Acoustically transparent display with angled acoustic waveguides
Angled acoustic waveguides in light-emitting displays redirect sound from behind the panel to the audience, addressing the issue of obstructed sound transmission and aligning sound direction with the expected source, improving theater sound systems.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CHRISTIE DIGITAL SYSTEMS USA INC
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-23
AI Technical Summary
Light-emitting displays, such as LED displays, often obstruct sound transmission from speakers placed behind the display, leading to sound being directed above the audience's heads or perceived as originating from an incorrect location.
An acoustically transparent display with angled acoustic waveguides that redirect sound from speakers behind the display through openings in the panel, guiding it at a non-zero angle to match the performance and directivity of conventional theater sound systems.
The angled acoustic waveguides effectively direct sound to the audience without obstructing the view, aligning with the expected sound source location, enhancing the theater experience.
Smart Images
Figure 2026069494000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] Background Art Light-emitting display technologies, such as light-emitting diode displays, are increasingly being used in theaters and other types of environments. However, one problem with light-emitting display technology is that when using a display, the speaker may not be able to be placed behind the display because the substrate on which the light source is arranged and / or the display panel blocks the sound from the speaker behind the display.
[0002] To better understand the various examples described herein and to more clearly show how they may be implemented, the attached drawings are hereby referred to merely as examples.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0003] [Figure 1] Shows the surface of an acoustic transmission display having an angled acoustic waveguide, by way of non-limiting example. [Figure 2] Shows a partial cross-sectional view through line A-A of the acoustic transmission display of FIG. 1, by way of non-limiting example, with the walls of the angled acoustic waveguide further shown in perspective. [Figure 3] Shows a top view of an acoustic transmission display having an angled acoustic waveguide directing sound to the right and outward, by way of non-limiting example. [Figure 4] Shows a top view of an acoustic transmission display having an angled acoustic waveguide directing sound to the left and outward, by way of non-limiting example. [Figure 5] Shows an acoustic transmission display attached to a theater, having angled acoustic waveguides directing sound downward, to the left and to the right, and outward, by way of non-limiting example.
[0004] Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Light-emitting display technologies, such as light-emitting diode (LED) displays, are increasingly used in theaters and other types of environments. However, in many cases, it can be difficult to mount speakers on the walls and / or around the theater in such theaters, and a common preference by theater owners and content creators would be to mount the speakers behind the light-emitting display, as this is where a significant portion of the sound (e.g., the voices of actors on screen) is supposed to originate. To accommodate speakers behind the light-emitting display, the display may be provided with an opening through which sound from the speakers mounted behind the display can be transmitted and reached the audience. However, even with such a configuration, it is not possible to consider that the light-emitting display and speakers are generally mounted above the audience, and therefore, sound from the speakers may be directed above the audience's heads, or the audience may perceive that the speaking actor is speaking from above their heads. Therefore, this specification provides an acoustically transparent display with an angled acoustic waveguide. Such an acoustically transparent display with an angled acoustic waveguide can better match the performance and directivity of conventional theater sound systems.
[0005] One aspect of this specification provides an apparatus comprising a display panel, a light source disposed in front of the display panel, an opening penetrating the display panel, the opening disposed between the light sources, and an acoustic waveguide disposed on the rear of the display panel, the acoustic waveguide disposed in part of the opening, angularly offset from the normal to the rear of the display panel, and guiding sound received on the rear through the part of the opening at a non-zero angle with respect to the normals of the front of the display panel.
[0006] Next, let us look at Figures 1 and 2, which show a front view of the device 100 and a partial cross-sectional view of the device 100 passing through line AA in Figure 1, respectively.
[0007] In particular, the apparatus 100 includes an acoustically transmitted light-emitting display and / or modular panels for such acoustically transmitted light-emitting displays (for example, when multiple apparatuses 100 are tiled together).
[0008] The device 100 comprises a display panel 102, light sources 104 positioned on the front 105 of the display panel 102, and an opening 106 penetrating the display panel 102, the opening 106 positioned between the light sources 104. Although only one light source 104 and one opening 106 are shown, it is understood that the device 100 comprises multiple light sources 104 arranged, for example, in an array and / or in any other suitable configuration, and that the multiple openings 106 are arranged in an array offset from the array of light sources 104. The openings 106 are generally shown to be located at approximately the same distance from the corners of four adjacent light sources 104, but the openings 106 may be at any suitable position between the light sources 104 and may or may not be arranged in an array.
