Audio signal processing unit and audio transmission system, in particular a microphone system

• US 20120140944A1
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Thiele, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 9,439,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/15 Aspects of sound capture and related signal processing for recording or reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

The invention concerns an audio signal processing unit including a receiving unit adapted to receive at least a first audio signal and a pilot tone signal, a first audio signal amplifier adapted to obtain at least a second audio signal from an audio signal source by way of an audio signal input, and a pilot tone signal unit adapted to obtain the received pilot tone signal. The pilot tone signal unit is adapted to output a control signal in a first state if the pilot tone signal is received, and to output the control signal in a second state if the pilot tone signal is not received. The first audio signal amplifier is adapted to process the at least second audio signal in dependence on the state of the control signal.

Claims

1. An audio signal processing unit comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive at least a first audio signal and a pilot tone signal;

a first audio signal amplifier configured to obtain at least a second audio signal from an audio signal source by way of an audio signal input; and

a pilot tone signal unit configured to;

obtain the pilot tone signal;

output a control signal in a first state if the pilot tone signal is received; and

output the control signal in a second state if the pilot tone signal is not received;

wherein the first audio signal amplifier is further configured to process the at least second audio signal depending on the state of the control signal.

2. The audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 1;

wherein the first audio signal amplifier, in accordance with the first state of the control signal, is configured to;

amplify or attenuate the at least second audio signal with a first level; and

/or

perform filtering with a first frequency spectrum; and

wherein the first audio signal amplifier, in accordance with the second state of the control signal, is configured to;

amplify or attenuate the at least second audio signal with a second level; and

/or

perform filtering with a second frequency spectrum.

3. The audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 1;

wherein the first audio signal amplifier is configured to completely suppress the at least second audio signal.

4. The audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an audio signal summing means configured to;

obtain the at least second audio signal from the first audio signal amplifier; and

to sum the at least first audio signal and the at least second audio signal.

5. The audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

a second audio signal amplifier configured to;

obtain the summed audio signal from the audio signal summing means; and

amplify, attenuate, and/or filter the summed audio signal.

6. The audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an audio signal treatment unit configured to;

obtain the at least first audio signal and the received pilot tone signal from the receiving unit;

output the at least first audio signal to the audio signal summing means; and

output the received pilot tone signal to the pilot tone signal unit.

11. An audio signal transmission system comprising:

at least one pickup unit configured to;

detect at least a first audio signal and a pilot tone signal; and

wirelessly transmit the first audio signal and the pilot tone signal; and

an audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 1 configured to receive the at least first audio signal transmitted from the receiving unit and the pilot tone signal;

wherein the pickup unit is configured to interrupt the transmission of the pilot tone signal.

12. The audio signal transmission system as set forth in claim 11;

wherein the audio signal transmission system is a wireless audio signal transmission system for wireless audio transmission with at least a wireless pickup unit.

15. The audio signal transmission system as set forth in claim 11;

wherein the audio signal transmission system is a wireless audio signal transmission system for wireless audio transmission with at least a wireless pickup unit.

7. An audio signal processing unit comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive at least a first audio signal and a pilot tone signal; and

a pilot tone signal unit configured to;

obtain the pilot tone signal;

output a control signal in a first state by way of an output of the audio signal processing unit if the pilot tone signal is received; and

output the control signal in a second state by way of the output of the audio signal processing unit if the pilot tone signal is not received.

8. The audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 7;

wherein, in accordance with the first state of the control signal, an external switching device connected to the output of the audio signal processing unit is put into a first state; and

wherein, in accordance with the second state of the control signal, the external switching device connected to the output of the audio signal processing unit is put into a second state.

9. The audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 7;

wherein the receiving unit is configured to wirelessly receive the at least first audio signal and the pilot tone signal.

10. The audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 9;

wherein the pilot tone signal is transmitted to the audio signal processing unit in time multiplex, frequency multiplex, or code multiplex.

14. An audio signal transmission system comprising:

at least one pickup unit configured to;

detect at least a first audio signal and a pilot tone signal; and

wirelessly transmit the first audio signal and the pilot tone signal; and

an audio signal processing unit as set forth in claim 7 configured to receive the at least first audio signal transmitted from the receiving unit and the pilot tone signal;

wherein the pickup unit is configured to interrupt the transmission of the pilot tone signal.

13. An audio signal processing method comprising:

receiving at least a first audio signal and a pilot tone signal;

receiving at least a second audio signal from an audio signal source; and

processing the at least second audio signal depending on a state of a control signal, which indicates the presence or the absence of the pilot tone signal.