Patent Application
20110048842
Embodiments of the present subject matter generally relate to a device, system and method for reproducing sound. It is desirable in many cases to integrate sound information into everyday life. For example, printed products such as magazines, packages, books, greeting cards and the like may provide a sound track that gives the printed product an additional function as a sound reproducing apparatus thereby supplementing any visual information with acoustic information.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,997,306, entitled, “Book with Talking Pages,” and U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,680, entitled, “Sound Illustrated Book,” generally discloses a sound track incorporated into the pages of the book by embossing or affixing a stiff material of paper or plastic onto the page, the material having etchings being perpendicular to the direction of travel of a sound reader, e.g., a fingernail, zipper mechanism or other reader. Other similar references also include U.S. Pat. No. 695,159, entitled, “Apparatus for Reproducing Sounds,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,926, entitled “Embossed Sound Track,” and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2004/0074799, entitled, “Pouch with Sound Strip,” each of which provide similar compressible or multilayered sound strips. Each of these listed references are incompatible with producing sound in a more environmentally challenging scenario such as the production of sound for vehicular traffic.
Other references have addressed this need. For example, Japanese Pat. Pub. No. JP02008401, entitled, “Acoustic Road,” generally discloses a system having trench zones and flat zones, each of which are perpendicular to the travel of a wheeled vehicle. Each of these trench zones has a shape corresponding to a desired sound and content volume in a specified unit length. The flat zones are formed among the trench zones and correspond to a desired rhythm. Thus, when a vehicle travels on a pavement surface having these trench zones at a predetermined speed, music only in the form of tones may be produced. Because of limitations in its design, this reference, however, cannot be utilized to verbally instruct or direct occupants or users of a vehicle or provide advertisements thereto. Recordings of the human voice and more exact audio reproductions than just tones are not possible.
Thus, there is an unmet need to provide directions, instructions, warnings, advertisements, and other verbal/musical sounds to occupants or users of wheeled vehicles.
One embodiment of the present subject matter provides a device for reproducing sound. The device may include an elongated strip of material having a ridge substantially extending the length and width thereof, where the elevation of the ridge varies along the length of the elongated strip to produce sound when contacted by a wheel of a vehicle travelling substantially along the length of the elongated strip.
Another embodiment of the present subject matter may provide another device for reproducing sound. The device may include an elongated strip of material having a channel substantially extending down the length of the elongated strip, where a portion of the channel varies elevationally and laterally to produce sound when contacted by a wheel of a vehicle travelling substantially along the length of the elongated strip.
A further embodiment of the present subject matter provides a system for reproducing sound. The system may include a surface having a first channel etched therein, and an elongated strip of material affixed in the first channel. The elongated strip may include a second channel substantially extending down the length and width of the elongated strip where the second channel varies elevationally along the length of the elongated strip to produce sound when contacted by a wheel of a vehicle travelling substantially along the length of the elongated strip.
One embodiment of the present subject matter provides another system for reproducing sound. The system may include a surface having a first channel etched therein, and an elongated strip of material affixed in the first channel. The elongated strip may have a second channel substantially extending down the length the elongated strip where the second channel varies elevationally and laterally to produce sound when contacted by a wheel of a vehicle travelling substantially along the length of the elongated strip.
Another embodiment of the present subject matter provides a method for reproducing sound. The method may comprise providing a surface upon which vehicular traffic can travel, and affixing an elongated strip of material to the surface. The elongated strip may include a ridge substantially extending the length and width of the elongated strip, where the ridge has an elevation varying along the length of the elongated strip. The method may also comprise producing sound when the elongated strip is contacted by a wheel of a vehicle travelling along the length of the elongated strip.
An additional embodiment of the present subject matter provides a method for reproducing sound. The method may comprise providing a surface upon which vehicular traffic can travel, and embedding an elongated strip of material into the surface. The elongated strip may include a channel substantially extending the length of the elongated strip where the channel has a trough that varies elevationally by a plurality of gradual rises and falls along the length of the elongated strip and has one or more walls that vary laterally by a plurality of gradual excursions and incursions out from or towards a longitudinal centerline of the channel along the length of the elongated strip. The method may also comprise producing sound when the elongated strip is contacted by a wheel of a vehicle travelling along the length of the elongated strip.
These embodiments and many other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the embodiments.
Various aspects of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying exemplary non-limiting embodiments.
a is a cross section of the embodiment of
b is a cross section of the embodiment of
a-6c are top plan depictions of a plurality of exemplary channels placed side-by-side.
With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate an understanding of the present subject matter, the various embodiments of a system, device and method for providing audible sounds from a surface are herein described.
