Variable-directivity microphone device

• US 4,354,059 A
• Filed: 09/09/1980
• Issued: 10/12/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Victor Company of Japan Limited (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Victor Company of Japan Limited (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Makoto, Ishigaki, Yukinobu, Miyaji, Naotaka, Totsuka, Kaoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Stellar, George G.
• Application Number:
  US06/185,516
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 179/1 DM
• US Class Current: 381/92
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A variable-directivity microphone device comprises a microphone unit having a plurality of microphones, a circuit which resultingly adds the low-frequency range components of the output signal of one of the microphones of the microphone unit and mixes with the output signal of the other microphone so that only the high-frequency range components cancel each other, and an equalizer which corrects the characteristic of the mixed signal. The above effective mixing is performed under varying mixing states.

Claims

1. A variable-directivity microphone device comprising:

a microphone unit having a plurality of microphones;

means in which the low-frequency range components of the output signal of one of said microphones of said microphone unit is resultingly added and mixed with the output signal of the other microphone and only the high-frequency range components are resultingly cancelled each other, said mixing means being capable of varying the mixing conditions; and

equalizer means for correcting the characteristic of said mixed signal.

2. A variable-directivity microphone device comprising:

a microphone unit having a plurality of microphones;

a phase-shifter supplied with the output signal of one of said microphones of said microphone unit, which leaves the low-frequency range components as they are and shifts the phase of the high-frequency range components towards the -180 degrees direction;

mixing means for adding and mixing the output signal of said phase-shifter and the output signal of the other microphone of said microphone unit, said mixing means being capable of varying the mixing ratio; and

equalizer means for correcting the characteristic of the output signal of said mixing means.

3. A variable-directivity microphone device comprising:

a microphone unit having a plurality of microphones;

a variable phase-shifter supplied with the output signal of one of said microphones of said microphone unit, which leaves the low-frequency range components as they are and shifts the phase of the high-frequency range components towards the -180 degrees direction, said variable phase-shifter being varied of its phase characteristic;

mixing means for adding and mixing the output signal of said phase shifter and the output signal of the other microphone of said microphone unit; and

equalizer means for correcting the characteristic of the output signal of said mixing means.

4. A variable-directivity microphone device as described in claim 3 in which said equalizer means is organized so that the correction characteristic can be varied, and said variable phase-shifter and said variable equalizer means are linked and varied.

5. A variable-directivity microphone device comprising:

a microphone unit having a plurality of microphones;

a high-pass filter supplied with the output signal of one of said microphones, said high-pass filter passing the high-frequency range components of said output signal;

mixing means for subtracting and mixing the output signal of said high-pass filter from the output signal of the other microphone of said microphone unit, said mixing means being varied of its mixing ratio; and

equalizer means for correcting the characteristic of the output signal of said mixing means.

6. A variable-directivity microphone device as described in claim 5 in which said equalizer means is organized so that the correction characteristic can be varied, and said mixing means and said equalizer means are linked and varied.

7. A variable-directivity microphone device comprising:

a microphone unit having a plurality of microphones;

a variable high-pass filter supplied with the output signal of one of said microphones of said microphone unit, said variable high-pass filter passing the high-frequency range components of said output signal, said variable high-pass filter being varied of its passing characteristic;

mixing means for subtracting and mixing the output signal of said variable high-pass filter from the output of the other microphone; and

variable equalizer means for correcting the characteristic of the output signal of said mixing means, said variable equalizer means and said variable high-pass filter being linked and varied.