Apple Inc.

Facebook Technologies, LLC

Simon K Porter

John H Sheerin

Ethan Larry Huwe

Glenn K Trainer

Jason C Della Rosa

Christopher J Stringer

Molly J Anderson

Jun Qi

Craig Matthew Stanley

Erik L Wang

Sean Thomas McIntosh

Martin E Johnson

Sylvain J Choisel

Afrooz Family

Richard Michael Powell

John C Stewart

Joel Bernard Jacobs

Joseph Patrick Sullivan

Rong Liu

Benjamin A Cousins

Suzanne Hardy

Eric A Allamanche

Peter Allan Chase Newbury

Samuel G Parker

Clare Regimbal Long

Jesse A Lippert

Javier Mendez

Rex Price

David A Sumberg

Meiting Wu

Jacob A Pfitsch

Yupin Sun

Sean T Mcintosh

Jason W Brinsfield

Loudspeakers are described that may reduce comb filtering effects perceived by a listener by either 1) moving transducers closer to a sound reflective surface (e.g., a baseplate, a tabletop or a floor) through vertical (height) or rotational adjustments of the transducers or 2) guiding sound produced by the transducers to be released into the listening area proximate to the reflective surface through the use of horns and openings that are at a prescribed distance from the reflective surface. The reduction of this distance between the reflective surface and the point at which sound emitted by the transducers is released into the listening area may lead to shorter reflected path that reduces comb filtering effects caused by reflected sounds that are delayed relative to the direct sound. Accordingly, the loudspeakers shown and described may be placed on reflective surfaces without severe audio coloration caused by reflected sounds.

Loudspeaker with reduced audio coloration caused by reflections from a surface

A voice-controlled electronic device that includes a device housing having a longitudinal axis bisecting opposing top and bottom surfaces and a side surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The device can further include one or more microphones disposed within the device housing and distributed radially around the longitudinal axis; a processor configured to execute computer instructions stored in a computer-readable memory for interacting with a user and processing voice commands received by the one or more microphones and first transducer and second transducers configured to generate sound waves within different frequency ranges.

Voice-controlled electronic device

A voice-controlled electronic device that includes an axisymmetric device housing having a longitudinal axis bisecting opposing top and bottom surfaces and a side surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The device can further include a plurality of microphones disposed within the device housing and distributed radially around the longitudinal axis; a processor configured to execute computer instructions stored in a computer-readable memory for interacting with a user and processing voice commands received by the plurality of microphones and first and second transducers configured to generate sound waves within different frequency ranges.

This disclosure relates to speakers and more specifically to an array speaker for distributing music uniformly across a room. A number of audio drivers can be radially distributed within a speaker housing so that an output of the drivers is distributed evenly throughout the room. In some embodiments, the exit geometry of the audio drivers can be configured to bounce off a surface supporting the array speaker to improve the distribution of music throughout the room. The array speaker can include a number of vibration isolation elements distributed within a housing of the array speaker. The vibration isolation elements can be configured reduce the strength of forces generated by a subwoofer of the array speaker.

Audio driver and power supply unit architecture

An audio assembly provides audio content to a user. The audio assembly comprises an elongated body, a negative vent assembly, and a positive vent assembly. The elongated body includes an audio waveguide. The negative vent assembly is coupled to the elongated body and includes at least one negative vent that vents negative acoustic pressure waves generated by a back surface of a transducer coupled to a first end of the audio waveguide. The positive vent assembly is part of the elongated body and is coupled to a second end of the audio waveguide. The positive vent assembly includes at least one positive vent that vents positive acoustic pressure waves generated by a front surface of the transducer.

Headset dipole audio assembly

This disclosure relates to speakers and more specifically to an array speaker for distributing music uniformly across a room. A number of audio drivers can be radially distributed within a speaker housing so that an output of the drivers is distributed evenly throughout the room. In some embodiments, the exit geometry of the audio drivers can be configured to bounce off a surface supporting the array speaker to improve the distribution of music throughout the room. The array speaker can include a number of vibration isolation elements distributed within a housing of the array speaker. The vibration isolation elements can be configured to reduce the strength of forces generated by a subwoofer of the array speaker.

Adaptive array speaker

Cantilevered foot for electronic device

A method for using a loudspeaker array that is housed in a loudspeaker cabinet to present audio content to a listener in a room includes receiving (1) an audio channel that includes audio content and (2) acoustical characteristics of the room. The method also produces (1) a first beamformer input signal from the audio channel and (2) a second beamformer input signal and a third beamformer input signal by decorrelating the audio channel and adjusting the audio channel in accordance with the acoustical characteristics of the room. The second and third beamformer input signals are different de-correlated versions of the audio channel. The method also generates driver signals from the first, second, and third beamformer input signals to drive the loudspeaker array to produce a main beam, a first ambient beam, and a second ambient beam, respectively. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Active reverberation augmentation

A microphone equalization system determines an equalization filter which is used to spectrally shape a signal from a microphone. A loudspeaker has an enclosure, a back volume, a driver diaphragm, and a sensor located inside the back volume. An external microphone is located outside the loudspeaker. A processor determines the equalization filter based on comparison of a first signal from an output of the sensor and a second signal from an output of the external microphone both of which are produced while the driver diaphragm produces acoustic pressure waves produced by the driver diaphragm. The processor is to then spectrally shape a third signal from the output of the external microphone that is responsive to further acoustic pressure waves from a source other than the loudspeaker. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Microphone equalization for room acoustics

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Simon K Porter