Plural Diaphragm Sound Sources Patents (Class 181/144)
  • Patent number: 11902761
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sound producing device, a method for driving the sound producing device, a display panel and a display apparatus. The sound producing device includes a recognition element, a directional sound production element and a control element, where the recognition element is connected with the control element and is configured to acquire information relating to a person in a preset range and transmit the acquired information relating to the person to the control element; the control element is connected with the directional sound production element and is configured to acquire a corresponding audio signal according to the acquired information relating to the person and control the directional sound production element to send out a sound wave according to the acquired audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yanling Han, Yingming Liu, Yuzhen Guo, Chenyang Zhang, Peixiao Li, Xiufeng Li, Yaqian Ji, Yue Gou, Wei Sun, Wenchao Han, Lianghao Zhang
  • Patent number: 11895450
    Abstract: A wall-mounted shelf attachable to a vertical surface (14), the wall-mounted shelf (1) including a shelf body (1?) including a flat top shelf surface (10a) and a loudspeaker (2) including at least one loudspeaker element (12) and being arranged below the top shelf surface (10a). The wall-mounted shelf (1) further includes a mounting assembly (3), wherein the mounting assembly (3) includes a bracket (3) attachable to the vertical surface (14) and having a connection (5) for connecting the bracket (3) to the shelf body (1?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: IKEA Supply AG
    Inventors: Andreas Fredriksson, Mikael Warnhammar, David Zeberg
  • Patent number: 11611818
    Abstract: A metallic audio speaker cover and a related method of manufacturing that has a surface with a cloth-like appearance. The metallic audio speaker cover has a base of expanded metal through which sound may pass; a pretreatment film which adheres to the expanded metal base; and one or more multi-color powder coating films that adhere to the pretreatment film. In some embodiments, the surface also has anti-microbial properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: OAKWOOD METAL FABRICATING CO.
    Inventors: William Todd Miller, Michael Allen Johnson, Robert Arthur Sonnenberg, Joel Matthew Cormier, Richard Francois Audi, Donald Scott Smith
  • Patent number: 11595751
    Abstract: Dipole audio speakers, and more particularly, voice controlled dipole audio speakers having at least one microphone located substantially along the null sound plane of the dipole audio speaker. An improved loudspeaker system that produces an improved audio quality for stereophonic sound. The improved loudspeaker utilizes conventional electro-dynamic drivers in a sealed chamber that produce sound primarily in the 20-300 Hz band coupled with electrostatic card stack drivers placed outside the sealed chamber that cover the remaining 98% of the audio frequency spectrum (300 Hz to 20 kHz). The improved loudspeaker system can also include multiple card stack drivers that are placed at angles with respect to each other to maximize audio fidelity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Clean Energy Labs, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph F. Pinkerton, David A. Badger, William Martin Lackowski, James A. Andrews
  • Patent number: 11388508
    Abstract: A coaxial loudspeaker includes a cone of a woofer; a waveguide of a tweeter, located at a front end towards the outside/large profile of the cone; and a first cavity. The first cavity includes a resonator and a cavity formed in the cone, and the resonator communicates with the cavity at the large profile of the cone. A side opposite to a position where the resonator communicates with the cavity is constructed as an orifice plate. The orifice plate is adjacent to the resonator and an orifice portion of the orifice plate communicates with the resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TYMPHANY ACOUSTIC TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: George Albert Bullimore, Gavin Jones, Stuart Martin Hancock
  • Patent number: 11317183
    Abstract: A speaker includes a casing, a speaker unit, and a sound guiding assembly. The casing has an opening end and has at least one first connecting portion at the opening end. The speaker unit is disposed in the casing. The sound guiding assembly has at least one second connecting portion. The second connecting portion structurally interferes with the first connecting portion, such that the sound guiding assembly is detachably assembled to the opening end of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Sheng-Hsing Shen, Chih-Feng Yeh
  • Patent number: 11308930
