WO2017194785A1 - Siège conçu pour améliorer la perception du son par l'intermédiaire de vibrations, comprenant des isolateurs de vibrations - Google Patents

Siège conçu pour améliorer la perception du son par l'intermédiaire de vibrations, comprenant des isolateurs de vibrations Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017194785A1
WO2017194785A1 PCT/EP2017/061580 EP2017061580W WO2017194785A1 WO 2017194785 A1 WO2017194785 A1 WO 2017194785A1 EP 2017061580 W EP2017061580 W EP 2017061580W WO 2017194785 A1 WO2017194785 A1 WO 2017194785A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
vibration
seat
sound
audio signal
padding
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2017/061580
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jukka Linjama
Tommi Immonen
Original Assignee
Flexound Systems Oy
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Flexound Systems Oy filed Critical Flexound Systems Oy
Publication of WO2017194785A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017194785A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R5/00—Stereophonic arrangements
    • H04R5/02—Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
    • H04R5/023—Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers in a chair, pillow
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63J—DEVICES FOR THEATRES, CIRCUSES, OR THE LIKE; CONJURING APPLIANCES OR THE LIKE
    • A63J25/00—Equipment specially adapted for cinemas
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R1/02—Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein
    • H04R1/028—Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2400/00—Loudspeakers
    • H04R2400/03—Transducers capable of generating both sound as well as tactile vibration, e.g. as used in cellular phones
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R27/00—Public address systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R3/00—Circuits for transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R3/12—Circuits for transducers, loudspeakers or microphones for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers
    • H04R3/14—Cross-over networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R7/00—Diaphragms for electromechanical transducers; Cones
    • H04R7/02—Diaphragms for electromechanical transducers; Cones characterised by the construction
    • H04R7/04—Plane diaphragms
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04S—STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS 
    • H04S7/00—Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control
    • H04S7/30—Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Definitions

  • the example embodiments of the present invention relate to a seat that enables enhanced sound perception via vibration.
  • spatial sound reproduction is not uniform and equal between seat locations within a movie theater.
  • Both the spatial / direction properties of sound and the ambience of the soundscape are typically compromised in seats that are located close to a loudspeaker (e.g. seats at the sides of the movie theater: the sound channel(s) reproduced by the closest loudspeaker(s) are over-emphasized while other sound channels are weaker in relation and may also suffer from delay effects.
  • a loudspeaker e.g. seats at the sides of the movie theater: the sound channel(s) reproduced by the closest loudspeaker(s) are over-emphasized while other sound channels are weaker in relation and may also suffer from delay effects.
  • surround speakers that are located to side walls are prone to create audible artifacts in audience seat locations close to them.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide a sound reproduction arrangement that, on one hand, enables provision of strong low frequency effects without causing severe disturbances to adjacent spaces while on the other hand enables faithful reproduction of the spatial / directional component of the soundscape at a reasonable complexity and cost.
  • a seat arranged for joint production of vibration and sound comprising vibration means for jointly producing vibration and sound to reproduce an input audio signal provided as input thereto, said vibration means arranged inside a padding of the seat to generate mechanical vibration that is perceivable as a vibration and sound on at least one outer surface of the padding and to radiate the sound through said at least one outer surface of the padding and said vibration means comprising at least one mechanical actuator and at least one board, wherein said at least one mechanical actuator is arranged to vibrate said at least one board in accordance with the input audio signal, and isolation means for mechanically isolating the vibration means from adjacent structures.
  • the seat further comprises a base for mounting the seat and the isolation means comprises first isolation means for mechanically isolating the vibration means from a body of the seat, the first isolation means arranged to prevent the vibration produced by the vibration means from transferring to the adjacent structures via said body and second isolation means for mechanically isolating the base from the adjacent structure to which the base is mounted, the second isolation means arranged to prevent vibration from transferring between said body and the adjacent structures.
  • a method for joint production of vibration and sound in a seat comprising jointly producing vibration and sound to reproduce an input audio signal by using a vibration means arranged inside a padding of the seat to generate mechanical vibration that is perceivable as a vibration and sound on at least one outer surface of the padding and to radiate a sound through said at least one outer surface of the padding, said vibration means comprising at least one mechanical actuator and at least one board, wherein said at least one mechanical actuator is arranged to vibrate said at least one board in accordance with the input audio signal, and mechanically isolating the vibration means from adjacent structures.