[0009] The display panel 102 may include a printed circuit board (PCB), but it may also include any suitable material and / or substrate for supporting the components of the device 100.
[0010] The light source 104 may include, but is not limited to, any other suitable light-emitting light source, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) and / or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED). Thus, the display panel 102 and the light source 104 may form one or more of an LED panel and an LED display.
[0011] The light source 104 may be controlled by an image generator (not shown) to form images and / or video in the device 100. Thus, although not shown, it is further understood that the device 100 includes an electrical connection to the light source 104, a connector to the image generator, and / or any suitable connector for tiling the device 100 to other devices 100 and / or electrically connecting them to form a larger display. For example, such an electrical connection may be integrated with a display panel. Sound can be further provided to such images and / or video, and thus, as shown, a speaker 108 (and / or more speakers) can be mounted behind the device 100 to provide such sound that can pass through the opening 106.
[0012] In fact, the opening 106 generally penetrates the display panel 102 (for example, from the front 105 to the rear 110 opposite the front 105, the rear 110 being most commonly seen in Figure 2), thereby allowing sound from a speaker 108 mounted behind the device 100 (for example, adjacent to the rear 110) to pass through the device and reach, for example, an audience viewing images and / or videos presented on the device 100. (In Figure 1, the speaker 108 is indicated by a contour showing that the speaker 108 is located behind the device 100).
[0013] It is further understood that the speaker 108 may be positioned relative to the edges of the device 100. In particular, if the device 100 is mounted in a theater (or other suitable environment), it is understood that the device 100 is directional and therefore includes a left edge 111, a right edge 112, an upper edge 113, and a lower edge 114.
[0014] However, although speaker 108 is not necessarily a component of apparatus 100, it is shown in Figures 1 and 2 to represent part of apparatus 100, and it is understood that sound is received from speaker 108 and may pass through opening 106. Such an area will hereafter be referred to as the speaker area and / or the speaker area of the display panel 102. In fact, in some examples, opening 106 may be located only in the speaker area (and / or may be located in the speaker area even if the apparatus 100 includes opening 106 that overlaps the speaker area), but for ease of manufacture, opening 106 may be located across the display panel 102, including inside and outside the speaker area.
[0015] However, since sound may pass through the opening 106 somewhat perpendicular to the display panel 102, sound may also pass over the audience viewing the device 100. In fact, in theaters, speakers mounted behind a display (e.g., screen) are generally mounted at about two-thirds of the display and / or screen height from the floor, which is understood to be for a more uniform distribution of sound within the audience and also to represent the natural areas on the screen from which sound generally emanates (e.g., the mouth of an actor on screen emitting sound tends to be at about two-thirds of the display and / or screen height from the bottom of the display and / or screen and / or floor).
[0016] Therefore, as best shown in Figure 2, the apparatus 100 further comprises an acoustic waveguide 202 located on the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102, the acoustic waveguide 202 located in at least a portion of the opening 106 (e.g., in the speaker area), and the acoustic waveguide 202 is angularly offset from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102, guiding the sound 206 received on the rear surface 110 through the portion of the opening 106 at a non-zero angle with respect to the respective normals 208 of the front surface 105 of the display panel 102.
[0017] Furthermore, in order to show the specific geometric shape of the acoustic waveguide 202, it is depicted in the perspective view of Figure 2, but it should be understood that such a perspective view is distorted compared to the cross-sectional views of other components of the apparatus 100 shown in Figure 2.
[0018] For simplicity, the sound 206 is shown entering only one acoustic waveguide 202 adjacent to the upper edge 113, but it is understood that the sound 206 may also be emitted across the surface of the speaker 108 and enter all of the acoustic waveguides 202.
[0019] Furthermore, in Figure 2, the wall 210 of the acoustic waveguide 202 is depicted (not in cross-section, for example) to show that the acoustic waveguide 202 may be generally conical or have an oblique frustum, as will be explained in more detail below.
[0020] It is further understood that the acoustic waveguide 202 and / or wall 210 are rigid, and therefore wall 210 is supported by rigid material 212 between (and / or within wall 210, for example, at any of the edges 111, 112, 113, 114). In fact, openings in the rigid material 212 can define wall 210.
[0021] Furthermore, in order to help the acoustic waveguide 202 be non-resonant with respect to a given set of frequencies, the acoustic waveguide 202 may include one or more rigid and / or high-density materials such as metal (e.g., aluminum) and rigid plastic (e.g., polycarbonate).
