How a Speaker Bounces Sound Off the Ceiling for Wider Audio
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.
Original patent title: “Upward firing loudspeaker having asymmetric dispersion for reflected sound rendering”
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. Granted to Dolby Laboratories Licensing in 2021 with 12 claims, and it is expected to expire in 2039.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a speaker for transmitting sound waves that reflect off a ceiling down to a listener. It includes a cabinet with standard direct-firing drivers and a pair of unique upward-firing cone drivers. These upward-firing drivers are placed near the ends of an inclined top surface of the cabinet, specifically at an inclination angle of between 18 to 22 degrees relative to the horizontal axis (claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). Sound from these drivers passes through "projection slots" cut into the top surface. These slots are designed to produce a wide sound dispersion pattern perpendicular to the slot and a narrow one along it for high frequencies. The distance between these slots is set to create an "overlapping reflected sound projection" for high frequencies when the sound bounces off the ceiling, making the sound appear wider to a listener.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Speakers that only fire sound directly at the listener without using ceiling reflections for overhead effects.
- Upward-firing speakers where the top surface is not inclined between 18 to 22 degrees relative to the horizontal axis (claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Speakers that do not use specific "projection slots" where the slot length matches the cone driver's diameter (claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Systems where the upward-firing drivers do not create an "overlapping reflected sound projection" for high frequencies at a listening position (claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Speakers that achieve wider sound dispersion through purely electronic means without the described physical driver and slot configuration.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever bit is the precise combination of the specific "inclination angle" (18-22 degrees), the unique "projection slots" (matching cone diameter and creating specific dispersion patterns), and their spacing to create an "overlapping reflected sound projection" that achieves wider horizontal dispersion for high-frequency reflected sound, ensuring a consistent and immersive overhead sound effect.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Dolby Atmos enabled soundbars
Dolby Atmos enabled home theater speakers
Immersive audio systems in living rooms
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is significant for creating more immersive audio experiences, particularly for home theater systems that aim to replicate the feeling of sound coming from above or all around the listener. It addresses the challenge of making reflected sound feel wide and consistent across a listening area, which is crucial for formats like Dolby Atmos. By precisely controlling the reflected sound, it enhances the realism of overhead audio effects.
Filed
September 21, 2019
Granted
May 11, 2021
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corp, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a primary player in this space, developing and licensing immersive audio technologies like Dolby Atmos. Other companies manufacturing soundbars and home theater systems, such as Samsung, LG, Sony, and Sonos, integrate Dolby Atmos technology, which often includes upward-firing speakers to create height effects.
Market impact
This patent supports the development of immersive audio technologies, particularly Dolby Atmos, which has significantly influenced the home theater and soundbar markets. It enables manufacturers to design speakers that create a more convincing three-dimensional sound experience, driving consumer demand for premium audio systems and expanding the market for content mixed in these formats.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a speaker for transmitting sound waves that reflect off a ceiling down to a listener. It includes a cabinet with standard direct-firing drivers and a pair of unique upward-firing cone drivers. These upward-firing drivers are placed near the ends of an inclined top surface of the cabinet, specifically at an inclination angle of between 18 to 22 degrees relative to the horizontal axis (claim 1). Sound from these drivers passes through "projection slots" cut into the top surface. These slots are designed to produce a wide sound dispersion pattern perpendicular to the slot and a narrow one along it for high frequencies. The distance between these slots is set to create an "overlapping reflected sound projection" for high frequencies when the sound bounces off the ceiling, making the sound appear wider to a listener.
The clever bit
The clever bit is the precise combination of the specific "inclination angle" (18-22 degrees), the unique "projection slots" (matching cone diameter and creating specific dispersion patterns), and their spacing to create an "overlapping reflected sound projection" that achieves wider horizontal dispersion for high-frequency reflected sound, ensuring a consistent and immersive overhead sound effect.
What it does not cover
- Speakers that only fire sound directly at the listener without using ceiling reflections for overhead effects.
- Upward-firing speakers where the top surface is not inclined between 18 to 22 degrees relative to the horizontal axis (claim 1).
- Speakers that do not use specific "projection slots" where the slot length matches the cone driver's diameter (claim 1).
- Systems where the upward-firing drivers do not create an "overlapping reflected sound projection" for high frequencies at a listening position (claim 1).
- Speakers that achieve wider sound dispersion through purely electronic means without the described physical driver and slot configuration.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Limited data
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
8/20
Moderate scope
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$32K – $101K
Midpoint $63K · 13.1 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
12 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Seefeldt, A. J., & Smithers, M. J. (2021). How a Speaker Bounces Sound Off the Ceiling for Wider Audio (U.S. Patent No. 11,006,212). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11006212/upward-firing-loudspeaker-having-asymmetric-dispersion-for-reflected-sound-rende
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How a Speaker Bounces Sound Off the Ceiling for Wider Audio cover?
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.
Who owns patent US 11006212?
Dolby Laboratories Licensing owns this patent, granted in 2021.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 21, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is significant for creating more immersive audio experiences, particularly for home theater systems that aim to replicate the feeling of sound coming from above or all around the listener. It addresses the challenge of making reflected sound feel wide and consistent across a listening area, which is crucial for formats like Dolby Atmos. By precisely controlling the reflected sound, it enhances the realism of overhead audio effects.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Speakers that only fire sound directly at the listener without using ceiling reflections for overhead effects.
Same assignee
More from Dolby Laboratories Licensing
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