Abstract: An array speaker apparatus SParray includes a first radiation means for driving speaker units so that a first sound S1 of a main channel is radiated to a wall surface W1 on the left or right side of a listening position, and a second radiation means for driving the speaker units so that a second sound S2 the same as the first audio signal is radiated directly to the listening position.

Abstract: A multi-channel audio system is constituted using at least one line array speaker unit, in which plural speakers are arrayed in line, wherein the same audio signal is supplied with a prescribed delay time to each of the speakers, thus forming plural sound beams. The plural sound beams are reflected on a wall surface and a ceiling of a room so as to form plural virtual sound sources surrounding a listening position, and emission directions and intensities of the sound beams are controlled so as to localize a phantom at a prescribed position based on the plural virtual sound sources. By appropriately arranging plural line array speaker units horizontally, vertically, and slantingly in such a way that each line array speaker unit forms sound beams distributed and spread in a sectorial form, it is possible to realize a surround audio system having a high degree of freedom with regard to setup positions for forming virtual sound sources.

Abstract: To provide an audio reproduction apparatus in which a general user inputs simple and easy settings so that audio beams of respective channels can be set. When an array speaker is installed in a room, the user inputs the shape of the room into the audio reproduction apparatus. Based on the shape of the room, the audio reproduction apparatus determines a beam control pattern indicating which directions audio signals of the channels should be formed respectively. The audio reproduction apparatus reads beam control data including delay times for forming the beams in the directions from a pattern memory, and automatically sets the beam control data in a DSP. Thus, only when the user inputs the shape of the room, the beams are controlled with a beam control pattern suitable to the room so that multi-channel audio can be reproduced optimally.

Abstract: A speaker array is provided which can increase the orientation when reproducing front channels of a surround sound, increase the density effect, improve the narrow directivity when reproducing a stereo sound and increase the selectivity in selecting reproduction methods which match setting environments. When reproducing a stereo sound by a speaker array for reproducing a surround sound by converting a sound into a beam of sound, the speaker array is divided into a sound reproducing region for an L system and a sound reproducing region for an R system at a central portion thereof. Then, each of the reproducing regions so divided is further divided in to bands. In addition, since a high frequency reproducing region has a high directivity and a strong orientation when the sound is attempted to be reproduced simultaneously by the plurality of speakers as is described above, a reproducing region is limited to part of the reproducing regions.

Abstract: In an audio device equipped with a speaker array device aligning a plurality of speaker units, a sound beam is emitted towards a specific person in a main beam direction, thus realizing the listening of the audio contents with good sound quality. Other persons listen to the audio contents at off-beam positions; hence, leaked sound due to side lobes of the sound beam is transmitted to them with respect to an intermediate band and a low band, thus realizing the listening of the sound with an adequate volume. A high band is subjected to sharp beam control, wherein with respect to an intermediate volume or higher volume, high-frequency components are convoluted with the sound beam and are emitted with non-directivity.

Abstract: Signals on respective RL, FL, C, FR, RR channels are divided into high frequency signals and low frequency signals by HPFs and LPFs respectively. The low frequency signals on the RL, FL, and C channels are superposed and output from a left-side woofer 21-1, while the low frequency signals on the RR, FR, and C channels are superposed and output from a right-side woofer 21-2. A predetermined directivity is given to the high frequency signals on respective channels by directivity controlling portions 17-1 to 17-5 respectively, and resultant signals are output from respective speaker units 20-1 to 20-n of an array speaker to generate virtual sound sources by the reflection from wall surfaces. A crossover frequency f2 of the rear channels (RL, RR) is set higher than a crossover frequency f1 of the front channels (FL, FR), and the signals on the rear channels are shaped into a narrow beam to generate a high-quality surround sound field.

