Reflecting Element Patents (Class 381/160)
  • Patent number: 8638959
    Abstract: A reduced acoustic signature loudspeaker system includes left and right loudspeaker assemblies that include cabinets having a plurality of sides. A full range acoustic driver/array is mounted to the first side and facing a side wall of a listening space, the second side forms the rear of the loudspeaker assembly to which is mounted a set of input terminals. The full range on-axis directional acoustic output of each loudspeaker assembly is directed outward toward the left and right side walls respectively of the listening space at an azimuth of approximately 180+/?45 degrees. No acoustic output of the loud speaker system is directed toward the listening space or directed vertically, up or down and the first sides of the left and right loud speaker assemblies are separated by a distance of at least approximately 1.0 feet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Inventor: Loring C. Hall
  • Patent number: 8634586
    Abstract: A ceiling-mounted loudspeaker includes a horn-shaped enclosure, an acoustic driver, and a front module. The tubular or horn-shaped enclosure carries a slanted woofer or loudspeaker driver which radiates into an angled or slanted first opening. The tubular enclosure terminates at bottom in a second, circular opening substantially parallel to a second plane, wherein the woofer's slanted plane is inclined with respect to the second plane. The slanted woofer can be oval and radiates sound through the enclosure's interior lumen and outwardly through ports defined in a substantially circular baffle carrying the front module and connected to the second opening. The baffle carries a midrange and tweeter near the ceiling where they can provide enhanced sound dispersion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Polk Audio, Inc.
    Inventors: Lowell J. Smith, Stuart W. Lumsden, Scott Orth
  • Publication number: 20130343579
    Abstract: A portable loudspeaker includes a base and a speaker cap opposing the base. The base and speaker cap are interposed by a movable resonance portion. The movable resonance portion is formed in a storing state and a releasing state. The base has a resonance reflection portion to receive reverse resonance sound waves generated by a speaker. The movable resonance portion includes a first transmission channel to transmit the reverse resonance sound waves to the resonance reflection portion and a second transmission channel to transmit base sound waves generated by the resonance reflection portion from the reverse resonance sound waves towards the speaker cap. The speaker cap has a second audio outlet to output the bass sound waves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventor: Ching-Ling CHOU
  • Publication number: 20130322660
    Abstract: A reflector for use with an electronic device having a loudspeaker for enhancing the sound emitted from the loudspeaker, said reflector comprising components for attaching said reflector to an edge of the electronic device, at the location of the loudspeaker, a flat portion located to be adjacent a surface of the electronic device, and a concave portion adjacent to the flat portion and presenting a concave surface to the loudspeaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Simply Amazinc LLC
    Inventor: Moshe WEISS
  • Patent number: 8594358
    Abstract: An audio device has passive radiators that are driven by acoustic drivers. The passive radiators are arranged so that the net mechanical vibration is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Roman N. Litovsky, Hal Greenberger
  • Publication number: 20130272551
    Abstract: A sound protection component includes an absorber element and a reflection element, the absorber element being of self-supporting design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: KIRCHDORFER FERTIGTEILHOLDING GMBH
    Inventor: Alexander Barnas
  • Publication number: 20130230195
    Abstract: A condenser microphone which prevents a directional axis from varying depending on a sound source frequency is provided. The condenser microphone includes a first reflector member 2 provided below the microphone unit 17 and covering an electronic circuit substrate 19 and a second reflector member 3 formed in the same shape as the first reflector member and provided above the microphone unit, the first reflector member and the second reflector member being disposed symmetrically with respect to the microphone unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi AKINO
  • Publication number: 20130230203
    Abstract: A speaker with a digital signal processor is disclosed. In one aspect, a speaker comprises at least one electromechanical transducer configured to convert an electrical audio signal into sound and a digital signal processor configured to process an audio signal and send the processed audio signal to the electromechanical transducer directly or indirectly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: KSC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Blackwell Brooking
  • Publication number: 20130208925
    Abstract: A reflector and an electronic system produce a diffuse way by creating time delays in accordance with a number sequence. An acoustical passive reflector incorporates a series of wells in its surface to transform an acoustical wave into a series of acoustical waves having a time difference based on a number sequence. The electronic signal conversion system converts a signal into a series of signals having a time difference based on a number sequence. This can be used in an audio speaker system having N×N array of speakers where N is an odd prime number, arranged to be driven by the electronic signal conversion system in which the signal is converted into a series of signals centred on the signal with at least one signal being timed to precede the signal and at least one signal to follow the signal and the signal being arranged to be sent to the central speaker in the N×N array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventor: Joseph Francis Hayes
