Patent Application
20050058314
The present invention relates to surround sound systems and methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to surround sound tower systems and methods. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to surround sound positioning tower systems and methods.
Installing a home theater system which recreates the acoustic experience of any given soundtrack is vital to meeting the electronic consumer's expectations. Current art home theater surround sound systems typically involve compact disc/digital video disc (CD/DVD) players or changers, audio/visual (A/V) receivers, tuners, equalizers, headphones, satellite speakers, center channel speakers, woofers or subwoofers disposed in a fixedly mounted rectanguloid housing. Other current art home theater systems involve highly specialized installation/orientation features which require extensive technical training and are, thus, not well-suited for use by the average electronics consumer. One such current art home theater system involves a laser-based alignment tool being magnetically attached to a base plate; stacker discs for incrementally varying the height of the base plate; a speaker baffle; a beam splitter; a line lens; and a protractor plate. These complex components require some training and are used for optimizing speaker installation for a given set of room dimensions and conditions. The current art laser-based alignment tool does not allow for flexibility of room geometry nor for facilitating human factors in its use. Therefore, a need is seen to exist for a surround sound positioning tower system and method having a positioning feature for customizing sound direction and constructive interference patterns by the average electronics consumer, especially in a home theater.
The present invention surround sound system and method addresses the current need for a surround sound positioning tower system and method having a positioning feature for customizing sound direction and constructive interference patterns by the average electronics consumer, especially in a home theater. The present invention system facilitates consistent geometric alignment of a multi-channel sound system and is integrated into any type of speaker system. The present invention surround sound system has a surround sound tower being vertically disposed, a base plate being horizontally disposed, and a structure for positioning the surround sound tower on the base plate. The surround sound tower is mounted on, and normal to, the positioning structure. The positioning structure has a structure for indicating an angular rotation of the surround sound tower relative to the base plate and a structure for facilitating rotation of the angular rotation indicating structure. The angular rotation indicating structure has a pointer plate with a visible marking, e.g., a calibrating dial. The facilitating structure has a plurality of ball bearings. The base plate has a plurality of angular indications, e.g., reference center points and calibrated angular indications, such as small lines every 5 degrees and large lines every 10 degrees with a range of at least 180 degrees, for precisely orienting or positioning the tower. The surround sound tower has at least one feature. The sub-woofer module has a sub-woofer and a detachable permeable sub-woofer housing disposed around the sub-woofer. The tweeter module has a tweeter and a detachable permeable tweeter housing disposed around the tweeter. The detachable permeable sub-woofer housing has a nested configuration and is pegged to base plate. The present invention system also has a binding post disposed at a rear surface of the tower for electronically coupling the tower to the positioning structure and a structure for indicating a sonic intensity. The sonic intensity indicating structure is a light pipe. Such light pipe is disposed on a rear side of the tower for producing an aura visual effect when frontally viewed.
At least one surround sound system is simply configured in a home theater environment for customizing sound direction and constructive interference patterns by the average electronics consumer, because each system has its own positioning structure, whereby repeatability is provided for any given prior positioning selection in the event that the at least one system becomes disoriented, e.g., by a seismic event. The present invention system further has simulation software for generating precise geometric data; and electromechanical actuators, receiving the generated data, for facilitating customizing and optimizing sound direction and constructive interference patterns by the average electronics consumer, given the room dimensions and furniture configuration.
The present invention surround sound method involves the steps of providing a surround sound tower being vertically disposed, providing a base plate being horizontally disposed, and providing structure for positioning the surround sound tower on the base plate. The surround sound tower is mounted on, and normal to, the positioning structure, as discussed, supra. Further details with respect to the present method are discussed, infra.
The present invention method further involves disposing the at least one system in a room by using a tape measure, a string, a rope, or any other tension structure for defining a reference line between any given two systems, aligning the at least one positioning structure of the at least one system to the reference line, thereby precisely disposing the at least one system at a uniform distance from a listening position, and thereby providing repeatability for any given prior positioning selection in the event that the at least one system becomes disoriented, e.g., by a seismic event. The present invention method further involves providing simulation software for generating precise geometric da and providing electromechanical actuators, receiving the generated data, for facilitating customizing and possibly optimizing sound direction and constructive interference patterns by the average electronics consumer, given the room dimensions and furniture configuration.
