Wireless sound diffusion device and system

Abstract

A wireless sound diffusion device (10) comprising: - a processing unit (11); - a multi-channel wireless receiving interface (12) operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz operatively connected to, or integrated into, the processing unit (11); - a channel selection module (13) operatively connected to the processing unit (11) and controllable to selectively set one of a plurality of channels; - a rechargeable battery (14) configured to power the wireless sound diffusion device (10); - at least one acoustic transducer (15); - at least one container body (1) in which the processing unit (11), said multi-channel wireless receiving interface (12), the channel selection module (13), the rechargeable battery (14) and said acoustic transducer (15) are housed; wherein: - the multi-channel wireless receiving interface (12) is configured to receive a digital audio signal from a wireless transmitter (20) operating at a frequency of 2.4 Ghz, on the channel set by means of the channel selection module (13); - the processing unit (11) is configured to convert the digital audio signal to an analog audio signal and drive said acoustic transducer (15) by means of the analog audio signal.

Description

[0001] The present description relates to the technical field of devices and systems for sound reproduction and, in particular, concerns a wireless sound diffusion device and system.

[0002] Wireless sound diffusion systems are known that make it possible to reproduce sounds, for example vocal and / or musical, in an environment. Such wireless systems comprise, for example, a wireless transmitter provided with a Bluetooth communication interface which is configured to transmit an encoded audio signal. Such wireless systems further comprise at least one wireless audio reproduction device (such as, for example, a conventional wireless speaker) also provided with a Bluetooth communication interface configured for receiving the encoded audio signal transmitted by the wireless transmitter, a decoder adapted to obtain, from the encoded audio signal, an analog audio signal. The wireless audio reproduction device comprises at least one acoustic transducer, for example a loudspeaker, adapted to be driven by the analog audio signal to emit an acoustic signal at audio frequencies. Multiple wireless audio reproduction devices may be operatively connected to the same wireless transmitter, for example so that sound distribution may be extended to relatively large environments and / or simultaneously to multiple environments.

[0003] The wireless transmission by means of Bluetooth of encoded audio signals for sound diffusion is affected by several drawbacks. First, the operating range of the Bluetooth wireless transmission is relatively limited, for example in the order of 10 meters. For this reason, coverage of the sound distribution in relatively large environments cannot be ensured unless numerous transmitters are used, which, however, must be synchronized with one another. Further, wireless transmission by means of Bluetooth is affected by interference. Further, there may be letencies in transmission which, should multiple wireless audio reproduction devices be provided in the sound distribution system, may result in annoying disturbances of lack of synchronization between the acoustic signals at audio frequencies emitted by reproduction devices for example arranged or installed in the same environment. Many or some of the aforesaid drawbacks also affect wireless sound diffusion systems based on different transmission technologies, for example Wi-Fi sound diffusion systems.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to solve, in whole or at least in part, the drawbacks of the above-described wireless sound diffusion systems with reference to the background art.

[0005] This and other objects are achieved by means of a wireless sound diffusion device as defined in claim 1 in its most general form and in the claims dependent thereon in some particular embodiments. The subject matter of the present invention is also a wireless sound diffusion system as defined in claim 8 in its most general form and in the claims dependent thereon in some particular embodiments.

[0006] The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic view of an exemplary, non-limiting embodiment of a wireless sound diffusion system comprising a plurality of wireless sound diffusion devices and a wireless transmitter; Figure 2 shows a functional block diagram of the wireless sound diffusion device of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an enlarged front elevation view of a wireless sound diffusion device of the system of Figure 1; and Figure 4 shows a functional block diagram of the wireless sound transmission device of Figure 1.

[0007] In the accompanying drawings, identical or similar elements will be indicated by the same reference signs.

[0008] With reference to Figure 1, a wireless sound diffusion system according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is indicated overall by the reference numeral 100. The wireless sound diffusion system 100 is, for example, configured to diffuse, in a spatially distributed manner, sound (music and / or voice) at acoustic frequencies audible by human beings in one or more domestic, or public or commercial, environments, for example in food-service environments, such as restaurants, bars, pubs, reception halls, etc.

