Speaker Directivity Control Using Virtual Array Delay Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sound systems face challenges in achieving high accuracy directivity control and ease of installation, particularly when forming large sound fields, due to complex mechanical structures and increased weight, which hinder timely and precise sound delivery to moving audiences.
Innovation Solution
A directivity control system that virtually arrays speaker units at defined angles using calculated delay time data, allowing sound to be focused or diffused without physical rotation of the speakers, enabling precise control of sound fields with reduced processing load and increased flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If speaker units are mechanically rotated to achieve desired connection postures, then directivity control accuracy is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical rotation system with an electronic signal processing system. Instead of physically rotating speaker units to change their orientation, the system uses delay amount calculations and phase control of audio signals to achieve the same directivity control effect. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical structures including connection members with protrusions and holes, drive units for rotation, and associated control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from physical orientation angles to audio signal phase and delay parameters. By calculating delay amounts based on desired sound emission directions and connection postures, and applying phase adjustments to audio signals, the system achieves directivity control through parameter modification rather than mechanical reconfiguration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If speaker units are mechanically rotated for connection, then installation flexibility is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to manual movement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical assembly operations with automated electronic configuration. The connection posture detecting means automatically detects the relative positions of speaker units, and the control means automatically calculates and applies the appropriate delay amounts and phase adjustments, eliminating the need for manual movement and alignment of speaker units during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-configuration by automatically detecting connection postures and calculating appropriate signal processing parameters. The control means autonomously determines delay amounts and phase adjustments based on detected spatial relationships, without requiring manual intervention for alignment or configuration.
3Ease of operation
If drive units are added for mechanical rotation, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for drive units by replacing the mechanical rotation approach with electronic signal processing. The system achieves reconfigurability through software-based delay and phase control rather than hardware-based mechanical actuation, removing motors, gears, sensors for position feedback, and associated control electronics.
4Area of stationary object
If the number of flat speakers is increased to cover wide areas, then sound field coverage is improved, but weight and transportation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sound field coverage function across multiple fixed speaker units, each contributing to the overall wide-area coverage through coordinated signal processing. By using delay amounts and phase control, each speaker unit can be optimized for its local coverage while collectively achieving wide-area sound field formation, avoiding the need to increase the size and weight of individual units.
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 controls directivity to form desired sound fields with high accuracy and flexibility, reducing installation workload and enabling timely sound delivery to moving audiences without the need for mechanical rotation of speakers.
Implementation Method 1
each module controller performs wavefront synthesis for the acoustic transducers of each assembly unit by using audio signals and related data, so that the acoustic transducers are ensured to be activated in the assembly unit by an actuation signal corresponding to the synthesis
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure of the present specification aims to provide a directivity control system for speakers, which is capable of easily controlling directivity of acoustic data to provide desired sound fields with a plurality of speakers, and freely producing sound fields with high accuracy. A plurality of physically connected speaker units are virtually arrayed at respective directivity angles according to control signals that define the directivity angles. Virtual delay time data is calculated for the case where data is outputted with the virtual array, and output is performed according to output data affected by the delay time data, so that desired sound fields can be formed with the speaker units remaining fixed, without the necessity of mechanically rotating the speaker units.