  • the seat further comprises a base for mounting the seat and said mechanically isolating comprises mechanically isolating the vibration means from a body of the seat to prevent the vibration produced by the vibration means from transferring to the adjacent structures via said body and mechanically isolating the base from the adjacent structure to which the base is mounted to prevent vibration from transferring between said body and the adjacent structures.
  • a sound reproduction arrangement comprising a plurality of seats according to an example embodiment described above for reproduction of a respective near-field sound, each of the plurality of seats arranged to receive a first sub-set of audio channels of a multi-channel audio signal; as the input audio signal, and one or more far-field loudspeakers for reproduction of a far- field sound for said plurality of seats, wherein the far-field sound represents a second sub-set of audio channels of said multi-channel audio signal.
  • Figure 2 schematically illustrates some components of a seat according to an example embodiment
  • Figure 3 schematically illustrates some components of a seat according to an example embodiment
  • Figure 4 schematically illustrates some components of a sound production arrangement in a space according to an example embodiment.
  • Various example embodiments of the present invention relate to a seat that is provided with a vibration assembly for joint production of vibration and sound.
  • the seat comprises sound and vibration generating arrangement for jointly producing vibration and sound to reproduce an audio signal provided as input thereto, where the sound and vibration generating arrangement is provided inside a padding of the seat to generate mechanical vibration that is perceivable as a vibration and sound on at least one outer surface of the padding and to radiate a sound through said at least one outer surface of the padding.
  • the sound and vibration generating arrangement comprises at least one mechanical actuator and at least one board, wherein said at least one mechanical actuator is arranged to vibrate said at least one board in accordance with the audio signal provided as input thereto.
  • the audio signal can be considered to drive the sound and vibration generating arrangement to reproduce the audio signal, and this audio signal is referred to in the following (also) as input audio signal.
  • the seat further comprises isolation arrangement for mechanically isolating the sound and vibration generating means from adjacent structures.
  • isolation arrangement for mechanically isolating the sound and vibration generating means from adjacent structures. Mechanical isolation from the adjacent structures, on one hand, enables providing vibration and sound using relatively low energy while on the other hand the mechanical isolation serves to prevent from transferring the vibration to the adjacent structures.
  • the sound and vibration generating arrangement may be also referred to as means for jointly producing vibration and sound to reflect the fact that there is a plurality of ways to implement such an arrangement inside the padding of the seat. Examples in this regard include the approach described in the international patent application published as WO 2015/1 18217 A1 , which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. Further examples in this regard are described in the co-pending European patent application no. 161 69568.9, which is also incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. In the interest of editorial clarity of the description, in the following we predominantly refer to the sound and vibration generating arrangement (e.g. means for jointly producing vibration and sound) as sound reproduction means, as a sound reproduction assembly, as vibration means or as a vibration assembly. Along similar lines, the isolation arrangement is predominantly referred to in the following as isolation means or as an isolation assembly.
  • the seat being provides as a seat of a movie theatre. This, however, is a non-limiting example and the seat described herein may be employed in domestic, recreational and professional domains of various types. As a few examples in this regard, the seat may be provided as an armchair for domestic use, as a seat of a vehicle (in a car, in a bus, in a truck, in a train, in an airplane, etc.), as a seat of a public space such as an auditorium, a conference room, etc.
  • references to the audio signal are made. While an audio signal may be considered to consist of frequencies that are audible in view of human hearing system, e.g.
  • audio signal is to be construed broadly, encompassing also infrasonic frequencies below the audible frequency range (e.g. down to 5 Hz) and/or ultrasonic frequencies above the audible frequency range (e.g. up to 30 kHz).
  • Sense of touch reacts to vibration both on skin and inner tissues of the human body.
  • cutaneous receptors on skin capture information in the audible frequencies 30 to 500 Hz. If the airborne sound transmitted by fluid (air or water) is intense enough, skin is vibrating and this audiotactile perception supports the auditory perception. Synchronic information from the sense of touch and from hearing support each other, thereby increasing the clarity of the perceived audio information.
  • audiotactile frequencies say frequencies below 100 Hz, mechanical vibration is easily propagating also to body parts located below skin, and mechanical vibration receptors in joints and muscles react to audio signal.
  • Vibration is further affecting deeper body parts with very low audio frequencies and infrasonic frequencies.
