Enhanced concert audio system

Abstract

A audio enhancement system and method of use with a sound system for producing primary sound from at least one main loudspeaker located at a main position. The audio enhancement system comprises at least one wireless transmitter, time delay circuitry, and plural augmented sound producing subsystems. Each sound subsystem is a portable unit arranged to be carried by a person located remote from the main loudspeaker and includes a wireless receiver and an associated transduce device, e.g., a pair of stereo headphones. The transmitter broadcasts an electrical signal which is representative of the electrical input signal provided to the main loudspeaker. The broadcast signal is receiver by the receiver and is demodulated and amplified to drive the transducer so that it produces augmented sound substantially in synchronism with the sound arriving from the main loudspeaker. To achieve that end the time delay circuitry delays the electrical signal which is provided to the transducer for a predetermined period of time corresponding generally to the time period it takes for the primary sound to propagate through the air from the main loudspeaker to the remote location at which the person is located.

Description

The present invention generally relates to audio systems and more particularly to systems for enhancing the sound received by audiences located at varying distances from loudspeakers.The current state of the art for sound production or sound supporting equipment used in concert halls or in other spaces entails the use of one or more main loudspeaker cluster locations. These are typically located near the physical location of the actual sound source or that of the virtual sound source. Unfortunately nature has provided some impediments for these types of sound systems. In this regard as the sound produced by the loudspeakers travel over distance, distortion of the frequency and time spectrum naturally occur. Also, non-linear type distortions are introduced due to the physics of the air compression and rare fractions by which the sound propagates. Moreover, since the perceived loudness and the sound pressure level decreases with increasing distance from the sound source, in order to a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The audio enhancement systems comprises transmitter means, time delay means, and augmented sound producing means. The transmitter means is arranged for effecting the wireless transmission of transmission signal to the augmented sound producing means. The augmented sound producing means produces augmented sound at remote location substantially in time synchronization with the primary sound arrival so that said person perceives the primary and augmented sounds in as a single enhanced sound arrival. The augmented sound producing means comprises receiver means receiving the transmission signal and for providing an electrical signal in response thereto, and transducer means for converting the electrical signal into the augmented sound. The time delay means is arranged to effect the delay of the electrical signal to the transducer means for a predetermined period of time corresponding generally to the time period it takes for the primary sound to propagate through the air from the main loudspeaker to the remote: location.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately nature has provided some impediments for these types of sound systems.

In this regard as the sound produced by the loudspeakers travel over distance, distortion of the frequency and time spectrum naturally occur.

Also, non-linear type distortions are introduced due to the physics of the air compression and rare fractions by which the sound propagates.

However, increasing the sound pressure level thereat produces more distortions.

Thus, the larger the distance from the sound source to the audience the more acute the problem.

This places a heavy burden on the large sound system designer.

While the foregoing approaches to sound enhancement have some aural benefits, they never the less still leave much to be desired from the standpoint of delivering very high quality sound to the remote listeners.

Moreover, such systems can become relatively complex, unwiedly and inflexible.

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