Method of Acoustic Wave Generation
A method of converting an audio signal into vibratory modulation of a fluid includes converting a series of pulses representative of the audio signal into a plurality of signals having an intermediate peak-to-peak voltage; summing said signals having said intermediate voltage to provide a driver signal having a high peak-to-peak voltage; supplying said driver signal to an electrostatic fluid accelerator; and generating a corona discharge inducing said vibratory modulation of said fluid.
1 . A method of converting an audio signal into vibratory modulation of a fluid comprising the steps of:
converting a series of pulses representative of the audio signal into a plurality of signals having an intermediate peak-to-peak voltage;
summing said signals having said intermediate voltage to provide a driver signal having a high peak-to-peak voltage;
supplying said driver signal to an electrostatic fluid accelerator; and
generating a corona discharge inducing said vibratory modulation of said fluid.
2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of converting includes modulating a width of said pulses in response to an amplitude characteristic of said audio signal.
3 . The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of converting includes modulating an amplitude of said pulses in response to an amplitude characteristic of said audio signal.
4 . The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of converting includes generating a regular series of said pulses at a frequency of least 16 kHz.
5 . The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of converting includes generating a regular series of said pulses at a frequency of least 40 kHz.
6 . A method of converting an audio signal into vibratory modulation of a fluid comprising the steps of:
partitioning the audio signal into low-frequency and high-frequency constituent signals;
multiplying an input voltage to provide a first high voltage;
modulating said first high voltage with said low-frequency constituent signal to provide a low-frequency high voltage;
transforming said input voltage to provide a second high voltage;
modulating said second high voltage with said high-frequency constituent signal to provide a high-frequency high voltage;
combining said low-frequency and said high-frequency high voltage to provide a high voltage output;
supplying said high voltage output to an electrostatic fluid accelerator (EFA); and
modulating a fluid with said electrostatic fluid accelerator.
7 . The method according to claim 6 further comprising a step of rapidly discharging electrical power stored in an external capacitance of said EFA array.
8 . The method according to claim 6 further comprising a step of maintaining a difference between a voltage level of (i) said low-frequency voltage and (ii) a corona onset voltage of said EFA array close to a voltage level of said high-frequency voltage during each of a plurality of time periods whereby a maximum acceptable distortion of an audio output is not exceeded.
9 . The method according to claim 6 further comprising a step of dynamically adjusting a voltage level of said low-frequency high voltage in response to a maximum peak level of the audio signal.
10 . The method according to claim 6 wherein the comprises a plurality of contiguous segments, said method further comprising the step of:
dynamically adjusting, for each of said segments, a bias voltage level of said low-frequency high voltage in response to a maximum peak level of said audio signal occurring within each of said segments such that a minimum voltage level of said high voltage output is not less than a corona onset voltage of said EFA array.