Reflected sound rendering using downward firing drivers

US9986338B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation · US

Inventors

• Warren Mansfield · Petaluma, US
• Eugene Edward Radzik · San Leandro, US
• Alan J. Seefeldt · Alameda, US
• Jared D. Smith · San Francisco, US
• C. Phillip Brown · Castro Valley, US
• Michael Smithers · San Mateo, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 6, 2015
• Grant date: May 29, 2018
• Expiry date: Jan 6, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04S2420/07
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to speakers and circuits that reflect sound off a wall surface (114) to a listening location at a distance from a speaker. The reflected sound (103) provides direct audio cues to reproduce audio objects that have direct audio components without the need for direct firing speakers. The speaker comprises sideward firing drivers (108) to reflect sound off of the wall surface (114) and represents a virtual direct speaker (116). A virtual direct filter is applied to the sideward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of direct audio transmitted by the sideward firing speaker (108) to provide optimum reproduction of the reflected sound. The virtual direct filter may be incorporated as part of a crossover circuit that separates the full band and sends high frequency sound to the sideward-firing driver (108).