Electroacoustic conversion of audio signals, especially voice signals

• US 20040114777A1
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Fischer, Andre, Aubauer, Roland, Klinke, Stefano Ambrosius
• Application Number:
  US10/470,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20040114777A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/005 using a piezoelectric polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow

Abstract

At least one flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) which converts a mechanical pressure change into an electrical voltage variation (microphone) or an electrical voltage variation into a mechanical pressure change (loudspeaker) is connected to the fabric of items of clothing (30, 300). Furthermore, the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is connected, by means of a wire or without, to an audio signal source (31) and/or an audio signal sink (31) which are associated with the item of clothing (30, 300) or integrated into the same (30, 300).

Claims

1. An arrangement for electroacoustic conversion of audio signals, particularly voice signals, having the following features:

(a) at least one flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) which converts a mechanical pressure change into an electrical voltage variation (microphone) or an electrical voltage variation into a mechanical pressure change (loudspeaker) is connected to the fabric of articles of clothing (30, 300),

(b) the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is connected by wired or wireless means to an audio signal source (31) and/or audio signal sink (31) assigned to the article of clothing (30, 300) or integrated into the article of clothing.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) consists of a piezoelectric film (10) which has a metal layer (11) on the film topside and underside over at least part of the surface area in each case for the purpose of making electrical contact.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) has an insulating layer (12) which is present on the metal layer (11).

4. The arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is connected to the clothing fabric (30, 300) on the film topside and underside.

5. The arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is connected to the clothing fabric (30, 300) on the film topside and/or film underside.

6. The arrangement according to one of the claims 2 to 5, characterized in that

the film (10) is an EMFI film or a PVDF film.

7. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

the connection between the clothing fabric (30, 300) and the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is a glued or bonded connection.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) has a plurality of fabric fibers (2), wherein each fabric fiber (2) in the fiber cross-section is constructed like the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) in cross-section and wherein the fabric fibers (2) are interwoven and electrically interconnected in such a way that in combination they convert a mechanical pressure change into an electrical voltage variation (microphone) or an electrical voltage variation into a mechanical pressure change (loudspeaker).

9. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that

the number of flexible elements (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is dimensioned and controllable such that during reception the sound can be influenced in terms of its directional efficiency.

10. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that

the number of flexible elements (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is dimensioned and controllable such that for playback the sound is reproduced with stereo or 3D playback quality.

11. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is controllable by means of an ultrasound signal modulated with the audio signal such that an ultrasound signal modulated with the audio signal is reproduced, the ultrasound signal being demodulated by means of a further acoustically non-linear layer of the clothing or through propagation in the air.

12. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) has at least a surface area in the order of 100 cm².

13. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that

a telecommunications device is configured as an audio signal source and/or audio signal sink.

14. The arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that the telecommunications device is a mobile phone.

15. The arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that

the telecommunications device is a mobile component of a cordless telephone.

16. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that

a playback device for music or voice is configured as the audio signal source.

17. The arrangement according to claim 16, characterized in that

the playback device is a CD player.

18. The arrangement according to claim 16, characterized in that

the playback device is an answering machine.

19. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that

a recording device for music or voice is configured as the audio signal sink.

20. The arrangement according to claim 19, characterized in that the recording device is a dictation machine.

21. The arrangement according to claim 16 or 19, characterized in that

the playback device and/or recording device is a personal computer.

22. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 21, characterized in that

contained in the clothing fabric (30, 300) are electrical leads (34) which establish the connection between the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) and the audio signal source (31) and/or the audio signal sink (31).

23. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 22, characterized in that

a control module (37a, 37b) is assigned to the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b), said control module establishing the wireless connection between the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) and the audio signal source (31) and/or the audio signal sink (31) and at the same time ensuring the operability of the element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) without a wired connection between the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) and the audio signal source (31) and/or audio signal sink (31).

24. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 23, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) or the control module (37a, 37b) and the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is or are disposed on the article of clothing (30, 300) separately from the audio signal source (31) and/or audio signal sink (31).

25. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 24, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) or the control module (37a, 37b) and the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is or are disposed in areas of the article of clothing (30, 300) which are located in proximity to the head when the article of clothing (30, 300) is being worn.

26. The arrangement according to claim 25, characterized in that

collar, scarf, headwear, tie, bow tie, chest, back and/or shoulder part are the areas of the article of clothing.

27. The arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 26, characterized in that

the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b), the control module (37a, 37b) and the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) and also the audio signal source (31) and/or the audio signal sink (31) are disposed removably on the article of clothing (30, 300).

28. The arrangement according to claim 27, characterized in that

hook and loop systems (35, 36) are present by means of which the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b), the control module (37a, 37b) and the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) and also the audio signal source (31) and/or the audio signal sink (31) are disposed removably on the article of clothing (30, 300).

29. The arrangement according to claim 28, characterized in that

hook and loop systems (35, 36) are implemented in such a way (350, 351) that electrical contact can be established via these systems.

30. A method for electroacoustic conversion of audio signals, particularly voice signals, with the following features:

(a) at least one flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) which converts a mechanical pressure change into an electrical voltage variation (microphone) or an electrical voltage variation into a mechanical pressure change (loudspeaker) is connected to clothing fabric (30, 300),

(b) the flexible element (1, 32, 33a, 33b) is connected by wired or wireless means to an audio signal source (31) and/or audio signal sink (31) assigned to the clothing fabric (30, 300) or integrated in the clothing fabric.