IP Library Granted Patent US 9,769,573
Granted Patent B2
US 9,769,573 · App. 15/161,086 · Granted Sep 19, 2017

Transparent parametric transducer and related methods

Inventors: David S. Hecht (San Diego, CA); Brian Alan Kappus (San Diego, CA); Elwood Grant Norris (Poway, CA); Mark W. Norris (Poway, CA)
Assignee: Turtle Beach Corporation
H04R19/02G06F1/1688H04M1/0266H04N5/642H04R1/023H04R1/028H04R7/06H04R7/08G02F2001/133331G02F2001/133394G06F1/1626H04M1/0268H04M1/03H04N5/60H04R2217/03H04R2499/11H04R2499/15
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,769,573
App. No.
15/161,086
Granted
Sep 19, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A transparent ultrasonic emitter includes a first transparent conductive layer; a second transparent conductive layer; and a plurality of transparent spacers disposed between the first and second transparent layers conductive of the ultrasonic audio speaker, the transparent spacers having a thickness and being arranged to define an open area between the first and second transparent layers.

Claims (41)

1. A transparent ultrasonic audio speaker, comprising:

a first transparent conductive sheet;

a second transparent conductive sheet; and

a plurality of transparent spacers disposed between the first and second transparent conductive sheets of the transparent ultrasonic audio speaker, the transparent spacers having a thickness and being arranged to define an open area between the first and second transparent conductive sheets,

wherein at least one of the first transparent conductive sheet and the second transparent conductive sheet are divided into a plurality of conductive regions by one or more nonconductive regions.

2. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive regions is connected to a respective audio channel.

3. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 2 , wherein the transparent ultrasonic audio speaker is a phased array emitter.

4. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive regions is connected to a respective path of an audio channel.

5. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 4 , wherein the transparent ultrasonic audio speaker is a phased array emitter.

6. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 1 , wherein each of the first transparent conductive sheet and the second transparent conductive sheet are divided into a plurality of conductive regions by one or more nonconductive regions.

7. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 6 , wherein the transparent ultrasonic audio speaker comprises first and second transparent ultrasonic audio emitters electrically separated by the one or more nonconductive regions, and wherein the first and second transparent ultrasonic audio emitters are oriented in different angles.

8. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 1 , wherein the one or more nonconductive regions comprise glass or acrylic.

9. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 1 , wherein the first transparent conductive sheet comprises a first transparent conductive layer adjacent a first transparent nonconductive layer and the second transparent conductive sheet comprises a second transparent conductive layer adjacent a second transparent nonconductive layer.

10. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 9 , further comprising a hard coat layer disposed on the first transparent non-conductive layer.

11. The transparent ultrasonic audio speaker of claim 1 , wherein the first and second transparent conductive sheets and the transparent spacers as disposed between the two layers have a combined transmittance of greater than 75% in the visible spectrum.

12. An electronic content device, comprising:

a power supply;

a content engine coupled to receive power from the power supply and to generate electrical signals representing audio content and electrical signals representing display content;

a display coupled to the content engine and configured to receive the electrical signals representing display content and to generate a visual representation of the display content; and

a transparent ultrasonic audio speaker disposed on the display, the speaker comprising:

a first transparent conductive sheet;

a second transparent conductive sheet; and

a plurality of transparent spacers disposed between the first and second transparent conductive sheets of the transparent ultrasonic audio speaker, the transparent spacers having a thickness and being arranged to define an open area between the first and second transparent conductive sheets,

wherein at least one of the first transparent conductive sheet and the second transparent conductive sheet are divided into a plurality of conductive regions by one or more nonconductive regions.

13. The electronic content device of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive regions is connected to a respective audio channel.

14. The electronic content device of claim 13 , wherein the transparent ultrasonic audio speaker is a phased array emitter.

15. The electronic content device of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive regions is connected to a respective path of an audio channel.

16. The electronic content device of claim 15 , wherein the transparent ultrasonic audio speaker is a phased array emitter.

17. The electronic content device of claim 12 , wherein each of the first transparent conductive sheet and the second transparent conductive sheet are divided into a plurality of conductive regions by one or more nonconductive regions.

18. The electronic content device of claim 17 , wherein the transparent ultrasonic audio speaker comprises first and second transparent ultrasonic audio emitters electrically separated by the one or more nonconductive regions, and wherein the first and second transparent ultrasonic audio emitters are oriented in different angles.

19. The electronic content device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more nonconductive regions comprise glass or acrylic.

20. The electronic content device of claim 12 , wherein the first transparent conductive sheet comprises a first transparent conductive layer adjacent a first transparent nonconductive layer and the second transparent conductive sheet comprises a second transparent conductive layer adjacent a second transparent nonconductive layer.

21. The electronic content device of claim 20 , further comprising a hard coat layer disposed on the first transparent non-conductive layer.

22. The electronic content device of claim 12 , wherein the first and second transparent conductive sheets and the transparent spacers as disposed between the two layers have a combined transmittance of greater than 75% in the visible spectrum.

23. The electronic content device of claim 12 , further comprising:

a modulator coupled to receive the electrical signals representing audio content, and to modulate the received electrical signals onto an ultrasonic carrier; and

a driver circuit, comprising:

two inputs configured to be coupled to receive the electrical signals representing audio content modulated onto an ultrasonic carrier signal;

a first output coupled to the first transparent conductive sheet; and

a second output coupled to the second transparent conductive sheet.

24. The electronic content device of claim 12 , wherein the electronic content device comprises a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone, a television, a digital camera, a navigation device, a gaming device, a point-of-sale terminal, a kiosk, or a slot machine.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 075315/0067 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2026
From: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 075311/0561 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 072470/0260 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 4, 2025
From: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 072338/0059 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2025
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
To: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 072337/0391 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2024
From: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
To: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066797/0517 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENTS Recorded Dec 19, 2018
From: CRYSTAL FINANCIAL LLC
To: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047954/0007 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2018
From: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 045776/0648 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 13, 2018
From: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION
To: CRYSTAL FINANCIAL LLC, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 045573/0722 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2016
From: HECHT, DAVID S.; KAPPUS, BRIAN ALAN; NORRIS, ELWOOD GRANT; NORRIS, MARK W.
To: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039369/0674 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 14604565 · Jan 23, 2015
Continuation In Part 14330794 · Jul 14, 2014
Continuation In Part 14056878 · Oct 17, 2013
Related Publication 20160373864A1 · Dec 22, 2016