  • Publication number: 20130204629
    Abstract: An voice input device includes a wave guide unit for guiding an incident sound wave, a microphone unit for converting a sound wave guided through the wave guide unit to an electrical sound signal, and a signal processing unit for processing the sound signal obtained by the microphone unit, using an acoustic characteristic given by the wave guide unit to the sound wave, in which, the wave guide unit has a structure which gives the acoustic characteristic that is different between direct sound, which is sound that reaches the microphone unit without reflecting off an internal surface of the wave guide unit, and indirect sound, which is sound that is reflected off the internal surface before reaching the microphone unit, and the signal processing unit determines whether or not the direct sound is input based on a difference in the acoustic characteristic between the direct sound and the indirect sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: PANASONIC CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 8477967
    Abstract: A speaker assembly is provided with a housing, a speaker mounted to the housing, and a reflector spaced apart from and facing the speaker. The reflector is symmetrical and has an arcuate central convex region for reflecting pressure back to the speaker for amplifying back pressure to the speaker. The reflector has a secondary region with an arcuate cross-section for reflecting acoustic vibrations past and outboard of the housing. The reflector is partially translucent, and a light source is provided adjacent the reflector for conveying light to the reflector, past and outboard of the housing for illuminating a region that receives acoustic vibrations reflected from the reflector. A media assembly is provided with a fan operably connected to a generator so that air that passes into a housing through an inlet and out of an outlet, causes the fan to rotate thereby providing a power source to a media device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Inventors: Ronald Paul Harwood, Kenneth Alan Klemmer, Larry Alan Schirmer
  • Patent number: 8442242
    Abstract: A speaker assembly is provided with a speaker and a reflector spaced apart from the speaker. The reflector faces the speaker. The reflector has a central region and a plurality of circumferentially spaced lobes. Each lobe extends radially outward from the central region for reflecting acoustic vibrations from the speaker radially outboard from the reflector. Gaps are provided between the lobes for permitting acoustic vibrations to pass through the gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Inventor: Ronald Paul Harwood
  • Patent number: 8428293
    Abstract: A speaker device includes a plurality of speaker units arranged in a line when seen from the front side of the speaker device. At least one of intervals between effective vibration regions of adjacent speaker units is set to a predetermined length. The predetermined length is a length that is set such that a difference between a distance from an end of one of the effective vibration regions, which form the at least one of intervals therebetween, to a listening position, and a distance from an end of the other of the effective vibration regions to the listening position can be less than half the shortest wavelength of a reproduced sound of each of the speaker units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akiko Fujise, Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa
  • Patent number: 8412130
    Abstract: A millimeter wave transceiving system 100 for transmitting and receiving a millimeter wave includes a transmitting apparatus 1 for transmitting a millimeter wave, a reflecting plate 41 for reflecting a millimeter wave transmitted from the transmitting apparatus 1, and a receiving apparatus 2 for receiving a millimeter wave reflected by the reflecting plate 41. The reflecting plate 41 includes a metal plate, a metal sheet, or a metal film, as a reflecting surface 43 for reflecting a millimeter wave. This makes it possible to realize a millimeter wave transceiving system which allows an easy installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiji Suematsu, Tohru Yamamoto, Keisuke Sato
  • Patent number: 8396242
    Abstract: In a sound receiver, a sound wave is directly received by microphones at a predetermined phase difference. The microphones are arranged in opening cavities of a casing, at positions that are different from the volume center points of the opening cavities. The microphones are supported by supporting springs in a state of not closely contacting inner peripheral walls. The sound wave received by the microphones is input to a signal processing unit and after a signal component in a predetermined low frequency band is removed by a filter, the resulting sound wave is amplified by an amplifier and is made in phase by a phase shifter and output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Junichi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20130034251
    Abstract: A sound reproduction system includes one or more arrays of drive units, coupled with sound processing allowing improved steerability, directional control, width control, and/or beam overlay. A speaker column may comprise two arrays facing one another, the drive units being perpendicular to the speaker unit front, with the acoustic output of each line array being compressed, turned and output from an elongate slot. The drive units may be staggered with respect to those in the opposing array. The arrays may be arc-shaped else straight. Selective delays to simulate an arced pattern. Differential delays applied to the drive units in a sub-array allow beam steering. Additional drive units, such as high frequency drivers, may be added along the length of the elongate slot or elsewhere to increase the dynamic frequency range of the speaker system. A collocated sound processor and amplifier output stage may be integrated with the speaker unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: THX, LTD