[0022] For example, in the case of frequencies in the range of approximately 20 Hz to approximately 20 kHz, which is the average frequency range of sound in many videos or movies, the circular opening 106 may have a diameter of at least 1.7 mm (for example, when a 20 kHz sound passes through), but preferably the circular opening 106 may have a diameter of approximately 34 mm and / or approximately 1.7 mm to approximately 34 mm, and the diameter of the sound-emitting opening 216 is approximately the same size as the diameter of each opening 106.
[0023] Therefore, the diameter of the opening 106 may be selected based on a given wavelength or a given frequency of the sound 206.
[0024] However, in some examples, the speaker 108 may comprise a two-way speaker, a three-way speaker, or a four-way speaker in which different frequency ranges are emitted in different regions of the speaker 108. In such examples, the diameter of the opening 106 may vary according to the frequency radiated by the speaker 108 in different regions of the speaker 108 adjacent to the opening 106. For example, the speaker region of the display panel 102 may be divided into two or more speaker sub-regions associated with different frequency ranges, and the respective diameters of the opening 106 in different sub-regions may be different, and the respective diameters of the opening 106 in the speaker sub-region of a lower frequency may be larger than the respective diameters of the opening 106 in the speaker sub-region of a higher frequency.
[0025] Similarly, one or more of the shape and size of the acoustic waveguide 202 are selected to be non-resonant for a given set of frequencies, such as frequencies in the range of about 20 Hz to about 20 kHz. For example, in the case of a 20 kHz sound, the length of the acoustic waveguide 202 (e.g., along the normal 204 from the rear surface 110 and / or along the axis 218 (described in more detail below), e.g., up to the maximum distance from the rear surface 110) may be in the range of about 7 mm to 10 mm, preferably about 8.6 mm at 20 kHz. For example, such a length may be defined as the distance of the peak of the cross-section of the rigid material 212 from the rear surface 110 and / or the vertical distance between the openings 214, 216.
[0026] More specifically, as described herein, the acoustic waveguide 202 may comprise one or more of a conical and an oblique frustum portion extending from the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102, and the length of the cone and / or the oblique frustum may be selected based on a given wavelength or a given frequency of the sound 206, and the size of the opening 106 may be similarly adapted.
[0027] In yet another example, the color of the acoustic waveguide 202 that is substantially non-reflective to light may be selected so that light from the light source 104 that may scatter within the aperture 106 is not reflected by the acoustic waveguide 202. For example, the acoustic waveguide 202 may be black, dark gray, dark brown, and / or any other suitable color.
[0028] Next, the shape of the acoustic waveguide 202 will be described. The acoustic waveguide 202 may include one or more of a conical and an oblique frustum portion extending from the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102.
[0029] (For example, for simplicity) As shown in one of the acoustic waveguides 202 in FIG. 2, each acoustic waveguide 202 generally includes a larger sound receiving aperture 214 that sends the sound 206 to a smaller sound emitting aperture 216 when the device 100 is attached adjacent to the speaker 108. The size and shape of the sound emitting aperture 216 may be defined by the respective apertures 106, and / or be substantially aligned with the respective apertures 106, and / or have the same diameter and / or the same size and / or the same shape.
[0030] For example, it is understood that the acoustic waveguide 202 includes a side facing the speaker where the sound receiving aperture 214 is provided, and it is further understood that the acoustic waveguide 202 includes a side facing the aperture where the sound emitting aperture 216 is provided. Also, the wall 210 extends between the sound receiving aperture 214 and the sound emitting aperture 216, and further, the wall 210 narrows from the sound receiving aperture 214 towards the sound emitting aperture 216.
[0031] In other words, it is understood that the acoustic waveguide 202 is further hollow between the sound receiving aperture 214 and the sound emitting aperture 216, and may further generally narrow from the sound receiving aperture 214 towards the sound emitting aperture 216. However, the acoustic waveguide 202 may have any suitable shape that sends the sound received on the side facing the speaker through the respective apertures 106.
[0032] Similarly, as shown in the figure, the opening 106 is circular, and therefore the conical shapes of the acoustic waveguide 202, the receiving opening 214, and the emitting opening 216 are also substantially circular. However, the opening 106 and the acoustic waveguide 202 may have any suitable shape that narrows from the speaker-facing side of the acoustic waveguide 202. For example, the opening 106, the conical shape of the acoustic waveguide 202, the receiving opening 214, and the emitting opening 216 may be elliptical, or square or rectangular (for example, so that the shape of the acoustic waveguide 202 may be pyramidal), or any other suitable shape.