    Abstract: An electronic horn for use, e.g., in a vehicle, includes a piezoelectric element (52) that excites a plate-shaped oscillator (51). A resonator (7) is provided with an opening (71) and covers forward of the oscillator such that a resonance space (S) is defined between the resonator and the oscillator. An inner cylinder (62) and an outer conical housing (63) are provided concentrically around the resonator. A circular cover (8) covers the inner cylinder (62) and the outer conical housing (63) from the front, such that a buffer chamber (BR), at least one first sound amplifying chamber (MH1), and a second sound amplifying chamber (MH2) are defined around an entire circumference of the opening of the resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: IMASEN ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsunori Uchimura, Koichi Toyama, Junjiro Yoshimura, Toshihiko Kawamura, Yoshio Miyata
  • Patent number: 11299124
    Abstract: A vehicle system to produce audible sound includes at least one auxiliary motor to mechanically operate of a vehicle component based on a control signal and to produce an audible sound without mechanically operating the vehicle component, and a controller to output a motion control signal to control operation of the at least one auxiliary motor and to output an auditory control signal to actuate the at least one auxiliary motor to produce the audible sound. A waveguide is provided in communication with the at least one auxiliary motor and in sonic resonance with sound produced by the auxiliary motor to amplify and/or to modify the audible sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventors: Stephen James Caron, Gabriele Wayne Sabatini
  • Patent number: 11284198
    Abstract: A speaker unit, which can be made thin, includes: a magnetic circuit 61 having a space serving as a magnetic gap G formed inside a cylindrical portion 69; a voice coil 85 arranged in the magnetic gap G; and a diaphragm 51 having a center hole 51a that penetrates a center of the diaphragm, an outer peripheral portion 51b supported on a frame 53, and an inner peripheral portion 51c whose inner peripheral surface is connected to the voice coil 85. The cylindrical portion 69 of the magnetic circuit 61 includes a standing wall 69c formed along a vibration direction A of the diaphragm 51, and a slit 69a. The inner peripheral portion 51c of the diaphragm 51 includes an insert hole (a standing wall receiving portion) 57 in which the standing wall 69c is inserted, and an insert portion 59 which is inserted in the slit 69a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Foster Electric Company, Limited
    Inventor: Takayuki Tabata
  • Patent number: 11245980
    Abstract: A connecting device for constructing an arrangement composed of a plurality of loudspeaker boxes hanging beneath one another comprises a length-adjustable spacer rod which is designed to join together two loudspeaker boxes, which are adjacent in the arrangement, in a load-bearing manner. The length-adjustable spacer rod has a first element and a second element which can be fixed in at least two positions which are adjusted in terms of length relative to one another. In this case, at least one of the positions is secured with a closure which can be established and released by rotating the two elements relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: d&b audiotechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Julius Korell, Nico Paul
  • Patent number: 11206494
    Abstract: A microphone device includes a base and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) transducer and an integrated circuit (IC) disposed on the base. The microphone device also includes a cover mounted on the base and covering the MEMS transducer and the IC. The MEMS transducer includes a diaphragm attached to a surface of the substrate and a back plate mounted on the substrate and in a spaced apart relationship with the diaphragm. The diaphragm is attached to the surface of the substrate along at least a portion of a periphery of the diaphragm. The diaphragm can include a silicon nitride insulating layer, and a conductive layer, that faces a conductive layer of the back plate. The MEMS transducer can include a peripheral support structure that is disposed between at least a portion of the diaphragm and the substrate. The diaphragm can include one or more pressure equalizing apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Sung Bok Lee, Vahid Naderyan, Bing Yu, Michael Kuntzman, Yunfei Ma, Wade Conklin, Peter Loeppert
  • Patent number: 11184701
    Abstract: A method that improves the energy distribution from a multi-way loudspeaker into free space. The method reduces MF energy through the use of small depressurizing slit openings down the inner half of the HF stems. The openings are sized to be large enough to present a leak path for the secondary energy to migrate out of the stem with no return path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Biamp Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Paul W. Peace, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11134336
