Audio output system and method therefor

• US 6,643,377 B1
• Filed: 04/22/1999
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Naoto, Katayama, Hirohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan Duc
• Application Number:
  US09/296,561
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 381/61, 381/86, 381/87, 381/160, 381/300, 381/303, 381/306, 381/333, 101/155
• US Class Current: 381/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/00 Two-channel systems H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

There is provided an audio output apparatus capable of providing an effect, with a limited number of speakers, as if the person displayed on the display screen is really speaking. When the television conference is started with a communication partner through a set top box, the image of the communication partner is displayed on the image displaying reflective plate. At the same time, ultrasonic waves superposed with the voice of the partner are emitted from a left speaker and a right speaker. The sound emitting directions of the left and right speakers are directed toward the image displaying reflective plate on which the partner is displayed. The ultrasonic waves emitted from the left and right speakers are reflected by the reflective plate and proceed toward the listener who can hear the voice of the partner as if the voice is directly emitted from the reflective plate.

Claims

1. An audio output system comprising:

an image display unit having a screen for displaying an image;

a reflective member provided on the screen of said image display unit and adapted to reflect sound waves; and

a plurality of speakers, each speaker generating an ultrasonic sound wave corresponding to an audio signal and said audio signal synchronized with said image;

wherein said speakers are capable of selectively turning between a first position where the sound wave generated by the respective speaker is reflected by said reflective member and is transmitted to a listener at a position opposed to the screen of said image display unit, and a second position where the sound wave generated by the respective speaker is output directly toward the listener.

2. An audio output system according to claim 1, wherein said reflective member is adapted to convert a directional sound wave, generated by a speaker, into non-directional sound wave.

3. An audio output system according to claim 1, further comprising switching means for selectively switching the direction of generation of the sound wave from a speaker either in a direction from the screen of said image display unit toward a side opposed thereto or in an opposite direction.

4. An audio output system according to claim 3, wherein said switching means is means for rotating a speaker.

5. An audio output system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of speakers are provided in a pair, at left and right sides of the screen of said image display unit.

6. An audio output system according to claim 1, wherein said speakers are adapted to generate a directional sound wave including a carrier wave of 200 kHz superposed with audio of 0 to 20 kHz.

12. An audio output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image display unit is composed of a projector for projecting an image and a screen for displaying said projected image, and said plurality of speakers are mounted on said projector and is adapted to transmit the sound wave toward said screen.

14. An audio output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of speakers have an extremely narrow directionality.

7. An audio output method comprising the steps of:

utilizing an image display unit provided with a reflective member, for reflecting an ultrasonic sound wave, on a screen for displaying an image;

selectively turning a plurality of speakers between a first position for reflecting the ultrasonic sound waves corresponding to audio signals generated from the plurality of speakers using said reflective member and transmitting said sound waves to a listener at a side opposed to the screen of said image display unit, and a second position for transmitting the sound waves from the plurality of speakers directly to the listener, wherein the audio signals are synchronized with said image.

8. An audio output method according to claim 7, wherein said reflective member is adapted to convert a directional sound wave, generated by a speaker, into non-directional sound wave.

9. An audio output method according to claim 7, wherein the direction of generation of the sound wave from a speaker is selectively switchable in a direction from the screen of said image display unit toward a side opposed thereto or in an opposite direction.

10. An audio output method according to claim 7, wherein said speakers are provided in a pair, at left and right sides of the screen of said image display unit.

11. An audio output method according to claim 7, wherein each speaker is adapted to transmit a directional sound wave including a carrier wave of 200 kHz superposed with audio of 0 to 20 kHz.

13. An audio output method according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of speakers are mounted on a projector for projecting an image and is adapted to transmit the sound wave toward a screen for displaying said projected image.

15. An audio output apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of speakers have an extremely narrow directionality.