Patent ID: 7970153

Claim:
An audio output apparatus comprising: an array speaker unit having a plurality of speaker units; a measuring unit that measures levels of a plurality of sound signals including a first sound signal for a first sound beam to be produced by the plurality of speaker units and a second sound signal for a second sound beam to be produced by the plurality of speaker units; a sound level adjusting unit that adjusts gains based on the measured levels so that the plurality of sound signals have equal magnitudes; a delay unit having a first delay circuit for the first sound signal and a second delay circuit for the second sound signal; and a directivity control circuit that controls a delay setting for each of the first and second delay circuits based on a desired focal position of each of the first and second sound beams to be directed to and a position of each of the plurality of speaker units, to emit the first sound beam from the plurality of speaker units in a first directivity for one listener and to emit the second sound beam from the plurality of speaker units in a second directivity different from the first directivity for another listener, wherein the first sound signal is independent of the second sound signal so that contents of the first sound signal for the first sound beam is different from contents of the second sound signal for the second beam.