    Inventor: Lawrence R. Fincham
  • Patent number: 8259965
    Abstract: A loudspeaker device comprising: a loudspeaker and a reflecting member positioned opposite to the loudspeaker, the loudspeaker comprising an electromagnet actuator, a dish-like frame and a vibrating drum, the electromagnetic actuator being attached on one side of the frame, the vibrating drum adhered to an inner side of the dish-like frame, the electromagnetic actuator being configured for driving the vibrating drum to vibrate, the vibrating drum being configured for generating sound of different frequencies and intensities; and the reflecting member shaped in a bowl configuration, comprising a concave shaped reflecting surface opposite to the vibrating drum; wherein the area of the reflecting surface is larger than an area of the vibrating drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chih-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 8254604
    Abstract: Provided are an array speaker system and a method of implementing the same. The array speaker system includes a group setting unit setting one or more combinations of a plurality of speakers included in an array speaker system into at least one group according to a predetermined adjustment factor, a signal assignment unit dividing an input signal into at least one sound source signal according to the adjustment factor and selectively assigning the divided sound source signal(s) to the set group(s), a sound adjustment unit adjusting a sound source signal to be output through speakers within the group according to sound source characteristics of the group, and a signal output unit outputting the adjusted sound source signal through the speakers within the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-chul Ko
  • Patent number: 8249268
    Abstract: A woofer-less and box-less loudspeaker system including a plurality of tweeter drivers is provided. The speaker system includes a plurality of drivers, each driver including a front face and a rear face with an axis of symmetry, each driver configured for propagating sound energy along the axis of each driver from the front face, wherein the sound energy includes low frequency and high frequency components; and a support structure for arranging the plurality of drivers in such a way that the axis extending from the rear face of each of the drivers converge in a single point in space, wherein as the sound is propagated along the axis of each driver from the front face, the high frequency components from each driver are evenly spaced and the low frequency components from each driver are reinforced by the low frequency components of adjacent drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Inventor: Cheng Yih Jenq
  • Patent number: 8180075
    Abstract: A modified housing in a portable product (400, 500, 700, or 800) includes a housing detail (405, 506, 706 or 710 or 806) forming at least a portion of a loud speaker back cavity having a pipe inner diameter for a resonant pipe (408, 508, 708, or 808), and a modification to the housing detail altering a cross section area of the pipe inner diameter to compensate for changes to a loud speaker back cavity volume. The housing detail can include a battery door (404, 504, 704) for the portable product that forms at least one side of the resonant pipe. The battery door can define the loud speaker back cavity volume and further fills at least part of the resonant pipe in a manner that maintains the loud speaker back cavity volume and the cross sectional area of the pipe inner diameter at a predetermined ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn R. Nelson, Brian T. Fein
  • Publication number: 20120087520
    Abstract: A speaker assembly is provided with a housing, a speaker mounted to the housing, and a reflector spaced apart from and facing the speaker. The reflector is symmetrical and has an arcuate central convex region for reflecting pressure back to the speaker for amplifying back pressure to the speaker. The reflector has a secondary region with an arcuate cross-section for reflecting acoustic vibrations past and outboard of the housing. The reflector is partially translucent, and a light source is provided adjacent the reflector for conveying light to the reflector, past and outboard of the housing for illuminating a region that receives acoustic vibrations reflected from the reflector. A media assembly is provided with a fan operably connected to a generator so that air that passes into a housing through an inlet and out of an outlet, causes the fan to rotate thereby providing a power source to a media device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Ronald Paul Harwood, Kenneth Alan Klemmer, Larry Alan Schirmer
  • Patent number: 8155370
    Abstract: An audio system utilizes a method for detecting and adjusting a sound field effect thereof. The audio system includes a first speaker and a second speaker. The first speaker is used to emit a first sound signal, and the second speaker is used to emit a second sound signal. The method for adjusting the sound field effect includes the steps of detecting a specific position and adjusting the first speaker or the second speaker based on the specific position to focus the first sound signal and the second sound signal on the specific position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Asustek Computer Inc.