[0009] The wireless sound diffusion system 100 comprises a wireless transmitter 20 configured to transmit digital audio signals and further comprises a plurality of wireless sound diffusion devices 10, which are operatively connectable to the wireless transmitter 20 to receive, from the wireless transmitter 20, the transmitted digital audio signals. The number of wireless diffusion devices 10 operatively connectable to the same wireless transmission device 20 may be as large or as small as desired, for example equal to several tens, for example included in the range 2-10, or in the range 10-20, or in the range 20-30, etc. The maximum distance between the wireless transmitter 20 and each of the wireless sound diffusion devices 10 is, for example, equal to 100 meters or to 75 meters. The minimum distance may be as small as desired, for example less than 10 meters or less than 5 meters.

[0010] In the exemplary diagram of Figure 1, without thereby introducing any limitation, the wireless sound diffusion devices 10 are represented by table lamps, for example lamps intended to be placed on service tables of a restaurant establishment. Based on the size of the service tables, it is possible to place on the same table one or more table lamps, depending on the desired coverage requirements both for lighting and for sound diffusion.

[0011] Before describing the wireless transmitter 20, non-limiting embodiments of a wireless sound diffusion device 10 of the diffusion system 100 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0012] The wireless sound diffusion device 10 comprises a processing unit 11 and a multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12 operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz operatively connected to, or integrated into, the processing unit 11. In the particular example shown in Figure 2, the multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12 is integrated into the processing unit 11. In an alternative embodiment, said interface 12 may be external to the processing unit 11 and operatively connected thereto. The processing unit 11 may have one or more processors, for example one or more microprocessors. For the purposes of the present description, processing unit 11 is generally intended to mean a functional module having hardware and software resources that allow the processing unit 11 to perform the functions for which it is intended. In the case where the multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12 is integrated into the processing unit 11, the latter could be or comprise an SOC (System On Chip). One or more of the electrical or electronic components of the wireless sound diffusion device 10 may be supported by, or integrated into, a printed circuit board or a plurality of printed circuit boards.

[0013] The multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12 is configured to receive digital audio signals on a channel selected from among a plurality of possible channels on which the multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12 is configured to operate. For example, the plurality of channels comprises 128 or 256 channels. Advantageously, the multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12 is an interface operating according to the 802.11g standard. Therefore, such interface 12 operates on the 2.4 GHz frequency band, covers areas of about 100 meters and theoretically allows data transmission up to 54Mbps (although on average it is around 22-24 Mbps).

[0014] The wireless sound diffusion device 10 further comprises a channel selection module 13 operatively connected to the processing unit 11 and controllable, for example by a user such as a system configuration operator, for selectively setting, i.e. for selecting, one of a plurality of channels. In other words, the channel selection module 13 allows a user to select, from among the plurality of available channels, a specific channel on which the multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12 will be able to receive digital audio signals. According to an advantageous embodiment, the channel selection module 13 comprises a manual switch, for example a dip switch, for example a slide dip switch or a rotary dip switch. By means of said manual switch, a user may manually set a channel identification code which is readable by the processing unit 11.

[0015] The wireless sound diffusion device 10 further comprises a rechargeable battery 14 configured to power the wireless sound diffusion device 10. For example, the rechargeable battery 14 is a lithium-ion battery. Conveniently, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 further comprises an electrical connector (18), for example a USB connector, for recharging the rechargeable battery 14 by means of an external power supply. The USB connector is, for example, a USB Type-C connector. According to a possible embodiment, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 comprises a charging management module 8 of the rechargeable battery 14, operatively interposed between the electrical connector 18 and the rechargeable battery 14.

[0016] In addition or alternatively to the electrical connector 18, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 may comprise an inductive charging module, so as to be able to ensure wireless charging of the rechargeable battery 14.

[0017] The wireless sound diffusion device 10 comprises at least one acoustic transducer 15 and comprises, further, at least one container body 1 in which the processing unit 11, the multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12, the channel selection module 13, the rechargeable battery 14 and the acoustic transducer 15 are housed. The container body 1 is, for example, made of plastic, for example, ABS. The container body 1 is preferably a closed box-like body of parallelepipedal, or cylindrical, or frustoconical shape, having for example a quadrangular, or circular, or oval or elliptical plan. Some of the components housed within the container body 1 may advantageously be accessible from the outside of the container body 1, such as, for example, the channel selection module 13 and / or the electrical connector 18.

