Sound system that determines the position of an external sound source and points a directional microphone/speaker towards it

• US 5,901,232 A
• Filed: 09/03/1996
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John H.O. Gibbs
• Original Assignee: John H.O. Gibbs
• Inventors: Gibbs, John Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, VIVIAN C
• Application Number:
  US08/707,308
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 381/92, 381/56, 381/57, 381/58
• US Class Current: 381/92
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones

Abstract

An acoustical sound system that triangulates the position of an unknown external sound source by computer analysis. The external sound intensity is measured in three fixed sound sensors. The computer inputs the sound intensities and by the inverse square law of intensity vs distance calculates the coordinates of the external sound source. In addition, once the source'"'"'s position is known, the computer points a paraboloid microphone and speaker combined, towards the direction of the sound source. This allows a more localized bidirectional link between the source and other electronic connection source.

Claims

1. An acoustical system that directionlly locates an unknown external sound source in three dimensional space then points a directional microphone towards said sound source, comprising:

three sound intensity sensors that receives and measures the sound intensity of said sound source;

a directional microphone with known coordinates relative to said three sound intensity sensors;

a computer that inputs said sound sensors'"'"' intensity data and calculates the pointing vector from said directional microphone towards said unknown sound source based on the inverse square law for sound insensity;

a plurality of electric motors that point said directional microphone towards said sound source under control of said computer.