a light signal includes enabling the light signal in response to the first frequency divided signal and the second frequency divided signal.

44. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

generating a derivative of the first axis-crossing detection signal; and

generating a derivative of the second axis-crossing detection signal, wherein the derivative of the first axis-crossing detection signal and the derivative of the second axis-crossing detection signal are used in generating the light signal.

45. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

adjusting the gain of the music signals.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein the music signals are digital signals.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein the music signals are analog signals.