  • frequencies below 30 Hz are not audible by a human listener, and signal components at such frequencies are primarily perceived as body vibration via mechanical contact to the environment.
  • Infrasonic frequencies are typically related to large mechanical events like earthquakes or explosions that vibrate and deform structures and that can be perceived via feet. Skin can also sense infrasound frequencies as pressure sensation, or via various nonlinear mechanisms (e g clothes flapping towards skin).
  • tactile frequencies or tactile band is used to refer to a range of frequencies that convey vibration to a human subject but that do not convey (a significant amount of) audible sound to the human subject.
  • the tactile band may cover frequencies approximately from 5 to 30 Hz.
  • audiotactile frequencies or audiotactile band is used to refer to a range of frequencies that convey both audible sound and vibration to a human subject.
  • the audiotactile band may cover frequencies approximately from 30 to 500 Hz.
  • audio frequencies or audio band is used to refer to a range of frequencies that convey audible sound but that does not convey (a significant amount of) vibration to the human subject.
  • the audiotactile band may cover frequencies approximately from 500 Hz to 20 kHz.
  • the limits between the tactile band and the audiotactile band and between the audiotactile band and the audio band typically exhibit some variation from one person to another and hence the figures in this regard provided in the foregoing serve as non-limiting examples.
  • the upper limit of the tactile band (and hence the lower limit of the audiotactile band) may be a frequency in a range from 20 to 50 Hz
  • the upper limit of the audiotactile band (and hence the lower limit of the audio band) may be a frequency in a range from 500 to 1000 Hz.
  • Figure 1 schematically illustrates some components of a seat 100 according to an example to assist description of various example embodiments of the present invention.
  • the seat 100 is shown with a backrest 102 and a seat part 104 (i.e. the part of seat 100 intended for sitting on) that represent components of a body of the seat 100.
  • Figure 1 further shows a sound reproduction assembly 1 10, which is elastically coupled to the body of the seat 100, in this example to an upper part of the backrest 102.
  • the body of the seat 100 may be attach to a base (now shown) that includes a rigid or substantially rigid structure for mounting the seat 100 to its environment, e.g. to a floor or to an installation platform arranged on top of the floor.
  • a base now shown
  • the elastic coupling between sound reproduction means 1 10 and the body of the seat 100 is provided as one or more first springs 106 (having a spring constant k1 ).
  • elastic materials of other type may be employed.
  • the characteristics of the elastic coupling between the sound reproduction means 1 10 and the body of the seat 100 may be selected such that the elastic coupling serves as a (first) isolation arrangement (or isolation means) for mechanically isolating the sound reproduction means 1 10 from the body so as to prevent from transferring the vibration produced by the sound reproduction means 1 10 to adjacent structures via the body of the seat 100.
  • first isolation arrangement or isolation means
  • mechanical isolation may be provided by suitable selection of the spring constant k1 .
  • the characteristics of the mechanical isolation provided the one or more first springs 106 depend on the resonance frequency of the arrangement formed by the sound reproduction means 1 10, the one or more first springs 106 and the body of the seat 100: this arrangement provides mechanical isolation only at frequencies above the resonance frequency.
  • the one or more first springs 106 are selected such that they have sufficiently low spring constant k1 (i.e. low stiffness) to enable mechanical isolation of frequencies in the tactile band and the audiotactile band.
  • the sound reproduction means 1 10 may be arranged as part of a neckrest of the seat 100, and hence in this example the at least one board and the mechanical actuator may be arranged inside a padding in the neckrest of the seat 100.
  • the at least one mechanical actuator and the at least one board may be provided e.g. by mechanically connecting or suspending a moveable magnet to the at least one board and driving the movement of the moveable magnet by the input audio signal.
  • the moveable magnet may be a magnet assembly of a loudspeaker element, which loudspeaker element is mechanically connected to the at least one board.
  • Figure 2 schematically illustrates some components of a seat 200 according to an example to assist description of various example embodiments of the present invention.
  • the seat 200 is shown with the backrest 102 and the seat part 104 that represent components of a body of the seat 200.
  • Figure 2 further shows a sound reproduction assembly 1 10, which is coupled to the body of the seat 200.
  • the sound reproduction means is coupled to a rigid or substantially rigid board arranged inside a padding of the backrest 102.