[0033] However, in particular, the acoustic waveguide 202 is shown as an oblique frustum. For example, an oblique frustum is a type of frustum where the walls of a frustum (e.g., a cone or pyramidal frustum) are not perpendicular to the base. In other words, the axis of the cone or pyramidal frustum from which the frustum is derived is oblique or inclined, for example, to the base, making the shape "oblique".
[0034] In particular, it is understood that a frustum may be formed by slicing the apex of a cone or pyramid with a plane parallel to the base, creating two parallel planes (the apex and the base). If the axis of the cone is perpendicular to the base, the frustum is called a straight frustum. However, if the axis is inclined or not perpendicular, it becomes an oblique frustum.
[0035] Therefore, as shown in the figure, the acoustic waveguide 202 may have an oblique frustum (formed and / or defined by, for example, a wall 210) where the “base” of the cone has each receiving opening 214 and the “apex” of the cone has each emitting opening 216. As shown in the figure, the openings 214, 216 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the normal 204 of the rear surface 110, but the axis 218 of the acoustic waveguide 202 is not perpendicular to the openings 214, 216. However, the openings 214, 216 do not have to be parallel to each other. For example, each emitting opening 216 may form a conventional “apex” of an oblique frustum defined by a wall 210, but the corresponding receiving opening 214 may be at any suitable angle with respect to the speaker 108 and may not be parallel to each emitting opening 216.
[0036] To show that the acoustic waveguide 202 is angularly offset from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102, we focus on the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102 and the axis 218 extending from the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102, which is approximately equidistant from the wall 210 of the acoustic waveguide 202. Although only one axis 218 is shown for simplification, it is understood that each of the acoustic waveguides 202 has its own axis 218. As shown in the figure, the axis 218 forms a non-zero angle 220 with the normal 204. Furthermore, it is understood that the axis 218 extends downward from the rear surface 110 to the front surface 105. Thus, the sound 206 entering the acoustic waveguide 202 is directed downward from the normal 208 at the same angle 220 with respect to the front surface 105. Thus, the sound 206 is directed downward with respect to the upper edge 113 and / or lower edge 114.
[0037] In other words, as shown in Figure 2, the acoustic waveguide 202 may be angularly offset at an angle of 220 (for example, the same angle 220 as the angular offset of axis 218) from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102 toward the upper edge 113, so that the sound is directed downward and outward relative to the front surface 105.
[0038] However, the angular offset of axis 218 may be in any suitable direction and may be selected to direct the sound 206 downward, to the left, to the right, downward and to the left, or downward and to the right. In each example, it is further understood that the sound 206 is directed outward from the display panel 102, for example, outward from the front 105.
[0039] For example, looking at Figure 3, which shows another example of the apparatus 100 and a top view of one acoustic waveguide 202 extending from the rear surface 110. Although only one acoustic waveguide 202 is shown for simplification, it is understood that the apparatus 100 in Figure 3 includes multiple acoustic waveguides 202. Similarly, not all components of the apparatus 100 and acoustic waveguide 202 are shown in Figure 3, but it is understood that there are components including, but not limited to, a light source 104 and a rigid material 212.
[0040] However, in this example, the axis 218 of the acoustic waveguide 202 is angularly offset at an angle 302 from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102 toward the left edge 111, so that the sound 206 entering the acoustic waveguide 202 through the larger sound receiving opening 214 is directed to the right, for example toward the right edge 112 and outward relative to the front surface 105, through each opening 106 (not shown but understood to exist) at an angle 302 from the normal 208 of the front surface 105.
[0041] Next, we consider Figure 4, which is substantially similar to Figure 3, with similar components having similar numbering. However, in this example, the axis 218 of the acoustic waveguide 202 is angularly offset at an angle of 402 from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102 toward the right edge 112, so that the sound 206 entering the acoustic waveguide 202 through the larger sound receiving opening 214 is directed to the left, for example toward the left edge 111 and outward relative to the front surface 105, through each opening 106 (not shown but understood to exist) at an angle of 402 from the normal 208 of the front surface 105.
[0042] However, the axis 218 of the acoustic waveguide 202 may be in any suitable direction.
