Microphone and microphone system

• US 5,323,257 A
• Filed: 08/04/1992
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Kousuke, Abe, Kensaku, Yamaguchi, Yukimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US07/924,457
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 359/51, 359/52, 359/62, 359/80, 359/142, 359/159, 359/172, 359/180, 359/237, 359/245, 359/325, 359/358, 381/168, 381/172, 381/175
• US Class Current: 398/129
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/11 Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/04 Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor in deaf-aid sets H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

An infrared-ray cordless microphone including a modulator for modulating an acoustic-to-electric converted sound signal through a predetermined process; and an infrared-ray transmitter for transmitting an output infrared signal obtained by converting the modulated sound signal from the modulator; wherein the infrared-ray transmitter is disposed at a lower end of the microphone body. There is also provided an infrared-ray cordless microphone system comprising such a microphone and a sound output means which includes an infrared-ray receiver for receiving the infrared signal from the microphone, a demodulator for demodulating the received infrared signal, and an electric-to-acoustic converter for converting the demodulated signal into a sound signal.

Claims

1. An infrared-ray cordless microphone comprising:

a microphone body having an upper end and a lower end;

modulator means mounted inside the body of said microphone for modulating an acoustic-to-electric converted sound signal through a predetermined process;

infrared-ray transmitter means for transmitting an output infrared signal obtained by converting the modulated sound signal from said modulator means; and

said infrared-ray transmitter means includes an infrared-ray emitter for emitting said infrared signal and an infrared-ray permeable cover arranged at the lower end of the body through which the infrared signal passes;

wherein said infrared-ray transmitter means is disposed at said lower end of the body of said microphone.

2. The microphone according to claim 1 wherein said infrared-ray transmitter means further comprises a reflector having a mirror to reflect the infrared signal through the permeable cover.

3. The microphone according to claim 2 wherein said reflector is detachable from the microphone body.

4. The microphone according to claim 2 wherein said mirror is supported rotatably with respect to both the center axis of said microphone body and another axis perpendicular to said center axis.

5. The microphone according to claim 4 wherein the mirror has a reflecting surface and a back portion behind said reflection surface, further comprising a weight disposed in said back portion of said mirror so that the reflecting surface thereof is always maintained at a predetermined angle.

6. The microphone according to claim 2 further comprising means defining a hermetic space, wherein said mirror is positioned to float on a liquid sealed up in said hermetic space.

7. The microphone according to claim 2 further comprising means defining a hermetic space, wherein said mirror comprises a liquid metal sealed up in said hermetic space.

8. The microphone according to any one of claims 1, 5, 6 and 7 wherein said infrared-ray emitter has a plurality of light emitting elements so disposed that the respective light emission directions are mutually different.

9. The microphone according to claim 2 wherein said infrared-ray transmitter means comprises a first rotary means rotatable with respect to the center axis of said microphone body;

and a second rotary means pivotally supported by said first rotary means and, when said microphone body is rotated in a direction orthogonal to said center axis, said mirror is rotated by a preset angle in conformity with the rotation angle of said microphone body.

10. The microphone according to claim 9 wherein said second rotary means comprises a plurality of interlocked gears, and the angle of rotation of said mirror is determined by the numbers of teeth of said gears.

11. The microphone according to claim 9 wherein the angle of rotation of said second rotary means is so preset as to rotate said mirror by half the angle of rotation of said microphone body.

12. The microphone according to claim 1 wherein a projecting member is provided in the vicinity of said infrared-ray transmitter means and, when said microphone body is placed on a substantially horizontal plane, the surface of said infrared-ray transmitter means is kept away from contact with said horizontal plane.

13. The microphone according to claim 12 wherein said projecting member comprises a rubber ring mounted between said microphone body and said infrared-ray transmitter means.

14. The microphone according to claim 13 wherein said rubber ring has a polygonal shape.

15. An infrared-ray cordless microphone system comprising:

a microphone formed with a body having an upper end and a lower end;

modulator means housed in said body for modulating an acoustic-to-electric converted sound signal through a predetermined process;

infrared-ray transmitter means for transmitting an output infrared signal obtained by converting the modulated sound signal from said modulator means;

said infrared-ray transmitter means includes an infrared-ray emitter for emitting said infrared signal and an infrared-ray permeable cover arranged at the lower end of the body through which the infrared signal passes;

a sound output means having infrared-ray receiver means for receiving the infrared signal from said microphone;

demodulator means for demodulating the received infrared signal; and

electric-to-acoustic converter means for converting the demodulated signal into a sound signal.

16. The microphone according to claim 15 wherein said sound output means comprises at least one headphone.

17. The microphone according to claim 15 wherein said infrared-ray transmitter means is disposed at a lower end of said microphone body.

18. The microphone according to claim 15 wherein said infrared-ray transmitter means further comprises a reflector having a mirror to reflect the infrared signal through the permeable cover.