Speaker Coupling System with Automatic Master-Slave Role Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sound systems fail to effectively expand the 'sweet spot' for a wider stereo effect and do not facilitate easy audio sharing from portable players, such as MP3 players, in large listening areas with minimal user intervention.
Innovation Solution
A sound system comprising a coupling apparatus and speaker apparatuses that can be configured as master or slave devices, allowing for flexible coupling and processing of audio signals, enabling wider stereo effects and efficient audio sharing through the use of a sensor portion to determine coupling configurations and modulate light emission based on audio characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional sound systems use fixed master-slave configuration, then system simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different coupling configurations is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The speaker apparatus automatically determines its own role (master or slave) by detecting which end of the coupling apparatus is connected to it. The sensor portion detects the coupling configuration and the processing portion automatically configures the audio signal flow accordingly, without requiring manual user intervention or complex external configuration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor portion provides feedback about the physical coupling configuration to the processing portion, which then adjusts the audio signal routing. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt its behavior based on the detected coupling state, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If speaker apparatuses are coupled in series through a coupling apparatus, then wider stereo effect is achieved, but difficulty in determining master-slave configuration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling apparatus has structurally different first and second end portions, creating an asymmetric physical connection. The sensor portion detects this asymmetric configuration to automatically determine which speaker apparatus should be the master and which should be the slave, eliminating the need for complex manual configuration or ambiguous symmetric connections.
3Area of stationary object
If audio signals are processed through multiple speaker apparatuses, then audio sharing in large areas is enabled, but signal processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal processing is segmented and distributed across multiple speaker apparatuses based on their automatically determined master-slave roles. The master apparatus receives audio signals from the source module and processes them appropriately, while slave apparatuses receive processed signals from the master through the coupling apparatus. This segmentation enables wide area audio sharing without requiring complex centralized processing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
A sound system is provided. The sound system can include one or more speaker apparatuses and one or more coupling apparatuses. The sound system can include a first speaker apparatus coupled with a second- speaker apparatus by a coupling apparatus. Either the first speaker apparatus or the second speaker apparatus can be identified as a "master device" depending on how the first and second speaker apparatuses are coupled by the coupling apparatus. If one speaker apparatuses 102 is identified has been identified as a "master device" (e.g., the first speaker apparatus 102a) the remaining speaker apparatuses 102 (e.g., the second speaker apparatus 102b) can, for example, be identified as slave devices. Audio signals are communicated from the source module 108 to only a master device.