Granted Patent B2

US 7,940,923 · App. 12/551,885 · Granted May 10, 2011

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A speakerphone for placement on a horizontal surface comprising:

a microphone;

a plurality of loudspeakers, each loudspeaker facing upwardly and each loudspeaker having a center line angle, wherein the center line angle is at most 45 degrees above horizontal and the angle between any two neighboring loudspeaker center lines is greater than 0 degrees;

an interface through which the speakerphone is connected with another teleconference unit;

a process unit coupled to the microphone, the loudspeakers and the interface; and

a housing containing the microphone, the loudspeakers, the interface and the process unit.

2. The speakerphone of claim 1 ,

wherein at least one loudspeaker center line angle is adjustable up to at most 45 degrees above horizontal.

3. The speakerphone of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bass loudspeaker coupled to the process unit, wherein the bass loudspeaker has a center line angle, and

wherein the plurality of loudspeakers are tweeter loudspeakers.

4. The speakerphone of claim 3 ,

wherein the center line angle of the bass loudspeaker is between −90 degrees and 90 degrees from horizontal.

5. The speakerphone of claim 4 ,

wherein the center line angle of the bass loudspeaker is −90 degrees from horizontal.

6. The speakerphone of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the angle between any two neighboring loudspeakers' center lines is substantially the same as the angle between any other two neighboring loudspeakers' center lines.

7. The speakerphone of claim 6 , further comprising:

one or more additional microphones coupled to the process unit.

8. A speakerphone comprising:

a microphone;

a loudspeaker having a center line angle, wherein the center line angle is at most 45 degrees above horizontal;

an interface through which the speakerphone is connected with another teleconference unit;

a process unit coupled to the microphone, the loudspeaker and the interface; and

a housing containing the microphone, the loudspeaker, the interface and the process unit,

wherein the housing has at least two openings, one opening in front of the loudspeaker and one at the back of the loudspeaker.

9. A speakerphone operable to be placed on a conference table in a conference room, wherein chairs are placed around all sides of the conference table to accommodate seated conference participants, the speakerphone comprising:

a microphone;

a loudspeaker facing upwardly and having a center line angle, wherein the center line angle is at most 45 degrees above the conference table and the loudspeaker is oriented to deliver high frequency sound directly to a seated conference participant;

an interface through which the speakerphone is connected with another teleconference unit;

a process unit coupled to the microphone, the loudspeaker and the interface; and

a housing containing the microphone, the loudspeaker, the interface and the process unit.

10. The speakerphone of claim 9 , further comprising:

at least one additional loudspeaker having a center line angle and contained in the housing coupled to the process unit, wherein each of the at least one additional loudspeakers is oriented to deliver high frequency sound directly to a seated conference participant.

11. The speakerphone of claim 9 , further comprising:

a bass loudspeaker coupled to the process unit and contained in the housing, wherein the bass loudspeaker has a center line angle;

wherein the loudspeaker and the plurality of loudspeakers are tweeter loudspeakers.

12. The speakerphone of claim 11 , wherein the center line angle of the bass loudspeaker is between −90 degrees and 90 degrees from horizontal.

13. The speakerphone of claim 12 , wherein the center line angle of the bass loudspeaker is −90 degrees from horizontal.

Assignments (10)