Abstract: A surround sound outputting device includes a receiving portion which receives signals on a plurality of channels, a storing portion which stores measuring sound data representing a sound, an outputting portion which outputs a sound produced based on the signals on the plurality of channels or the measuring sound data in a controlled direction and in a beam shape, a controlling portion which controls a direction of the sound output from the outputting portion, a sound collecting portion which picks up the sound output from the outputting portion to produce picked-up sound data representing the picked-up sound, an impulse response specifying portion which specifies impulse responses in respective directions from respective sound data, a path characteristic specifying portion which specifies path distances of the paths through which the sounds output in the respective directions arrive at the sound collecting portion from the outputting portion and levels of the impulse responses based on the impulse responses

Abstract: A speaker device includes a signal processing section and a speaker array that includes a first speaker units group and a second speaker units group. The signal processing section performs a first signal process in which sound based on an audio signal of a first channel is set to output from the first speaker units group and a first virtual focus of the sound is set to an opposite side of the speaker array opposite to a sound output direction of the first speaker units group, and sound based on an audio signal of a second channel is set to output from the second speaker units group and a second virtual focus of the sound based on the audio signal of the second channel is set to an opposite side of the speaker array opposite to a sound output direction of the second speaker units group.

Abstract: There is provided a surround-sound system in which the output direction of a sound beam of each channel in a speaker array can be optimized without requiring a user to make any troublesome operation. A parameter setting control portion 6 controls to output sound beams from a speaker array 1 and rotate the output directions of these sound beams. In addition, based on change of sound pressure sensed by a microphone 7 when the output directions of the sound beams are rotated, the parameter setting control portion 6 determines the output directions of sound beams of at least a part of a plurality of channels in the speaker array 1. The parameter setting control portion 6 determines the output directions of sound beams of the other channels based on the output directions of the channels determined based on the change of sound pressure.

Abstract: A speaker apparatus includes: a first outputting unit that has a first speaker unit group in which a plurality of speaker units are arranged, and that outputs a supplied audio signal from the first speaker unit group as a sound which is directed in a direction; a second outputting unit that has a second speaker unit which is placed so that a front direction of the second speaker unit in which a frontage of the second speaker unit faces is different from a front direction of the first speaker unit group in which a frontage of the first speaker unit group faces, and that outputs a supplied audio signal from the second speaker unit as a sound; and a supplying unit that separates an input audio signal into an audio signal in a low-frequency band where a frequency band which is higher than a first frequency is attenuated, and an audio signal in a high-frequency band where a frequency band which is lower than a second frequency is attenuated, the supplying unit that supplies the audio signal in the low-frequency ba

Abstract: An audio output apparatus has a measuring circuit which measures the levels of at least two sound signals, a sound level adjusting module (a sound level adjusting circuit and a gain control circuit) which adjusts a sound level so as to equal the levels of the sound signals based on the levels measured at the measuring circuit, and an array speaker unit (a delay circuit, a multiplier, an adder, an amplifier and a speaker unit) which emits sounds in accordance with the sound signals outputted from the sound level adjusting module in different directivities respectively.

Abstract: To provide a speaker array apparatus and a method for setting audio beams in a speaker array apparatus, in which the degree of freedom in the place where the speaker array apparatus is installed is high, and a user can set audio beams easily. A speaker array apparatus 1 sweeps a range of from 0 degree to 180 degrees in front of a speaker array 10 with audio beams based on an audio signal limited to a band where the angles of the audio beams can be adjusted. The speaker array apparatus 1 collects direct sounds or reflected sounds of the audio beams through a nondirectional microphone 2. The speaker array apparatus 1 analyzes the collected audio data, detects peaks not lower than a threshold value, and checks symmetry among the peaks. When there is a symmetry, the angles where the peaks were detected are set as angles with which audio beams of respective channels of a surround-sound should be output.

Abstract: To provide a speaker array apparatus and a method for setting audio beams in a speaker array apparatus, in which the degree of freedom in the place where the speaker array apparatus is installed is high, and a user can set audio beams easily. A speaker array apparatus 1 sweeps a range of from 0 degree to 180 degrees in front of a speaker array 10 with audio beams based on an audio signal limited to a band where the angles of the audio beams can be adjusted. The speaker array apparatus 1 collects direct sounds or reflected sounds of the audio beams through a nondirectional microphone 2. The speaker array apparatus 1 analyzes the collected audio data, detects peaks not lower than a threshold value, and checks symmetry among the peaks. When there is a symmetry, the angles where the peaks were detected are set as angles with which audio beams of respective channels of a surround-sound should be output.

