Sound reproduction apparatus and a method for speaker charging/calibration employed in said apparatus

• US 8,638,957 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: Sim, Wong Hoo, Toh, Boon Keat Eddy, Suprapmo, Susimin, Tan, Jeng Khim
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Norman
• Application Number:
  US13/384,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20120121111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 381/181, 381/182
• US Class Current: 381/182
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/028 Structural combinations of loudspeakers with built-in power amplifiers, e.g. in the same acoustic enclosure H04R2499/10 takes precedence; Single (sub)woofer with two or more satellite loudspeakers for mid- and high-frequency band reproduction driven via the (sub)woofer H04R2205/026
• 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 2205/024 Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
• 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 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/308 Electronic adaptation dependent on speaker or headphone connection

Abstract

There is provided a sound reproduction apparatus including a sub-woofer unit and a plurality of wireless speakers. A method of speaker charging and speaker calibration using the sound reproduction apparatus is also provided. The sub-woofer unit may be configured to perform tasks of both charging a power source in each of the plurality of wireless speakers; and calibrating speaker identity for each of the plurality of wireless speakers. It is advantageous that both of the tasks are performed when the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit. The speaker identity may include, for example, left front, right front, left rear, right rear, and center.

Claims

1. A sound reproduction apparatus including a sub-woofer unit and

a plurality of wireless speakers, the sub-woofer unit being configured to perform tasks of both:

charging a power source in each of the plurality of wireless speakers; and

calibrating speaker identity for each of the plurality of wireless speakers,

the speaker identity being referenced to an audio channel reproduced by the wireless speaker,

wherein the sub-woofer unit includes a plurality of receptors arranged in a manner which denotes a relative location where respective wireless speakers are supposed to be positioned when the sound reproduction apparatus is set up,

wherein the speaker identity for a wireless speaker is calibrated based on the receptor it is placed therein, and

wherein both of the tasks are performed when the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit.

2. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sub-woofer unit is either independently powered or powered by an external source.

3. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit by a wired connection.

4. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wired connection is a power line connection.

5. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 3, wherein the power source in each of the plurality of wireless speakers is charged via either the wired connection or induction charging.

6. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of wireless speakers is located in a receptor defining a shape of a base of each of the plurality of wireless speakers on a surface of the sub-woofer unit when each of the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit.

7. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, the audio channel reproduced by the wireless speaker being one of left front, right front, left rear, right rear and centre.

8. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein each receptor includes an activator to reset the identity of the coupled wireless speaker, the activator being triggered when the wireless speaker is located in the receptor, and

wherein the activator is further configurable to one of send predefined data and trigger signals in a manner so as to calibrate the speaker identity of the wireless speaker.

9. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of wireless speakers is located in a region defining a shape of a base of each of the plurality of wireless speakers on a surface of the sub-woofer unit when each of the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit.

10. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 9, wherein the speaker identity depends on which region each of the plurality of wireless speakers is located in.

11. The sound reproduction apparatus of claim 10, wherein each region includes an activator to reset the identity of the coupled wireless speaker, the activator being triggered when the wireless speaker is located in the region.