Hybrid Speaker Audio Routing for Directional and Ambient Sound
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional speakers lack the ability to selectively direct sound to specific users or create immersive audio experiences, as they typically produce sound in all directions with low directivity, failing to simulate surround sound effectively.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid speaker system combining directional and nondirectional speakers, where a processor identifies specific sounds and generates separate outputs for directional and nondirectional speakers, using a sound database and machine learning algorithms to isolate and project sounds selectively, achieving high directivity and immersive audio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional nondirectional speakers are used, then sound is dispersed in all directions, but directivity and selective sound projection are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The audio system is segmented into multiple independent speaker channels (first speaker, second speaker, third speaker) that can be individually controlled. The processor separates the audio signal into different channels and directs specific sounds to specific speakers, enabling selective sound projection to different users in different spatial locations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different spatial locations are assigned different audio qualities and characteristics. The system identifies users' positions and provides customized audio content to each location, creating local audio zones with distinct sound properties rather than uniform sound distribution throughout the space.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sound is dispersed in all directions, then ambient sound coverage is good, but immersive audio experience and surround sound simulation are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges nondirectional speakers (first and second speakers) with a directional speaker (third speaker) into a hybrid audio system. This combination leverages the omnidirectional coverage of conventional speakers and the focused directionality of the directional speaker to create immersive audio experiences with simulated surround sound effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a new dimension to audio spatial distribution by introducing directional control along with traditional omnidirectional sound. The processor manipulates audio signals to create three-dimensional sound positioning, simulating surround sound by projecting audio from different spatial directions and elevations.
3Loss of information
If conventional speakers are used, then simple sound playback is achieved, but selective sound isolation and user-specific audio projection are not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The processor performs preliminary analysis of the audio signal to identify specific sounds, speech, or audio events before directing them to appropriate speakers. The system pre-processes the audio stream, segments it into relevant components, and prepares directed audio channels in advance for selective projection to specific users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses user position detection and audio analysis feedback to dynamically adjust sound distribution. The processor continuously monitors user locations, identifies sounds of interest, and adapts the audio routing in real-time to optimize selective sound projection and isolation for each user's position and preferences.
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
The system effectively directs sound to specific listeners while providing ambient sound through nondirectional speakers, enhancing the immersive audio experience by simulating surround sound and selectively projecting sounds to users in a room.
Implementation Method 1
a directional speaker which projects a sound wave in a specific direction
Implementation Method 2
Directional speaker devices achieve high directivity by modulating audible sound onto high-frequency ultrasound
Implementation Method 3
When an alternating current electrical audio signal is applied, the coil is forced to move rapidly back and forth due to Faraday's law of induction, which causes a diaphragm attached to the coil to move back and forth, pushing on the air to disperse sound waves around the diaphragm
Data Source
AI summary
An audio converter system is provided. The system comprises an audio input configured to receive a source audio, an audio output configured to couple to a hybrid speaker comprising at least two nondirectional speakers and a directional speaker, and a processor configured to generate an output audio for the hybrid speaker based on the source audio by: identifying a specific sound in the source audio, isolating the specific sound from the source audio, generating a directional speaker output for the directional speaker of the hybrid speaker based on the specific sound, and generating at least two channels of nondirectional speaker output for the at least two nondirectional speakers of the hybrid speaker.