Audio speaker with spatially selective sound cancelling
First Claim
1. An audio sound reproduction system, comprising:
- an audio frequency sound transducer system configured to emit an audio sound within a space comprising an audio beamwidth, wherein the audio sound is based on an audio signal;
an ultrasonic sound transducer component configured to emit modulated ultrasonic sound energy in at least one ultrasonic sound direction, each ultrasonic sound direction having a respective ultrasonic beamwidth that is less than and within the audio beamwidth, wherein the modulated ultrasonic sound energy is based on a modulated ultrasonic sound signal;
an object detector configured to;
determine a respective object location for at least one object within the audio beamwidth, the respective object locations being independent of the ultrasonic beamwidth; and
produce a respective indication of the respective object location for the at least one object; and
an ultrasonic signal generator, coupled to the object detector, configured to generate the modulated ultrasonic sound signal, the ultrasonic signal generator configured to generate, based on the respective indication, the modulated ultrasonic sound signal such that the modulated ultrasonic sound energy emitted by the ultrasonic sound transducer creates an audible cancellation sound with an amplitude substantially equal to an amplitude of the audio sound at the respective object location so as to combine with and cancel the audio sound at the respective object location by being substantially out of phase with the audio sound along each ultrasonic sound direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for reproducing audio sound. Audio sound, based on an audio signal, is emitted within a space comprising an audio beamwidth. Modulated ultrasonic sound energy based on a modulated ultrasonic sound signal is emitted in an ultrasonic sound direction within an ultrasonic beamwidth that is less than and within the audio beamwidth. The modulated ultrasonic sound signal is generated such that the emitted modulated ultrasonic sound energy creates an audible cancellation sound with an amplitude substantially equal to an amplitude of the audio sound at a point within the ultrasonic beamwidth so as to combine with and cancel the audio sound at the point by being substantially out of phase with the audio sound along the ultrasonic sound direction.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An audio sound reproduction system, comprising:
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an audio frequency sound transducer system configured to emit an audio sound within a space comprising an audio beamwidth, wherein the audio sound is based on an audio signal; an ultrasonic sound transducer component configured to emit modulated ultrasonic sound energy in at least one ultrasonic sound direction, each ultrasonic sound direction having a respective ultrasonic beamwidth that is less than and within the audio beamwidth, wherein the modulated ultrasonic sound energy is based on a modulated ultrasonic sound signal; an object detector configured to; determine a respective object location for at least one object within the audio beamwidth, the respective object locations being independent of the ultrasonic beamwidth; and produce a respective indication of the respective object location for the at least one object; and an ultrasonic signal generator, coupled to the object detector, configured to generate the modulated ultrasonic sound signal, the ultrasonic signal generator configured to generate, based on the respective indication, the modulated ultrasonic sound signal such that the modulated ultrasonic sound energy emitted by the ultrasonic sound transducer creates an audible cancellation sound with an amplitude substantially equal to an amplitude of the audio sound at the respective object location so as to combine with and cancel the audio sound at the respective object location by being substantially out of phase with the audio sound along each ultrasonic sound direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of reproducing audio sound, the method comprising:
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emitting, with an audio frequency sound transducer system, an audio sound within a space comprising an audio beamwidth, wherein the audio sound is based on an audio signal; emitting modulated ultrasonic sound energy in at least one ultrasonic sound direction, each ultrasonic sound direction having a respective ultrasonic beamwidth that is less than and within the audio beamwidth, wherein the modulated ultrasonic sound energy is based on a modulated ultrasonic sound signal; determining a respective object location for at least one object within the audio beamwidth, the respective object locations being independent of the ultrasonic beamwidth; producing a respective indication of the respective object location for the at least one object; and generating, based on the respective indication, the modulated ultrasonic sound signal such that an emitted modulated ultrasonic sound energy creates an audible cancellation sound with an amplitude substantially equal to an amplitude of the audio sound at the respective object location so as to combine with and cancel the audio sound at the respective object location by being substantially out of phase with the audio sound along each ultrasonic sound direction. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for:
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emitting, with an audio frequency sound transducer system, an audio sound within a space comprising an audio beamwidth, wherein the audio sound is based on an audio signal; emitting modulated ultrasonic sound energy in at least one ultrasonic sound direction, each ultrasonic sound direction having a respective ultrasonic beamwidth that is less than and within the audio beamwidth, wherein the modulated ultrasonic sound energy is based on a modulated ultrasonic sound signal; determining a respective object location for at least one object within the audio beamwidth, the respective object locations being independent of the ultrasonic beamwidth; producing a respective indication of the respective object location for the at least one object; and generating, based on the respective indication, the modulated ultrasonic sound signal such that an emitted modulated ultrasonic sound energy creates an audible cancellation sound with an amplitude substantially equal to an amplitude of the audio sound at the respective object location so as to combine with and cancel the audio sound at the respective object location by being substantially out of phase with the audio sound along each ultrasonic sound direction. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification