Positioning audio output for users surrounding an interactive display surface

An interactive display system that produces an audible sound field, comprising:

• (a) a housing that supports a generally horizontal interactive display surface around which one or more users may be disposed at different locations, the interactive display surface both displaying text and images, as well as responding to input to the interactive display system by a user interacting with the interactive display surface with an object;
• (b) at least three audio sound sources that can each be selectively energized to produce audible sound, each of the audio sound sources being supported by the housing at spaced apart positions around the interactive display surface;
• (c) an amplifier that is coupled to the at least three audio sound sources, the amplifier providing a drive signal to each audible source that is to be selectively energized, causing the audible source to produce audible sound;
• and
• (d) a computing device that is coupled to the amplifier to provide source signals that are amplified by the amplifier to produce drive signals supplied to selectively drive the audio sound sources, the computing device selectively controlling the audio sources that are energized, wherein the computing device implements a method that includes determining a location of a user who is currently interacting with the interactive display surface and, based upon the user's location relative to the interactive display surface, selectively energizing a first combination of at least one of the audio sound sources, so as to create an audible sound field that is logically associated with at least the location of the user, and wherein the at least one of the audio sound sources is energized so as to generally center a corresponding audible sound field about the location of the user, and such that a different combination of the audio sources will be selectively energized when the user is determined to be located at a different location relative to the interactive display surface.

An interactive display sound system, comprising:

• (a) a generally horizontal interactive display surface mounted in a top of a housing, the interactive display surface displaying images and responding to input by a user positioning an object at least proximate to the interactive display surface;
• (b) at least four audio sound sources disposed within the housing at spaced-apart locations, so that an audible sound field produced when any of the audio sound sources is energized, is directed outwardly of the housing in a defined direction;
• and
• (c) a sound signal source that selectively energizes a first combination of at least one of the audio sound sources based upon an identified location of at least one user who is interacting with the interactive display surface and such that a sound field produced by energizing one or more selected sound sources in the first combination is directed towards the at least one user, consistent with the identified location of the at least one user relative to the interactive display surface, and such that a different combination of the audio sources will be selectively energized when the user is determined to be located at a different location relative to the interactive display surface.