BACKGROUND

Field

Embodiments as disclosed herein are related to the field of transparent acoustic transducers for use in optical components and devices. More specifically, embodiments as disclosed herein are related to transparent acoustic transducers for use in displays, windows, lenses, for aesthetically pleasing results on opaque containers and boxes, and for use in vehicles.

Related Art

Some applications use transparent membranes to activate acoustic modes in flat screen displays to generate audio signals accompanying the image display. However, the amplitude of the oscillations of the flat screen necessary to produce a loud enough audio signal tends to interfere with the quality of the image display, especially for low acoustic frequency having long standing wavelengths on the display. Moreover, the need for actuators capable of operating at high voltages, especially at the higher frequencies of the audible spectrum (let alone ultrasound applications), hinders the applicability of such techniques in compact devices (e.g., smart frames and mixed reality headsets).

SUMMARY

In a first embodiment, a transducer is described that includes a substrate configured to be deposited on a solid object, and a transparent medium coupled to the substrate and configured to oscillate at a pre-selected frequency upon receipt of an electrical excitation or a mechanical excitation and to provide a first acoustic wave. The transducer also includes an actuator configured to receive an electrical power, and to provide the electrical excitation or the mechanical excitation to the transparent medium, wherein at least a portion of the solid object is viewable through the transparent medium, and the first acoustic wave is at least partially transmitted through an interface of the transparent medium.

In a second embodiment, a device is described that includes a frame, a display mounted on the frame, the display comprising a substrate configured to be deposited on a solid object, and a power circuit configured to provide an electrical power. The device also includes an actuator configured to receive the electrical power, and to provide an electrical excitation or a mechanical excitation, and a transducer. The transducer includes a transparent medium coupled to the substrate and configured to oscillate at a pre-selected frequency in response to the electrical excitation or mechanical excitation, to provide a first acoustic wave, wherein at least a portion of the solid object is viewable through the transparent medium, and the first acoustic wave is at least partially transmitted through an interface of the transparent medium.

In yet another embodiment, a non-transitory, computer-readable medium stores instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to perform a method. The method includes filtering an electrical power to an electrode coupled to a transparent medium in a transducer to select a pre-determined frequency for an electrical excitation or a mechanical excitation of the transparent medium. The method also includes providing the electrical excitation or the mechanical excitation to generate a propagating acoustic wave from an interface in the transparent medium at the pre-determined frequency, directing the propagating acoustic wave in a pre-selected direction, and receiving an incoming propagating acoustic wave from the pre-selected direction in the interface of the transparent medium.

A system is also described. The system includes a means for storing instructions and a means for executing the instructions to cause the system to perform a method. The method includes filtering an electrical power to an electrode coupled to a transparent medium in a transducer to select a pre-determined frequency for an electrical excitation or a mechanical excitation of the transparent medium. The method also includes providing the electrical excitation or the mechanical excitation to generate a propagating acoustic wave from an interface in the transparent medium at the pre-determined frequency, directing the propagating acoustic wave in a pre-selected direction, and receiving an incoming propagating acoustic wave from the pre-selected direction in the interface of the transparent medium.

It is understood that other configurations of the subject technology will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various configurations of the subject technology are shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the subject technology is capable of other and different configurations and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the scope of the subject technology. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