[0043] For example, consider Figure 5, which shows an example of a device 500 similar to device 100, mounted in theater 502 and adapted to a size and shape suitable for mounting on the wall 504 of theater 502, where an audience member 506 is looking at device 500 and the audience member 506 is standing on the floor 508 of theater 502 (however, the audience member 506 may be standing and / or seated). The location of the rear wall 510 of theater 502 is also shown. For simplicity, device 500 is shown without a light source 104, but nevertheless, it is understood that a light source 104 is present, thereby images and / or videos may be reproduced in device 500 with respective sounds 206L, 206C, 206R (e.g., "L", "C", and "R" indicate left, center, and right, respectively) from respective speakers 108L, 108C, 108R directed through device 500 towards the audience member 506. In fact, the sound 206L, 206C, and 206R can each provide the left, center, and right channels of sound for images and / or videos, respectively.
[0044] Furthermore, the device 500 is shown with the left speaker 108L, the center speaker 108C, and the right speaker 108R mounted behind the device 500 at approximately two-thirds of the display height (for example, the centers of speakers 108L, 108C, and 108R are approximately two-thirds of the display height from the floor 508 and / or approximately two-thirds of the height of the device 500). Speakers 108L, 108C, and 108R are outlined to indicate their respective presence behind the device 500.
[0045] Furthermore, the device 500 is equipped with different types of acoustic waveguides 202L, 202C, and 202R on the rear surface 110 of each region of the left speaker 108L, the center speaker 108C, and the right speaker 108R, respectively. The acoustic waveguides 202L, 202C, and 202R are outlined to indicate their respective presence on the rear surface of the device 500.
[0046] Although the apparatus 500 is shown with only three openings 106L, 106C, and 106R, it is understood that the apparatus 500 includes any appropriate number of openings 106.
[0047] Similarly, although only one of each of the acoustic waveguides 202L, 202C, and 202R is shown, it is understood that the apparatus 500 includes any appropriate number of acoustic waveguides 202 and their respective openings 106, for example, multiple acoustic waveguides 202L and their respective openings 106L within the area of the left speaker 108L, multiple acoustic waveguides 202C and their respective openings 106C within the area of the center speaker 108C, and multiple acoustic waveguides 202R and their respective openings 106R within the area of the right speaker 108R.
[0048] Referring briefly to Figures 2 and 3, it is understood that the left acoustic waveguide 202L has an axis 218 that is at both angles 220 and 302 with respect to the normal 204 to the rear surface of the device 500. Thus, the sound 206L from the left speaker 108L is directed downward to the right (for example, outward towards the audience 506).
[0049] Similarly, referring briefly to Figures 2 and 4, it is understood that the right acoustic waveguide 202R has an axis 218 that is at both angles 220 and 402 with respect to the normal 204 of the rear surface of the device 500. Thus, the sound 206R from the right speaker 108R is directed downward to the left (for example, outward towards the audience 506).
[0050] Referring briefly to Figure 2, it is understood that the central acoustic waveguide 202C has an axis 218 at an angle 220 with respect to the normal 204 to the rear surface of the device 500. Thus, the sound 206C from the central speaker 108C is directed downward (for example, outward towards the audience 506).
[0051] Therefore, by providing the device 500 with three types of acoustic waveguides 202L, 202C, and 202R for the three different positions of speakers 108L, 108C, and 108R, the respective sounds 206L, 206C, and 206R can be directed more effectively towards the audience 506, for example, not directly above their heads.
[0052] Further details of apparatus 100 and / or apparatus 500 are described here.
[0053] For example, returning to Figure 2, acoustic waveguides 202 may be provided at each opening 106 through which line AA extends.
[0054] In some examples, the acoustic waveguide 202 is located in at least a portion of the opening 106 that is situated in the speaker area of the display panel 102. In some of these examples, the acoustic waveguide 202 is provided in each opening 106 of the device 100, while in other examples, the acoustic waveguide 202 is located only in the portion of the opening 106 that is situated in (and overlaps with) the speaker area of the display panel 102.