    Abstract: A case-baffle-stand system utilized with a dipole speaker, in which the case-baffle-stand system has a cover that, when opened, is a baffle to enhance the sound waves emitting from the speaker system and is also a stand to stabilize the speaker in its proper standing orientation, and when closed, protects the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Clean Energy Labs, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph F. Pinkerton, David A. Badger, William Neil Everett, William Martin Lackowski
  • Patent number: 11128945
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a loudspeaker and a method for improving directivity of a sound of a loudspeaker, a head-mounted device and a method for improving a sound effect of a head-mounted device. The loudspeaker comprises: a housing, a magnetic circuit unit that is provided within the housing and is for generating a magnetic force, a voice coil that vibrates by the magnetic force, and a vibrating diaphragm that in response to the vibration of the voice coil vibrates and generates a sound; wherein the loudspeaker further comprises a curved-surface extension structure; the curved-surface extension structure connects to the vibrating diaphragm, and radiating the sound generated by the vibrating diaphragm into a predetermined directivity range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Goertek Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Hua, Ze Wang, Hongwei Zhou, Dehua Li
  • Patent number: 11095975
    Abstract: A line array loudspeaker has a first group of acoustic drivers comprising a first plurality of acoustic drivers each comprising an axis, the first plurality of acoustic drivers arranged so that their axes are parallel. There is a second plurality of acoustic drivers each comprising an axis, the second plurality of acoustic drivers arranged so that their axes are parallel. The first and second plurality of acoustic drivers are arranged such that a projection onto an azimuth plane of the axes of the first plurality of acoustic drivers intersects with a projection onto the azimuth plane of the axes of the second plurality of acoustic drivers at a first, fixed articulation angle. There is a second group of acoustic drivers that is adjacent to the first group. The second group comprises a third plurality of acoustic drivers each comprising an axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Greg Zastoupil, Joseph John Kutil, III, Peter C. Santoro
  • Patent number: 11076233
    Abstract: Provided is a sound generation device wherein noise can be reduced in accordance with a predetermined frequency band. An elastic member (8) is provided to obtain a sound pressure characteristic having a sub-peak at a predetermined frequency on the lower side than a lowest resonance frequency, and a phase characteristic such that a change rate of phase difference is lowered around the predetermined frequency. When the phase characteristic is calculated by simulation or actually measured in advance and an input signal is controlled such that the generated sound has an opposite phase to the noise, the generated sound can be made less prone to deviate from the opposite phase to the noise even if a time difference is caused between noise sound collection and sound generation at around the predetermined frequency, with the result that the noise can be effectively reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignees: PIONEER CORPORATION, TOHOKU PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Hiwatari, Hiroyuki Dohi, Koji Takayama, Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11019416
    Abstract: A method for installation of a line array of speaker assemblies is provided. At least two stacked speaker assemblies with suspension systems are provided. An installation splay angle between the at least two stacked speaker assemblies is selected, while the two stacked speaker assemblies are oriented at an initial splay angle. The suspension system of an uppermost speaker assembly of the at least two stacked speaker assemblies is connected to a support. The support is raised to lift the at least two stacked speaker assemblies, whereby the at least two stacked speaker assemblies pivot from the initial splay angle to the installation splay angle and form a line array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jacques Spillmann, Lawrence Romestant
  • Patent number: 11005984
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first portion configured to carry one or more components of the apparatus and at least one wall extending between two or more sides of the first portion; an actuator located in the first portion adjacent to the at least one wall; and a movable section on the first portion and configured to be actuated by the actuator. At least the first portion and the movable section define a speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Thorsten Behles, Pasi Tuomo Antero Kemppinen, Mikko T. Jyrkinen
  • Patent number: 10986447
