Vehicle-mounted three dimensional sound field reproducing silencing unit

• US 7,440,578 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Daisuke, Ieda, Masahiro, Yamagishi, Yutaka, Hayakawa, Fujio, Kotani, Yutaka, Kitano, Toyoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin; Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): KURR, JASON RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US10/312,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20030103636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,703 Days
• Field of Search: 381/302, 381/71.4, 381/86, 381/310, 381/71.2, 381/71.6, 381/71.8, 381/1, 381/17, 381/18
• US Class Current: 381/302
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/727 with speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/879 with additional features not related to head-rest positioning, e.g. heating or cooling devices or loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0217 for loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0017 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/161 in systems with fluid flow G10K11/162 takes precedence; gas flow silencers or exhaust apparatus for machines or engines in general or for internal combustion engine F01N, noise absorbers in pipes or pipe systems F16L55/02; noise absorption in air conditioning and ventilation F24F13/24; silencing exhaust or propulsion jets in aircraft B64D33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/108 Communication systems, e.g. where useful sound is kept and noise is cancelled
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/12 Rooms, e.g. ANC inside a room, office, concert hall or automobile cabin
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1282 Automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3221 Headrests, seats or the like, for personal ANC systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3225 Radio or other sources used in ANC for transfer function estimation; Means to avoid interference between desired signals, e.g. from a car stereo, and the ANC signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted three dimensional sound signal reproducing•silencing unit includes at least two speakers disposed for each of seats to be occupied by listeners so as to generate a three dimensional sound field space in a region inclusive of left and right external ears of each of the listeners, and three dimensional signal processing means for converting an output signal from a sound source into a three dimensional sound field signal for supplying it to each of the speakers, thereby reproducing a three dimensional sound field with rich presence for each of the seats. The unit also includes antiphase signal generating means for supplying a silencing signal to the three dimensional signal processing means, thereby silencing sounds for each of the seats without giving an effect on the other seats.

Claims

1. A three dimensional sound field reproducing unit comprising:

a three dimensional sound field reproducing device for reproducing a three dimensional sound field;

a plurality of listener sections, each section being occupied by a listener;

a plurality of speakers, each speaker utilized by a single listener section, and wherein at least three or more of said plurality of speakers are disposed around a left external ear of each of said listener and at least three or more of said plurality of speakers are disposed around a right external ear of each of the listener so as to generate sound waves forming a three dimensional sound field reproducing space in a region inclusive of left and right external ears of each of the listeners;

wherein said plurality of speakers are disposed in headrests of seats in the plurality of listening sections and wherein the plurality of speakers include at least three speakers being arranged in a vertical direction in a Y-Z plane near the left external ear and at least three speakers being arranged in a vertical direction in the Y-Z plane near the right external ear, wherein surfaces of the headrests are situated in the Y-Z plane;

a switching unit for selecting one sound source from a plurality of sound sources; and

a three dimensional signal processing unit for converting an output signal from a sound source selected by said switching unit into a three dimensional sound field signal for supplying it to each of said plurality of speakers.

2. A three dimensional sound field reproducing unit comprising:

a three dimensional sound field reproducing device for reproducing a three dimensional sound filed;

a plurality of listener sections, each section being occupied by a listener;

a plurality of speakers, each speaker utilized by a single listener section, and wherein at least three or more of said plurality of speakers are disposed around a left external ear of each of said listener and at least three or more of said plurality of speakers are disposed around a right external ear of each of the listener so as to generate sound waves forming a three dimensional sound field reproducing space in a region inclusive of left and right external ears of each of the listeners;

wherein said plurality of speakers are disposed in headrests of seats in the plurality of listening sections and wherein the plurality of speakers include at least three speakers being arranged in a vertical direction in a Y-Z plane near the left external ear and at least three speakers being arranged in a vertical direction in the Y-Z plane near the right external ear, wherein surfaces of the headrests are situated in the Y-Z plane;

a sound source selecting unit for selecting one sound source from a plurality of sound sources;

a switching unit for starting an operation of said sound source selecting unit; and

a three dimensional signal processing unit for converting an output signal from the sound source into a three dimensional sound field signal for supplying it to each of said plurality of speakers;

a volume detecting unit for detecting volume in the three dimensional sound field space; and

an antiphase signal generator for supplying an antiphase signal that cancels noise based on the detected volume from said volume detecting unit to said three dimensional signal processing unit.