  • the sound reproduction means 1 10 is coupled to an upper part of the backrest 102, for seat 200 the coupling to the board inside the padding of the backrest 102 is rigid or essentially rigid, thereby transferring the vibration generated by the sound reproduction means 1 10 to the backrest 102.
  • the board arranged inside the padding of the backrest 102 serves as a board that is vibrated via operation of the at least one mechanical actuator of the sound reproduction means 1 10.
  • the board arranged inside the padding of the backrest 102 may extend to the full or substantially full length of the backrest or the board may cover only a part of the full length of the backrest. Nevertheless, due its rigidity the board arranged in the backrest 102 transfers vibration received from the sound reproduction means 1 10 to a person sitting in the seat 200 via a large contact area, thereby providing enhanced perception of tactile and audiotactile frequencies for improved perception of low frequency content of a soundscape carried in the input audio signal used to drive the sound reproduction means 1 10.
  • the body of the seat 200 may be elastically coupled to a base 108 that enables mounting the seat 200 to its environment, e.g. on a floor or on an installation platform arranged on top of the floor.
  • the coupling between sound reproduction means 1 10 and the body of the seat 200 may be provided by one or more first springs 106 (having a spring constant k2) that result in a relatively rigid coupling between the two elements.
  • first springs 106 having a spring constant k2
  • the characteristics of the mechanical isolation provided the one or more first springs 106 depend on the resonance frequency of the arrangement formed by the sound reproduction means 1 10, the one or more first springs 106 and the body of the seat 200, and hence such an arrangement provides mechanical isolation only at frequencies above the resonance frequency, whereas frequencies below the resonance frequency are conveyed from the sound reproduction means 1 10 to the body of the seat 200 via the one or more first springs 106.
  • the one or more first springs 106 are selected such that they have spring constant k2 that results in a resonance frequency that enables conveying at least the tactile frequencies and possibly also audiotactile frequencies to the body of the seat 200.
  • a fixed structure that provides rigid or substantially rigid coupling may be used instead of the one or more first springs 106 to provide rigid or substantially rigid coupling between sound reproduction means 1 10 and the body of the seat 200. In this case, also higher frequencies are transmitted to the body of the seat 200 via the backrest 102.
  • the elastic coupling between body of the seat 200 and the base may be provided as one or more second springs 1 12 (having a spring constant k3).
  • elastic materials of other type may be employed.
  • the characteristics of the elastic coupling between the body of the seat 200 and the base 108 may be selected such that the elastic coupling serves as a (second) isolation arrangement (or isolation means) for mechanically isolating the sound reproduction means 1 10 from the base 108 so as to prevent from transferring the vibration produced by the sound reproduction means 1 10 to adjacent structures via the body and base 108 of the seat 200.
  • such mechanical isolation may be provided by suitable selection of the spring constant k3.
  • the characteristics of the mechanical isolation provided the one or more second springs 1 12 depend on the resonance frequency of the arrangement formed by the base 108, the one or more second springs 1 12 and the body of the seat 200, such that mechanical isolation is provided only at frequencies above the resonance frequency.
  • the one or more second springs 1 12 are selected such that they have sufficiently low spring constant k3 (i.e. low stiffness) to enable mechanical isolation of frequencies in the tactile band and in the audiotactile band.
  • the sound reproduction means 1 10 may be further coupled in a rigid or substantially rigid manner to one or more (rigid or substantially rigid) boards arranged inside a respective part of the padding of the seat 200 in one or more of the following parts of the seat 200: the seat part 102, an armrest of the seat 200, a footrest of the seat 200.
  • the rigid or substantially rigid coupling to one or more further boards may be provided via rigid or substantially rigid coupling between the board arranged inside the padding of the backrest 102 and the respective further board.
  • FIG. 3 schematically illustrates some components of a seat 300 according to an example to assist description of various example embodiments of the present invention.
  • the seat 300 is a variation of the seat 200 with the elastic coupling between the body of the seat 300 and the base 108 at least partially replaced with active isolation means 1 14.
  • active isolation means 1 14 in the seat 300 at least some of the one or more second springs 1 12 of the seat 200 may be replaced with the active isolation means 1 14.
  • the active isolation means 1 14 may comprise sensor means for detecting characteristics of vibration transferred from the vibration means 1 10 to the base 108 and damping means for adaptively cancelling the vibration transferred from the vibration means 1 10 in accordance with detected characteristics of the vibration transferred from the vibration means 1 10.
