Electronic Circuit for a Microphone and Method of Operating a Microphone

• US 20170164105A1
• Filed: 06/05/2014
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: Epcos AG (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Rocca, Gino, Rombach, Pirmin Hermann Otto
• Granted Patent: US 10,085,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/04 Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor in deaf-aid sets H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/005 using semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/04 Microphones H04R19/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

An electronic circuit for a microphone comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the electronic circuit is selectively operable in a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the first terminal is configured for microphone output and in the second mode, the second terminal is configured for microphone output. Furthermore, a method of operating a microphone is provided.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. An electronic circuit comprising:

a first terminal; and

a second terminal,

wherein the electronic circuit is selectively operable in a first mode and a second mode,

wherein, in the first mode, the first terminal is configured for microphone output and, in the second mode, the second terminal is configured for microphone output.

17. The electronic circuit of claim 16, further comprising a memory for setting the electronic circuit in the first or second mode.

18. The electronic circuit of claim 16, further comprising at least one switchable resistor.

19. The electronic circuit of claim 18, wherein, in the first mode, the switchable resistor is switched on.

20. The electronic circuit of claim 16, wherein, in the first and second mode, the first terminal is configured for power supply.

21. The electronic circuit of claim 18, further comprising a signal input for receiving a signal from a transducer, wherein the switchable resistor is located in an electric path between the signal input and the second terminal.

22. The electronic circuit of claim 16, further comprising a third terminal configured for ground.

23. The electronic circuit of claim 22, further comprising a signal input for receiving a signal from a transducer, wherein a switchable resistor is located in an electric path between the signal input and the third terminal.

24. The electronic circuit of claim 17, further comprising at least one switch controllable by the memory for switching on a switchable resistor.

25. The electronic circuit of claim 18, wherein the switchable resistor is tunable.

26. The electronic circuit of claim 25, wherein a memory controls a tuning of the switchable resistor.

27. The electronic circuit of claim 16, wherein the electronic circuit is an application-specific-integrated circuit (ASIC).

28. A microphone comprising:

a transducer; and

the electronic circuit of claim 16.

29. The microphone of claim 28, wherein the transducer is fabricated in MEMS (Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems) technology.

30. A method for operating the microphone of claim 28, the method comprising:

selecting the first or second mode; and

operating the microphone in the selected mode.