CONFERENCE AUDIO SYSTEM

• US 20100142721A1
• Filed: 07/27/2005
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-technica
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-technica
• Inventors: Wada, Ariisa, Harima, Tatsuji
• Granted Patent: US 8,045,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/403 Linear arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Even in a conference audio system having an automatic mute release device, it is possible to reduce a delay time from an utterance to output from a speaker. The system includes: an A/D converter (33) for converting an audio signal from a plurality of microphones into a digital signal; audio level detection means to detect whether the converted digital signal level indicates an utterance or no sound; audio data storage means (32) for temporarily storing the digital signal in which the audio level detection means has detected an utterance; control means (31) for controlling storage of the audio data into the audio data storage means (32) and read out of the audio data; and a D/A converter (34) for converting the read-out audio data into an analog audio signal. When the audio level detection means has detected no sound in the series of audio data, the control means (31) hastens the audio data read-out timing in correspondence to the time of the no sound portion.

Claims

1. A conference audio system comprising:

a plurality of microphones;

an analog/digital converter converting an audio signal from each microphone into a digital signal;

an audio level detector detecting utterance or silence depending on whether or not the level of the converted digital signal exceeds a predetermined level;

an audio data storage unit temporarily storing the digital signal which the corresponding utterance is detected by the audio level detector and the analog/digital converter converts;

a controller controlling the storage of audio data to the audio data storage unit and the reading of the stored audio data; and

a digital/analog converter converting the read audio data into an analog audio signal,

wherein the controller hastens read timing of the audio data in accordance with a time period of silent portion when the audio level detector detects silence in a series of the audio data.

2. The conference audio system according to claim 1,

wherein the audio data storage unit stores past audio data by a predetermined amount while updating the audio data by using a memory in a form of a ring.

3. The conference audio system according to claim 1,

wherein the analog/digital converter, the audio level detector, the audio data storage unit, the controller, and the digital/analog converter are arranged in accordance with each microphone.

4. The conference audio system according to claim 1,

wherein the audio signal output from the microphone side is transmitted to a receiver via a cordless signal transmitter and a speaker is driven by the audio signal received by the receiver.

5. The conference audio system according to claim 1,

wherein the controller keeps a microphone in an on state after the microphone for which the audio level detector detects utterance is turned on, until the detection of silence by the audio level detector continues for a predetermined time period.

6. The conference audio system according to claim 4,

wherein the cordless signal transmitter and the receiver are a transmitter and a receiver using infrared light.

7-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A conference audio system comprising:

a plurality of microphones;

an analog/digital converter converting an audio signal from each microphone into a digital signal;

an audio level detector detecting utterance or silence depending on whether or not the level of the converted digital signal exceeds a predetermined level;

an audio data storage unit temporarily storing the digital signal which the corresponding utterance is detected by the audio level detector and the analog/digital converter converts;

a controller controlling the storage of audio data to the audio data storage unit and the reading of the stored audio data; and

a digital/analog converter converting the read audio data into an analog audio signal,

wherein the controller controls read timing of the audio data.

12. The conference audio system according to claim 11,

wherein the audio data storage unit stores past audio data by a predetermined amount while updating the audio data by using a memory in a form of a ring.

13. The conference audio system according to claim 11,

wherein the analog/digital converter, the audio level detector, the audio data storage unit, the controller, and the digital/analog converter are arranged in accordance with each microphone.

14. The conference audio system according to claim 11,

wherein the audio signal output from the microphone side is transmitted to a receiver via a cordless signal transmitter and a speaker is driven by the audio signal received by the receiver.

15. The conference audio system according to claim 11,

wherein the controller keeps a microphone in an on state after the microphone for which the audio level detector detects utterance is turned on, until the detection of silence by the audio level detector continues for a predetermined time period.

16. The conference audio system according to claim 14,

wherein the cordless signal transmitter and the receiver are a transmitter and a receiver using infrared light.