    Abstract: There is disclosed in one example an audio processor, including: an audio crossover to separate a first frequency band from a second frequency band, the first frequency band having a lower frequency band than the second frequency band; an excursion estimator to estimate from information of the first frequency band a predicted excursion of a low-frequency driver; an interpolator to interpolate an adjustment to the second frequency band to compensate for the estimated excursion; and circuitry to drive the adjusted second frequency to a receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth Malsky, Young Han Kim, Miguel A. Chavez
  • Patent number: 10924844
    Abstract: A far-field, marine sound system including a coaxial speaker horn composed of a pair of horn bodies, each having an opening, a mouth and a sound pathway extending between the opening and the mouth. The pair of horns bodies include a first horn body contained within a second horn body, the horn bodies having aligned longitudinal axes. A first speaker is coupled to the first horn body and arranged to project sound into the first horn through the mouth, through the sound pathway and out of the first horn body through the opening, and a second speaker coupled to the second horn body and arranged to project sound into the second horn body through the mouth, through the sound pathway and out of the second horn body through the opening. The speaker horn bodies and speakers are contained with an aerodynamically-contoured housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventor: Scott Hanna
  • Patent number: 10924832
    Abstract: A combined light and loudspeaker driver device comprising a housing supporting a loudspeaker driver, a heat removal element, electronic components and a light source. The heat removal element includes a column extending along a central longitudinal axis to a base of the housing, to meet a heat sink formed around the central longitudinal axis to the rear of the housing. The light source provides task lighting and is a heat source. It is mounted on a front end of the column distal from the heat sink at the base of the housing, to optimize conduction of heat away from the light source. The housing is generally cup shaped and has side walls. The interior of the side walls is parallel with the central longitudinal axis of the housing over the majority of the rearward depth thereof resulting in a large void behind the loudspeaker diaphragm, leading to improved sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Zuma Array Limited
    Inventors: Susan Cook, Steve Kelly, Morten Warren, Sam James, Seongmin Hwang
  • Patent number: 10911849
    Abstract: An attachment to a small ceiling speaker system that is interchangeable with a diffuser of such system and that provides direct downward direction to sound produced by such system. A director interface is provided for adjustably attaching to an acoustic channel shell of such system. A direct fire ring releasably attaches to the director interface with a fastener. The direct fire ring supports magnets for releasably attaching a foraminous audio speaker grill. The director interface and the direct fire ring have alignable hub and spoke features and the hub and spokes of the director interface partially nest within the hub and spokes of the direct fire ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventor: Johnathan Ivey
  • Patent number: 10904650
    Abstract: Provided is a handle component to be mounted to an opening portion formed in a side plate of a cabinet, including: a flange portion configured to be brought into contact with a peripheral edge portion of the opening portion on an inner surface of the side plate; a bottom wall portion including a recessed surface; a handle, which has a bar-like shape and via which both side portions of the bottom wall portion are connected in a bridging manner; and a protruding portion, which is formed on at least one of both end portions of the bottom wall portion arranged at both ends in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the handle, and is configured to cover an end face of the opening portion of the side plate, wherein the protruding portion includes a surface projecting outward to be continuous with the recessed surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Fujimori, Kenta Ioku
  • Patent number: 10891970
    Abstract: Provided are a detection method for a sound source and a detection device therefor, which are capable of accurately detecting the position of a sound source through use of measurement results of sound intensities. In the detection method, Iall=?(Ix2+Iy2+Iz2), which is a total value of the sound intensities Ix, Iy, and Iz in three axial directions (x-, y-, and z-axis directions) orthogonal to each other at a sound receiving point (P) in a sound field, is calculated, and then the position of the sound source is estimated after extracting the sound source by performing processing with averaged values within a predetermined peak width instead of the magnitude of a peak in a sound intensity waveform of the total value, or the position of the sound source is estimated after extracting the sound source with attention being given to a spatial travel speed of a sound intensity or a sound particle velocity of the total value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: ONFUTURE LTD.