[0018] The acoustic transducer 15 is fixed to the container body 1 and is configured and arranged so as to emit acoustic signals in the audio band to the outside of the container body 1. Preferably, the acoustic transducer 15 is a multi-way acoustic transducer and, for example, comprises a driver for relatively high frequencies and a driver for relatively low frequencies, which for example are a tweeter and a woofer, respectively. Advantageously, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 comprises a pair of acoustic transducers 15 of the type described above, spaced apart from one another so as to allow stereo audio reproduction.

[0019] The multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12 is configured to receive a digital audio signal from a wireless transmitter 20 operating at a frequency of 2.4 Ghz, on the channel set by means of the channel selection module 13. The digital audio signal is for example an encoded digital audio signal, for example an encoded and compressed digital audio signal in mp3 format.

[0020] The processing unit 11 is configured to convert the digital audio signal to an analog audio signal and to drive the acoustic transducer 15 by means of the analog audio signal. According to an advantageous embodiment, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 further comprises an amplifier 16 operatively interposed between the processing unit 11 and the acoustic transducer 15 for amplifying the analog audio signal. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the amplifier 16 is a class D stereo amplifier. In the case where the acoustic transducer 15 is a multi-way transducer, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 comprises a cross-over (not shown in the figures), for example a passive cross-over, operatively interposed between the amplifier 16 and the acoustic transducer 11.

[0021] According to an embodiment, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 further comprises a Bluetooth communication interface 19. The Bluetooth communication interface 19 may, for example, be provided to configure the wireless sound diffusion device 10 and / or to update the software / firmware thereof and / or to test the operation of the wireless device 10. In addition or alternatively, the Bluetooth communication interface 19 may be used for receiving digital audio signals, for example from a smartphone, a tablet or a personal computer, previously paired with the wireless device 10, so as to use the wireless sound diffusion device 10 as a stand-alone audio reproduction device, for example in the absence of the wireless transmitter 20 or in the event of non-operation thereof.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 comprises volume adjustment means (not shown in the Figures) of the emitted acoustic signal, such as, for example, a pair of buttons or a potentiometer, for example a linear or rotary potentiometer.

[0023] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 is a table lamp, having a support base comprising, or consisting of, said container body 1. The table lamp comprises at least one rod 2 having a first end portion fixed to the support base (i.e. to the container body 1) and at least one lamp head 3 fixed to a second end portion of the rod 2 opposite to said first end portion. The lamp head 3 comprises at least one optical source 4 powered by the rechargeable battery 14. The optical source 4 is, for example, an optical LED source, for example an array of optical LED sources. Advantageously, said at least one optical source 4 is configured to emit at least one optical beam directed towards the container body 1 and therefore, in a normal condition of use of the wireless device 10, pointing downwards.

[0024] Preferably the rod 2 is hollow, so as to allow the passage of at least one electric cable from the container body 1 to the lamp head 3, so as to power and / or drive the at least one optical source 4.

[0025] According to an advantageous embodiment, the wireless sound diffusion device 10 comprises an on / off button which is operable to activate and deactivate sound diffusion and / or the at least one optical source 4.

[0026] With reference now to Figure 4, a non-limiting embodiment of a wireless transmitter 20 will be described.

[0027] The wireless transmitter 20 comprises a processing unit 21 and a multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22 operating at 2.4 GHz. The wireless transmitter 20 is configured to transmit by means of the multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22 digital audio signals to a plurality of wireless sound diffusion devices 10 of the type described above, on one of a plurality of channels of the multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22. For example, the plurality of channels comprises 128 or 256 channels. Advantageously, the multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22 is an interface operating according to the 802.11g standard. Therefore, such interface 22 operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, covers areas of about 100 meters and theoretically allows data transmission up to 54Mbps (although on average it is around 22-24 Mbps).

[0028] The multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22 is operatively connected to, or integrated into, the processing unit 11. In the particular example shown in Figure 4, similarly to that already described for the wireless sound diffusion device 10, the multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22 is integrated into the processing unit 21. In an alternative embodiment, said interface 22 could be external to the processing unit 21 and operatively connected thereto. The processing unit 21 may have one or more processors, for example one or more microprocessors. As already explained, for the purposes of the present description, processing unit 21 is generally intended to mean a functional module having hardware and software resources that allow the processing unit 21 to perform the functions for which it is intended. In the case where the wireless multi-channel transmitting interface 22 is integrated into the processing unit 21, the latter could be or comprise an SOC (System On Chip). One or more of the electrical or electronic components of the wireless transmitter 20 may be supported by, or integrated into, a printed circuit board or a plurality of printed circuit boards.

