Patent Application
20050122067
The present invention relates to a system for providing a sense of motion and more particularly to seating including transducers for generating seating motion, and a wireless link to a signal source.
Many enhancements to the audio and audio visual entertainment experience have become available in recent years. Dolby Surround Sound provides five or more independent sound tracks to create a theater like experience for home movie viewing. The Stereo Retrieval System (SRS) developed by Arnold Klayman takes advantage to psycho-acoustic effects to create an impression of fuller three dimensional sound for a listener based on the manner in which the human brain interprets sound. Additionally, sub-woofer channels may be provided to create high power, low frequency signals which are both heard, and felt, thereby enhancing the entertainment experience.
Some efforts have been made to integrate transducers directly into seating to provide a more direct low frequency motion experience. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,403 issued May 24, 1994 for “Apparatus for the enhancement of the enjoyment of the extremely low frequency component of music, ” teaches a motion device for enhancing enjoyment of electronically reproduced music. The '403 patent describes a chair with liquid-filled bladders coupled to transducers such as electromagnetic driver assemblies responsive to audio-frequency electrical signals. Other devices such as the Bass Shaker made by AURA Sound, 2335 Alaska Ave, El Segundo, Calif. 90245 or the Buttkicker® shacker, made by The Guitammer Company Inc., Post Office Box 82, Westerville, Ohio 43086, are adapted to mount on existing seating to reproduce the “feeling” of many natural and man-made sounds, such as earthquakes, thunderstorms, rocket launches, waves, explosions, tornadoes, volcanoes, dinosaurs, sound effects, all styles of music, and the like.
Although existing devices have provided some degree of enhanced motion experience, they have failed to provide an integrated system. Such existing devices require running wires from an audio source to the device. In many cases, it is inconvenient or unattractive to run such wiring. Also, the lack of an integrated control for such devices results in degraded ergonomics and detracts from the appeal to a user. What is therefore needed is an integrated wireless action seating providing motion to accompany the audio or audio visual entertainment experience.
The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing action seating receiving a wireless signal from source equipment. In response to the wireless signal, the action seating generates motion associated with audio and/or visual presentations including music, television, movies, training systems, video games, and the like. The wireless signal may be provided over an Infra Red (IR) link, Radio Frequency (RF) link, or signal superimposed on home power wiring, to transmit a signal from the source equipment to the action seating. The action seating may further include an integrated control for controlling, for example, levels of motion. In one embodiment, a concealable control panel deploys from an armrest, which control panel may include a display providing control parameter values.
In one embodiment, the action seating of the present invention includes at least one seating, a receiver for receiving a wireless signal and generating an input signal, a signal processor for converting the input signal into at least one transducer signal, and at least one transducer for receiving the at least one transducer signal and providing motion to the seating responsive to the transducer signal. A preferable range of frequencies for the motion of the seating is between 5 Hz and 400 Hz, and the signal processor may include electrical circuits to filter (e.g., band pass filtering) the input signal to obtain the preferred frequency range. The signal processor may further color the transducer signal to emphasize a portion of the frequency range, for example a lower portion of the frequency range may receive greater emphasis than a higher portion of the frequency range. The action seating may further include one or more amplifiers for amplifying a low level transducer signal to generate a high level transducer signal for powering the transducer(s). Such amplifiers are generally know as power amplifiers. The action seating may also include a control center having a control panel and at least one control for controlling motion parameters, for example, the level of the motion created by the transducer(s). The control center may further include a display for displaying control parameter information, or alternatively or selectively, displaying various motion parameters such as the spectral content of the transducer signal(s). The wireless signal may be provided to the action seating over an Infra Red (IR) link, a Radio Frequency (RF) link, or by transmitting the wireless signal over home power wiring. A transmitter may be adapted for receiving a source signal originating from at least one member of a group consisting of a television, a stereo, an audio amplifier, an audio/video amplifier, a game set, and the like, converting the source signal into a wireless signal, and transmitting the wireless signal to the receiver. The source signal may further be extracted from a power amplifier speaker level output. Such action seating may provide motion to a listen and/or viewer to enhance an entertainment experience, or to a game player to enhance the game playing experience. The present invention may also provide a more realistic training experience. The present invention advantageously provides a wireless link between a source and the action seating, thereby eliminating cumbersome and visually displeasing cables, and provides an integrated control panel to eliminate the unattractive appearance of add-on controls.
The present invention further includes a method for providing a sensation of motion, comprising wirelessly receiving a wireless signal, processing the wireless signal to generate at least one transducer signal, and powering at least one transducer with the transducer signal, wherein the at least one transducer mechanically cooperates with a seating surface. The present invention may include deriving the wireless signal from an audio system, an audio-video system, a game system, or the like. The present invention may further include adjusting the spectral content, using for example a graphic equalizer, of the transducer signal.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.
The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.
The action seating 10 of the present invention may be used in cooperation with various source equipment, for example, a television 14 as shown in
A diagram of an example of the components of the action seating 10 in cooperation with source equipment comprising an audio-video system 1a, is shown in
Continuing with
The number of transducers included in the action seating may vary based on the size of the action seating, and on the amount of motion to be provided, and an action seating with any number of transducers is intended to come within the scope of the present invention. The number of low level signals, amplifiers, and high level transducer signals may also vary. For example, a single low level transducer signal may be provided to one or more amplifiers, and the high level transducer signal output by one or more amplifiers may be provided to one or more transducers. Further, different magnitudes of signals may be provided to transducers connected to substantially horizontal and substantially vertical cushions, and other magnitudes of signals may be provided in side cushions. The transducers may be connected to cushions by dedicated mechanical actuators, be mechanically attached to the frame supporting the cushions, be directly attached to the cushions, or be inside the cushions. An action seating with any of the above mentioned combinations is intended to come within the scope of the present invention.
The signal processing performed by the receiver/signal processor 26 to generate the signals 28a and 28b may be controlled by a control center 46 through a control signal 47. Such control may include the level of motion (i.e., power provided to the transducers), relative levels of power to different transducers, spectral content of power signals provided to different transducers (i.e., a graphic equalizer), or any other control signal.
The transmitter 24 is preferably an RF transmitter. RF transmitters are known in the art, such as the TERK LF-20S Wireless Stereo Audio and Color Video Transmitter System manufactured by TERK Technologies; 63 Mall Drive Commack N.Y., and the JENSEN JV-2400 Wireless Audio/Video Signal Sender manufactured by Jensen Electronics. Such RF transmitters may be used to wirelessly transmit signals from source equipment to the action seating, or the electrical components of such transmitters, or equivalent circuits, may be incorporated in the action seating.
A diagram of an example of the components of the action seating 10 in cooperation with source equipment comprising a game system 11b, is shown in
An exemplar action seating embodied in an action couch 10a is shown in
An exemplar control center 46 of the present invention is shown in
An example of a the display 54 presenting the results of graphic equalization or frequency coloring is shown in
An example of a method according to the present invention is described in
A second method according to the present invention, and practiced in cooperation with the first method, is described in
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.
Information as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described object of the invention, the present preferred embodiment of the invention, and is, thus, representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention. The scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and is to be limited, accordingly, by nothing other than the appended claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment and additional embodiments that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are hereby expressly incorporated by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims.
Moreover, no requirement exists for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be resolved by the present invention, for such to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. However, one skilled in the art should recognize that various changes and modifications in form and material details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventiveness as set forth in the appended claims. No claim herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.”
