Back to results
US 10,567,871 B1Granted
Automatically movable speaker to track listener or optimize sound performance
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorsJames R. Milne, Allison Joi Burgueno, Gregory Peter Carlsson, Keith Resch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A networked speaker system automatically moves a speaker in one or more of the horizontal planes, the vertical plane, and elevation (z-dimension) to maintain the axis of the sound cone directed toward a listener as a listener moves about a space. In addition, or alternatively, the speaker can be moved to optimize sound performance when multiple speakers are activated.
Claims19
A device comprising:
- at least one computer medium that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to:
- identify a primary listener location (PLL);
- actuate at least one motor coupled to a speaker to move the speaker such that an axis of sound emitted by the speaker intersects the PLL;
- and
- as the PLL moves, actuate the motor to maintain the axis of sound emitted by the speaker on the PLL, wherein the instructions are executable to identify the PLL as being a location of a largest person detected by the sensor.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- identifying a primary listener location (PLL);
- and
- actuating at least one motor coupled to a speaker to move the speaker according to the PLL, such that as the PLL moves continuously the speaker moves continuously, wherein the method comprises aiming an acoustic axis of the speaker toward of a listener establishing the PLL, the PLL being identified as being the location of a largest person as detected by a sensor.
An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one audio speaker;
- at least one motor;
- and
- at least one processor programmed with instructions to:
- identify a primary listener location (PLL) on the basis that the PLL is a location of a largest person as indicated by at least one sensor;
- actuate the motor to move the speaker consistent with the PLL such that as the PLL moves, the speaker moves consistent therewith.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.