Patent ID: 11956617
Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
Field: Audio-visual technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  G | IPC G  H

Claim 18:
19. An audio system that is configured to more evenly distribute sound across a listening space in which the audio system is located, comprising:
a plurality of loudspeakers spaced about the listening space, wherein each loudspeaker is configured to create an audio output at 360 degrees around the loudspeaker, wherein the audio output of each loudspeaker is characterized by a volume output response that varies, relative to an average loudspeaker volume response determined at 360 degrees around the loudspeaker, at different frequencies across a loudspeaker output frequency range, wherein the loudspeaker volume output response has a front volume versus frequency characteristic to the front of the loudspeaker, and a different off-axis volume versus frequency characteristic behind the respective loudspeaker;
a sensor associated with each loudspeaker, wherein each sensor is configured to detect at least the distance of and the location of a person either in front of the loudspeaker or behind the loudspeaker with which the sensor is associated; and
a processor configured to cause each loudspeaker, responsive to the loudspeaker's sensor, to alter a volume and a time delay of the loudspeaker's audio output based on the distance of the detected person from the respective loudspeaker, and whether the detected location of the person is either in front of the respective loudspeaker or behind the respective loudspeaker,
wherein the volume variation of each respective loudspeaker is indirectly related, across the loudspeaker output frequency range, to one of either the front volume versus frequency characteristic of the loudspeaker or the off-axis volume versus frequency characteristic of the loudspeaker, depending on whether the person is in front of the respective loudspeaker or behind the respective loudspeaker, respectively.