[0029] It should be noted that, although with reference to the wireless device 10 and to the wireless transmitter 20 it has been described that the former comprises a multi-channel wireless receiving interface 12 and the second comprises a multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22, each of such interfaces 12, 22 may be a wireless interface both for multi-channel transmission and for multi-channel reception, with the difference that in the wireless device 10 the interface 12 is enabled (for example by means of hardware and / or software means) to act only as a receiver while in the wireless transmitter 20 the interface 22 is enabled for example by means of hardware and / or software means) to act only as a transmitter. Therefore, it is, for example, possible to provide, both in the wireless device 10 and in the wireless transmitter 20, the same chip or SoC, which in the wireless device 10 acts as a receiving interface and in the wireless transmitter 20 acts as a transmitting interface.

[0030] The wireless transmitter 20 further comprises a channel selection module 23 operatively connected to the processing unit 21 and controllable, for example by a user such as a system configuration operator, for selectively setting, i.e., for selecting, one of a plurality of channels. In other words, the channel selection module 23 allows a user to select, from the plurality of available channels, a specific channel on which the multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22 will be able to transmit digital audio signals. According to an advantageous embodiment, similarly to what has already been described for the wireless device 10, the channel selection module 23 comprises a manual switch, for example a dip switch, for example a slider dip switch or a rotary dip switch. By means of the manual switch a user may manually set a channel identification code which is readable by the processing unit 21.

[0031] The wireless transmitter 20 preferably comprises a rechargeable battery 24 configured to power the wireless transmitter 20. For example, the rechargeable battery 24 is a lithium-ion battery. Conveniently, the wireless transmitter 20 further comprises an electrical connector 28, for example a USB connector, for charging the rechargeable battery 24 by means of an external power supply. The USB connector is, for example, a USB Type-C connector. According to a possible embodiment, the wireless transmitter 20 comprises a charging management module 80 of the rechargeable battery 24, operatively interposed between the electrical connector 28 and the rechargeable battery 24.

[0032] In addition or alternatively to the electrical connector 28, the wireless transmitter 20 may comprise an inductive charging module, so as to be able to ensure wireless charging of the rechargeable battery 24.

[0033] According to an advantageous embodiment, the wireless transmitter 20 comprises an acoustic transducer 25 that acts as an integrated monitor speaker. The acoustic transducer 25 is, for example, driven by an analog signal supplied by the processing unit 21. Said analog signal is, for example, obtained by the processing unit 21 by converting to analog the digital audio signal transmitted by means of the multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22. Conveniently, the wireless transmitter 20 comprises an amplifier 26 operatively interposed between the processing unit 21 and the acoustic transducer 25.

[0034] The wireless transmitter 20 comprises at least one container body 31 in which the processing unit 21, the multi-channel wireless transmitting interface 22, the channel selection module 23, the rechargeable battery 14, and the acoustic transducer 25 (if provided) are housed. The container body 31 is, for example, made of plastic, for example ABS. The container body 31 is preferably a closed box-like body of parallelepipedal, or cylindrical, or frustoconical shape, having for example a quadrangular, or circular, or oval or elliptical plan shape. Some of the components housed within the housing body 31 may advantageously be accessible from the outside of the housing body 31, such as, for example, the channel selection module 23 and / or the electrical connector 28.

[0035] The digital audio signals transmitted by the wireless transmitter 20, may be: a) stored in a memory unit 27 of the wireless transmitter 20; and / or b) received by means of a wired connection from an external source 40 (for example by means of the USB connector 28); and / or c) received by means of a wireless communication interface 29 (for example a USB communication interface 29 of the wireless transmitter 20) from an external source 40; and / or d) obtained by the processing unit 21 starting from an analog audio signal supplied by an external source 40 and received in input by the wireless transmitter 20 on an analog input connector C1 (e.g. AUX input); e) obtained by the processing unit 21 starting from an analog audio signal provided by a microphone M1 integrated into the wireless transmitter 20.

