Computer visual display monitor with integral stereo speaker and directional microphone and method for construction

• US 5,870,485 A
• Filed: 06/19/1997
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Oxford, William V., Lundgren, David A., Josephson, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US08/878,662
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 381/154, 381/158, 381/159, 381/24, 381/300, 381/306, 381/26, 381/333, 381/356, 381/353, 381/365, 381/354, 381/162, 381/361, 381/388, 381/91, 348/205, 348/169, 348/14, 348/15
• US Class Current: 381/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/38 in which sound waves act upon both sides of a diaphragm and incorporating acoustic phase-shifting means, e.g. pressure-gradient microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

A high resolution computer visual display monitor employing a cathode ray tube (CRT) having a vertical aperture grill intended for personal computer systems and integrating a high quality stereophonic speaker system and a directional microphone, and methods for construction of same. The aperture grill has a natural frequency centered within the musical scale. The stereo speaker system comprises a ported speaker enclosure within which are mounted two conventional cone speaker assemblies. A stereo audio amplifier and control unit for controlling the audio signals delivered to the speakers is mounted within the speaker enclosure. The speaker enclosure is internally mounted within the monitor with a minimum number of attachment members incorporating vibration isolation material to remove vibration components near the natural frequency of the aperture grill. The speaker enclosure is internally reinforced to reduce structural deformations which contribute to airborne transmitted vibration within the monitor housing when the speaker system is operating. The integral directional microphone assembly comprises a cardioid electret microphone capsule retained therein by acoustically transparent foam. The microphone housing is mounted internally within the monitor housing facing the user and adjacent to the top surface of the monitor housing. The microphone housing comprises a frontal opening and a plurality of nonfrontally facing openings which together maximally preserve sound pressure gradient applied to the microphone capsule, thereby together with the mounting of said microphone housing on an exterior vertex of said monitor housing, resulting in a hypercardioid spatial response.

Claims

1. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer-processed video and audio signals, an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising:

a high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display coupled to receive and display said video signals;

stereo sound transducer means suspended within said monitor and coupled to receive said audio signals for reproducing said audio signals;

a microphone enclosure located in contact with a juncture of a front panel and a top panel of said monitor; and

attenuation means disposed between said high resolution cathode ray tube display and said stereo sound transducer means for attenuating mechanical vibrations in said high resolution cathode ray tube display created by said stereo sound transducer means.

2. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 1 further comprising directional microphone transducer means suspended within said monitor for receiving a plurality of speech sounds spoken by a user in connection with a plurality of computer-controlled functions for operation and control of said computer digital information processing system.

3. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 1, wherein said stereo sound transducer means comprises:

a speaker enclosure having a pair of voice coil actuated cone speakers affixed thereto; and

a tuned port for exhausting a plurality of low frequency sound waves from said speaker enclosure;

and wherein said attenuation means comprises elastomeric suspension means for supporting said stereo sound transducer means within said monitor and attenuating mechanical vibrations in said high resolution cathode ray tube display created by the speaker enclosure.

4. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 2, wherein said speaker enclosure comprises a rigid, hollow body further comprising enclosure strengthening means for resisting deformation of said speaker enclosure when said speakers are active.

5. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 4, wherein said enclosure strengthening means comprises a first plurality of intersecting rib members integrally formed on interior surfaces of upper and lower portions of said speaker enclosure.

6. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 5, wherein said speaker enclosure consists essentially of glass-filled PVC.

7. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 3 further comprising a sound processor board mounted internally within said speaker enclosure and coupled to receive said computer-processed audio signals, said sound processor board further comprising amplifier and sound control means for shaping and modifying a plurality of acoustic characteristics of said computer-processed audio signals.

8. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 7, wherein said sound processor board mounted internally within said speaker enclosure is cooled by air passing through said port and into said speaker enclosure when said speakers are active.

9. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer-processed video and audio signals, an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising:

a high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display coupled to receive and display said video signals;

stereo sound transducer means for reproducing said audio signals suspended within said monitor and coupled to receive said audio signals, wherein said stereo sound transducer means comprises;

a speaker enclosure having a pair of voice coil actuated cone speakers affixed thereto; and

a tuned port for exhausting a plurality of low frequency sound waves from said speaker enclosure;

attenuation means disposed between said high resolution cathode ray tube display and said stereo sound transducer means for attenuating mechanical vibrations in said high resolution cathode ray tube display created by said stereo sound transducer means, wherein said attenuation means comprises elastomeric suspension means for supporting said stereo sound transducer means within said monitor and attenuating mechanical vibrations in said high resolution cathode ray tube display created by the speaker enclosure;

said high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display includes a collimating screen comprising a tuned system; and

said tuned port comprises a tuned resonator.

10. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 9, wherein said elastomeric suspension means comprises a plurality of energy-dissipating grommets seated on corresponding mounting surfaces formed in said speaker enclosure, said grommets compressively interspersed between said speaker enclosure and said monitor when said speaker enclosure is mounted within said monitor.

11. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 10, wherein said energy-dissipating grommets comprise first and second cylindrical side grommets and an ovaloid rear grommet, said side grommets each comprising an interior circumference having a first plurality of rib members disposed thereon, said rear grommet comprising an exterior circumference having a second plurality of rib members disposed thereon.

12. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer-processed video and audio signals, an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising:

a high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display including a collimating screen coupled to receive and display said video signals,

stereo sound transducer means for reproducing said audio signals suspended within said monitor and coupled to receive said audio signals, and

directional microphone transducer means suspended within said monitor for receiving a plurality of speech sounds spoken by a user in connection with a plurality of computer-controlled functions operation and control of said computer digital information processing system, wherein said directional microphone transducer means comprises a pressure gradient electret microphone capsule having first and second sound pressure ports housed within a microphone enclosure having a frontal acoustical transparency and a rear acoustical transparency, said microphone enclosure located at an upper exterior vertex of said monitor facing the user such that said first sound pressure port is principally accessible to said speech sounds received through said frontal transparency, and said second sound pressure port is principally accessible to a plurality of sounds received through said rear acoustical transparency, there being a sound pressure gradient between said frontal and said rear acoustical transparencies.

13. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 12, wherein said frontal and rear acoustical transparencies maximally preserve the sound pressure gradient existing between said first and second sound ports of said microphone capsule.

14. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of computer-controlled functions includes telecommunication transactions.

15. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of computer-controlled functions includes voice recognition transactions.

16. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer processed video and audio signals, an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising:

high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display coupled to receive and display said computer processed video signals;

stereo sound transducer means for reproducing said digital audio signals, said stereo sound transducer means suspended within said monitor and coupled to receive said computer processed audio signals, said stereo sound transducer means comprising a speaker enclosure having a pair of voice coil actuated cone speakers affixed thereto and a tuned port for exhausting a plurality of low frequency sound waves from said speaker enclosure;

elastomeric suspension means for supporting said stereo sound transducer means within said monitor and attenuating mechanical vibrations in said CRT created by said speakers; and

directional microphone transducer means located in contact with a juncture of a front panel and a top panel of said monitor for receiving a plurality of speech sounds spoken by a user in connection with operation and control of said computer digital information processing system.

17. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 16, wherein said speaker enclosure comprises a rigid, hollow body further comprising enclosure strengthening means including a first plurality of intersecting rib members integrally formed on interior surfaces of upper and lower portions of said speaker enclosure for resisting deformation of said speaker enclosure when said speakers are active.

18. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 17, wherein said speaker enclosure consists essentially of glass-filled PVC.

19. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer processed video and audio signals, an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising:

a high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display coupled to receive and display said computer processed video signals;

stereo sound transducer means for reproducing said digital audio signals, said stereo sound transducer means suspended within said monitor and coupled to receive said computer processed audio signals, said stereo sound transducer means comprising a speaker enclosure having a pair of voice coil actuated cone speakers affixed thereto and a tuned port for exhausting a plurality of low frequency sound waves from said speaker enclosure;

elastomeric suspension means for supporting said stereo sound transducer means within said monitor and attenuating mechanical vibrations in said CRT created by said speakers;

directional microphone transducer means suspended within said monitor for receiving a plurality of speech sounds spoken by a user in connection with operation and control of said computer digital information processing system;

said high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display includes a collimating screen comprising a tuned system; and

said tuned port comprises a tuned resonator.

20. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer processed video and audio signals, an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising:

a high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display including a collimating screen coupled to receive and display said computer processed video signals, said collimating screen comprising a tuned system;

stereo sound transducer means for reproducing said audio signals, said stereo sound transducer means suspended within said monitor and coupled to receive said computer processed audio signals, said stereo sound transducer means comprising a speaker enclosure having a pair of voice coil actuated cone speakers affixed thereto and a tuned port for exhausting a plurality of low frequency sound waves from said speaker enclosure, said tuned port comprising a tuned resonator;

elastomeric suspension means for supporting said stereo sound transducer means within said monitor and attenuating mechanical vibrations in said CRT created by said speakers, said elastomeric suspension means comprising a plurality of energy-dissipating side and rear grommets seated on corresponding side and rear mounting surfaces formed in said speaker enclosure;

said side grommets each comprising a cylindrical body having an interior circumference including a first plurality of rib members disposed thereon;

said rear grommet comprising an ovaloid body having an exterior circumference including a second plurality of rib members disposed thereon;

said grommets compressively interspersed between said speaker enclosure and said monitor when said speaker enclosure is mounted within said monitor; and

directional microphone transducer means suspended within said monitor for receiving a plurality of speech sounds spoken by a user of said digital computer information processing system.

21. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 20 further comprising a sound processor board mounted internally within said speaker enclosure and coupled to receive said computer processed audio signals, said sound processor board further comprising amplifier and sound control means for shaping and modifying a plurality of acoustic characteristics of said computer processed audio signals.

22. The integrated computer visual display monitor according to claim 21, wherein said sound processor board mounted internally within said speaker enclosure is cooled by air passing through said port and into said speaker enclosure when said speakers are active.

23. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer processed video and audio signals, an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising:

a high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display including a collimating screen coupled to receive and display said computer processed video signals;

stereo sound transducer means for reproducing said digital audio signals, said stereo sound transducer means suspended within said monitor and coupled to receive said computer processed audio signals, said stereo sound transducer means comprising a speaker enclosure having at least one voice coil actuated cone speaker affixed thereto and a tuned port for a exhausting a plurality of low frequency sound waves from said speaker enclosure;

elastomeric suspension means for supporting said stereo sound transducer means within said monitor and attenuating mechanical vibrations in said CRT created by said speakers; and

directional microphone transducer means suspended within said monitor for receiving a plurality of speech sounds spoken by a user in connection with operation and control of said computer digital information processing system, wherein said directional microphone transducer means comprises a pressure gradient electret microphone capsule having first and second sound pressure ports housed within a microphone enclosure having a frontal acoustical transparency and a rear acoustical transparency, and wherein;

said microphone enclosure is located at an upper exterior vertex of said monitor facing the user;

said first sound pressure port is principally accessible to said speech sounds though said frontal acoustical transparency;

said second sound pressure port is principally accessible to a plurality of sounds waves principally originating from behind and from each side of said microphone enclosure though said rear acoustical transparency, there being a sound pressure gradient between said frontal and said rear acoustical transparencies, and

said frontal and rear acoustical transparencies maximally preserve the sound pressure gradient applied to said first and second sound ports of said microphone capsule.

24. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer processed video and audio signals, a method for assembling an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising the steps of:

providing in said monitor a high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display coupled to receive and display said computer processed video signals;

providing stereo sound transducer means for reproducing said computer processed audio signals;

providing, within said sound transducer means, a tuned port for exhausting a plurality of low frequency sound waves from said sound transducer means;

coupling said stereo sound transducer means to receive said computer processed audio signals;

supporting said stereo sound transducer means within said monitor with elastomeric suspension means for attenuating mechanical vibrations in said high resolution cathode ray tube display created by said transducer means; and

providing a microphone enclosure located in contact with a juncture of a front panel and a top panel of said monitor.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein providing said stereo sound transducer means comprises providing a ported speaker enclosure having a pair of voice coil actuated cone speakers affixed thereto.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein providing said speaker enclosure comprises providing a rigid, hollow body including enclosure, and further providing strengthening means for resisting deformation of said speaker enclosure when said speakers are active.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said enclosure strengthening means comprises a first plurality of intersecting rib members integrally formed on interior surfaces of upper and lower portions of said speaker enclosure.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein providing stereo sound transducer means further comprises

mounting a sound processor board internally within said speaker enclosure;

coupling said sound processor to receive said computer processed audio signals, and

shaping and modifying a plurality of acoustic characteristics of said computer processed audio signals supplied to said stereo sound transducer means by providing amplifier and sound control means on said sound processor board.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein said sound processor board mounted internally within said speaker enclosure is cooled by air passing through said port and into said speaker enclosure when said speakers are active.

30. The method according to claim 24 further comprising the step of providing and suspending directional microphone transducer means within said display monitor for receiving a plurality of speech sounds spoken by a user in connection with operation and control of said computer digital information processing system.

31. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer processed video and audio signals, a method for assembling an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising the steps of:

providing a high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display coupled to receive and display said computer processed video signals;

providing stereo sound transducer means for reproducing said computer processed audio signals;

providing, within said sound transducer means, a tuned port for exhausting a plurality of low frequency sound waves from said sound transducer means;

coupling said stereo sound transducer means to receive said computer processed audio signals;

supporting said stereo sound transducer means within said monitor with elastomeric suspension means for attenuating mechanical vibrations in said high resolution cathode ray tube display created thereby;

said display comprises a collimating screen having a first natural frequency centered substantially within a musical bandwidth; and

said tuned port comprises a tuned resonator having a second natural frequency less than said first natural frequency.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the step of supporting said stereo sound transducer means with said elastomeric suspension means comprises the steps of:

said stereo sound transducer means comprises a speaker enclosure;

providing and seating a plurality of energy-dissipating grommets on a plurality of mounting surfaces formed in said speaker enclosure; and

compressively interspersing said grommets between said speaker housing and said monitor when said speaker enclosure is mounted within said monitor.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein said providing said energy-dissipating grommets comprises the steps of:

providing first and second cylindrical side grommets and an ovaloid rear grommet;

forming, in each of said side grommets, an interior circumference having a second plurality of rib members disposed thereon; and

forming, in said rear grommet, an exterior circumference having a third plurality of rib members disposed thereon.

34. In a digital computer information processing system including a central processor unit producing a plurality of computer processed video and audio signals, a method for assembling an integrated computer visual display monitor comprising the steps of:

providing a high resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) display including a collimating screen coupled to receive and display said computer processed video signals;

providing stereo sound transducer means for reproducing said computer processed audio signals;

providing, within said sound transducer means, a tuned port for exhausting a plurality of low frequency sound waves from said sound transducer means;

coupling said stereo sound transducer means to receive said computer processed audio signals,

supporting said stereo sound transducer means within said monitor with elastomeric suspension means for attenuating mechanical vibrations created thereby, and

providing and suspending directional microphone transducer means within said display monitor for receiving a plurality of speech sounds spoken by a user in connection with operation and control of said computer digital information processing system, wherein the step of providing said directional microphone transducer means comprises the steps of;

mounting a pressure gradient electret microphone capsule having first and second sound pressure ports within a microphone enclosure having a frontal acoustical transparency and a rear acoustical transparency, and,

locating said microphone enclosure at an upper exterior vertex of said monitor facing the user such that said first sound pressure port is principally accessible to said speech sounds spoken by the user through said frontal transparency, and said second sound pressure port is principally accessible to a plurality of sounds waves originating from behind and from each side of said microphone housing through said rear acoustical transparency.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the step of locating said microphone enclosure at the upper exterior vertex of said monitor maximally preserves a sound pressure gradient existing between said first and second sound pressure ports of said microphone capsule.