    Inventors: Shou-Hsiu Hsu, Kuo-Hsun Huang
  • Publication number: 20120076328
    Abstract: A speaker assembly is provided with a speaker and a reflector spaced apart from the speaker. The reflector faces the speaker. The reflector has a central region and a plurality of circumferentially spaced lobes. Each lobe extends radially outward from the central region for reflecting acoustic vibrations from the speaker radially outboard from the reflector. Gaps are provided between the lobes for permitting acoustic vibrations to pass through the gaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventor: Ronald Paul Harwood
  • Patent number: 8132642
    Abstract: Normally a speaker is used by attaching to a sealed or semi-sealed cabinet so that vibration generated at the front and the back of a diaphragm does not mutually interfere. Therefore, a certain depth and a volume are necessary, and in a limited location such as a front panel of a device, there is a case that it cannot be attached to the most suitable position for a listener. As a means to solve that, a method that a speaker sound at a distant position is led to a front panel by a waveguide is practically used. However, still it has limitations in depth and attaching position, and good results cannot be obtained also in efficiency. A speaker is attached so that a sound generated at the front of the speaker attached to a cabinet is led to a plane such as a front panel of a device by a waveguide, and the opening surface of the waveguide is almost perpendicular to the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: M. I. Laboratories Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuru Takashima
  • Patent number: 8135158
    Abstract: A sound reproduction system includes one or more arrays of drive units, coupled with sound processing allowing improved steerability, directional control, width control, and/or beam overlay. A speaker column may comprise two arrays facing one another, the drive units being perpendicular to the speaker unit front, with the acoustic output of each line array being compressed, turned and output from an elongate slot. The drive units may be staggered with respect to those in the opposing array. The arrays may be arc-shaped else straight. Selective delays to simulate an arced pattern. Differential delays applied to the drive units in a sub-array allow beam steering. Additional drive units, such as high frequency drivers, may be added along the length of the elongate slot or elsewhere to increase the dynamic frequency range of the speaker system. A collocated sound processor and amplifier output stage may be integrated with the speaker unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: THX Ltd
    Inventor: Lawrence R. Fincham
  • Patent number: 8098852
    Abstract: A speaker assembly is provided with a housing, a speaker mounted to the housing, and a reflector spaced apart from and facing the speaker. The reflector is symmetrical and has an arcuate central convex region for reflecting pressure back to the speaker for amplifying back pressure to the speaker. The reflector has a secondary region with an arcuate cross-section for reflecting acoustic vibrations past and outboard of the housing. The reflector is partially translucent, and a light source is provided adjacent the reflector for conveying light to the reflector, past and outboard of the housing for illuminating a region that receives acoustic vibrations reflected from the reflector. A media assembly is provided with a fan operably connected to a generator so that air that passes into a housing through an inlet and out of an outlet, causes the fan to rotate thereby providing a power source to a media device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Inventors: Ronald Paul Harwood, Kenneth Alan Klemmer, Larry Alan Schirmer
  • Patent number: 8086285
    Abstract: Carrying cases are disclosed for portable communication devices such as iPhones and cell phones. There is a case housing for receiving a portable communication device therein, and a sound reflector linked to the housing so as to be movable between an extended position and a recessed position. The carrying case enables the device to be used as a speaker phone with enhanced sound quality, while still in the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: TJM Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: Theodore J. McNamara, Mark A. Hargarten
  • Patent number: 8073156
    Abstract: An audio processing system for a vehicle includes a plurality of loudspeakers positioned to form a single line array. The loudspeaker line array is positionable in a vehicle on a dashboard of the vehicle substantially at the convergence of the dashboard and a window of the vehicle. When the loudspeaker line array is driven by an audio signal, a vertically and horizontally focused and narrowed sound pattern is perceived by a listener in the vehicle. The sound pattern is the result of the constructive combination of the direct sound impulses and the reflected sound impulses produced by each loudspeaker in the array. Using delay, attenuation and phase adjustment of the audio signal, the sound pattern may be controlled, limited, and directed to one or more locations in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven W. Hutt, D. Broadus Keele, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8036403
    Abstract: The present invention belongs to the field of loudspeaker and relates to directional sound wave radiator comprising a sound transmission duct, a reverser, an annular director, a parabolic reflector, and a straight tubular loudspeaker cylinder. The sound transmission duct is mounted substantially coaxially with said parabolic reflector. The straight tubular loudspeaker cylinder is connected to said parabolic reflector. The reverser is provided inside said straight tubular loudspeaker cylinder and at the outlet end of said sound transmission duct; the outlet end of said reverser has an annular section, which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of said parabolic reflector and is positioned substantially at the focus of said parabolic reflector. The annular director is mounted around said sound transmission duct and at the outlet end of said reverser to define an annular shape of the outlet end of said reverser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Beijing Wave Energy Technology Development Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Baoshu Xi
