TITLE
ELECTROACOUSTICAL TRANSDUCING WITH LOW FREQUENCY AUGMENTING DEVICES
CLAIM OF PRIORITY This application claims priority under 35 USC § 119(e) to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/309,395, filed on December 3, 2002, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to electroacoustical transducing with low frequency augmenting devices, and more particularly to the use of directional arrays with low frequency devices, and still more particularly to the use of directional arrays with low frequency as applied to multimedia entertainment devices.
It is an important object of the invention to provide an improved method for using directional arrays with low frequency augmenting devices and integrating the directional arrays in multimedia entertainment devices, such as gambling machines and video games.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, a method for processing audio signals includes receiving a first channel audio signal; separating the first audio channel signal into a first channel first spectral portion and a first channel second spectral portion. The method further includes a first processing, of the first channel signal first spectral portion, according to a first process represented by a first non-unity non-zero transfer function to provide a first channel first processed signal; a second processing, of the first channel first spectral portion, according to a second process represented by a second transfer function, different from the first transfer function, to provide a first channel second processed signal; and combining the first channel first processed signal and the first channel second spectral portion to provide a first channel first combined signal. The method still further includes transducing, by a first electroacoustical transducer, the first combined signal; combining the first channel second processed signal and the first
channel second spectral portion to provide a first channel second combined signal; and transducing, by a second electroacoustical transducer, the second combined signal.
In another aspect of the invention, method for processing a multichannel audio signal, includes separating a first audio channel signal stream into a first channel first spectral portion and a first channel second spectral portion; separating a second audio channel signal stream into a second first spectral portion and a second channel second spectral portion; processing the first channel signal first spectral portion according to a first process represented by a first non-unity non-zero transfer function to provide a first processed signal; processing the first audio channel signal first spectral portion according to a second process represented by a second transfer function different from the first transfer function to provide a second processed signal; processing the second channel first spectral portion according to a third process represented by a third non-unity non-zero transfer function to provide a third processed signal; and processing the second channel signal first spectral portion according to a fourth process represented by a fourth transfer function different from the third transfer function to provide a fourth processed signal. The method further includes combining the first channel second spectral portion and the second channel second spectral portion to provide a combined first channel second spectral portion; and transducing, by a first electroacoustical transducer, the first channel combined second spectral portion and a one of the first channel first processed signal, the first channel second processed signal, the first channel third processed signal and the first channel fourth processed signal.
In another aspect of the invention, an electroacoustical device includes a first directional array. The first directional array includes a first electroacoustical transducer and a second electroacoustical transducer. The first and second electroacoustical transducers each includes a first radiating surface and a second radiating surface. The device further includes a low frequency augmenting structure having an interior and an exterior wherein the electroacoustical device is constructed and arranged so that the first electroacoustical transducer first radiating surface and the second electroacoustical transducer first radiating surface face a surrounding environment and so that the first
electroacoustical transducer second radiating surface and the second electroacoustical transducer second radiating surface face the low frequency augmenting structure interior.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for operating a multichannel audio system, the multichannel audio system including a first and second electroacoustical transducer and an acoustic waveguide, includes positioning the first transducer and the second transducer at separated points in the waveguide so that a first radiating surface of the first transducer and a first radiating surface of the a second transducer radiate sound waves into the acoustic waveguide; separating a first channel signal into a first channel high frequency audio signal and a first channel low frequency audio signal; separating a second channel signal into a second channel high frequency audio signal and a second channel low frequency audio signal; and combining the first channel low frequency audio signal and the second channel low frequency audio signal to form a common low frequency audio signal. The method further includes transmitting the common low frequency audio signal to the first transducer and the second transducer; transmitting the first channel high frequency audio signal to the first transducer; transmitting the second channel high frequency audio signal to the second transducer; radiating into the waveguide, by the first transducer, sound waves corresponding to the first channel high frequency signal and the common low frequency audio signal; and radiating into the waveguide, by the second transducer, sound waves corresponding to the second channel high frequency signal and the common low frequency audio signal.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for operating a multimedia entertainment device having an audio system having a first and a second loudspeaker array and a first and second audio channel, the first and second audio channels each having a high frequency portion and a low frequency portion, the multimedia entertainment device including an associated listening space, includes radiating directionally toward the listening space, by the first loudspeaker array, sound waves corresponding to the first audio channel high frequency portion; and radiating directionally toward the listening space, by the second loudspeaker array, sound waves corresponding to the second audio channel high frequency portion; and radiating
non-directionally, by the first loudspeaker array and the second loudspeaker array, the first channel low frequency portion and the second channel low frequency portion.
In another aspect of the invention, an entertainment area includes a first multimedia entertainment device includes an audio system. The audio system includes a first audio channel and a second audio channel. The first audio channel and the second audio channel each include a high frequency portion and a low frequency portion. The first multimedia entertainment device includes a first loudspeaker array and a second loudspeaker array. The entertainment area includes a listening space associated with the first multimedia entertainment device. The area further includes a second multimedia entertainment device that includes an audio system. The audio system includes a first audio channel and a second audio channel. The first audio channel and the second audio channel each include a high frequency portion and a low frequency portion. The second multimedia entertainment device includes a first loudspeaker array and a second loudspeaker array. The entertainment area includes a listening space associated with the second multimedia entertainment device. The first multimedia entertainment device and the second multimedia training device are in a common listening area. The first multimedia entertainment device is constructed and arranged to radiate sound waves corresponding the first device first channel high frequency portion and the first device second channel high frequency portion directionally so that the sound waves corresponding to the first device first channel high frequency portion and the sound waves corresponding to the first device second channel high frequency portion are significantly more audible in the listening space associated with the first device than in the listening space associated with the second device. The second multimedia entertainment device is constructed and arranged to radiate sound waves corresponding the second device first channel high frequency portion and the second device second channel high frequency portion directionally so that the sound waves corresponding to the second device first channel high frequency portion and the second device second channel high frequency portion are significantly more audible in the listening space associated with the second device than in the listening space associated with the first device.
In another aspect of the invention, an audio system for radiating sound waves corresponding to a first audio signal and a second audio signal includes an indicator for indicating a directional radiation pattern preference. The indicator has at least two states. The audio system includes a detector for detecting the indicator and a directional array for radiating sound waves in a plurality of directional radiation patterns. The directional array is constructed an arranged to radiate acoustic energy according to a first directional radiation pattern upon the detection of a first indicator state to radiate acoustic energy according to the second directional radiation pattern upon the detection of a second indicator state.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for dynamically equalizing an audio signal, includes providing an audio signal; a first attenuating, of the audio signal, by a variable factor G, where 0