  • Active isolation means 1 14 may comprise e g. a moving magnet actuator that creates inertial force to the base 108.
  • the active isolation means 1 14 may comprise any other inertial or direct actuator arrangement for active vibration cancellation.
  • the active isolation means 1 14 may be arranged to detect characteristics of vibration transferred (from the adjacent structure) via the base 108 to the body of the seat 300 and the damping means may be arranged to adaptively cancel the vibration so transferred in order to avoid introducing disturbances in the vibration generated by the sound reproduction means 1 10 in accordance with input audio signal.
  • the active isolation means 1 14 may be arranged to (detect and) cancel vibration across in a predefined frequency band or bands.
  • the active isolation means 1 14 is arranged to (detect and) cancel vibration in the tactile band and/or in the audiotactile band.
  • the active isolation means 1 14 is arranged to (detect and) cancel vibration across the frequency range that covers the tactile band, the audiotactile band and the audio band.
  • the seat 100, 200, 300 may further comprise control means that enables a user to separately adjust the intensity (e.g. level or amplitude) of the vibration / sound at least in two frequency bands.
  • control means that enables a user to separately adjust the intensity (e.g. level or amplitude) of the vibration / sound at least in two frequency bands.
  • intensity e.g. level or amplitude
  • two or more of the following aspects may be adjustable independently of each other:
  • - intensity of the vibration in a tactile band e.g. at frequencies approximately from 5 to 50 Hz;
  • - intensity of the sound in an audio band e.g. at frequencies approximately from 500 (or 1000) Hz to 20 kHz.
  • Control means that enable such adjustment of vibration/sound intensity may be employed to provide the seat 100, 200, 300 with means for adjusting intensity of the sound radiated through said at least one outer surface of the padding and/or with means for adjusting intensity of the vibration and sound on said at least one outer surface of the padding.
  • the sound reproduction means 1 10 e.g. in accordance with the examples described in context of the seats 100, 200 and 300 in the foregoing, comprises at least one mechanical actuator and at least one board arranged inside the padding of the seat, wherein said at least one mechanical actuator is arranged to vibrate said at least one board in accordance with the input audio signal provided thereto.
  • Exemplifying structures for the sound reproduction means 1 10 are outlined in context of description of the seat 100 in the foregoing, while different examples of arrangements with respect to the at least one board are described in the foregoing in context of seats 100 and 200.
  • the sound reproduction means 1 10 comprises a single mechanical actuator and is therefore able to reproduce monophonic sounds.
  • the sound reproduction means 1 10 comprises two mechanical actuator or three or more mechanical actuators.
  • Such implementation of the sound reproduction means 1 10 is therefore further able to reproduce stereophonic input audio signals or two or more channels of a multi-channel input audio signals.
  • the sound reproduction means 1 10 includes a single mechanical actuator for driving production vibration and sound, the advantageous features of effectively conveying the low frequency input audio signal content to a listener via combined effect of audible and tactile sensations at low energy while avoiding transfer of the generated vibrations to the adjacent structures.
  • the sound reproduction means 1 10 may be arranged to reproduce a spatial sound that represents at least part of a spatial audio image carried in the input audio signal provided as a multi-channel audio signal.
  • the spatial sound may originate or may be derived on basis of one or more rear channels and/or one or more surround channels of a multi- channel audio signal. This aspect will be described in more detail in the following.
  • production of strong low frequency effects e.g. in a movie theatre requires generation of high sound pressure levels using large loudspeakers, which typically causes disturbances to adjacent spaces (e.g. adjacent rooms or adjacent building) via vibrations transferred thereto via floors, walls and/or other fixed structures of the space/building.
  • spatial sound reproduction e.g. in a movie theatre is not uniform or equal across seats in the room, but especially seats at and close to the sides of the room, where the loudspeakers employed to produce spatial sound components are typically located, suffer from distorted soundscape due to the perceived overemphasis of the sound received from the closest loudspeaker(s) (and, conversely, under-emphasis of the sound received from the furthest loudspeaker(s)).
  • Figure 4 schematically illustrates a plan view of a movie theater arrangement provided with a sound reproduction arrangement that comprises 7 loudspeakers arranged to reproduce respective channels of the input audio, including a (front) left channel (L), a center channel (CTR), a (front) right channel (R), a surround left channel (SL), a surround back channel (SB), a surround right channel (SR) and a subwoofer channel (Sub).
