{
  "patent_number": "US 11006212",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How a Speaker Bounces Sound Off the Ceiling for Wider Audio",
  "original_title": "Upward firing loudspeaker having asymmetric dispersion for reflected sound rendering",
  "summary": "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.",
  "what_it_does": "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.",
  "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."
  ],
  "filed": "2019-09-21",
  "granted": "2021-05-11",
  "expires": "2039-09-21",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Dolby Laboratories Licensing",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/dolby-laboratories-licensing",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Alan J. Seefeldt",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/alan-j-seefeldt"
    },
    {
      "name": "Michael J. Smithers",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/michael-j-smithers"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "telecommunications",
    "software"
  ],
  "abstract": "A speaker for transmitting reflected sound waves off an upper surface down to a listening environment, comprising: a cabinet containing a plurality of audio drivers, direct-firing drivers within the cabinet oriented to transmit sound along a horizontal axis substantially perpendicular to a front surface of the cabinet, and a pair of upward-firing slotted drivers placed proximate to ends of an top surface of the cabinet and oriented at an inclination angle relative to the horizontal axis. The slotted drivers are configured to create an overlapping reflected sound projection for high frequency sound when reflected down to a listening position located at a distance in front of the speaker pair. Such a speaker projects reflected sound that provides wider horizontal or side-to-side dispersion to better cover the listening area.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11006212/upward-firing-loudspeaker-having-asymmetric-dispersion-for-reflected-sound-rende",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11006212/upward-firing-loudspeaker-having-asymmetric-dispersion-for-reflected-sound-rende/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US11006212",
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}