Rotationally symmetric speaker array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10798482-B2
Application number	US-201816185474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2018
Priority date	Aug 18, 2014
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A multi-way speaker array is disclosed that includes rings of transducers of different types. The rings of transducers may encircle the cabinet of the speaker array such that the speaker array is rotationally symmetric. The distance between rings of transducers may be based on a logarithmic scale. By separating rings of transducers using logarithmic spacing, denser transducer spacing at short wavelengths is achieved while limiting the number of transducers needed for longer wavelengths by spacing them in larger and larger logarithmic increments. Transducers with overlapping frequency ranges may be used in the speaker array to avoid initial dips or shortfalls in directivity for corresponding beam patterns.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-way speaker array, comprising:
a cabinet having a center axis;
a plurality of transducers arranged about the center axis along a horizontal plane perpendicular to the center axis;
a second plurality of transducers arranged about the center axis of the cabinet, wherein the second plurality of transducers includes a plurality of microphones; and
an end transducer arranged on and facing a direction of the center axis;
wherein a first spacing between the plurality of transducers on the horizontal plane and the second plurality of transducers in the direction of the center axis is different than a second spacing between the second plurality of transducers and the end transducer in the direction of the center axis.

2. The multi-way speaker array of claim 1 , further comprising:
a set of rings of transducers arranged about the center axis of the cabinet and surrounding the second plurality of transducers such that an equal number of rings of the set of rings of transducers are positioned on each side of the second plurality of transducers.

3. The multi-way speaker array of claim 1 , further comprising:
a set of transducers arranged on one or more ends of the cabinet and including the end transducer pointed perpendicular to the plurality of transducers and the second plurality of transducers.

4. The multi-way speaker array of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of transducers is selected to produce audio frequencies in a first frequency range and the end transducer is selected to produce audio frequencies in a second frequency range.

5. The multi-way speaker array of claim 4 , wherein the audio frequencies in the first frequency range overlap with the audio frequencies in the second frequency range.

6. The multi-way speaker array of claim 1 , wherein a center of each transducer of the plurality of transducers is aligned with a center of a transducer of the second plurality of transducers to form N uniform columns of transducers, wherein the uniform columns of transducers encircle the cabinet such that the multi-way speaker array is rotationally symmetric on an order of N.

7. A multi-way speaker array, comprising:
a cabinet having a center axis;
a plurality of transducers arranged about the center axis along a horizontal plane perpendicular to the center axis;
an end transducer arranged on and facing a direction of the center axis; and
a plurality of microphones in the cabinet, wherein the plurality of microphones are configured to detect a sound emitted by the plurality of transducers.

8. The multi-way speaker array of claim 7 , further comprising:
a second plurality of transducers arranged about the center axis of the cabinet, wherein a first spacing between the plurality of transducers on the horizontal plane and the second plurality of transducers in the direction of the center axis is different than a second spacing between the second plurality of transducers and the end transducer in the direction of the center axis.

9. The multi-way speaker array of claim 8 , further comprising:
a set of transducers arranged on one or more ends of the cabinet and including the end transducer pointed perpendicular to the plurality of transducers and the second plurality of transducers.

10. The multi-way speaker array of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of transducers is selected to produce audio frequencies in a first frequency range, the second plurality of transducers is selected to produce audio frequencies in a second frequency range, and the end transducer is selected to produce audio frequencies in a third frequency range.

11. The multi-way speaker array of claim 10 , wherein the audio frequencies in the first frequency range overlap with the audio frequencies in the second frequency range, and wherein the audio frequencies in the second frequency range overlap with the audio frequencies in the third frequency range.

12. The multi-way speaker array of claim 7 , wherein a center of each transducer of the plurality of transducers is aligned with a center of a transducer of the second plurality of transducers to form N uniform columns of transducers, wherein the uniform columns of transducers encircle the cabinet such that the multi-way speaker array is rotationally symmetric on an order of N.

13. A multi-way speaker array, comprising:
a cabinet having a center axis;
a plurality of transducers arranged about the center axis along a horizontal plane perpendicular to the center axis, wherein each of the transducers of the plurality of transducers has a first frequency range, and wherein the plurality of transducers are separated by a first distance; and
a second plurality of transducers arranged about the center axis of the cabinet, wherein each of the transducers within the second plurality of transducers has a second frequency range lower than the first frequency range, wherein the transducers within the second plurality of transducers are separated by a second distance greater than the first distance, wherein the second plurality of transducers is spaced from the plurality of transducers in a direction of the center axis by a first vertical distance, and wherein the second plurality of transducers includes a plurality of microphones; and
a third transducer having a third frequency range lower than the second frequency range, and wherein the third transducer is spaced from the second plurality of transducers in the direction of the center axis by a second vertical distance greater than the first vertical distance.

14. The multi-way speaker array of claim 13 , wherein the third transducer is arranged on and pointed in the direction of the center axis perpendicular to the plurality of transducers and the second plurality of transducers.

15. The multi-way speaker array of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of transducers are selected to produce audio frequencies in the first frequency range and the third transducer is selected to produce audio frequencies in the third frequency range.

16. The multi-way speaker array of claim 15 , wherein the audio frequencies in the first frequency range of audio frequencies overlap with the audio frequencies in the second frequency range of audio frequencies, and wherein the audio frequencies in the second frequency range of audio frequencies overlap with the audio frequencies in the third frequency range of audio frequencies.

17. The multi-way speaker array of claim 13 , wherein a center of each transducer of the plurality of transducers is aligned with a center of a transducer of the second plurality of transducers to form N uniform columns of transducers, wherein the uniform columns of transducers encircle the cabinet such that the speaker array is rotationally symmetric on an order of N.

18. The multi-way speaker array of claim 13 , wherein each transducer of the plurality of transducers is evenly spaced relative to adjacent transducers of the plurality of transducers, and wherein each transducer of the second plurality of transducers is evenly spaced relative to adjacent transducers of the second plurality of transducers.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Johnson Martin E
• Dix Gordon R
• Howes Michael B
• Geaves Gary P
• Saux Tom-Davy William Jendrik

Classifications

• H04R2201/401

  2D or 3D arrays of transducers · CPC title

• H04R5/02

  Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R1/403 Primary

  loud-speakers · CPC title