Modular Sound Wall with Radiating and Absorbing Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional loudspeaker systems are limited in their ability to adapt the optimal listening position within a room and do not blend seamlessly with the room's décor, as they appear as separate units rather than decorative elements, and their sound quality is often inferior outside a specific region.
Innovation Solution
A sound wall comprising modular elements with sound radiating units, signal processing, and absorption modules that can be configured to create a flexible sound field by combining and routing input signals, allowing for adaptive placement and appearance modification to suit user preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional separate loudspeaker boxes or cabinets are used, then the sound radiating units can be provided with proper housing and protection, but the appearance does not blend seamlessly with the room's décor and appears as a loudspeaker setup rather than a decorative element
Solution Approach 1:
The sound wall is divided into multiple modular elements (first kind and second kind) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each element contains specific functional components (sound radiating units in first kind elements, absorption material in second kind elements), allowing flexible configuration to achieve both aesthetic integration and proper acoustic function throughout the wall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sound wall system integrates multiple functions into a single wall structure: sound radiation, sound absorption, and aesthetic decoration. The wall serves both as an acoustic device and as a decorative element that blends with room décor, eliminating the need for separate loudspeaker cabinets while maintaining proper housing and protection for sound radiating units.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional stereophonic loudspeaker setup is used, then the sound image can be optimized within a specific region, but the sound quality becomes much inferior at other locations in the room
Solution Approach 1:
The audio system is segmented into multiple sound radiating units distributed across the wall, with each unit receiving processed or unprocessed input signals. This spatial distribution of sound sources allows the system to create optimized sound fields at multiple locations throughout the room, not just at a single sweet spot, thereby improving listening quality across different positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The sound wall incorporates signal processing capabilities that can dynamically adjust and optimize the sound field distribution. By processing input signals and routing them to appropriate sound radiating units, the system can adapt to different listening positions and room configurations, maintaining sound image quality across multiple locations rather than being fixed to one optimal position.
3Reliability
If fixed loudspeaker placement is used, then the loudspeakers can be properly positioned for optimal sound radiation, but the optimal listening position cannot be changed without moving the loudspeakers which may be difficult or impossible due to furniture placement
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic adaptability through signal processing that can change the optimal listening position virtually without physically moving the loudspeakers. By processing and routing signals to different combinations of sound radiating units, the system can shift the sound image and optimize listening quality for different positions in the room, allowing users to adapt to furniture arrangements without relocating the sound wall.
4Ease of repair
If modular elements are used in the sound wall, then the appearance can be easily adapted and repaired, but the device complexity increases with multiple element types and configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The sound wall is segmented into standardized modular elements with clear functional differentiation (first kind elements with sound radiating units, second kind elements with absorption material). This segmentation enables easy replacement and modification of individual elements without affecting the entire system, simplifying repair and appearance adaptation despite the modular complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular elements are designed with universal mounting and integration features that allow them to be combined in various configurations while maintaining a unified wall appearance. The standardized interface and integration method reduce the operational complexity of assembling and modifying the modular system, making it easier to adapt appearance and perform repairs.
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 sound wall provides a scalable, aesthetically adaptable solution that maintains optimal sound quality across various listening positions and room configurations, reducing reverberation and unwanted reflections while allowing easy appearance changes or repairs.
Implementation Method 1
sound radiating units, such as one or more loudspeaker units, configured to radiate sound energy from the respective front face and into the surroundings, such that a sound field can be created in front of the sound wall
Implementation Method 2
A elements of a second kind, where A≤M−N, which A elements are provided with sound absorbing means associated with the front face, whereby the sound wall can be used to reduce the reverberation time of a room or other enclosure
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sound wall comprising in total M elements comprising a front face (F), where the sound wall (1) has a lateral extension along an x-axis and a vertical extension along a y-axis, where the sound wall (1) comprises N elements (3), where N≤M, which N elements in the front face (F) of each respective of these N elements are provided with a sound radiating unit, such as one or more loudspeaker units, configured to radiate sound energy from the respective front face and into the surroundings, such that a sound field can be created in front of the sound wall; where the sound wall is provided with signal providing means configured to provide the sound radiating units with a signal that is a combination of input signals, such as the left and right channel signals S1(t), S2(t) of a stereophonic signal. In embodiments of the invention, the sound wall (1) further comprises A elements (2), where A≤M−N, which A elements (2) are provided with sound absorbing means associated with the front face (F), whereby the sound wall (1) can be used to reduce the reverberation time of a room or other enclosure, in which the sound wall (1) is provided and/or H elements (4), where H≤M−N−A, which H elements (4) comprises hardware components configured to control and provide signals to the sound radiating units in said N elements (3). The invention also relates to a method for controlling a sound field in front of the sound wall.