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US 2015/0189439 A1Published application
Method and System for Optimizing Center Channel Performance in a Single Enclosure Multi-Element Loudspeaker Line Array
OwnerBradley M. Starobininventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-element single enclosure loudspeaker system uses all of the available driver elements in a linear array of loudspeaker drivers for purposes of reproducing center channel program material, whether discrete within a multichannel mix (such as Dolby Digital 5.1™) or derived from a 2-channel mixdown via any appropriate means (such as SRS™ or Dolby ProLogic™ algorithms), in a manner that provides optimized intelligibility of dialog, improved overall clarity, natural timbre and dynamics of music or other effects and wide bandwidth for a wide range of seating/viewing locations for (domestic) home theater environments.
Claims20
A single enclosure multi-element loudspeaker line array audio reproduction system configured to provide enhanced Center Channel Performance, comprising:
- (a) an audio reproduction system comprising:
- a first audio input signal, a second audio input signal, a third audio input signal, a fourth audio input signal and a fifth (center channel) audio input signal;
- (b) a left main speaker and a right main speaker disposed respectively at left and right main speaker locations spaced along a speaker array axis defined as a line passing through said left and right main speaker locations, with a listening area comprising the general area in front of the left and right main speaker locations such that the left main speaker location lies to the left and the right main speaker location lies to the right when viewed from the listening area, wherein said left and right main speakers reproduce sound associated with signals received by said left and right main speakers;
- a left sub-speaker and a right sub-speaker disposed respectively at left and right sub-speaker locations, wherein the left and right sub-speaker locations lie approximately on the speaker axis such that the left and right sub-speaker locations as viewed from the listening area are located to the left and right respectively of the respective left and right main speaker locations;
- (c) a center front speaker located between the left and right main speaker locations at a midpoint of said speaker array axis, wherein said center front speaker reproduces sound associated with signals received by it;
- and means for transmitting said fifth audio input signal to said center front speaker;
- wherein sound reproduced by the system associated with said fifth audio input signal is perceived by a listener located in the listening area whose head is oriented generally toward the speaker locations to originate from approximately the location of said center front speaker;
- (d) signal modification and combination means, wherein said signal modification and combination means comprises,
- means for modifying and combining the first audio input signal with the second audio input signal and transmitting the combination of said modified first audio input signal and said second audio input signal to said left main speaker,
- means for modifying and combining the fourth audio input signal with the third audio input signal and transmitting the combination of said modified fourth audio input signal and said third audio input signal to said right main speaker,
- means for subtracting said modified fourth audio input signal from said modified first audio input signal and transmitting the resulting difference signal to said left sub-speaker, and
- means for subtracting said modified first audio input signal from said modified fourth audio input signal and transmitting the resulting difference signal to said right sub-speaker, wherein sound reproduced by the system that is associated with said second and third audio input signals is perceived by a listener located in the listening area whose head is oriented generally toward the speaker locations to originate from a range of sound locations approximately between said left and right main speakers;
- and
- (e) wherein said signal modification and combination means further includes first bandpass filter means for modifying the fifth (center channel) audio input signal and transmitting the modified fifth (center channel) audio input signal to said left and right sub speakers, and
- wherein said signal modification and combination means further includes second bandpass filter means for modifying the fifth (center channel) audio input signal and transmitting the modified fifth (center channel) audio input signal to said left and right main speakers;
- wherein the reproduced sound associated with said fifth (center channel) audio input signal when reproduced by said left and right sub speakers said left and right main speakers and said center front speaker is perceived by a listener located in the listening area whose head is oriented generally toward the speaker locations to originate from a sound location near said midpoint of said speaker array axis.
13 more elements
A method for optimizing center channel performance in a high performance single enclosure home theater loudspeaker system, comprising:
- (a) providing an elongated enclosure configured to support and aim a multi-element loudspeaker line array, said enclosure being configured to enclose and support an audio reproduction system including:
- a first audio input signal, a second audio input signal, a third audio input signal, a fourth audio input signal and a fifth (center channel) audio input signal;
- (b) providing a left main speaker and a right main speaker disposed respectively at left and right main speaker locations spaced along a speaker array axis defined as a line passing through said left and right main speaker locations, with a listening area comprising the general area in front of the left and right main speaker locations such that the left main speaker location lies to the left and the right main speaker location lies to the right when viewed from the listening area, wherein said left and right main speakers reproduce sound associated with signals received by said left and right main speakers;
- a left sub-speaker and a right sub-speaker disposed respectively at left and right sub-speaker locations, wherein the left and right sub-speaker locations lie approximately on the speaker axis such that the left and right sub-speaker locations as viewed from the listening area are located to the left and right respectively of the respective left and right main speaker locations;
- (c) providing a center front speaker located between the left and right main speaker locations at a midpoint of said speaker array axis, wherein said center front speaker reproduces sound associated with signals received by it;
- and means for transmitting said fifth audio input signal to said center front speaker;
- wherein sound reproduced by the system associated with said fifth audio input signal is perceived by a listener located in the listening area whose head is oriented generally toward the speaker locations to originate from approximately the location of said center front speaker;
- (d) providing signal modification and combination means which are responsive to said first, second, third, fourth and fifth audio input signals;
- (e) modifying and combining the first audio input signal with the second audio input signal and transmitting the combination of said modified first audio input signal and said second audio input signal to said left main speaker;
- (f) modifying and combining the fourth audio input signal with the third audio input signal and transmitting the combination of said modified fourth audio input signal and said third audio input signal to said right main speaker;
- (g) subtracting said modified fourth audio input signal from said modified first audio input signal and transmitting the resulting difference signal to said left sub-speaker, and
- (h) subtracting said modified first audio input signal from said modified fourth audio input signal and transmitting the resulting difference signal to said right sub-speaker, wherein sound reproduced by the system that is associated with said second and third audio input signals is perceived by a listener located in the listening area whose head is oriented generally toward the speaker locations to originate from a range of sound locations approximately between said left and right main speakers;
- (i) modifying the fifth (center channel) audio input signal with a first bandpass filtration and transmitting a first bandpass modified fifth (center channel) audio input signal to said left and right sub speakers,
- (j) modifying the fifth (center channel) audio input signal with a second bandpass filtration and transmitting a second bandpass modified fifth (center channel) audio input signal to said left and right main speakers;
- (k) reproducing sound associated with said fifth (center channel) audio input signal simultaneously through said left and right sub speakers, said left and right main speakers and said center front speaker so that said reproduced center channel sound is perceived by the listener located in the listening area to originate from a sound location near said midpoint of said speaker array axis.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.