  • the loudspeakers for the L, CTR, R, SL, SB, SR and Sub channels are arranged in a space around (four) rows of seats, while the assumed viewing direction is upward in the plan view of Figure 4 (i.e. towards the loudspeakers for the L, CTR and R channels).
  • the L, CTR and R channels represent front channels and the SL, SB and SR channels represent surround channels.
  • a different number and/or configuration of front channels and/or a different number/configuration of surround channels may be employed.
  • the movie theatre serves as a non- limiting example of an environment where the arrangement of seats 100, 200, 300 may employed for improved sound perception. Further examples in this regard include conference rooms, auditoriums, etc.
  • the seats in an arrangement like the one shown in Figure 4 may be replaced e.g. with respective seats 100, 200 or 300 where the sound reproduction means 1 10 is arranged to reproduce the part of the soundscape represented by the Sub channel. Consequently, the loudspeaker for the Sub channel of the arrangement shown in Figure 4 can be omitted due to the sound reproduction means 1 10 conveying the respective audio information for each seat 100, 200, 300 separately while the loudspeakers for the remaining channels may be employed as shown in the arrangement of Figure 4.
  • the low frequency content of the Sub channel that would otherwise require a high power is now provided a significantly lower power to each of the seats 100, 200, 300 separately, while providing the same or even reinforced perceived effect for a listener/viewer.
  • This in turn, enables employing more lightweight (and hence typically less expensive) structures in the room/building that hosts the movie theatre since the risk of transferring vibration to adjacent structures (e.g. adjacent rooms or buildings) is avoided or at least significantly reduced.
  • the seats in an arrangement like the one shown in Figure 4 may be replaced e.g. with respective seats 100, 200 or 300 where the sound reproduction means 1 10 is provided with at least two mechanical actuators and where the at least two mechanical actuators are arranged to reproduce the part of the soundscape represented by the SL, SB and SR channels together with the sound conveyed in the Sub channel.
  • the loudspeakers for these channels of the arrangement shown in Figure 4 can be omitted due to the sound reproduction means 1 10 conveying the respective audio information for each seat 100, 200, 300 separately while the loudspeakers for the L, CTR and R channels may be employed as shown in the arrangement of Figure 4.
  • the loudspeakers for the L, CTR and R channels provide far-field sound reproduction that is common for all seats 100, 200, 300, whereas the sound reproduction means 1 10 in each of the seats 100, 200, 300 serves to provide near-field sound reproduction for each seat 100, 200, 300 separately.
  • the loudspeakers that provide the far-field sound may be referred to as far-field loudspeakers, whereas the sound reproduction in a seat 100, 200, 300 serves as the (dedicated) near-field loudspeaker(s) for that seat 100, 200, 300.
  • the surround component(s) of the soundscape are provided individually for each of the seats 100, 200, 300, thereby reproducing the intended soundscape at increased accuracy especially for the seats 100, 200, 300 that are at or close to the end of a row of seats.
  • the part of the soundscape represented by the L, CTR and R channels is reproduced by the sound reproduction means 1 10, thereby dispensing with the need to use any loudspeakers for far-field sound reproduction. Also this approach the full soundscape is adequately reproduced, partially due to primary attention of a viewer/listener being directed to visual content provided on the movie screen.
  • the sound reproduction means 1 10 in a plurality of seats 100, 200, 300 in a movie theatre (or a space/room of another type) for perception of surround sound such that part of the soundscape is conveyed via far-field sound reproduction (e.g. the L, CTR and R channels) while the remaining part is conveyed via near-field sound reproduction for each seat 100, 200, 300 separately (e.g.
  • far-field sound reproduction e.g. the L, CTR and R channels
  • the SL, SB, SR and Sub channels it may be advantageous to employ, separately for each of the seats 100, 200, 300 (or separately for each row of seats 100, 200, 300), delay adjustment means for compensating for the propagation delay of the sound via the air from the loudspeakers that serve to reproduce the far-field sound and the seat 100, 200, 300 (or the row of seats 100, 200, 300) to avoid temporal misalignment between the far-field sound and the near-field sound.
  • the delay adjustment for a given seat 100, 200, 300 may comprise delaying reproduction of the near-field sound by an amount that correspond to the propagation delay from the loudspeakers that serve to reproduce the far-field sound to the given seat (or to the given row of seats 100, 200, 300).
