Hybrid speaker and converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11832071-B2
Application number	US-202117327743-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2021
Priority date	Feb 19, 2019
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

An audio converter system is provided. The system comprises an audio input configured to receive a source audio, an audio output configured to couple to a hybrid speaker comprising at least two nondirectional speakers and a directional speaker, and a processor configured to generate an output audio for the hybrid speaker based on the source audio by: identifying a specific sound in the source audio, isolating the specific sound from the source audio, generating a directional speaker output for the directional speaker of the hybrid speaker based on the specific sound, and generating at least two channels of nondirectional speaker output for the at least two nondirectional speakers of the hybrid speaker.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An audio converter system, comprising:
an audio input configured to receive a source audio; and
a processor configured to generate an output audio based on the source audio by performing steps comprising:
identifying a specific sound in the source audio, wherein the specific sound is identified through machine learning using sounds in a sound database as a learning set, and wherein the sound database is updated by machine learning;
generating an output for a directional speaker based on the specific sound; and
projecting the output of the directional speaker so that the output is audible to only one or more specific users in a room and not audible to other users in the room.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine learning is based on a generative adversarial network (GAN).

3. An audio converter system, comprising:
an audio input configured to receive a source audio; and
a processor configured to generate an output audio based on the source audio by performing steps comprising:
identifying a specific sound in the source audio;
generating an output for a directional speaker based on the specific sound; and
projecting the output of the directional speaker so that the output is audible to only one or more specific users in a room and not audible to other users in the room;

wherein the specific sound is identified based on sound frequency and/or amplitude difference between two or more channels of the source audio.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform steps comprising:
determining a projection direction for the directional speaker based on a user location, an amplitude difference between two or more channels of the source audio, and/or a time delay difference between two or more channels of the source audio.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the projection direction for the directional speaker is outputted to the directional speaker to control a mechanical rotor configured to rotate the directional speaker.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform steps comprising:
generating an output for at least one nondirectional speaker; and
projecting the output of the at least one nondirectional speaker so that the output is audible to all users in the room.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the output for at least one nondirectional speaker is generated based on subtracting the specific sound from the source audio.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the generating an output for at least one nondirectional speaker comprises:
generating at least two channels of nondirectional speaker output for at least two nondirectional speakers.

9. A method, comprising:
identifying a specific sound in a source audio, wherein the specific sound is identified through machine learning using sounds in a sound database as a learning set, and wherein the sound database is updated by machine learning;
generating an output for a directional speaker based on the specific sound; and
projecting the output of the directional speaker so that the output is audible to only one or more specific users in a room and not audible to other users in the room.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the machine learning is based on a generative adversarial network (GAN).

11. A method, comprising:
identifying a specific sound in a source audio;
generating an output for a directional speaker based on the specific sound; and
projecting the output of the directional speaker so that the output is audible to only one or more specific users in a room and not audible to other users in the room;
wherein the specific sound is identified based on sound frequency and/or amplitude difference between two or more channels of the source audio.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining a projection direction for the directional speaker based on a user location, an amplitude difference between two or more channels of the source audio, and/or a time delay difference between two or more channels of the source audio.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the projection direction for the directional speaker is outputted to the directional speaker to control a mechanical rotor configured to rotate the directional speaker.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
generating an output for at least one nondirectional speaker; and
projecting the output of the at least one nondirectional speaker so that the output is audible to all users in the room.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the output for at least one nondirectional speaker is generated based on subtracting the specific sound from the source audio.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the generating an output for at least one nondirectional speaker comprises:
generating at least two channels of nondirectional speaker output for at least two nondirectional speakers.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more computer programs configured to cause a processor-based system to execute steps comprising:
identifying a specific sound in a source audio, wherein the specific sound is identified through machine learning using sounds in a sound database as a learning set, and wherein the sound database is updated by machine learning;
generating an output for a directional speaker based on the specific sound; and
projecting the output of the directional speaker so that the output is audible to only one or more specific users in a room and not audible to other users in the room.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more computer programs are further configured to cause the processor-based system to execute steps comprising:
generating an output for at least one nondirectional speaker; and
projecting the output of the at least one nondirectional speaker so that the output is audible to all users in the room.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the output for at least one nondirectional speaker is generated based on subtracting the specific sound from the source audio.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the generating an output for at least one nondirectional speaker comprises:
generating at least two channels of nondirectional speaker output for at least two nondirectional speakers.

21. An audio system, comprising:
a speaker housing;
a directional speaker enclosed in the speaker housing; and
an audio converter configured to identify a specific sound in a source audio, generate an output for the directional speaker based on the specific sound, and project the output of the directional speaker so that the output is audible to only one or more specific users in a room and not audible to other users in the room, wherein the specific sound is identified through machine learning using sounds in a sound database as a learning set, and wherein the sound database is updated by machine learning.

22. The system of claim 21 , further comprising:
a sensor for detecting a location of a user, wherein a projection direction of the directional speaker is controlled based on the location of the user.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the audio converter is further configured to generate an output for at least one nondirectional speaker and project the output of the at least one nondirectional speaker so that the output is audible to all users i

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Matsukawa Takeo
• Yoo Jaekwon

Classifications

• H04R3/04 Primary

  for correcting frequency response · CPC title

• H03F3/181

  Low-frequency amplifiers, e.g. audio preamplifiers · CPC title

• H04R1/22

  for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only  {(circuit for combining transducers having different responses H04R3/00; for hearing aids H04R25/407)} · CPC title

• H04R1/323

  for loudspeakers (H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04R13/00

  Transducers having an acoustic diaphragm of magnetisable material directly co-acting with electromagnet · CPC title