Advantages include simplifying the customization and optimization of sound direction and constructive interference patterns by interactively positioning the sound tower or at least one sound tower and by modular usage of speakers, economizing floor space by vertically disposing the tower(s) on any horizontal surface, such as a shelf, a platform as well as a floor, especially in a home theater environment by the average electronics consumer. Other features of the present invention are disclosed, or are apparent in the section entitled “Detailed Description of the Invention,” disclosed, infra.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the below referenced accompanying Drawing(s). Reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the Drawing(s).
The surround sound tower 10 also has a grill cloth 80 disposed over the center channel speaker 11a or the planar speaker 11b, a side trim 90 disposed on the tower 10, a top cap 100 disposed at a top end of the tower 10, and a bottom cap 110 disposed on the pointer plate 41 as shown in
In the present method M, the step of providing the positioning structure 30 involves the steps of providing structure for indicating an angular rotation 40 of the surround sound tower 10 relative to the base plate 20 and providing a structure for facilitating rotation 50 of the angular rotation indicating means 40. The step of providing the angular rotation indicating structure 40 involves the step of providing a pointer plate 41 having a visible marking 42, e.g., a calibrating dial. The step of providing the facilitating structure 50 involves the step of providing a plurality of ball bearings. The step of horizontally disposing the base plate 20 involves the step of providing a plurality of angular indications 21 thereon formed. The step of vertically disposing the surround sound tower 10 involves the step of further providing at least one feature selected from a group consisting essentially of a center channel speaker 11a, a sub-woofer module 12, and a tweeter module 13. The step of providing the sub-woofer module 12 involves the step of providing a sub-woofer 12a. The step of providing the tweeter module 13 involves the step of providing a tweeter 13a. The step of providing the sub-woofer module 12 further involves providing a detachable permeable sub-woofer housing 12b disposed around the sub-woofer 12a. The step of providing the tweeter module 13 further involves providing a detachable permeable tweeter housing 13b disposed around the tweeter 13a. The step of providing the light pipe 70 involves the step of providing at least one function such as indicating a sonic intensity and providing illumination (
In the method M, the step of providing the surround sound tower 10 also involves the steps of disposing a grill cloth 80 over the center channel speaker 11a or the planar speaker 11b, disposing a side trim 90 on tower 10, disposing a top cap 100 at a top end of the tower 10, and disposing a bottom cap 110 on the pointer plate 41. The steps of providing the tweeter module 13, disposing the grill cloth 80, and disposing the side trim 90 each comprise forming each respective element in a detachable manner. Each of the foregoing steps involves forming each element from at least one material such as a polymer, a wood, a metal, an anodized metal, an alloy, and a composite material. Preferably, the step of disposing the base plate 20 involves providing a material sufficiently heavy, such as a heavy polymer, a heavy wood (e.g., oak, mahogany, maple), a heavy yet non-toxic metal (e.g., cast or forged iron, cast or forged aluminum), a heavy yet non-toxic anodized metal (e.g., aluminum), a heavy yet non-toxic alloy (e.g., steel, cast steel, forged steel), and a heavy composite material, to support the surround sound tower 10. The step of providing the light pipe 70 also involves forming the light pipe 70 from at least one material such as Plexiglass®, Lexan®, optic fibers, a fluorescent light source, an incandescent light source, a phosphorescent light source. The step of providing the plurality of ball bearings 51 also involves providing a lubricant. The step of providing the visible marking 42 involves providing a colored line and possibly a calibrating dial on the pointer plate 41 being collinear with the user-adjusted angular position indicated on the base plate 20 or providing a tapered slot disposed in the pointer plate 41 being locked by, and unlocked from, a detent provided and disposed on the base plate 20.
In the method M, the step of providing the woofer module 12 further involves providing at least one glide structure 72, in accordance with the present invention. The step of providing the glide structure 72 involves providing a smooth material such as Teflon® or any fluorinated polymer. The step of disposing the tower 10 involves providing a grill cloth 80, an amplifier 12c, and fastener 12d, and further involves providing a port tube 12e and a port tube adapter 12f.
Information as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described object of the invention, the presently 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 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, various changes and modifications in form, material, and fabrication detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as set forth in the appended claims should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. 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.”
The present invention applies industrially to surround sound systems and methods. More particularly, the present invention applies industrially to surround sound tower systems and methods. Even more particularly, the present invention applies industrially to surround sound positioning tower systems and methods with respect to home theater environments.
The present continuation-in-part application is related to, and claims priority from, U.S. Ser. No. 10/655,095, entitled “Surround Sound Positioning Tower System and Method” and filed Sep. 3, 2003.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10655095 | Sep 2003 | US |
| Child | 10753760 | Jan 2004 | US |
