Orientation-responsive acoustic array control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9736612-B2
Application number	US-201614989497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2016
Priority date	Apr 14, 2011
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

An audio device includes a casing configured for operation in a first orientation and a second orientation different from the first orientation, an orientation input device disposed on the casing to detect an orientation of the casing relative to the direction of the force of gravity, and a plurality of acoustic drivers disposed on the casing and operable to form a plurality of acoustic interference arrays, each of which is associated with one of a plurality of audio channels. The acoustic drivers of the audio device operate in a first frequency range and modify at least one of the acoustic interference arrays in response to a change in the orientation detected by the orientation input device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An audio device comprising:
a casing comprising an array of acoustic drivers, each driver operating in a first frequency range and located along an elongate axis of the casing, the array configured to form a plurality of acoustic interference arrays operating over the first frequency range, each acoustic interference array being associated with one of a plurality of audio channels, the casing positionable between a first orientation and a second orientation different from the first orientation;
an orientation input device to detect the orientation of the casing relative to the direction of the force of gravity;
a processing device; and
a storage accessible by the processing device in which is stored a control routine comprising a sequence of instructions that when executed by the processing device, causes the processing device to:
monitor the orientation input device to determine the orientation of the casing;
in response to the casing being in the first orientation, operate the acoustic drivers to form a first acoustic interference array by utilizing a plurality of coefficients to configure a plurality of filters; and
in response to the casing being in the second orientation, operate the acoustic drivers in a manner different from the first acoustic interference array by changing one or more of the coefficients to re-configure one or more of the filters.

2. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the array of acoustic drivers is disposed along the elongate axis of the casing and form a laterally extending row.

3. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein:
the audio device is a portion of an audio system comprising the audio device and a subwoofer comprising a separate casing; and
the audio device and the subwoofer cooperate to acoustically output audio received from another device; wherein the subwoofer acoustically outputs a portion of the received audio comprising sounds in a second frequency range lower than the first frequency range.

4. The audio device of claim 3 , wherein the audio device comprises a wireless transmitter to provide the subwoofer with at least sounds in the second frequency range.

5. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation input device comprises a gravity detector comprising an accelerometer.

6. The audio device of claim 1 , further comprising a first infrared sensor and a second infrared sensor, wherein:
in response to the audio device being positioned in the first orientation, the first sensor is enabled so that it is configured to receive infrared signals from an external control device, and the second sensor is disabled; and
in response to the audio device being positioned in the second orientation, the second sensor is enabled so that it is configured to receive infrared signals from the external control device, and the first sensor is disabled.

7. The audio device of claim 1 , further comprising a first visual indicator and a second visual indicator, the first visual indicator configured to be viewable to a listener when the audio device is positioned in the first orientation, the second visual indicator configured to be viewable to a listener when the audio device is positioned in the second orientation.

8. The audio device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of digital-to-analog converters accessible by the processing device;
a plurality of audio amplifiers, of which each audio amplifier is coupled to an output of one of the digital-to-analog converters, and of which each audio amplifier is coupled to one of the acoustic drivers;
wherin an output of each filter of the plurality of filters is provided as an input to one of the digital-to-analog converters.

9. An audio device comprising:
an elongate casing operating in a first orientation and a second orientation different from the first orientation;
an orientation input device disposed on the casing to detect an orientation of the casing relative to the direction of the force of gravity;
a plurality of acoustic drivers disposed on the casing and operable to form a plurality of acoustic interference arrays, each acoustic interference array being associated with one of a plurality of audio channels, each acoustic driver operating in a first frequency range; and
a controller that modifies at least one of the acoustic interference arrays in response to a change in the orientation detected by the orientation input device,
wherein:
in response to the casing being in the first orientation, the controller is configured to operate the acoustic drivers to form a first acoustic interference array by utilizing a plurality of coefficients to configure a plurality of filters; and
in response to the casing being in the second orientation, the controller is configured to operate the acoustic drivers in a manner different from the first acoustic interference array by changing one or more of the coefficients to re-configure one or more of the filters.

10. The audio device of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of acoustic drivers are disposed on the casing and form a laterally extending row.

11. The audio device of claim 9 , wherein:
the audio device is a portion of an audio system comprising the audio device and a subwoofer comprising a separate casing; and
the audio device and the subwoofer cooperate to acoustically output audio received from another device, wherein the subwoofer acoustically outputs a portion of the received audio comprising sounds in a second frequency range lower than the first frequency range.

12. The audio device of claim 11 wherein the audio device comprises a wireless transmitter to provide the subwoofer with at least sounds in the second frequency range.

13. The audio device of claim 9 , wherein the orientation input device comprises a gravity detector comprising an accelerometer.

14. The audio device of claim 9 , wherein the casing comprises a mounting surface, the mounting surface configured to be substantially horizontal when the casing is positioned in the first orientation and configured to be substantially vertical when the casing is positioned in the second orientation.

15. The audio device of claim 9 , further comprising a first infrared sensor and a second infrared sensor, wherein:
in response to the audio device being positioned in the first orientation, the first sensor is enabled so that it is configured to receive infrared signals from an external control device, and the second sensor is disabled; and
in response to the audio device being positioned in the second orientation, the second sensor is enabled so that it is configured to receive infrared signals from the external control device, and the first sensor is disabled.

16. The audio device of claim 9 , further comprising a first visual indicator and a second visual indicator, the first visual indicator configured to be viewable to a listener when the audio device is positioned in the first orientation, the second visual indicator configured to be viewable to a listener when the audio device is positioned in the second orientation.

17. An audio device comprising:
a casing capable of operating in a first orientation and a second orientation different from the first orientation;
an orientation input device to detect an orientation of the casing relative to the direction of the force of gravity;
a plurality of acoustic drivers, each driver operating in a first frequency range; and
a controller comprising a plurality of filters having associated filter coefficients, where the plurality of acoustic drivers and plurality of filters cooperate to form a p

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Freeman Eric J
• Joyce John

Classifications

• H04R5/04

  Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)} · CPC title

• H04S7/307

  Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control (H04S7/301 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04S3/008 Primary

  in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels (data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02) · CPC title

• H04R1/34

  by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/402)} · CPC title

• H04R2205/024

  Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction · CPC title