  • the delay adjustment means may be provided separately by a dedicated delay adjustment entity provided in each of the seats 100, 200, 300.
  • the delay adjustment means may be provided centrally, separately from the seats 100, 200, 300, by using a dedicated delay adjustment entity that adjusts the delay for each of the seats 100, 200, 300).
  • the intensity adjustment means may be provided separately in each of the seats 100, 200, 300 as an intensity control entity that enables adjusting the intensity of the near-field sound provided via the sound reproduction means 1 10 in the seat 100, 200, 300, thereby enabling the viewer/listener to adjust the near-field sound intensity to match the far-field sound intensity according to his/her preferences.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Chair Legs, Seat Parts, And Backrests (AREA)

Abstract

Un exemple de mode de réalisation de l'invention concerne un siège conçu pour la production conjointe de vibrations et de son. Le siège comprend des moyens vibrants destinés à produire conjointement des vibrations et un son afin de reproduire un signal audio d'entrée appliqué à l'entrée de ceux-ci, lesdits moyens vibrants étant disposés à l'intérieur d'un rembourrage du siège pour générer des vibrations mécaniques, qui sont perceptibles en tant que vibrations et son sur au moins une surface extérieure du rembourrage, et pour rayonner le son à travers ladite au moins une surface extérieure du rembourrage. Lesdits moyens vibrants comprennent au moins un actionneur mécanique et au moins un panneau, ledit au moins un actionneur mécanique étant disposé pour faire vibrer ledit au moins un panneau conformément au signal audio d'entrée. Le siège comprend en outre des moyens d'isolation destinés à isoler mécaniquement les moyens vibrants des structures adjacentes.
PCT/EP2017/061580 2016-05-13 2017-05-15 Siège conçu pour améliorer la perception du son par l'intermédiaire de vibrations, comprenant des isolateurs de vibrations WO2017194785A1 (fr)

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EP16169604.2 2016-05-13
EP16169604.2A EP3244633A1 (fr) 2016-05-13 2016-05-13 Siège conçu pour améliorer la perception sonore par des vibrations

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CN110192733A (zh) * 2018-02-27 2019-09-03 弗莱克斯奥德系统有限公司 被布置用于经由振动来增强声音感知的座椅
CN113727237A (zh) * 2020-07-20 2021-11-30 艾因兴产株式会社 音响装置及音响系统
US11689856B2 (en) 2015-11-19 2023-06-27 The Lovesac Company Electronic furniture systems with integrated induction charger
US11805363B2 (en) 2015-11-19 2023-10-31 The Lovesac Company Electronic furniture assembly with integrated internal speaker system including downward oriented speaker
US11832039B2 (en) 2021-04-12 2023-11-28 The Lovesac Company Tuning calibration technology for systems and methods for acoustically correcting sound loss through fabric
US11871853B2 (en) 2021-06-16 2024-01-16 The Lovesac Company Furniture console and methods of using the same

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WO2020165667A1 (fr) * 2019-02-12 2020-08-20 Rapture Innovation Labs Private Limited Système de casque d'écoute
FI20196020A1 (en) 2019-11-27 2021-05-28 Flexound Systems Oy Seat arranged through vibration for enhanced sound perception

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Cited By (10)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11689856B2 (en) 2015-11-19 2023-06-27 The Lovesac Company Electronic furniture systems with integrated induction charger
US11805363B2 (en) 2015-11-19 2023-10-31 The Lovesac Company Electronic furniture assembly with integrated internal speaker system including downward oriented speaker
US12052555B2 (en) 2015-11-19 2024-07-30 The Lovesac Company Electronic furniture systems with integrated induction charger
CN110192733A (zh) * 2018-02-27 2019-09-03 弗莱克斯奥德系统有限公司 被布置用于经由振动来增强声音感知的座椅
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CN113727237A (zh) * 2020-07-20 2021-11-30 艾因兴产株式会社 音响装置及音响系统
CN113727237B (zh) * 2020-07-20 2022-08-26 乐富里株式会社 音响装置及音响系统
US11832039B2 (en) 2021-04-12 2023-11-28 The Lovesac Company Tuning calibration technology for systems and methods for acoustically correcting sound loss through fabric
US11871853B2 (en) 2021-06-16 2024-01-16 The Lovesac Company Furniture console and methods of using the same

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