Directional Ultrasonic Emitter with Time-Delayed Isolated Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasonic audio systems lack the ability to accurately direct and focus audio-modulated ultrasonic signals to specific locations, especially as listeners move within a listening environment, leading to inefficiencies in audio delivery and potential privacy issues.
Innovation Solution
A directional ultrasonic emitter system with electrically isolated sections and a time delay module that adjusts the relative delays of audio content signals to steer and focus the ultrasonic beam towards intended listeners, utilizing a location tracking module and identification-specific sensors to ensure precise audio delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional ultrasonic emitter is used, then audio content can be transmitted, but the system cannot accurately direct or focus the ultrasonic beam to specific locations or track moving listeners
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic emitter is divided into multiple electrically isolated sections that can be independently controlled. Each section receives audio content signals with different time delays, enabling electronic beam steering and focusing without mechanical movement. This segmentation allows precise directional control while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the time delays applied to audio content signals sent to each emitter section based on the real-time location of the listener. As the listener moves, the beam direction is dynamically steered to track the listener, achieving adaptive audio delivery without mechanical repositioning of the emitter.
2Ease of operation
If time delay adjustments are made for each emitter section, then beam directionality and focusing are improved, but the system complexity increases due to multiple isolated sections and delay control
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the time delay parameter for each emitter section based on the listener's location. By adjusting this single parameter dynamically, the beam direction and focus are controlled without requiring complex mechanical structures or additional hardware components, simplifying the overall system while achieving precise audio delivery.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the ultrasonic beam is directed to a fixed location, then audio privacy is improved, but the system cannot adapt when listeners move within the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses location sensors to continuously monitor the listener's position and feeds this information back to the signal processing module. The feedback loop enables real-time adjustment of beam direction to track the listener's movement, maintaining audio privacy while adapting to changing listener positions without significant time delay.
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
Enables precise directionality and focusing of ultrasonic audio signals, ensuring that audio content is delivered effectively to specific listeners while maintaining privacy and adaptability as listeners move within the environment.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic emitter including a plurality of electrically isolated sections, each section having an input electrically coupled to receive one of the individual instances of the audio content signal, and configured to emit an audio-modulated ultrasonic signal from each of the plurality of electrically isolated sections
Implementation Method 2
Non-linear transduction results from the introduction of sufficiently intense, audio-modulated ultrasonic signals into an air column. Self-demodulation, or down-conversion, occurs along the air column resulting in the production of an audible acoustic signal.
Implementation Method 3
Parametric audio reproduction systems produce sound through the heterodyning of two acoustic signals in a non-linear process that occurs in a medium such as air. The acoustic signals are typically in the ultrasound frequency range.
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic audio system includes a location sensor includes a location tracking module configured to receive information from the location sensor and to determine a location of a listener in a listening environment; a time delay module configured to receive audio content and to generate a plurality of audio content signals, the generated audio content signals comprising a plurality of individual instances of the audio content signal each instance delayed in time relative to the other instances of the audio content signals; and an ultrasonic emitter comprising a plurality of electrically isolated sections, each section having an input electrically coupled to receive one of the individual instances of the audio content signal, and configured to emit an audio-modulated ultrasonic signal from each of the plurality of electrically isolated sections.