Display-Mounted Transducers for Audio Playback in AR Headsets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio devices in artificial-reality systems are cumbersome, preventing miniaturization and interfering with users' ability to hear important sounds from their environment, such as conversations or environmental noises.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating high-bandwidth transducers that vibrate the display elements of artificial-reality devices, such as head-mounted displays, to generate acoustic waves, allowing the display to act as a speaker and produce three-dimensional sound without the need for conventional audio devices like headphones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional audio devices (headphones, speakers) are used in artificial-reality devices, then audio playback function is provided, but device size and weight increase, and user's ability to hear environmental sounds is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the audio transducer function with the display element by directly coupling a transducer to the display, causing the display to vibrate and generate sound waves. This integration eliminates the need for separate audio devices, reducing overall device weight and size while maintaining audio playback capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The display element serves dual functions: visual display and acoustic sound generation. By making the display multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for dedicated audio hardware, thereby reducing device weight and complexity while providing comprehensive audio playback functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional audio devices (headphones, speakers) are used in artificial-reality devices, then audio playback function is provided, but user's ability to hear environmental sounds is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the audio function from traditional ear-plugging devices and relocates it to the display element itself. This extraction allows audio playback without physically blocking the user's ears, thereby maintaining the ability to perceive environmental sounds while still providing immersive audio experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical ear-plugging approach with a different mechanism: the display element vibrates to generate sound waves that travel through the air to the user's ears. This substitution eliminates the need for physical ear coverage, allowing simultaneous perception of both virtual and environmental sounds.
3Volume of moving object
If display element is used as speaker diaphragm, then device size is reduced, but transducer coupling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display element into functional zones, with transducers coupled to specific portions of the display to generate directional sound waves. This segmentation allows for optimized coupling while maintaining compact device volume, as only specific regions of the display need transducer attachment rather than the entire surface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces the size and weight of artificial-reality devices while enabling users to hear audio without encumbering their ability to perceive other sounds, providing an enhanced audio experience with directed sound delivery and noise-cancelling capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
the created vibration couples with the display element, causing the display element to vibrate
Implementation Method 2
the display element essentially acts as the diaphragm of a speaker. Not only does the display element display digital content, but it also creates corresponding acoustic waves (i.e., sound, audio)
Data Source
AI summary
An artificial-reality device for audio playback is provided. The artificial-reality device includes: (i) a head-mounted display including at least one lens, and (ii) one or more transducers, coupled to the head-mounted display. The transducers are configured to generate signals that vibrate the at least one lens of the head-mounted display. The at least one lens generates acoustic waves that correspond to media presented by the head-mounted display when vibrated by the one or more transducers. Characteristics of the signals generated by the one or more transducers cause the acoustic waves generated by the at least one lens to be directed towards at least one ear of a user of the artificial reality device. Values of the characteristics for the signals are determined based on: (i) the media presented by the head-mounted display and (ii) characteristics of the at least one lens.