    Inventor: Masataka Nakahara
  • Patent number: 10785560
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a speaker device comprising a first housing including a first top surface comprising a first opening, a first recessed mounting surface spaced below the first opening, and a first recessed sidewall extending upwardly from the first recessed mounting surface to the first opening to form a first waveguide. The speaker device further comprises a first upward-facing driver mounted into the first recessed mounting surface. The first waveguide shapes propagation of acoustic energy generated by the first upward-facing driver to project the acoustic energy out of the speaker device in an upwardly inclined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Andri Bezzola, Allan Devantier
  • Patent number: 10721554
    Abstract: Examples are provided for a speaker system that redirects sound toward a listener, such as an occupant of a vehicle. The speaker system may be integrated into a headrest of a vehicle. An example speaker system includes a transducer adapted to generate sound waves at a first transducer output, a horn coupled to the transducer output and adapted to guide the sound waves from the transducer toward a horn output, and a grill coupled to the horn via a curved joint and adapted to redirect the sound waves from the horn output. The example speaker system may further include a pad ring or bezel positioned between the transducer and the horn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Patrick Groleau, Kyle Concessi
  • Patent number: 10721553
    Abstract: A device (1) with a device holder (2) and a device insert (3) is described. The device holder (2) has two holder side walls (5a, 5b) which are situated opposite each other and are spaced apart from each other and oriented obliquely to the base plane (4) with respect to a common base plane (4). The holder side walls (5a, 5b) form, together with the base plane (4), a trapezium in cross-section. The device insert (3) has two insert side walls (7a, 7b) which are situated opposite each other and spaced apart from each other and are oriented obliquely to the base plane (6) with respect to a common base plane (6). The distance of the two insert side walls (7a, 7b) from each other increases from the reference plane (6) to the terminal edges of the insert side walls (7a, 7b) which are situated at a distance from the reference plane (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: K & F BETEILIGUNGEN GMBH
    Inventor: André Figula
  • Patent number: 10717395
    Abstract: The approach relates to an energy absorption element for a support frame of a motor vehicle and is characterized in that a cross-sectional profile is designed as a hollow profile which remains constant along a longitudinal direction of the energy absorption element having at least two closed chambers, so that the energy absorption element comprises at least two mutually separate chamber cavities and the at least two chamber cavities have an elongated shape along the longitudinal direction of the energy absorption element and each chamber cavity is open at two longitudinal ends of the energy absorption element and each chamber cavity is fluidly connected to a sound generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Simon Weiß, Manuel Wenzel
  • Patent number: 10708677
    Abstract: Voice-controlled devices that include one or more speakers for outputting audio. In some instances, the device includes at least one speaker within a cylindrical housing, with the speaker aimed or pointed away from a microphone coupled to the housing. For instance, if the microphone resides at or near the top of the cylindrical housing, then the speaker may point downwards along the longitudinal axis of the housing and away from the microphone. By pointing the speaker away from the microphone, the microphone will receive less sound from the speaker than if the speaker were pointed toward the microphone). Because the voice-controlled device may perform speech recognition on audio signals generated by the microphone, less sound from the speaker represented in the audio signal may result in more accurate speech recognition, and/or a lesser need to perform acoustic echo cancelation (AEC) on the generated audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Wilson Poole, Timothy Theodore List, Jacobi Colton Grillo, Wei Li, Tony David
  • Patent number: 10694278
    Abstract: A pair of subwoofer speakers mounted on a carrier in a ceiling speaker enclosure having a small acoustic port using an acoustic channel shell that extends from the enclosure, the output of which is directed by adjustable attachment of a director to the acoustic channel shell. An annular flange on the director is used to clamp to a bottom surface of a ceiling tile. The enclosure has braces for engaging grid members of a suspended ceiling support grid. The braces are independently extendable from the enclosure. The subwoofer speakers at least partially face each other. Vibration damping approaches are used. An audio controller may be used to control the phases of the audio signals to the subwoofer speakers to permit a push-pull synchronization strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Inventor: Johnathan Ivey
  • Patent number: 10667026