Abstract: A speaker array apparatus for outputting sound beams of a plurality of channels based on audio signals of the plurality of channels, includes a directivity control section that controls a directivity of at least one of the sound beams of the channels so as to generate one or more pairs of the sound beams of the channels having roughly the same directivity, and a frequency characteristic applying section that applies a frequency characteristic to the audio signal corresponding to one of the sound beams of the channels in the one or more pairs to change a sound image localization position of the one of the sound beams of the channels in the one or more pairs.

Abstract: A surround sound outputting device includes a receiving portion which receives signals on a plurality of channels, a storing portion which stores measuring sound data representing a sound, an outputting portion which outputs a sound produced based on the signals on the plurality of channels or the measuring sound data in a controlled direction and in a beam shape, a controlling portion which controls a direction of the sound output from the outputting portion, a sound collecting portion which picks up the sound output from the outputting portion to produce picked-up sound data representing the picked-up sound, an impulse response specifying portion which specifies impulse responses in respective directions from respective sound data, a path characteristic specifying portion which specifies path distances of the paths through which the sounds output in the respective directions arrive at the sound collecting portion from the outputting portion and levels of the impulse responses based on the impulse responses

Abstract: An array speaker apparatus SParray includes a first radiation means for driving speaker units so that a first sound S1 of a main channel is radiated to a wall surface W1 on the left or right side of a listening position, and a second radiation means for driving the speaker units so that a second sound S2 the same as the first audio signal is radiated directly to the listening position.

Abstract: Signals on respective RL, FL, C, FR, RR channels are divided into high frequency signals and low frequency signals by HPFs and LPFs respectively. The low frequency signals on the RL, FL, and C channels are superposed and output from a left-side woofer 21-1, while the low frequency signals on the RR, FR, and C channels are superposed and output from a right-side woofer 21-2. A predetermined directivity is given to the high frequency signals on respective channels by directivity controlling portions 17-1 to 17-5 respectively, and resultant signals are output from respective speaker units 20-1 to 20-n of an array speaker to generate virtual sound sources by the reflection from wall surfaces. A crossover frequency f2 of the rear channels (RL, RR) is set higher than a crossover frequency f1 of the front channels (FL, FR), and the signals on the rear channels are shaped into a narrow beam to generate a high-quality surround sound field.

Abstract: There is provided a surround-sound system in which the output direction of a sound beam of each channel in a speaker array can be optimized without requiring a user to make any troublesome operation. A parameter setting control portion 6 controls to output sound beams from a speaker array 1 and rotate the output directions of these sound beams. In addition, based on change of sound pressure sensed by a microphone 7 when the output directions of the sound beams are rotated, the parameter setting control portion 6 determines the output directions of sound beams of at least a part of a plurality of channels in the speaker array 1. The parameter setting control portion 6 determines the output directions of sound beams of the other channels based on the output directions of the channels determined based on the change of sound pressure.

Abstract: In an audio device equipped with a speaker array device aligning a plurality of speaker units, a sound beam is emitted towards a specific person in a main beam direction, thus realizing the listening of the audio contents with good sound quality. Other persons listen to the audio contents at off-beam positions; hence, leaked sound due to side lobes of the sound beam is transmitted to them with respect to an intermediate band and a low band, thus realizing the listening of the sound with an adequate volume. A high band is subjected to sharp beam control, wherein with respect to an intermediate volume or higher volume, high-frequency components are convoluted with the sound beam and are emitted with non-directivity.

Abstract: An array speaker apparatus includes an array speaker in which plural speaker units are arranged in a single body, a sound source localization adding unit which generates left and right audio signals by performing localization processing for adding sound characteristics to audio signals of a front-left channel and a front-right channel on the basis of head transfer functions, and a sound emitting direction control unit which distributes the left and right audio signals to one or plural speaker units of the array speaker, and controls timing with which the speaker units output the audio signals so that a left sound emitted from the array speaker forms the same sound wavefront formed by a sound emitted from one of virtual point sound sources and that a right sound emitted from the array speaker forms the same sound wavefront formed by a sound emitted from the other of the virtual point sound sources.