With continued reference to
These prerecorded sounds may be audible to occupants and users of wheeled vehicles having one or more wheels in contact with the device 100. Additionally, as the wheeled vehicle varies its speed, the frequency of any produced sound may also vary with the speed of the vehicle. Thus, it is envisioned that speed signs or other visual informative signals may be provided on respective portions of a roadway or sidewalk to alert users of vehicles of a proper speed to hear the auditory directions, advertisements, etc.
The device 100 may be affixed to a substantially planar surface 140 using a bonding mechanism such as, but not limited to, adhesives, glues, spikes, bolts, other mechanical fasteners, etc. Exemplary surfaces 140 may be, but are not limited to, a sidewalk, roadway, landing strip, or other surface contacted by wheeled vehicles such as a car, Segway, truck, bus, airplane, etc. While not shown, the device 100 may include an elongated substrate, such as a polymer substrate, intermediate the device 100 and surface 140 to which the device 100 is affixed. This substrate may act as an interface between the device 100 and surface 140 and account for any differences in thermal expansion and contraction between the device and surface materials. In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the device 100 may be embedded in the surface 140.
In another embodiment of the present subject matter, cars and other vehicles having one or two axles may have the right front tire produced or retrofitted with a rigid rod of steel leading directly to an interior air motion transformer (similar to analog record players) and in accordance with analog acoustic telegraphing, provide a louder audio experience from the road and into the cabin or simply a louder report for a Segway driver.
In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, the vehicle may be produced or retrofitted, in the case of a vehicle having two axles, with a fifth, smaller, transmitter wheel extruding from the right front of the vehicle and acting as a needle in a record groove. The fifth wheel leads via an acoustically conductive rigidity (or material) to an interior air motion transformer. This wheel assembly may in one embodiment contain a separate shock absorption method from the other wheels of the vehicle. In the case of the Segway, this may be a third wheel off one of the two wheels. In both cases, however, this wheel may also have built into its assembly, a swivel and/or a spanner that generally allow for driver error in keeping the wheel in a groove(s) of an embodiment of the present subject matter.
Further embodiments of the present subject matter may also be employed in low speed situations to encompass the use of exemplary devices for a wheelchair. Such a vehicle may, in one embodiment, have a tire acting as a stylus-transmitter or may be fitted with a ferrule utilized as the stylus-transmitter as a ‘dragged’ identification cane for the blind. In such embodiments, the tire or stylus-transmitter may contact or engage exemplary devices and provide directions, instructions, or other prerecorded audio to users of the wheelchair.
In another embodiment, the elevation of the trough 406 may vary by a plurality of gradual and/or sharp rises and falls along the length of the channel 405. Further, the one or more of the walls 407 of the channel 405 may vary laterally by a plurality of gradual excursions and incursions out from or towards a longitudinal centerline of the channel 405 along the length thereof. A plurality of elevations and depressions in the trough 406 may be designed in combination (or not) with a plurality of excursions and incursions of the walls 407 to produce predetermined sounds such as a voice, chordal music, a melody, both a voice and melody, an advertisement, a warning, directions, and combinations thereof. These predetermined sounds may be audible to occupants and users of wheeled vehicles having one or more wheels in contact with the device 400. Additionally, as the wheeled vehicle varies its speed, the frequency of any produced sound may also vary with the speed of the vehicle. Thus, it is envisioned that speed signs or other visual informative signals may be provided on respective portions of a roadway or sidewalk to alert users of vehicles of a proper speed to hear the auditory directions, advertisements, etc.
The device 400 may be affixed to a substantially planar surface 440 using a bonding mechanism such as, but not limited to, adhesives, glues, spikes, bolts, other mechanical fasteners, etc. Exemplary surfaces 440 may be, but are not limited to, a sidewalk, roadway, landing strip, or other surface contacted by wheeled vehicles such as a car, Segway, truck, bus, airplane, etc. While not shown, the device 400 may include an elongated substrate, such as a polymer substrate, intermediate the device 400 and surface 440 to which the device 400 is affixed. This substrate may act as an interface between the device 400 and surface 440 and account for any differences in thermal expansion and contraction between the device and surface materials. In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the device 400 may be embedded in the surface 440.
a-6c are top plan depictions of a plurality of exemplary channels placed side-by-side. With reference to
Devices according to embodiments of the present subject matter, whether the embodiments include channels, ridges, etc., may be fabricated by any known means. For example, one may utilize engineering software to create one or more casts or engravings wherein, for a predetermined speed, an exemplary device may be cast/manufactured with varying dimensions for the ridges and/or channels to produce predetermined sounds such as a voice, chordal music, a melody, both a voice and melody, an advertisement, a warning, directions, and combinations thereof.
As shown by the various configurations and embodiments illustrated in
While preferred embodiments of the present subject matter have been described, it is to be understood that the embodiments described are illustrative only and that the scope of the invention is to be defined solely by the appended claims when accorded a full range of equivalence, many variations and modifications naturally occurring to those of skill in the art from a perusal hereof.