[0036] In the aforesaid case a), the memory unit 27 may be fixed or removable (in the latter case, for example, an SD card).

[0037] In the aforesaid case b) the external source 40 may be a smartphone or a tablet or a personal computer or a USB flash drive.

[0038] In the aforesaid case c) the external source 40 may be a smartphone or a tablet or a personal computer.

[0039] In the case d), the external source may, for example, be a radio tuner with analog output.

[0040] According to an advantageous embodiment the wireless transmitter 20 comprises one or more manual control buttons P1, P2, for example an on / off button and / or a button P2 for selecting the source of the audio signal to be transmitted, for example see the options listed in paragraph

[0035] .

[0041] Based on what has been described above, it is therefore possible to understand that a wireless sound distribution device and system of the type described above allow the above-cited objects to be fully achieved with reference to the prior art.

[0042] Without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the embodiments and the constructional details may be broadly varied with respect to the above description merely disclosed by way of a non-limiting example, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) comprising: - a processing unit (11); - a multi-channel wireless receiving interface (12) operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz operatively connected to, or integrated into, the processing unit (11); - a channel selection module (13) operatively connected to the processing unit (11) and controllable to selectively set one of a plurality of channels; - a rechargeable battery (14) configured to power the wireless sound diffusion device (10); - at least one acoustic transducer (15); - at least one container body (1) in which the processing unit (11), said multi-channel wireless receiving interface (12), the channel selection module (13), the rechargeable battery (14) and said acoustic transducer (15) are housed; wherein: - the multi-channel wireless receiving interface (12) is configured to receive a digital audio signal from a wireless transmitter (20) operating at a frequency of 2.4 Ghz, on the channel set by means of the channel selection module (13); - the processing unit (11) is configured to convert the digital audio signal to an analog audio signal and drive said acoustic transducer (15) by means of the analog audio signal.

2. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) according to claim 1, further comprising an amplifier (16) operatively interposed between the processing unit (11) and said acoustic transducer (15) for amplifying said analog audio signal.

3. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) according to claim 2, wherein the amplifier (16) is a class D stereo amplifier.

4. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the channel selection module (13) comprises a manual switch, preferably a DIP switch.

5. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an electrical connector (18), for example a USB connector, for charging the rechargeable battery (14).

6. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an inductive charging module, so as to be able to ensure wireless charging of the rechargeable battery (14).

7. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a Bluetooth communication interface (19).

8. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said acoustic transducer (15) is a multi-way acoustic transducer and comprises a driver for relatively high frequencies and a driver for relatively low frequencies.

9. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said device (10) is a table lamp, having a support base comprising said container body (1) and thus also said at least one acoustic transducer (15), wherein the table lamp comprises at least one rod (2) having a first end portion fixed to said support base and at least one lamp head (3) fixed to a second end portion of the rod (2) opposite to said first end portion, wherein the lamp head (3) comprises at least one optical source (4) powered by the rechargeable battery (14).

10. A wireless sound diffusion device (10) according to claim 9, wherein said at least one optical source (4) is configured to emit at least one optical beam directed towards the container body (1).

11. A wireless sound diffusion system (100) comprising a plurality of wireless sound diffusion devices (10) according to any one of the preceding claims and a wireless transmitter (20) comprising a multi-channel wireless transmitting interface (22) operating at 2.4 GHz, wherein the wireless transmitter (20) is configured to transmit said digital audio signal via said multi-channel wireless transmitting interface (22) to said plurality of wireless sound diffusion devices (10) over one of a plurality of channels of the multi-channel wireless transmitting interface (22).

12. A wireless sound diffusion system (100) according to claim 11, wherein the wireless transmitter (20) further comprises a Bluetooth communication interface (29) configured to receive said digital audio signal.

13. A wireless sound diffusion system (100) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the wireless transmitter (20) comprises an acoustic transducer (25) acting as an integrated monitor speaker.

14. A wireless sound diffusion system (100) according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the wireless transmitter (20) comprises an electrical connection terminal (C1) operatively connectable to an audio source for receiving an analog audio signal, wherein the wireless transmitter (20) is configured to convert said analog signal into a digital audio signal and transmit it via said multi-channel wireless transmitting interface (22).

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