Multi-Speaker Leakage Cancellation via Anti-Phase Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sound systems with side or upward-facing speakers often produce undesired energy that leaks into the listening area via direct paths, compromising the immersive audio experience and making it difficult to localize sound sources.
Innovation Solution
A multi-speaker system comprising non-front-facing speakers and front-facing speakers, along with processors and filters, that apply attenuating signals to reduce and cancel undesired leakage energy by propagating audio signals along direct and indirect paths, effectively creating a wider listening sweetspot and enhancing immersive sound.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If side or upward-facing speakers are used to create immersive sound via reflections, then the immersive audio experience is improved, but undesired energy leaks into the listening area via direct paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the front-facing speakers to generate canceling signals that actively counteract the harmful direct path leakage from side/upward-facing speakers. The harmful acoustic energy is converted into a beneficial cancellation effect by using the same front-facing speakers that normally deliver audio content to create anti-phase signals that neutralize the leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by generating canceling signals in advance that are specifically designed to counteract the expected direct path leakage from side/upward-facing speakers. The filters process the audio signals to create anti-phase components before they reach the listening area, preventing the harmful effect rather than correcting it afterward.
2Productivity
If non-front-facing speakers transmit audio signals along direct paths, then the audio signal reaches the listening area, but sound localization becomes difficult and listening area is narrowed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful direct path component from the overall audio signal by using filters to separate and cancel only the leakage portion that travels via direct paths. This allows the desired audio signal to be delivered while removing the specific component that degrades sound localization and narrows the listening area.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If front-facing speakers apply attenuating signals, then undesired leakage energy is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The front-facing speakers perform multiple functions: they deliver the primary audio content to the listening area while simultaneously generating canceling signals to reduce direct path leakage from side/upward-facing speakers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated cancellation speakers, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the audio delivery function and the leakage cancellation function into the same front-facing speakers. By combining these functions, the system avoids adding separate cancellation speaker arrays, thus achieving leakage reduction while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity.
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 significantly reduces undesired leakage energy, broadening the listening area and improving the immersive audio experience by allowing listeners to perceive sound as originating from virtual sources beyond the physical extent of the speakers, addressing multiple listeners and enhancing sound localization.
Implementation Method 1
the non-front-facing speaker configured to transmit the input audio signal such that the input audio signal acoustically propagates along a direct path to the listening area
Implementation Method 2
each filter in the plurality of filters is configured to: generate an attenuating signal and apply the attenuating signal to a corresponding front-facing speaker, where the plurality of attenuating signals collectively attenuate the input audio signal acoustically propagated by the non-front-facing speaker
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of systems and methods are described for reducing undesired leakage energy produced by a non-front-facing speaker in a multi-speaker system. For example, the multi-speaker system can include an array of forward-facing speakers, one or more upward-facing speakers, and/or one or more side-facing speakers. Filters coupled to any two of the speakers in the multi-speaker system can generate audio signals output by the coupled speakers to reduce, attenuate, or cancel a portion of an audio signal output by one or more non-front-facing speakers that acoustically propagates along a direct path from the respective non-front-facing speaker to a listening position in a listening area in front of the multi-speaker system.