    Abstract: Provided is a handle component to be mounted to an opening portion formed in a side plate of a cabinet, including: a flange portion configured to be brought into contact with a peripheral edge portion of the opening portion on an inner surface of the side plate; a bottom wall portion including a recessed surface; a handle, which has a bar-like shape and via which both side portions of the bottom wall portion are connected in a bridging manner; and a protruding portion, which is formed on at least one of both end portions of the bottom wall portion arranged at both ends in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the handle, and is configured to cover an end face of the opening portion of the side plate, wherein the protruding portion includes a surface projecting outward to be continuous with the recessed surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Fujimori, Kenta Ioku
  • Patent number: 10643599
    Abstract: An acoustic lens for a transducer. In at least one embodiment, the acoustic lens includes a body aligned on an axis. The body includes a top surface, a sidewall that extends from the top surface, and a bottom surface that is generally opposite the top surface. The sidewall includes an opening for a soundwave from the transducer to travel through in an off-axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Brian Sterling
  • Patent number: 10623840
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for a loudspeaker for producing directed acoustic vibrations. In some embodiments, a loudspeaker includes an electromagnetic transducer including a diaphragm configured to generate acoustic vibrations. The loudspeaker may further include an aperture frame positioned in front of the diaphragm in a direction of propagation of the acoustic vibrations, the aperture frame covering only a portion of a radiating surface of the diaphragm and having a shape that corresponds to the contours of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Paul Wayne Peace, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10602251
    Abstract: A corrugated plastic sheet with an acoustically effective material with fold lines as centerlines of V-shaped grooves between panels that can be folded by hand into a covered plastic acoustic enclosure, with or without additional corrugated plastic panels. The sheet has a speaker opening and a speaker support fixture, ring, or panel may assist in supporting the speaker on the enclosure. Foldable flanges and foldable narrow panels with adhesive strips, preferably with release layers, enable assembly of the covered enclosure without tools, other than for speaker installation. An amplifier attached to a panel of the enclosure, preferably on an external surface, is presented. An enclosure that supports more than one speaker is presented. The plastic acoustic enclosure can be shipped flat and unassembled and then assembled by a user. The enclosure is lightweight, and so ships economically and does not significantly burden automobiles in which such enclosures may be installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Inventor: Johnathan Ivey
  • Patent number: 10597287
    Abstract: A transducer module, comprising: a supporting substrate, having a first side and a second side; a cap, which extends over the first side of the supporting substrate and defines therewith a first chamber and a second chamber internally isolated from one another; a first transducer in the first chamber; a second transducer in the second chamber; and a control chip, which extends at least partially in the first chamber and/or in the second chamber and is functionally coupled to the first and second transducers for receiving, in use, the signals transduced by the first and second transducers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Marco Omar Ghidoni, Roberto Brioschi
  • Patent number: 10570981
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a support foot for an electronic device having superior anti-vibration properties. A support foot for an electronic device according to an aspect of the present invention comprises: an attachment portion to be fixed to an electronic device main body; an outer peripheral wall portion cylindrically shaped and provided on an outer periphery of the attachment portion; and a rib structure provided between the attachment portion and the outer peripheral wall portion, wherein the rib structure comprises an oblique rib that is, in a planar view, oblique with respect to a radial direction in relation to a central axis of the outer peripheral wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Hibino
  • Patent number: 10516963
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for an audiovisual system having a display screen that is solid and/or otherwise non-transparent to sound. The sound output from a loudspeaker is oriented to intersect with a portion of the display screen, and a reflection of the sound off of the display screen is directed toward a viewing position in the audiovisual system. Further signal processing techniques to generate sound for output by a loudspeaker oriented at the display screen and other loudspeakers are disclosed. Additionally, other signal processing and control techniques are disclosed that affect audio and video output in the audiovisual system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Paul Wayne Peace, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10484774
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer with an acoustic element that emits or receives front-side acoustic radiation from its front side, and emits or receives rear-side acoustic radiation from its rear side. A housing directs the front-side acoustic radiation and the rear-side acoustic radiation. A plurality of sound-conducting vents in the housing allow sound to enter the housing or allow sound to leave the housing. A distance between vents defines an effective length of an acoustic dipole. The housing and its vents are constructed and arranged such that the effective dipole length is frequency dependent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Silver, Roman Litovsky
