Patent ID: 8369533

Claim:
An array speaker apparatus comprising: a plurality of speaker units arranged in an array; a first delay device that selectively adds a first predetermined delay to a first audio signal for outputting to each of the speaker units, wherein the first audio signal is obtained from an input audio signal; a second delay device that selectively adds a second predetermined delay to a second input audio signal for outputting to each of the speaker units, wherein the second input audio signal is also derived from the input audio signal; and directivity control device that controls the first and second delay devices, wherein the directivity control device is configured to: calculate for the first delay device the first predetermined delay for each of the speaker units so that the plurality of speaker units each are driven with the first audio signal processed by the first delay device to form a first sound beam that projects toward a wall on the left or right side of a listening position to form a virtual sound source at the wall; calculate for the second delay device the second predetermined delay for each of the speaker units so that the plurality of speaker units each are driven with the second audio signal processed by the second delay device to form a second sound beam that projects directly toward the listening position to form a direct sound source; and create a phantom sound image between the direct sound source formed by the second sound beam and the virtual sound source at the wall formed by the first sound beam.