Patent ID: 7606377

Claim:
A method of audio beam-forming, comprising: providing a first signal to a first speaker driver, wherein said first signal contains main channel and surround channel information; providing a second signal to a second speaker driver vertically displaced from said first speaker driver, wherein said second signal contains said main channel information and said surround channel information; controlling a phase relationship between said surround channel information within said first signal and said surround channel information within said second signal to control propagation of said main channel and surround channel information in a predetermined direction toward a listening position, wherein said surround channel information is propagated with a first directivity pattern having substantial attenuation in said predetermined direction and at least one lobe having a directivity peak located substantially away from said predetermined direction, and wherein said main channel information is propagated with a second directivity pattern having a substantially peak amplitude in said predetermined direction; and separating said surround channel information into a low frequency component and a beam-forming component, and wherein said providing said first signal further comprises generating said first signal in conformity with said main channel information and said low frequency component of said surround channel information independent of said controlled phase relationship, and said beam-forming component of said surround channel information as controlled by said controlling said phase relationship.