[0055] As described above, the display panel 102 has a left edge 111, a right edge 112, an upper edge 113, and a lower edge 114, and the acoustic waveguide 202 may be angularly offset by one or more angles 220 from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102 toward the upper edge 113, for example, to direct sound 206 downward and outward. In other words, although the device 100 has been described with respect to one angle 220, different angles 220 may be used for different acoustic waveguides 202, so that an acoustic waveguide 202 located near the upper edge 113 has a larger angle 220 than an acoustic waveguide 202 located near the lower edge 114. For example, if such a configuration is adopted in the device 500 in Figure 5, in the region of the central speaker 108C, such a configuration can effectively direct the sound 206C entering the acoustic waveguide 202C near the upper edge 113 of the device 500 toward the audience 506 at a larger downward angle 220 than the downward angle 220 of the acoustic waveguide 202C near the lower edge 114 of the device 500, which may be closer to the audience 506.
[0056] In some examples, one or more angles 220 toward the upper edge 113 may be about 2° to about 12° from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102. In these examples, the acoustic waveguide 202 may direct the sound 206 downward (and outward), similar to the acoustic waveguide 202C. In certain examples, one or more angles 220 may be about 10°, which may be suitable for the display size and speaker position of the theater.
[0057] However, in other examples, referring to Figure 3, the acoustic waveguide 202 is angularly offset by one or more angles 302 toward the left edge 111 from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102 (and may or may not be at an angle 220 toward the upper edge 113) to direct sound 206 outward to the right, for example. In other words, although the device 100 is described with respect to one angle 302, different angles 302 may be used for different acoustic waveguides 202, resulting in an acoustic waveguide 202 located near the left edge 111 having a larger angle 302 than an acoustic waveguide 202 located near the right edge 112. For example, if such a configuration is adopted in the device 500 in Figure 5, in the region of the left speaker 108L, such a configuration can effectively direct the sound 206L entering the acoustic waveguide 202L near the left edge 111 of the device 500 toward the audience 506 by a larger rightward angle 302 than the rightward angle 302 of the acoustic waveguide 202L in the region of the left speaker 108L that is closer to the right edge 112 of the device 500, which may be closer to the audience 506.
[0058] In some examples, one or more angles 302 toward the left edge 111 may be approximately 5° to 15° from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102. In these examples, the acoustic waveguide 202 may direct the sound 206 to the right (and outward), as well as the acoustic waveguide 202L. In certain examples, one or more angles 220 may be approximately 5°, which may be suitable for the theater's display size and speaker placement.
[0059] However, in other examples, referring to Figure 4, the acoustic waveguide 202 is angularly offset by one or more angles 402 toward the right edge 112 from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102 (and may or may not be at an angle 220 toward the upper edge 113) to direct sound 206 outward to the left. In other words, although the device 100 is described with respect to one angle 402, different angles 402 may be used for different acoustic waveguides 202, resulting in an acoustic waveguide 202 located near the right edge 112 having a larger angle 402 than an acoustic waveguide 202 located near the left edge 111. For example, if such a configuration is adopted in the device 500 in Figure 5, in the region of the right speaker 108R, such a configuration can effectively direct the sound 206R entering the acoustic waveguide 202R near the right edge 112 of the device 500 toward the audience 506 by a larger leftward angle 402 than the leftward angle 402 of the acoustic waveguide 202R in the region of the right speaker 108R that is closer to the left edge 111 of the device 500, which may be closer to the audience 506.
[0060] In some examples, one or more angles 402 toward the right edge 112 may be about 5° to about 15° from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102. In these examples, the acoustic waveguide 202 may direct the sound 206 to the left (and outward), as well as the acoustic waveguide 202R. In certain examples, one or more angles 220 may be about 5°, which may be suitable for the theater display size and speaker position.
[0061] In yet another example, the acoustic waveguide 202 is angularly offset from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102 by one or more first angles 220 toward the upper edge 113 and by one or more second angles 302, 402 toward the left edge 111 or the right edge 112. In other words, the acoustic waveguide 202 may be angularly offset by two angles: in the left acoustic waveguide 202L of Figure 5, by an angle 220 toward the upper edge 113 and an angle 302 toward the left edge 111; or in the right acoustic waveguide 202R of Figure 5, by an angle 220 toward the upper edge 113 and an angle 402 toward the right edge 112.
[0062] In some examples, one or more first angles 220 toward the upper edge 113 may be about 2° to about 12° from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102, and one or more angles toward the left edge 111 or the right edge 112 may be about 5° to about 15° from the normal 204 of the rear surface 110 of the display panel 102.
