Acoustic system

• US 8,126,181 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yoshinori, Moriya, Akihito, Sato, Yutaka, Takahashi, Osamu, Takahashi, Toshimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Ping
• Application Number:
  US11/341,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20070087784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,220 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 381/306, 381/28, 381/333, 381/388, 381/122, 455/344, 455/346, 455/347, 455/350, 455/575.1, 455/569.1, 455/563, 455/567
• US Class Current: 381/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/026 Single (sub)woofer with two or more satellite loudspeakers for mid- and high-frequency band reproduction driven via the (sub)woofer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

In addition to output the mid-high range audio sound from the speakers of the main unit, the present invention can output the low range audio sound according to the audio signal transmitted from the main unit through the DC power supply transmission cable from the sub-woofer unit of the AC adapter. Accordingly, the present invention can provide a richly expressive acoustic space without enlarging the size of the main unit.

Claims

1. An acoustic system comprising:

a power supply adapter comprising a power supply unit, an amplifier, and a woofer unit which outputs a low range audio sound according to an audio signal;

a main unit comprising a micro processing unit (MPU), speaker units which output a mid-high range audio sound according to the audio signal, and a connection terminal for electrically connecting a predetermined electronic apparatus capable of receiving calls and reproducing an audio signal indicating receipt of a call, the MPU being configured to control the power supply unit, the woofer unit, and the speaker units based on a DC power supplied from the power supply adapter, wherein a single housing independent of a display unit encloses the main unit, including the speaker units, the single housing having the connection terminal centrally arranged on a front surface to directly connect to the predetermined electronic apparatus and a plurality of buttons that control the acoustic system arranged on a top surface; and

a transmission cable which connects the power supply adapter to the main unit and transmits the audio signal to the power supply adapter from the main unit to output the low range audio sound from the woofer unit,

wherein the MPU is configured to automatically detect a call received by the predetermined electronic apparatus, lower a sound volume level being output by the speakers based on the detected call, and output the audio signal indicating receipt of the call received by the predetermined electronic apparatus via the speakers,

the MPU is further configured to receive a digital signal from the predetermined electronic apparatus and transmit the digital signal to the power supply adapter via the transmission cable, and

the power supply adapter is configured to amplify the received digital signal at the amplifier and output low range audio via the woofer unit according to the digital signal.

2. The acoustic system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply unit supplies the DC power to the main unit and the power supply adapter includes the amplifier for driving the woofer unit.

3. The acoustic system according to claim 1, wherein the main unit outputs the mid-high range audio sound according to the audio signal supplied from the electronic apparatus connected through the connection terminal from the speaker units, and transmits the audio signal for outputting the low range audio sound according to the audio signal from the woofer unit of the power supply adapter to the power supply adapter through the transmission cable.

4. The acoustic system according to claim 3, wherein the main unit supplies and charges power to the electronic apparatus if the electronic apparatus is connected through the connection terminal.

5. The acoustic system according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined electronic apparatus is a portable telephone.

6. The acoustic system according to claim 3, wherein the main unit includes a first input for receiving a key signal and a second input for electrically connecting an external electronic apparatus,

wherein the MPU selects an audio signal from one of the predetermined electronic apparatus and the external electronic apparatus to be outputted based on the inputted key signal.

7. The acoustic system according to claim 1, wherein

the transmission cable is a DC power supply transmission cable,

the power supply unit is an AC adapter, and supplies the DC power of a predetermined voltage level converted from a commercial AC power to the main unit through the DC power supply transmission cable, and

the main unit superimposes the audio signal through the DC power supply transmission cable and transmits the audio signal to the power supply adapter.

8. The acoustic system according to claim 1, wherein the main unit includes an amplifier for driving the speaker units.

9. The acoustic system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply adapter is made of a housing such that the woofer unit is concealed.

10. The acoustic system according to claim 1, wherein the MPU is further configured to output audio of the received call via the speakers after the audio signal indicating the receipt of the call is output.

11. The acoustic system according to claim 9, wherein the housing is of a quadrangular prism shape having a trapezoidal cross section.

12. The acoustic system according to claim 1, wherein the main unit further comprises a light receiving unit to receive infrared light from a separate remote controller to control the acoustic system and the light receiving unit is arranged on the front surface of the single housing.

13. The acoustic system according to claim 1, wherein the single housing includes a semicircular portion extending from the front surface and the connection terminal is located on a top surface of the semicircular portion such that when the predetermined electronic apparatus is connected to the main unit, the predetermined electronic apparatus is controllable by the user.