Sound system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11558683-B2
Application number	US-202017109769-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2020
Priority date	Dec 4, 2019
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

A sound system includes a seat including a seatback having a first dipole subwoofer, a second dipole subwoofer, a first speaker, and a second speaker; and a seat bottom having a third speaker. The first dipole subwoofer, the second dipole subwoofer, the first speaker, the second speaker, and/or the third speaker may be configured to receive audio signals from a receiver and provide sound corresponding to the audio signals toward an occupant position of the seat. The third speaker may be directed toward the seat back. The first dipole subwoofer, the second dipole subwoofer, the first speaker, the second speaker, and/or the third speaker may be configured to provide a sound zone for said occupant that facilitates (i) hearing of the sound by said occupant, and/or (ii) limiting transmission of the sound beyond the seat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sound system, comprising:
a seat, including:
a seatback having:
a first dipole subwoofer;
a second dipole subwoofer;
a first speaker; and
a second speaker; and
a seat bottom having a third speaker;
wherein the first dipole subwoofer, the second dipole subwoofer, the first speaker, the second speaker, and the third speaker are configured to receive audio signals from a receiver and provide sound corresponding to the audio signals toward an occupant position of the seat.

2. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the third speaker is directed toward the seat back.

3. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the first dipole subwoofer, the second dipole subwoofer, the first speaker, the second speaker, and the third speaker are configured to provide a sound zone for an occupant in the occupant position that facilitates (i) hearing of the sound by said occupant, and (ii) limiting transmission of the sound beyond the seat.

4. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the first speaker and the second speaker are configured to provide noise-canceling sound.

5. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the seatback includes a headrest; and at least two of the first dipole subwoofer, the second dipole subwoofer, the first speaker, and the second speaker are connected to the headrest.

6. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the seatback includes a headrest; the first dipole subwoofer and the first speaker are disposed at a first side of the headrest; and the second dipole subwoofer and the second speaker are disposed at a second side of the headrest.

7. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the first speaker and the second speaker have an end-fire array configuration.

8. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the first speaker and the second speaker have a single dipole configuration.

9. The sound system of claim 1 , wherein the seatback includes a headrest; and the first speaker and the second speaker are disposed at least partially in the headrest.

10. The sound system of claim 9 , wherein the first dipole subwoofer and the second dipole subwoofer are disposed at least partially in the headrest.

11. The sound system of claim 1 , including:
a user input device configured to receive a touch input from a first occupant for activating a private intercom with a second occupant; and
an electronic controller configured to facilitate substantially simultaneous translation of audio in a first language from the first occupant to a second language for the second occupant and a third language for a third occupant.

12. The sound system of claim 1 , including:
a user input device configured to receive a touch input from a first occupant for selectively muting a second occupant.

13. A method of operating a sound system, the method comprising:
providing, from a receiver, a first audio signal to a plurality of seats;
providing sound corresponding to the first audio signal to respective occupants of the plurality of seats;
providing, from the receiver, a second audio signal to a first seat of the plurality of seats; and
providing sound corresponding to the second audio signal to the occupant of the first seat such that the sound corresponding to the second audio signal is substantially inaudible to other occupants;
wherein providing sound corresponding to the second audio signal includes providing sound via a first dipole subwoofer, a second dipole subwoofer, a first speaker, a second speaker, and a third speaker.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first seat includes a seatback and a seat bottom; the seatback includes the first dipole subwoofer, the second dipole subwoofer, the first speaker, and the second speaker; and the seat bottom includes the third speaker.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first speaker and the second speaker have a single dipole configuration or an end-fire array configuration.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each respective sound assembly includes a plurality of speakers and a plurality of subwoofers.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein providing sound corresponding to the second audio signal includes providing sound corresponding to the second audio signal via the respective sound assembly associated with the first seat and not providing sound corresponding to the second audio signal via the respective sound assemblies associated with other seats of the plurality of seats.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein providing sound corresponding to the first audio signal includes providing sound corresponding to the first audio signal via a respective sound assembly associated with each seat of the plurality of seats.

19. The method of claim 13 , including:
receiving, via a user input device, a touch input from the occupant of the first seat to activate a private intercom with a second occupant; and
translating sound in a first language from the occupant of the first seat to a second language for the second occupant.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Yetukuri Arjun
• Hein David A
• Krulek Kim
• Festag Peter
• Willems Stefan
• Humer Mladen

Classifications

• G10K11/178

  by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase · CPC title

• G10K2210/3221

  Headrests, seats or the like, for personal ANC systems · CPC title

• B60R16/0373

  Voice control (in general G10L) · CPC title

• B60R11/0217 Primary

  for loud-speakers · CPC title

• H04R1/26

  Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges · CPC title