[0063] Furthermore, the apparatus 500 may comprise a plurality of different apparatuses 100 tiled together, each having different types of acoustic waveguides 202L, 202C, and 202R on its respective rear surface 110. Additionally, apparatuses 100 outside the speaker area may or may not include openings or acoustic waveguides. For example, speakers 108L, 108C, and 108R are:
[0064] In fact, the apparatus 500 may be assembled from four types of apparatus 100: one or more apparatus 100 mounted in the area of speaker 108L and having an acoustic waveguide 202L that directs sound 206L downward, to the right, and outward toward the audience 506; one or more apparatus 100 mounted in the area of speaker 108C and having an acoustic waveguide 202C that directs sound 206C downward and outward toward the audience 506; one or more apparatus 100 mounted in the area of speaker 108R and having an acoustic waveguide 202R that directs sound 206R downward, to the left, and outward toward the audience 506; and one or more apparatus 100 that do not have an acoustic waveguide (but may or may not include an opening 106). However, the apparatus 500 may be provided in any suitable way.
[0065] It is further understood that angles 220, 302, and 402 may be selected based on the size of the theater 502, in particular the distance from the speakers 108L, 108C, and 108R (e.g., placed at a height of 2 / 3 of the device 500) to the rear wall 510, which may hereafter be referred to as the length of the theater 502. In particular, angles 220, 302, and 402 may also depend on the length of the theater 502; for example, the longer the center of the theater 502 is from the device 100 in order to orient the speakers 108L, 108C, and 108R approximately to the center of the theater 502, the longer the theater 502 will be. In other words, as the length of the theater 502 increases, angles 220, 302, and 402 may decrease, and / or as the length of the theater 502 decreases, angles 220, 302, and 402 may increase.
[0066] For the purposes of this specification, it is understood that the phrases "at least one of X, Y, and Z" and "one or more of X, Y, and Z" may be interpreted as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XY, YZ, XZ, etc.). Wherever the phrases "at least one..." and "one or more..." appear, similar logic can be applied to two or more items.
[0067] Terms such as “about,” “substantially,” “essentially,” and “approximately” are defined as “close to,” as understood, for example, by those skilled in the art. In some examples, these terms are understood as “within 10%,” in others “within 5%,” in yet another “within 1%,” and in yet another “within 0.5%.”
[0068] Those skilled in the art will understand that there are many more alternative examples and possible modifications, and that the above examples are merely illustrative of one or more examples. Therefore, the scope should be limited only by the attached claims.
Claims
1. Display panel and, A light source positioned on the front of the display panel, An opening that penetrates the display panel, and an opening positioned between the light sources, An acoustic waveguide disposed on the rear surface of the display panel, wherein it is disposed in part of the opening, is angularly offset from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel, and guides sound received on the rear surface through the part of the opening at a non-zero angle with respect to the normals of the front surfaces of the display panel. A device equipped with the following features.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide is arranged in a portion of the opening located in the speaker area of the display panel.
3. The display panel has a left edge, a right edge, an upper edge, and a lower edge. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide is angularly offset by one or more angles toward the upper edge from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the one or more angles toward the upper edge are approximately 2° to approximately 12° from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel.
5. The display panel has a left edge, a right edge, an upper edge, and a lower edge. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide is angularly offset by one or more angles toward the left edge from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the one or more angles toward the left edge are approximately 5° to approximately 15° from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel.
7. The display panel has a left edge, a right edge, an upper edge, and a lower edge. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide is angularly offset by one or more angles toward the right edge from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the one or more angles toward the right edge are approximately 5° to approximately 15° from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel.
9. The display panel has a left edge, a right edge, an upper edge, and a lower edge. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide is angularly offset by one or more first angles toward the upper edge from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel, and by one or more second angles toward the left edge or the right edge.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein one or more first angles toward the upper edge are approximately 2° to approximately 12° from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel, and one or more angles toward the left edge or the right edge are approximately 5° to approximately 15° from the normal to the rear surface of the display panel.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a cone extending from the rear surface of the display panel between the openings.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises one or more portions of a cone and a frustum extending from the rear surface of the display panel between the openings, and the length of one or more of the cone and the frustum is selected based on a given wavelength or frequency of the sound.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises a printed circuit board.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode.
15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display panel and the light source form one or more of a light-emitting diode display (LED) panel and an LED display.
16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the opening is selected based on a given wavelength or a given frequency of the sound.
17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color of the acoustic waveguide is non-reflective to light.
18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a rigid material.
19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the shapes and sizes of the acoustic waveguide are non-resonant with respect to a given set of frequencies.