Point source speaker system

• US 6,760,446 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2000
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kentech Labs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kentech Labs Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Francis Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US09/678,977
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 381/1, 381/17-19, 381/300, 381/89, 381/99, 381/98, 381/27
• US Class Current: 381/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

The system of the present invention includes, briefly, a point source speaker system, comprising a processor which produces a left minus right (L−R) audio signal, a right plus left (R+L) and a right minus left (R−L) audio signal; three speakers each for audibly transmitting one of the L−R, R+L and R−L audio signals; and a point source speaker enclosure for housing the three speakers in a single enclosure.

Claims

1. A point source speaker system, comprising:

means for processing left (L) and right (R) audio signals to produce a left minus right (L−

R) audio signal having a frequency range below a first pre-determined maximum frequency, a right plus left (R+L) audio signal having a frequency range below a second pre-determined maximum frequency, a right minus left (R−

L) audio signal having a frequency range below a third pre-determined maximum frequency, an amplified left audio signal having a frequency range above said first pre-determined maximum frequency, and an amplified right audio signal having a frequency range above said third pre-determined maximum frequency;

a housing;

a first speaker coupled to said processing means to receive said L−

R audio signal and said amplified left audio signal;

a second speaker coupled to said processing means to receive said R+L audio signal; and

a third speaker coupled to said processing means to receive said R−

L audio signal and said amplified right audio signal;

wherein said first, second and third speakers are enclosed within said housing.

2. The point source speaker system recited in claim 1 wherein a magnetic force is created by the speakers being arranged in closest proximity and said housing prevents the magnetic force from pushing the speakers apart.

3. The point source speaker system recited in claim 1, wherein the first, second and third pre-determined maximum frequency are 1.9 KHz.

4. The point source speaker system recited in claim 1, wherein said frequency range of said (L−

R) audio signal, said frequency range of said (R+L) audio signal, and said frequency range of said (R−

L) audio signal are above a pre-determined minimum frequency.

5. The point source speaker system recited in claim 1, wherein the axis of each said speaker have a common point of origin.

6. The point source speaker system of claim 5, wherein said left and right axes are 90°

from the center axis, and said left and right axes are 180°

from each other.

7. A point source speaker system for producing stereophonic sound based upon left (L) and right (R) audio signals, comprising:

a first speaker which produces a L−

R acoustic wave comprising said left minus said right (L−

R) audio signals below a first pre-determined maximum frequency and said left audio signal amplified above said first pre-determined maximum frequency;

a second speaker which produces a R+L acoustic wave comprising said right plus said left (R+L) audio signals below a second pre-determined maximum frequency; and

a third speaker which produces a R−

L acoustic wave comprising said right minus said right (R−

L) audio signals below a third predetermined maximum frequency and said right audio signal amplified above said third pre-determined maximum frequency.

8. The point source speaker system of claim 7 further comprising:

a housing wherein the first, second, and third speakers are enclosed in said housing.

9. The point source speaker system of claim 8, wherein said first, second and third speakers are arranged in said housing such that the axes of the acoustic waves produced by each of the speakers have a common point of origin.

10. The point source speaker system of claim 9, wherein the axes of the L−

R and R−

L acoustic waves are 90°

from the axis of the R+L acoustic wave, and said axes of the L−

R and R−

L acoustic waves are 180°

from each other.

11. The point source speaker system recited in claim 8, wherein a magnetic force is created by the speakers being arranged in closest proximity and said housing prevents the magnetic force from pushing the speakers apart.

12. The point source speaker system of claim 10, further comprising:

a signal processor, wherein said signal processor processes said left and right audio signals to produce said L−

R signal, said R+L signal and said R−

L signal.

13. The point source speaker system recited in claim 7, wherein the first, second and third pre-determined maximum frequency are 1.9 KHz.

14. The point source speaker system recited in claim 7, wherein said L−

R acoustic wave, said R+L acoustic wave, and R−

L acoustic wave are above a pre-determined minimum frequency.

15. The point source speaker system recited in claim 7, wherein the axis of each said speaker have a common point of origin.