  • Patent number: 10484788
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer includes a passive diaphragm and an active diaphragm. The active diaphragm electromechanically couples to an electric drive element and the passive diaphragm is configured to acoustically couple with pressure changes induced by excursions of the active diaphragm. The active diaphragm has an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter, with the X-Y (horizontal) points on the outer perimeter of the passive diaphragm coinciding on or within X-Y points on at least the outer perimeter of the active diaphragm over a common, orthogonal Z coordinate so that the passive diaphragm projects a shape that falls on or within an area of the active diaphragm. In some cases, the inner perimeter of the active diaphragm may define a bounded area for the active diaphragm, the passive diaphragm having an outer perimeter that axially, superimpositionally coincides on or within the inner perimeter of the bounded area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Aneesh R. Kudekar
  • Patent number: 10477292
    Abstract: A corrugated plastic sheet with fold lines, as centerlines of V-shaped grooves, that can be folded by hand into a plastic acoustic enclosure, with or without additional corrugated plastic panels. A speaker opening is provided in the sheet, and a speaker support fixture, ring, or panel may assist in supporting the speaker on the enclosure. Foldable flanges and foldable narrow panels with adhesive strips, preferably with release layers, enable assembly of the enclosure without tools, other than for speaker installation. An amplifier attached to a panel of the enclosure, preferably on an external surface, is presented. An enclosure that supports more than one speaker is presented. The plastic acoustic enclosure that can be shipped flat and unassembled and then assembled by a user. The enclosure is lightweight, and so ships economically and does not significantly burden automobiles in which such enclosures may be installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Inventor: Johnathan Ivey
  • Patent number: 10469942
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an omnidirectional loudspeaker comprising a first axisymmetric reflector, a second axisymmetric reflector, a sound source in the first axisymmetric reflector or the second axisymmetric reflector, and a horn including a straight section and a growth section extending from a distal end of the straight section. The growth section comprises one or more curves that are scaled with a radial coordinate and that expands sound waves generated by the sound source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Andri Bezzola
  • Patent number: 10462553
    Abstract: A speaker device includes a first speaker unit, a first cabinet that houses the first speaker unit, and an annular portion defining a sound path that guides sound radiated from the first speaker unit to outside the first cabinet, the annular portion being positioned on a sound radiation side of the first speaker unit and arranged so as to sound a diaphragm in the first speaker unit. The speaker device also includes a second cabinet arranged inside the annular portion and spaced apart from the sound path, the sound path being annular, and a second speaker unit that radiates sound in a direction in which the first speaker unit radiates sound and that is stored in the second cabinet. The speaker device further includes a resonant portion having an aperture communicating with the sound path and defining a resonant space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Matsumura, Akihisa Kawamura, Shuji Saiki
  • Patent number: 10425735
    Abstract: An array of electroacoustic actuators includes at least five electroacoustic actuators, wherein the electroacoustic actuators are connected such that, in a first parallel branch, at least two electroacoustic actuators are connected in series and, in a second parallel branch, an electroacoustic actuator is connected in series to a parallel connection of two electroacoustic actuators, the first parallel branch being connected in parallel to the second parallel branch, and the parallel branches connected in parallel being configured to be driven by an actuator amplifier, or wherein the electroacoustic actuators are connected such that, in a first serial branch, at least two electroacoustic actuators are connected in parallel and, in a second serial branch, an electroacoustic actuator is connected in parallel to a serial connection of two electroacoustic actuators, the first serial branch being connected in series to the second serial branch, and the parallel branches connected in series being configured to be dr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Lorenz Betz, Lutz Ehrig, Daniel Beer
  • Patent number: 10412474
