Structure and Method of Condenser Microphone Device for Skin-Contact Usage

• US 20070269060A1
• Filed: 05/22/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Airdigit Incorporation
• Original Assignee: Airdigit Incorporation
• Inventors: Chou, Ching-Tsai
• Application Number:
  US11/419,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20070269060A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/174
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14

Abstract

A number of improved structures and methods to a condenser microphone device are provided so that the condenser microphone device can be used in a skin-contact manner satisfactorily. According to the proposed methods, the sensitivity of the condenser microphone device is lowered appropriately by reducing the aperture of the through hole on the enclosure of the condenser microphone device'"'"'s sensing member, or by reducing the amount of electrical charge carried by the thin film inside the sensing member. According to the proposed structures, the sensing member is wrapped inside a plastic jacket or film, covering up the through hole on the sensing member'"'"'s enclosure, or providing another through hole of very small aperture. The plastic jacket could also form a buffer space between the jacket and the sensing member.

Claims

1. A method of adapting a condenser microphone device for picking up voice via skin contact, said condenser microphone device comprising a sensing member having a hollow, cylindrical enclosure and a capacitance element, at least a through hole provided on a receiving end of said enclosure, said capacitance element positioned cross-sectionally inside said enclosure at an appropriate distance below said through hole, said capacitance element formed by a thin film and a metallic plate with an appropriate distance therebetween, said method comprising the steps of:

charging said thin film with an appropriate amount of electrical charge so that said sensing member has a sensitivity between −

50 dB to −

70 dB; and

providing a filtering and amplification means to the electrical signal output from said sensing member, said filtering and amplification means filtering the electrical signal below an appropriate frequency and providing a gain which increases along with the frequency of the electrical signal.

2. A method of adapting a condenser microphone device for picking up voice via skin contact, said condenser microphone device comprising a sensing member having a hollow, cylindrical enclosure and a capacitance element, said capacitance element positioned cross-sectionally at an appropriate location inside said enclosure, said capacitance element formed by a thin film and a metallic plate with an appropriate distance therebetween, said method comprising the steps of:

providing at least a through hole whose aperture is at most 1 mm on a receiving end of said enclosure above said capacitance element; and

providing a filtering and amplification means to the electrical signal output from said sensing member, said filtering and amplification means filtering the electrical signal below an appropriate frequency and providing a gain which increases along with the frequency of the electrical signal.

3. A structure of a condenser microphone device for picking up voice via skin contact, said condenser microphone device having a sensing member and a filtering and amplification component, said sensing member comprising:

a hollow, cylindrical enclosure having a through hole on a receiving end of said enclosure;

a capacitance element, said capacitance element positioned cross-sectionally inside said enclosure at an appropriate distance below said through hole, said capacitance element formed by a charged film and a metallic plate with an appropriate distance therebetween; and

a jacket outside said enclosure covering up at least said through hole;

wherein said filtering and amplification component electrically connected to the output of said sensing member, said filtering and amplification component filtering the electrical signal output from said sensing member below an appropriate frequency and providing a gain which increases along with the frequency of the electrical signal.

4. The structure according to claim 3, wherein said jacket provides a through hole on top of said through hole of said enclosure.

5. The structure according to claim 4, wherein the aperture of said through hole of said jacket is at most 1 mm.

6. The structure according to claim 3, wherein said through hole is covered by a thin film.

7. The structure according to claim 3, wherein said jacket covers the cylindrical wall of said enclosure.

8. The structure according to claim 3, wherein said jacket forms a buffer space between said jacket and said receiving end of said enclosure.

9. The structure according to claim 3, wherein said jacket is made of one of the following material:

plastic, rubber, and artificial rubber.