LOUDSPEAKER WITH OPTIONAL EXTENDER FOR PRODUCTION OF HIGH-FREQUENCY AUDIO

• US 20170195792A1
• Filed: 01/04/2017
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Caavo Inc
• Original Assignee: Caavo Inc
• Inventors: Aggarwal, Ashish D., Einaudi, Andrew E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,284,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/026 Supports for loudspeaker casings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/26 Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/14 Cross-over networks

Abstract

A loudspeaker system is described that includes a loudspeaker and an extender. The loudspeaker can be positioned on the ground and the extender can be optionally connected thereto. When the extender is connected to the loudspeaker, the loudspeaker is capable of selectively sending high-frequency components of an input audio signal to the extender and the extender is capable of playing back such high-frequency components to produce high-frequency audio. Due to the fact that an audio-producing apparatus of the extender can be positioned at a higher elevation than the loudspeaker, the high-frequency audio (which is more directional than lower-frequency audio) can be produced at a height that is likely to match that of the ear height of a user as opposed to producing the audio at floor height.

Claims

1. A loudspeaker system, comprising:

a loudspeaker comprising audio signal processing logic, a low-frequency audio production apparatus, and a first high-frequency audio production apparatus; and

an extender that may be optionally connected to the loudspeaker, the extender comprising a second high-frequency audio production apparatus;

wherein the audio signal processing logic includes control logic that is configured to determine whether the extender is connected to the loudspeaker;

wherein the audio signal processing logic is configured to process an input audio signal to produce one or more low-frequency signal components and one or more high-frequency signal components and to send the one or more low-frequency signal components the low-frequency audio production apparatus for conversion into low-frequency audio;

wherein the audio signal processing logic is further configured to send at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components to the first high-frequency audio production apparatus for conversion into high-frequency audio when it is determined that the extender is not connected to the loudspeaker; and

wherein the audio signal processing logic is further configured to send at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components to the second high-frequency audio production apparatus for conversion into high-frequency audio when it is determined that the extender is connected to the loudspeaker.

2. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the audio signal processing logic is further configured to distinguish between the one or more low-frequency signal components and the one or more high-frequency signal components based on a cross-over frequency.

3. The loudspeaker of claim 2, wherein the cross-over frequency is a fixed parameter.

4. The loudspeaker of claim 2, wherein the audio signal processing logic is further configured to dynamically adjust the cross-over frequency based on one or more of:

a number of loudspeakers in the room;

a response associated with the room; and

a user input.

5. The loudspeaker system of claim 1, wherein the audio signal processing logic further includes a dynamic equalizer, the dynamic equalizer configured to selectively boost or attenuate at least one of the one or more low-frequency signal components and at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components.

6. The loudspeaker system of claim 5, wherein the dynamic equalizer is configured to selectively boost or reduce the at least one of the one or more low-frequency signal components and at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components based on one or more of:

a response measured using one or more microphones, each of the one or more microphones being included within or connected to the loudspeaker or the extender; and

current and voltage responses of at least one of the loudspeaker and the extender.

7. The loudspeaker system of claim 1, wherein the low-frequency audio production apparatus comprises a sub-woofer, a woofer or a mid-range driver.

8. The loudspeaker system of claim 1, wherein the first high-frequency audio production apparatus or the second high-frequency audio production apparatus comprises a woofer, a mid-range driver, or a tweeter.

9. The loudspeaker system of claim 1 further comprising a second extender that may be optionally connected to the loudspeaker, the second extender comprising a mid-range-frequency audio production apparatus, wherein the audio signal processing logic is further configured to process the input signal to produce one or more mid-range-frequency signal components;

and

wherein the audio signal processing logic is further configured to send at least one of the one or more mid-range-frequency signal components to the mid-range-frequency audio production apparatus for conversion into mid-range-frequency audio when it is determined that the second extender is connected to the loudspeaker.

10. A method performed by audio signal processing logic of a loudspeaker comprising:

receiving an input audio signal;

processing the input audio signal to produce one or more low-frequency signal components and one or more high-frequency signal components;

sending the one or more low-frequency signal components to a low-frequency audio production apparatus of the loudspeaker for conversion into low-frequency audio;

determining if an extender is connected to the loudspeaker;

in response to determining that the extender is connected to the loudspeaker, sending at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components to a high-frequency audio production apparatus of the extender for conversion into high-frequency audio; and

in response to determining that the extender is not connected to the loudspeaker, sending at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components to a high-frequency audio production apparatus of the loudspeaker for conversion into high-frequency audio.

11. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising distinguishing between the one or more low-frequency signal components and the one or more high-frequency signal components based on a cross-over frequency.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cross-over frequency is a fixed parameter.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising dynamically adjusting the cross-over frequency based on one or more of:

a number of speakers in the room;

a response associated with the room; and

a user input.

14. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising:

selectively boosting or attenuating at least one of the one or more low-frequency signal components and at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the selectively boosting or attenuating at least one of the one or more low-frequency signal components and at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components comprises selectively boosting or attenuating at least one of the one or more low-frequency signal components and at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components based on one or more of:

a response measured using one or more microphones, each of the one or more microphones being included within or connected to the loudspeaker or the extender; and

current and voltage responses of at least one of the loudspeaker and the extender.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the low-frequency audio production apparatus comprises a sub-woofer, a woofer or a mid-range driver.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the high-frequency audio production apparatus of the loudspeaker or the high-frequency audio production apparatus of the extender comprises a woofer, a mid-range driver, or a tweeter.

18. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising, in response to determining that a second extender is connected to the loudspeaker,

processing the input audio signal to produce one or more mid-range frequency signal components;

and

sending at least one of the one or more mid-range frequency signal components to a mid-range-frequency audio production apparatus of the second extender for conversion into mid-range-frequency audio.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable memory having computer program logic recorded thereon that when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an input audio signal;

processing the input audio signal to produce one or more low-frequency signal components and one or more high-frequency signal components;

sending the one or more low-frequency signal components to a low-frequency audio production apparatus of a loudspeaker for conversion into low-frequency audio;

determining if an extender is connected to the loudspeaker;

in response to determining that the extender is connected to the loudspeaker, sending at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components to a high-frequency audio production apparatus of the extender for conversion into high-frequency audio; and

in response to determining that the extender is not connected to the loudspeaker, sending at least one of the one or more high-frequency signal components to a high-frequency audio production apparatus of the loudspeaker for conversion into high-frequency audio.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, the method further comprising distinguishing between the one or more low-frequency signal components and the one or more high-frequency signal components based on a cross-over frequency.