# US 2017/0256249 A1 · Acoustic wall assembly having double-wall configuration and passive noise-disruptive properties, and/or method of making and/or using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0256249 A1 - Document ID: US20170256249A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/057,842 - Filed: 2016-03-01 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-01 - Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp. - Applicants: Guardian Industries Corp. - Inventors: Alexey KRASNOV; Barry B. CORDEN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170256249A1 ## CPC - E04B 1/86: slab-shaped - E04B 2/7409: {special measures for sound or thermal insulation, including fire protection} - G10K 11/172: using resonance effects - G10K 11/1752: {Masking} - E04B 2001/849: {Groove or slot type openings} - E04B 2001/8495: {the openings going through from one face to the other face of the element} - G10K 2210/3012: Algorithms - G10K 2210/3045: Multiple acoustic inputs, single acoustic output - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) - G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Certain example embodiments relate to an acoustic wall assembly that uses active and/or passive sound reverberation to achieve noise-disruptive functionality, and/or a method of making and/or using the same. With the active approach, sound waves in a given frequency range are detected by a sound masking circuit. Responsive to detection of such sound waves, an air pump (e.g., speaker) is used to pump air in the wall assembly to actively mask the detected sound waves via reverberation and/or the like. The wall assembly may include one, two, or more walls, and the walls may be partial or full walls. With the passive approach, sound waves in a given frequency range are disrupted via features (e.g., holes, slits, etc.) formed in and/or on a wall itself. These techniques may be used together or separately, in different example embodiments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An acoustic wall assembly, comprising: inner and outer walls that are substantially parallel to one another, a gap being defined therebetween; and at least one set of openings formed in the inner and/or outer wall(s), the at least one set of openings being configured to generate reverberation that masks sound waves incident on the wall(s) in which the at least one set of openings is/are formed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of openings is configured to generate reverberation that masks sound waves incident on the wall(s) in which the at least one set of openings is/are formed, by causing reverberation in a first predetermined sound frequency range that disrupts sounds in a second predetermined sound frequency range that exist in the incident sound waves. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of openings is configured to cause reverberation in a predetermined sound frequency range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 3, wherein the predetermined frequency range corresponds to speech and/or noise determined to be psychoacoustically disruptive, disturbing, or annoying. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 3, wherein the predetermined frequency range is 28-3200 Hz. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one further set of openings formed in the inner and/or outer wall(s). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 6, wherein: the at least one set of openings is configured to cause reverberation in a first predetermined sound frequency range, and the at least one further set of openings is configured to cause reverberation in a second predetermined sound frequency range, the first and second predetermined sound frequency ranges being different from one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner and outer walls are glass walls. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one first set of openings is formed in the inner wall, and at least one second set of openings is formed in the outer wall, the first and second sets being different from one another. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one first set of openings is formed in the inner wall, and at least one second set of openings is formed in the outer wall, the first and second sets being different from one another and causing generated reverberation to be directional relative to inner and outer major surfaces of the acoustic wall assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner and outer walls are partial-height walls. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of openings includes exactly one opening. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of openings includes at least two openings. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the wall has acoustic absorption coefficients ranging from: 0.03-0.3 at 125 Hz, 0.03-0.6 at 250 Hz, 0.03-0.6 Hz at 500 Hz; 0.03-0.9 at 1000 Hz, 0.02-0.9 at 2000 Hz, and 0.02-0.8 at 4000 Hz. ### Claim 15 An acoustic wall assembly, comprising: inner and outer walls that are substantially parallel to one another, a gap being defined therebetween; and at least one set of reverberation-generating elements sized, shaped, and arranged in the inner and/or outer walls to selectively generate pressure waves in the gap to disrupt, via a reverberative effect, noise in a predetermined frequency range that otherwise would pass through the acoustic wall assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 15, wherein the inner and outer walls comprise glass. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 15, wherein the predetermined frequency range is 28-3200 Hz. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 15, wherein the at least one set of reverberation-generating elements comprises openings. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The acoustic wall assembly of claim 15, wherein the predetermined frequency range is masked but not noise-cancelled. ### Claim 20 A method of making a sound-masking wall assembly, the method comprising: having inner and outer walls that are substantially parallel to one another, a gap being defined therebetween; and forming, in the inner and/or outer walls, at least one set of reverberation-generating elements that is sized, shaped, and arranged in the inner and/or outer walls to selectively generate pressure waves in the gap to disrupt, via a reverberative effect, noise in a predetermined frequency range that otherwise would pass through the acoustic wall assembly. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the walls are glass-inclusive walls.