  • Patent number: 8031896
    Abstract: An audio device has passive radiators that are driven by acoustic drivers. The passive radiators are arranged so that the net mechanical vibration is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey C. Chick, Hal P. Greenberger, Roman Litovsky, Christopher B. Ickler, Roger Mark, George Nichols
  • Patent number: 8014545
    Abstract: A loudspeaker system includes an enclosure having an open end defining a plane, a baffle, a loudspeaker operating in the 4 kHz to 10 kHz range, and a device, preferably a ribbed portion having a plurality of grooves, coupled to the baffle for modifying the spectral profile of the projected sound waves. The baffle includes first and second angled surfaces each oriented at an oblique angle with respect to the plane. The speaker is coupled to the first angled surface and the ribbed portion is coupled to the baffle along the intersection of the first angled surface and the second angled surface. When mounted in a wall or ceiling, the system projects a sound field substantially indistinguishable from that of a loudspeaker located within the listener's listening plane. The baffle can also have acoustic damping material attached thereto, with grooves formed therein, to prevent reflections of 4 kHz to 10 kHz sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: DEI Headquarters, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Grant, Timothy A. Gladwin, Robert G. Johnston
  • Patent number: 8009846
    Abstract: An ultrasonic speaker including: a vibration film having a conductive layer; a pair of fixed electrodes provided oppositely to respective surfaces of the vibration film; and an ultrasonic transducer that causes the vibration film to generate sound waves by applying a DC bias voltage to the conductive layer of the vibration film while applying an alternating signal between the pair of fixed electrodes, and outputs the sound waves generated by the vibration film from two sound wave output surfaces via through-holes provided in each of the pair of fixed electrodes. The two sound wave output surfaces of the ultrasonic transducer are disposed in a direction intersecting with a sound wave emitting direction at right angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Sekino, Kinya Matsuzawa, Yoshiki Fukui, Shinichi Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20110135121
    Abstract: A speaker assembly is provided with a housing, a speaker mounted to the housing, and a reflector spaced apart from and facing the speaker. The reflector is symmetrical and has an arcuate central convex region for reflecting pressure back to the speaker for amplifying back pressure to the speaker. The reflector has a secondary region with an arcuate cross-section for reflecting acoustic vibrations past and outboard of the housing. The reflector is partially translucent, and a light source is provided adjacent the reflector for conveying light to the reflector, past and outboard of the housing for illuminating a region that receives acoustic vibrations reflected from the reflector. A media assembly is provided with a fan operably connected to a generator so that air that passes into a housing through an inlet and out of an outlet, causes the fan to rotate thereby providing a power source to a media device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Ronald Paul Harwood, Kenneth Alan Klemmer, Larry Alan Schirmer
  • Patent number: 7949143
    Abstract: An ultrasonic speaker or acoustic system includes an electrostatic type ultrasonic transducer of a push-pull system is constructed such that a through hole is arranged in the central portion of a fixing electrode of a circular shape. A sound wave reflecting plate is arranged on the rear face of the ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic wave radiated from the rear face of the ultrasonic transducer is reflected by the sound wave reflecting plate and is radiated to the front face of the ultrasonic transducer through the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Sekino, Kinya Matsuzawa
  • Patent number: 7912234
    Abstract: A broadband sound generator and transmitter provides minimal attenuation of sound over the distance between the generators and a point at a selected distance. The transmission component includes a parabolic dish and a positionable framework for the sound generators. The sound generators are positioned in front of the dish and oriented to direct sound into the dish for reflection toward a target. Drive signal conditioning circuitry apportion components of the drive signal to the several sound generators and adjust the signal in terms of delay and phase to accommodate changes in position of the generators relative to the dish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Inventor: Curtis E. Graber
  • Publication number: 20110019844
    Abstract: A multi-directional sound emission system comprises a speaker body and sound emission devices coupled to both ends of the speaker body. The sound emission devices each include a sound emission means for directionally emitting sound towards multiple directions. The sound emission means includes a plurality of hollow mechanical sound conducting elements. Each hollow mechanical sound conducting element has an inner opening end and an exterior opening end opposite to the inner opening end. The exterior opening ends of the sound conducting elements are directed towards desired multiple directions, respectively. The sound emission means is configured for receiving sound signals from the speaker body and emitting sound along the desired multiple directions through the sound conducting elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: IAG GROUP LTD.
