Signal processing device for acoustic transducer array
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An array of transducers for providing sound beams in air, said array comprisinga plurality of electro-acoustic transducers being positioned within an outer array boundary;
- a digital signal path between an input and said transducers for broadband audio signals with signal components in a range of audible frequencies; and
one or more digital signal modifiers located within the signal path between said input and said transducers and capable of controlling outputs of said transducers, said one or more digital signal modifiers being adapted to confine outputs generated in response to said signal components to a subset of said transducers positioned within a subarray of said array having an outer subarray boundary lying within said outer array boundary, wherein said outer subarray boundary is widened quasi-continuously with decreasing frequency of said signal components.
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Abstract
The invention provides transducer arrays which are capable of outputting sound beams having a relatively constant width, and with minimal sidelobes, across a range of frequencies. This is achieved by utilising one or more digital signal modifiers within the signal path between the input sound signal and the array of transducers. Variable window functions are also disclosed.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An array of transducers for providing sound beams in air, said array comprising
a plurality of electro-acoustic transducers being positioned within an outer array boundary; -
a digital signal path between an input and said transducers for broadband audio signals with signal components in a range of audible frequencies; and one or more digital signal modifiers located within the signal path between said input and said transducers and capable of controlling outputs of said transducers, said one or more digital signal modifiers being adapted to confine outputs generated in response to said signal components to a subset of said transducers positioned within a subarray of said array having an outer subarray boundary lying within said outer array boundary, wherein said outer subarray boundary is widened quasi-continuously with decreasing frequency of said signal components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 28)
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8. An array of transducers for providing sound beams in air, said array comprising
a plurality of electro-acoustic transducers being positioned within an outer array boundary; -
a digital signal path between an input and said transducers for broadband audio signals with signal components in a range of audible frequencies; and one or more digital signal modifiers located within the signal path between said input and said transducers and capable of controlling outputs of said transducers, said one or more digital signal modifiers being adapted to impose a frequency dependent spatial gain window onto the array of transducers. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An array of transducers for creating a sound wavefield in air, said array comprising
a plurality of electro-acoustic transducers emitting acoustic wave signals and being positioned within an outer array boundary; - and
a digital signal path between an input and said transducers for broadband audio signals including signals within at least one range of audible frequencies, wherein the spacing between transducers is non-uniform within at least a subarray of said array. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. An array of transducers for providing sound beams in air, said array comprising
a plurality of electro-acoustic transducers being positioned within an outer array boundary; -
a digital signal path between an input and said transducers for broadband audio signals with signal components in a range of audible frequencies; and one or more digital signal modifiers located within the signal path between said input and said transducers and capable of controlling outputs of said transducers, said one or more digital signal modifiers being adapted to confine outputs generated in response to said signal components to a subset of said transducers positioned within a subarray of said array having an outer subarray boundary lying within said outer array boundary, wherein said outer subarray boundary is widened quasi-continuously with decreasing frequency of said signal components and wherein the spacing between transducers is non-uniform within at least said subarray.
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- 19. A method of operating an array of electro-acoustic transducers to provide sound beams in air, said method comprising the steps of controlling the outputs of said transducer such that outputs generated in response to audio signal components having a range of audible frequencies are confined to a subset of said transducers positioned within a subarray of said array having an outer subarray boundary lying within said outer array boundary and widening said outer subarray boundary quasi-continuously with decreasing frequency of said signal components.
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22. Sound system to reproduce in air a multi-channel surround sound signal including at least one rear channel, said system including an array of transducers comprising
a plurality of electro-acoustic transducers being positioned within an outer array boundary; -
a digital signal path between an input and said transducers for broadband audio signals with signal components in a range of audible frequencies; and one or more digital signal modifiers located within the signal path between said input and said transducers and capable of controlling outputs of said transducers, said one or more digital signal modifiers being adapted to confine outputs generated in response to said signal components to a subset of said transducers positioned within a subarray of said array having an outer subarray boundary lying within said outer array boundary, wherein said outer subarray boundary is widened quasi-continuously with decreasing frequency of said signal components. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification