Neil W Harris

US Patent:

20200336123, Oct 22, 2020

Filed:

Mar 30, 2020

Appl. No.:

16/833986

Inventors:

- Mountain View CA, US
Neil John Harris - Los Altos CA, US

International Classification:

H03G 5/16
H04R 3/04
H04R 17/00
H04R 17/10

Abstract:

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for changing a distributed mode loudspeaker's fundamental frequency. One of the systems includes a distributed mode loudspeaker comprising an actuator that includes: a supported portion, and a cantilevered portion having a length, a first fundamental frequency, and adapted to create a force to cause vibration of a load to generate sound waves using the first fundamental frequency; a support element connected to the supported portion of the actuator and adapted to adjust, based on a change to a shape of the support element, a size of the length of the cantilevered portion to change the first fundamental frequency to a second fundamental frequency with which the load will generate sound waves; and a frequency selection module that provides a signal to the support element to cause the support element to change shape.

US Patent:

20200336828, Oct 22, 2020

Filed:

Mar 30, 2020

Appl. No.:

16/833916

Inventors:

- Mountain View CA, US
Neil John Harris - Los Altos CA, US

International Classification:

H04R 3/04
H04R 17/00
H04R 7/06
H04R 1/24

Abstract:

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for selecting distributed mode loudspeaker electrodes using an output frequency. One of the methods includes determining, for a piezoelectric transducer, a subset of frequencies, from a range of frequencies, at which to output a sound; selecting, based on the subset of frequencies, one or more electrode pairs from two or more electrode pairs included in the piezoelectric transducer to generate the sound; and providing, by a drive module connected to each of the two or more electrode pairs, current to each of the selected one or more electrode pairs to cause the piezoelectric transducer to generate a force that, when provided to a load, causes the load to generate the sound within the subset of frequencies.

US Patent:

20200321511, Oct 8, 2020

Filed:

Jun 15, 2020

Appl. No.:

16/901293

Inventors:

- Mountain View CA, US
Neil John Harris - Los Altos CA, US

International Classification:

H01L 41/053
B06B 1/06
G10K 11/00
G10K 11/02
H04R 17/00

Abstract:

A transducer () having a mechanical impedance over an operative frequency range and having a desired power coupling () to a load over the operative frequency range comprises a piezoelectric device () having a frequency distribution of modes in the operative frequency range; and an overmould (). The overmould () is arranged to surround at least part of the piezoelectric device (); and the parameters of the overmould () are selected to provide a required impedance matching between the mechanical impedance of the transducer () and the mechanical impedance of the load. An alternative transducer comprises a mounting means for holding a discrete portion of at least a part of the periphery of the piezoelectric device wherein the parameters of the mounting means are selected to provide a required boundary condition for the periphery of the piezoelectric device whereby the desired power coupling between the transducer and the load is provided.

US Patent:

20200052670, Feb 13, 2020

Filed:

Oct 21, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/658924

Inventors:

- Mountain View CA, US
Neil John Harris - Los Altos CA, US

International Classification:

H03G 5/16
H04R 17/00
H04R 3/04
H04R 17/10

Abstract:

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for changing a distributed mode loudspeaker's fundamental frequency. One of the systems includes a distributed mode loudspeaker comprising an actuator that includes: a supported portion, and a cantilevered portion having a length, a first fundamental frequency, and adapted to create a force to cause vibration of a load to generate sound waves using the first fundamental frequency; a support element connected to the supported portion of the actuator and adapted to adjust, based on a change to a shape of the support element, a size of the length of the cantilevered portion to change the first fundamental frequency to a second fundamental frequency with which the load will generate sound waves; and a frequency selection module that provides a signal to the support element to cause the support element to change shape.

US Patent:

20200015009, Jan 9, 2020

Filed:

Jul 12, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/510740

Inventors:

- London, GB
Neil John Harris - Los Altos CA, US

International Classification:

H04R 3/04
H04R 17/00
H04R 7/06
H04R 1/24

Abstract:

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for selecting distributed mode loudspeaker electrodes using an output frequency. One of the methods includes determining, for a piezoelectric transducer, a subset of frequencies, from a range of frequencies, at which to output a sound; selecting, based on the subset of frequencies, one or more electrode pairs from two or more electrode pairs included in the piezoelectric transducer to generate the sound; and providing, by a drive module connected to each of the two or more electrode pairs, current to each of the selected one or more electrode pairs to cause the piezoelectric transducer to generate a force that, when provided to a load, causes the load to generate the sound within the subset of frequencies.

US Patent:

20190297420, Sep 26, 2019

Filed:

Jun 12, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/439652

Inventors:

- London, GB
Neil John Harris - Los Altos CA, US

International Classification:

H04R 3/12
H04R 7/04
H04R 17/00
H04R 29/00
H04R 3/04

Abstract:

A panel loudspeaker controller for controlling a panel loudspeaker including a plurality of actuators, the panel loudspeaker controller including a plurality of electrical signal inputs, each input being associated with each actuator of the panel loudspeaker to be controlled; a plurality of signal processors, each signal processor being associated with each input and having an output for an electrical signal to control an actuator of the panel loudspeaker, and each signal processor implementing a transfer function from its input to its output based on each actuator of the panel loudspeaker to a desired acoustic receiver; and a signal processor controller associated with all of the plurality of signal processors, wherein the signal processor controller is preconfigured to improve phase alignment between the signals as an ensemble output at the outputs of the signal processors.

US Patent:

20190222187, Jul 18, 2019

Filed:

Mar 20, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/359110

Inventors:

- London, GB
Neil John Harris - Los Altos CA, US

International Classification:

H03G 5/16
H04R 17/00
H04R 3/04

Abstract:

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for changing a distributed mode loudspeaker's fundamental frequency. One of the systems includes a distributed mode loudspeaker comprising an actuator that includes: a supported portion, and a cantilevered portion having a length, a first fundamental frequency, and adapted to create a force to cause vibration of a load to generate sound waves using the first fundamental frequency; a support element connected to the supported portion of the actuator and adapted to adjust, based on a change to a shape of the support element, a size of the length of the cantilevered portion to change the first fundamental frequency to a second fundamental frequency with which the load will generate sound waves; and a frequency selection module that provides a signal to the support element to cause the support element to change shape.