Directional sound system for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11223922-B2
Application number	US-202016948749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2020
Priority date	Oct 17, 2019
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

Vehicles and sound systems for vehicles are provided. In one example, the sound system includes a plurality of sound producing devices. An amplifier is in communication with the sound producing devices. The amplifier is configured to receive input channels of audio content, to map the input channels with output channels to the sound producing devices in one of stereo mode and surround sound mode, and to remap the input channels with the output channels to the sound producing devices in the other of the stereo mode and the surround sound mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sound system for a vehicle, the sound system comprising:
a plurality of sound producing devices; and
an amplifier in communication with the sound producing devices, wherein the amplifier is configured to:
receive input channels of audio content;
map the input channels with output channels to the sound producing devices in one of stereo mode and surround sound mode; and

remap the input channels with the output channels to the sound producing devices in the other of the stereo mode and the surround sound mode, wherein the plurality of sound producing devices comprises:
a first sound producing device, a second sound producing device, a third sound producing device, and a fourth sound producing device that are in communication with the amplifier, wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the stereo mode the first and second sound producing device provide left channel outputs and the third and fourth sound producing devices provide right channel outputs, and wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the surround sound mode the first and third sound producing devices provide the left channel outputs and the second and fourth sound producing devices provide right channel outputs.

2. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the amplifier comprises a digital signal processor (DSP) that uses an algorithm to map and remap the input channels with the output channels.

3. The sound system of claim 1 , further comprising an audio content device that is operable to generate audio content and that is in communication with the amplifier to provide the input channels of the audio content to the amplifier.

4. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sound producing devices further comprises a fifth sound producing device that is in communication with the amplifier, and wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the stereo mode the fifth sound producing device provide one of the left channel outputs and the right channel outputs, and wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the surround sound mode the fifth sound producing device provides center channel outputs.

5. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the surround sound mode the first and third sound producing devices provide the left channel outputs as left front channel outputs and left surround channel outputs, respectively, and the second and fourth sound producing devices provide right channel outputs as right front channel outputs and right surround channel outputs, respectively.

6. The sound system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller in communication with the amplifier, wherein the controller is configured to receive a command signal indicative of one of the stereo mode and the surround sound mode and to generate a mapping command signal that is communicated to the amplifier for one of mapping and remapping the input channels with the output channels in response to the command signal.

7. The sound system of claim 6 , further comprising a user interface device that is in communication with the controller, wherein the user interface device is configured to receive a user input selecting one of the stereo mode and the surround sound mode and to generate the command signal in response to the user input.

8. The sound system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one sensor that is in communication with the controller, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to determine at least one of a position and orientation of a vehicle occupant and to generate the command signal in response to the at least one of the position and orientation of the vehicle occupant.

9. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the sound system including the plurality of sound producing devices are configured to produce one of 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, 8.1, and 9.1 surround sound when in the surround sound mode.

10. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the sound producing devices are selected from speakers, transducers, and a combination thereof.

11. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle structure having a first side, a second side, and an interior area disposed between the first and second sides for accommodating a vehicle occupant;
a sound system at least partially supported by the vehicle structure, the sound system comprising:
a plurality of sound producing devices configured to provide sound to the interior area; and
an amplifier in communication with the sound producing devices, wherein the amplifier is configured to:
receive input channels of audio content;
map the input channels with output channels to the sound producing devices in one of stereo mode and surround sound mode; and

remap the input channels with the output channels to the sound producing devices in the other of the stereo mode and the surround sound mode, wherein the plurality of sound producing devices comprises:

a first sound producing device and a second sound producing device that are disposed proximate to the first side of the vehicle structure and that are in communication with the amplifier, and
a third sound producing device and a fourth sound producing device that are disposed proximate to the second side of the vehicle structure and that are in communication with the amplifier, wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the stereo mode the first and second sound producing device provide left channel outputs and the third and fourth sound producing devices provide right channel outputs, and wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the surround sound mode the first and third sound producing devices provide the left channel outputs and the second and fourth sound producing devices provide right channel outputs.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the sound system further comprises an audio content device that is operable to generate audio content and that is in communication with the amplifier to provide the input channels of the audio content to the amplifier.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the amplifier comprises a digital signal processor (DSP) that uses an algorithm to map and remap the input channels with the output channels.

14. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sound producing devices further comprises a fifth sound producing device that is disposed between one of the first and second sound producing devices and third and fourth sound producing devices and that is in communication with the amplifier, and wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the stereo mode the fifth sound producing device provide one of the left channel outputs and the right channel outputs, and wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the surround sound mode the fifth sound producing device provides center channel outputs.

15. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein when the output channels to the sound producing devices are in the surround sound mode the first and third sound producing devices provide the left channel outputs as left front channel outputs and left surround channel outputs, respectively, and the second and fourth sound producing devices provide right channel outputs as right front channel outputs and right surround channel outputs, respectively.

16. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the sound system further comprises a controller in communication with the amplifier, wherein the controller is configured to receive a command signal indicative of one of the stereo mode and

Assignees

• Gulfstream Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Tatum Josh
• Wallace Matthew
• Bullock John
• Marchetti John

Classifications

• H04S7/303 Primary

  Tracking of listener position or orientation · CPC title

• H04R2430/20

  Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic (H04R2203/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R2499/13

  Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles · CPC title

• H04R5/02 Primary

  Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R2201/40

  Details of arrangements for obtaining desired directional characteristic by combining a number of identical transducers covered by H04R1/40 but not provided for in any of its subgroups · CPC title