    Inventor: Kwangwu Chang
  • Patent number: 7845462
    Abstract: A middle to high frequency straight pathway horn with wide horizontal dispersion characteristics having extended terminus side walls which approach a perpendicular angle compared to the horn axis which are further extended by a rearwardly divergent angled or curved surface from the terminus frontal plane to reduce the deleterious effects of horn mouth, edge, and baffle diffraction, allowing for traditional front baffle mounting or free-standing use. Modular baffle elements allow the invention to be configured for the further reduction of diffraction effects in a variety of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Inventor: Dana A. Moore
  • Patent number: 7840013
    Abstract: An array of microphones is provided wherein the microphones are positioned at the ends of cavities within a diffracting structure. The cavity depth, width, and shape are optimised to provide high directivity without grating lobes, at frequencies for which the distance between microphones is greater than half the acoustic wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
    Inventors: Stephanie Dedieu, Philippe Moquin
  • Publication number: 20100272295
    Abstract: The invention provides a speaker device having wide directivity and exhibiting excellent frequency characteristics with a simple configuration, and to this end, a directivity adjustment panel is arranged to cover one part of a vibration region of a vibration plate of a speaker unit, the directivity adjustment panel being arranged with a predetermined distance from an edge portion of an outer periphery of the vibration plate of the speaker unit, and formed to reflect a sound wave received from the vibration plate toward the vibration plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventor: Eiji Nakatani
  • Patent number: 7778431
    Abstract: Stands for a portable audio device include a housing and a mounting member. The mounting member is configured to couple the audio device to the housing at a location selected to reflect sounds generated by a speaker of the audio device away from the housing. Stands may include a resonator cavity in the housing with an outlet opening extending to the resonator cavity from an exterior surface of the housing and a volume of the resonator cavity and a size of the outlet opening extending thereto may be selected to provide a desired resonant frequency response of the resonator cavity to amplify sounds generated by the speaker of the audio device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, AB
    Inventors: Hui Feng, William Chris Eaton
  • Patent number: 7769192
    Abstract: A speaker system comprising a magnetic circuit, a cylindrical shaped voice coil unit generating oscillation in the magnetic circuit, an oscillating plate extending in a circular conical shape from a outer peripheral surface of the voice coil unit, a dust cap connecting to the oscillating plate covering an open face of the voice coil unit on a side surrounded by the oscillating plate, a plurality of linking members connecting to the voice coil unit, and a detection unit. The link members extend toward a center axis of the voice coil unit. The detecting unit further comprises a first component part fastened to the linking members and positioned at the center axis of the voice coil unit closer to the voice coil unit side than the dust cap, and a second component part positioned facing the first component part and is independent of the voice coil unit such that the second component part is held between the first component part and the dust cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Takagi, Kosuke Takata, Yoshihiro Ikegami
  • Patent number: 7760895
    Abstract: A loudspeaker system positioned to one side of a listener includes a closed-back tweeter supported in front of a concave reflective surface. The curvature of the surface is formed by vertical and parallel first and second sides of a rectangle wherein the first side is rotated around the second side as axis. The tweeter projects sound with hemispherical directionality away from the listener and toward the surface. Some of the sound projected by the tweeter is reflected off of the surface toward the listener at an angle of less than about 10° relative to a principal plane of the concavity. A low frequency range loudspeaker projects sound towards the listener generally at an azimuth nearly equal to that of a virtual center of radiation of the sound projected by the tweeter off of the concavity. Thereby, the listener localizes a well-defined sound image at a few meters behind the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Inventor: Peter H. Lehmann
  • Patent number: 7711135
    Abstract: In order to divide the inside space of the cabinet into at least two with a speaker being the center, obtain a plurality of emitted sound energies through openings constructed in each divided sphere, and utilize a cabinet of a loudspeaker apparatus as a sound echo box, a partition wall 4 is disposed at a right angle to a baffle board 2 or a front board 7, passing through the center O of a speaker 3 disposed on the baffle board 2 or the front board 7 of the cabinet 6, and divides the inside space of the cabinet 6 into at least two of an upper chamber 11U and a lower chamber 11D, so that sound energies are emitted from openings 8 and 9 which are provided in each chamber of 11D and 11U, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Teruo Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 7702123