16. A method for providing stereophonic sound based upon left (L) and right (R) audio signals from a point source, comprising the steps of:

producing a left minus right (L−

R) audio signal having a frequency range below a first pre-determined maximum frequency from said left and right audio signals;

producing a right plus left (R+L) audio signal having a frequency range below a second predetermined maximum frequency from said left and right audio signals;

producing a right minus left (R−

L) audio signal having a frequency range below a third pre-determined maximum frequency from said left and right audio signals;

producing an amplified left audio signal having a frequency range above said first pre-determined maximum frequency;

producing an amplified right audio signal having a frequency range above said third pre-determined maximum frequency;

generating a L−

R acoustic wave along a left axis from said L−

R audio signal and said amplified left audio signal;

generating a R+L acoustic wave along a center axis from only said R+L audio signal; and

generating a R−

L acoustic wave along a right axis from said R−

L audio signal and said amplified right audio signal.

17. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the first, second and third pre-determined maximum frequency are 1.9 KHz.

18. The method recited in claim 16, wherein said frequency range of said (L−

R) audio signal, said frequency range of said (R+L) audio signal, and said frequency range of said (R−

L) audio signal are above a pre-determined minimum frequency.

19. The method recited in claim 16, wherein said left, right and left axes have a common point of origin and said L−

R, R+L and R−

L acoustic waves originate from speakers arranged in a single housing.

20. The method recited in claim 19, wherein said left and right axes are 90°

from the center axis, and said left and right axes are 180°

from each other.

21. The method recited in claim 19, wherein a magnetic force is created by the speakers being arranged in closest proximity and said housing prevents the magnetic force from pushing the speakers apart.

22. A point source speaker system, comprising:

means for processing left (L) and right (R) audio signals to produce a first audio signal including the left minus right (L−

R) audio signal below a first pre-determined maximum frequency and excluding said right audio signal above said first pre-determined maximum frequency, a second audio signal comprising the right plus left (R+L) audio signal below a second predetermined maximum frequency and a third audio signal including the right minus left (R−

L) audio signal below a third pre-determined maximum frequency and excluding said left audio signal above said third pre-determined maximum frequency;

a housing;

a first speaker coupled to said processing means to receive said first audio signal;

a second speaker coupled to said processing means to receive un-multiplied said second audio signal; and

a third speaker coupled to said processing means to receive said third signal;

wherein said first, second and third speakers are enclosed within said housing.

23. The point source speaker system recited in claim 22, wherein the first, second and third pre-determined maximum frequency are 1.9 KHz.

24. The point source speaker system recited in claim 22, wherein said frequency range of said first audio signal, said frequency range of said second audio signal, and said frequency range of said third audio signal are above a pre-determined minimum frequency.

25. The point source speaker system recited in claim 22, wherein the axis of each said speaker have a common point of origin.

26. A point source speaker system for producing stereophonic sound based upon left (L) and right (R) audio signals, comprising:

a first speaker which produces a L−

R acoustic wave including said left minus said right (L−

R) audio signals below a first pre-determined maximum frequency and excluding said right audio signal above said first pre-determined maximum frequency;

a second speaker which produces a R+L acoustic wave comprising said right plus said left (R+L) audio signals below a second pre-determined maximum frequency;

a third speaker which produces a R−

L acoustic wave including said right minus said right (R−

L) audio signals below a third pre-determined maximum frequency and excluding said left audio signal above said third pre-determined maximum frequency; and

a housing;

wherein said first, second and third speakers are enclosed within said housing.

27. The point source speaker system recited in claim 26, wherein the first, second and third pre-determined maximum frequency are 1.9 KHz.

28. The point source speaker system recited in claim 26, wherein said L−

R acoustic wave is above a pre-determined minimum frequency;

said R+L acoustic wave is above said pre-determined minimum frequency; and

said R−

L acoustic wave is above said pre-determined minimum frequency.

29. The point source speaker system recited in claim 26, wherein the axis of each said speaker have a common point of origin.