    Abstract: A modular speaker system includes a plurality of speaker modules configured prior to use to function in reproducing various sound channels depending upon specific desires of a user. Each of the plurality of speaker modules includes a substantially cylindrical housing including an open first end and a closed second end, as well as a cylindrical sidewall extending between the first end and the second end. Each speaker module also includes a first driver secured within the first end of the housing, the first driver being mounted within the first end of the housing for directing sound outwardly, and a second driver positioned within the housing at a central position between the first end and the second end of the housing. A plurality of circular rings are positioned around the housing allowing for control of the speaker module in various ways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Inventor: Dennis A. Tracy
  • Patent number: 10412497
    Abstract: A loudspeaker with vibration control system includes: a magnetic assembly with an air gap, a voice coil supported by a cylindrical support, a basket connected to the magnetic assembly, a centering device connected to the basket and to the cylindrical support, a membrane connected to the basket and to the cylindrical support, an external cylinder disposed around the magnetic assembly, at least one control coil supported by the external cylinder and directed towards the magnetic assembly, at least one elastic suspension connected to the external cylinder to permit an axial movement of the external cylinder with respect to the magnetic assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: ASK INDUSTRIES SOCIETA' PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Carlo Sancisi, Dario Cinanni, Andrea Falcioni
  • Patent number: 10397696
    Abstract: An omni-directional speaker system includes a deflector sub-assembly and a pair of acoustic sub-assemblies. The deflector sub-assembly includes a pair of diametrically opposed acoustic deflectors. Each of the acoustic sub-assemblies includes an acoustic driver for radiating acoustic energy toward an associated one of the acoustic deflectors. The acoustic sub-assemblies are coupled together via the deflector sub-assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Donna Marie Sullivan, Wontak Kim
  • Patent number: 10397681
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer with an acoustic element that emits or receives front-side acoustic radiation from its front side, and emits or receives rear-side acoustic radiation from its rear side. A housing directs the front-side acoustic radiation and the rear-side acoustic radiation. A plurality of sound-conducting vents in the housing allow sound to enter the housing or allow sound to leave the housing. A distance between vents defines an effective length of an acoustic dipole. The housing and its vents are constructed and arranged such that the effective dipole length is frequency dependent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Base Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Silver, Roman Litovsky
  • Patent number: 10375468
    Abstract: A speaker assembly rigging system is provided with a first frame and a second frame that is adapted to couple to the first frame. The system includes a cam and a link. The cam is pivotally connected to the first frame about a pivot point. The cam includes at least two cam surfaces, and each of the at least two cam surfaces are offset at a different radial distance from the pivot point corresponding to a splay angle. The link has a proximal end that is pivotally connected to the second frame and a distal end having a contact surface. The link extends from the second frame in a deployed position such that the contact surface engages one of the cam surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jacques Spillmann, Derrick Rodgers, Lawrence Romestant
  • Patent number: 10368159
    Abstract: A water resistant speaker having a water-impermeable spider and an acoustic chamber in air flow communication with the underside of the spider via vents in a spider support and vents in a bottom panel of a basket of the speaker. The acoustic chamber is attached and sealed to the bottom of the basket and is watertight. The acoustic chamber may have a passive radiator. The combination of a water impermeable spider and a water impermeable diaphragm, adjacently attached and sealed to the former, assist in preventing water from reaching the magnet assembly and voice coil. A water impermeable dust cap is attached and sealed to the diaphragm to prevent water from entering around the former. A vent in the pole piece, leading to the acoustic chamber, reduces drag on motion of the former, dust cap, and diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Inventors: Alan Robert Cross, Chad A. Kautz, Brad Michael Diedrich
  • Patent number: 10341750
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides an apparatus and method of forming a pressure equalizing audio speaker that can be easily manufactured and provides a high quality audio output. One or more of the embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include a sealed enclosure that has at least one liquid impermeable and gas permeable region that allows the flow of a gas between an interior region and an exterior region, while preventing or substantially inhibiting the movement of a liquid from the exterior region into the internal region. In general, the liquid impermeable and gas permeable regions are configured to allow slowly changing gas pressures registered between the internal region and exterior region to be relieved, while allowing rapidly changing gas pressures generated by the diaphragm at audible frequencies to function at a desired level during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: LOGITECH EUROPE S.A.
    Inventors: Stephen McGarry, Steven Warren Pooler, Jeffrey Anderson