WIND NOISE REJECTION APPARATUS

• US 20100128901A1
• Filed: 02/18/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Audio Gravity Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Audio Gravity Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Herman, David
• Application Number:
  US12/527,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20100128901A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/98
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/086 Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/401 2D or 3D arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/405 Non-uniform arrays of transducers or a plurality of uniform arrays with different transducer spacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/07 Mechanical or electrical reduction of wind noise generated by wind passing a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/405 by combining a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/407 Circuits for combining signals of a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

An apparatus for reduction of wind noise comprised of an electro-acoustic transducer arrangement with at least one transducer element. The exposed structure is covered with at least one thin layer of wind-resistive material, in the form of a mesh, and optionally includes one or more further layers of felt, foam and/or mesh in any combination. Where a plurality of elements is provided, the electrical outputs of the elements may be added together to provide an output signal with increased signal to wind noise ratio. The signal may be subject to additional signal processing such as filtering and/or level sensitive signal inhibition.

Claims

1. An electro-acoustic transducer arrangement comprising at least one transducer element, and wind resistive material covering the transducer element, characterised in that the resistive material is in the form of a mesh having holes less than approximately 125 microns in size, and is shaped to form an enclosed volume which may be exposed to wind and which is arranged to contain the or each transducer element.

2. A transducer arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the mesh has holes of 40-50 microns.

3. A transducer arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the or each transducer element is an omni-directional element.

4. A transducer arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the wind resistive material comprises a layer of felt or foam material.

5. A transducer arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the wind resistive material is shaped to form a plurality of convex portions.

6. A transducer arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the wind resistive material is shaped to form a generally three dimensional hyperbolic shape.

7. A transducer arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the external surface of the wind resistive material is formed with pinched portions.

8. A transducer arrangement according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of transducer elements with each transducer facing a unique direction, and the outputs of the elements are summed.

9. A transducer arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the or each transducer element is a microphone element and is located on a boom attached to a user'"'"'s head so as to be located pointing at the user'"'"'s mouth.

10. A transducer arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the or each element is a microphone element and is located on a helmet so as to be pointing at a user'"'"'s mouth.

11. A transducer arrangement according to claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of elements manufactured using semiconductor micro fabrication techniques.

12. A transducer arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the outputs of the or each element is subjected to filtering in order to reduce noise.

13. A transducer arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the filtering utilises a high pass or band pass filter.

14. A transducer arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the filter passes frequencies above about 200 Hz.

15. A transducer module comprising a housing within which is provided a transducer arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the housing is semi-permeable in one direction and is splashproofed or waterproofed.

16. A module as claimed in claim 15, wherein an array of perforations is provided in said splashproofing or waterproofing housing adjacent to each microphone.

17. A module as claimed in claim 15 wherein mounting means are provided in the form of an over-moulded package.

18. A camera incorporating a transducer arrangement according to claim 1.

19. A portable communication device incorporating a transducer arrangement according to claim 1.

20. A portable communication device according to claim 19, wherein the device communicates data, as well as sound.

21. A hearing aid incorporating a transducer arrangement according to claim 1.

22. A recording device incorporating a transducer arrangement according to claim 1.