Line source speaker system

• US 5,953,432 A
• Filed: 08/14/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ONKYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Yanagawa, Hirofumi, Zhang, Ziqing
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US08/911,183
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 381/90, 381/89, 381/92, 381/335, 381/336
• US Class Current: 381/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/401 2D or 3D arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2203/12 Beamforming aspects for stereophonic sound reproduction with loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/20 Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic H04R2203/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A plurality of speakers are arranged in line, and a plurality of digital filters are provided for the speakers. Each of the digital filters is applied with a plurality of audio signals. Characteristics of each digital filter is adjusted so as to provide patterns of directivity to each speaker dependent on the input audio signals.

Claims

1. A line source speaker system having a plurality of speakers arranged in a line, comprising:

a plurality of digital filters each of which is electrically connected to a corresponding speaker in said speaker system;

each of said digital filters receiving two surround signals through first and second input terminals and a center signal generated by adding the two surround signals;

control means for providing characteristics to each digital filter wherein two output surround sound waves, propagating in directions which are away from each other with respect to an axis which is perpendicular to a diaphragm of corresponding speakers, and a center sound wave are output by said speakers dependent on the two surround signals and the characteristic of each digital filter, the center sound wave being provided such that the sound wave is directed to an audience, and surround sound waves are reflected from opposite side walls to the audience.