# How Speakers Create Overhead Sound from Ceiling Reflections > This patent describes a system using upward-firing speakers and special sound filters to trick your ears into hearing overhead sounds by reflecting audio off the ceiling. - **Patent:** US 10595128 - **Original title:** Passive and active virtual height filter systems for upward firing drivers - **Owner:** Dolby Laboratories Licensing - **Granted:** 2020 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 0 - **Field:** consumer_electronics, telecommunications, software ## What it does The patent describes an apparatus that uses an upward-firing speaker to bounce sound waves off a ceiling to a listener. A key component is a "virtual height filter" which applies a specific "frequency response curve" to the sound signal sent to this upward-firing speaker (Claim 1). This filter's job is to shape the reflected sound in a way that makes a listener perceive the sound as coming from above, creating a sense of "virtual height" (Claim 1). For example, it might use a "pinna filter response curve" that emphasizes certain frequencies (like a peak at 7 kHz and a dip at 12 kHz) to mimic how our ears naturally interpret overhead sounds (Claim 4). The system also includes a "crossover" that sends low-frequency sounds to a direct-firing speaker and high-frequency sounds to the upward-firing speaker (Claim 1). ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover speaker systems that create height effects solely from direct sound, without reflecting sound off a ceiling or upper surface. - Does not cover systems that do not apply a specific frequency response curve to the signal sent to the upward-firing driver. - Does not cover systems that lack a crossover to separate low frequencies for a direct-firing speaker and high frequencies for an upward-firing speaker. - Does not cover systems where the frequency response curve does not specifically aim to make the reflected sound seem like it's coming from overhead. - Does not cover systems that create height cues without compensating for direct sound cues in favor of reflected sound cues. ## The clever bit The clever part is precisely shaping the sound's frequency before it even leaves the upward-firing speaker, specifically to compensate for how our ears perceive sound reflected off a ceiling. This makes the reflected sound convincingly appear to come from above, rather than just sounding like it's coming from a speaker on the floor. ## Real-world examples 1. Dolby Atmos enabled soundbars 2. Dolby Atmos enabled home theater speakers 3. Integrated TV speakers with upward-firing drivers ## Why it matters This technology is fundamental to how many home theater systems deliver immersive audio experiences, such as those found in Dolby Atmos setups. By using upward-firing speakers and sophisticated digital signal processing, it allows for a more compact and accessible way to achieve a three-dimensional sound field without requiring speakers to be mounted directly on the ceiling. This innovation helps bring cinematic sound quality into living rooms. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Speakers Create Overhead Sound from Ceiling Reflections cover? This patent describes a system using upward-firing speakers and special sound filters to trick your ears into hearing overhead sounds by reflecting audio off the ceiling. ### Who owns patent US 10595128? Dolby Laboratories Licensing owns this patent, granted in 2020. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on June 4, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What problem does this patent solve? This technology is fundamental to how many home theater systems deliver immersive audio experiences, such as those found in Dolby Atmos setups. By using upward-firing speakers and sophisticated digital signal processing, it allows for a more compact and accessible way to achieve a three-dimensional sound field without requiring speakers to be mounted directly on the ceiling. This innovation helps bring cinematic sound quality into living rooms. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover speaker systems that create height effects solely from direct sound, without reflecting sound off a ceiling or upper surface. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10595128/passive-and-active-virtual-height-filter-systems-for-upward-firing-drivers **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10595128 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How a Speaker Bounces Sound Off the Ceiling for Wider Audio](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11006212/upward-firing-loudspeaker-having-asymmetric-dispersion-for-reflected-sound-rende) — This patent describes a speaker system with special upward-firing drivers and slots designed to bounce high-frequency sound off a ceiling, creating a wider, more immersive listening experience. - [How a Device Renders Immersive Sound Objects Using Speaker Virtualization](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10743125/audio-processing-apparatus-with-channel-remapper-and-object-renderer) — Dolby's patent describes an audio processing system that takes individual sound elements, like a buzzing bee, and places them precisely in a 3D space using smart software that makes speakers sound like they are in different locations. - [Smart Speaker System Adapts Sound Based on Speaker Placement](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11743673/audio-processing-apparatus-and-method-therefor) — This patent describes an audio system that intelligently chooses how to play different parts of a sound through different speakers, adapting its method based on where each speaker is placed in a room. - [How Smart Speakers Adapt Sound to Your Room and Listening Spot](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11178503/system-for-rendering-and-playback-of-object-based-audio-in-various-listening-env) — This patent describes a system that automatically adjusts how spatial audio sounds in a room by sensing speaker locations, listener position, and room acoustics, then dynamically calibrating the sound output. - [How Audio Systems Prioritize Sounds for Better Playback](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11765535/methods-and-systems-for-rendering-audio-based-on-priority) — This patent describes how audio systems can sort sounds into important and less important categories, then use different processing power for each to make complex audio, like movie soundtracks, sound better on various speakers.