    Abstract: A loudspeaker assembly is described which assembly may be moved from a non-exposed to an exposed position by suitable means of which a few are discussed. The inventive assembly may comprise an acoustic lens and a particularly advantageous application is for use in an automotive hi-fi system. A number of other applications are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Bang & Olufsen A/S
    Inventor: Bjar Soerensen
  • Patent number: 7684184
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a display apparatus is provided with a support base including an upright wall and a support wall projecting horizontally from the upright wall, a holder holding a read/write device, a mounting member including a first portion opposed to the holder from above and a second portion horizontally opposed to the upright wall, a first elastic member interposed between the support wall and the holder, a second elastic member interposed between the first portion of the mounting member and the holder, and a fastening member fixing the second portion of the mounting member to the upright wall in a direction perpendicular to a back surface of a display panel. The first elastic member is pressed toward the support wall by a weight of the read/write device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Keisuke Harita
  • Patent number: 7684574
    Abstract: A reflective loudspeaker array is cooperatively operable with an acoustically reflective planar surface to provide a constructive combination of direct and reflected sound waves that produces a uniform sound field. The uniform sound field provides a controlled sound field in the vertical and horizontal direction, and also provides uniformity from distances close to the reflective loudspeaker array to far way. The direct and reflected sound waves are advantageously and constructively combinable to generate a focused beamwidth of soundwaves. The reflective loudspeaker array includes a plurality of loudspeakers coupled to a surface of the reflective loudspeaker array. The surface may be formed to include at least one curve with a radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: D. Broadus Keele, Jr., Douglas J. Button
  • Publication number: 20100061571
    Abstract: A directional sound generating apparatus and a directional speaker array including the same are disclosed. The directional sound generating apparatus includes a sound transducer, a reflection plate which is located behind the sound transducer, and a blocking plate which is provided between a front portion and a back portion of the sound transducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Jung-woo CHOI, Young-tae Kim, Jung-ho Kim, Sang-chul Ko
  • Patent number: 7668331
    Abstract: An improved-fidelity speaker system is presented. The sound system includes a frame and a pair of matching speakers. The frame is formed to hold a first speaker and a second speaker, each having a front side, a back side, and central axis. When attached with the frame, the two speakers are substantially aligned along their central axes in a configuration selected from a group consisting of being mounted in the frame such that the front sides of the speakers are facing away from each other, and being mounted in the frame such that the front sides of the speakers are facing towards each other. When the speakers are operated in unison, a sound wave is generated and pushed outward from the frame and approximately radially from the central axes of the speakers in up to 360 degrees, expanding outward about a plane approximately perpendicular to the central axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Inventor: Wailit Yen
  • Patent number: 7652724
    Abstract: There is provided electronic equipment which includes: a cabinet; an image display apparatus incorporated into the cabinet; and speakers incorporated into the cabinet, in which the image display apparatus is disposed with an image display surface thereof facing a front of the cabinet, the speakers are disposed with sound radiating surfaces thereof inclined as viewed from the front of the cabinet, and a sound reflecting surface for reflecting sounds radiated from the speakers frontward is disposed in the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Fukano
  • Patent number: 7606379
    Abstract: A speaker, having a diaphragm with a central opening and further having a pole piece, including a first sound dispersion element extending from the pole piece through the central opening of the diaphragm and further extending beyond the diaphragm wherein the first sound dispersion element has a larger transverse perimeter distal the pole piece than proximal the pole piece; and no support structures for the first sound dispersion element are located radially external to said first sound dispersion element. The speaker may be integrated with a lamp using a support structure. A second sound dispersion element may be used. A rod, used as a conduit, coupling, and/or support, may extend coaxially with the first sound dispersion element, interior thereto, and to a point beyond the diaphragm. The audio signal for the speaker may be supplied by a wireless link. The speaker and lamp may be configured for a ceiling fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Mitek Corp, Inc.
    Inventors: Lloyd Ivey, Paul Schleipfer, Simon Broadley