Wireless microphone system

• US 6,671,503 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2000
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-technica
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-technica
• Inventors: Niwamoto, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Minsun Oh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Faulk, Devona E
• Application Number:
  US09/585,865
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 381/111, 455/208, 455/212, 455/569.1, 455/218, 455/222, 455/223
• US Class Current: 455/212
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/344 Muting responsive to the amount of noise (noise squelch) H03G3/345 takes precedence

Abstract

There is provided an improved receiver unit for wireless microphone system. The receiver unit accomplishes desirable mute control in accordance with state transmitting conditions of electric wave from a wireless microphone. The receiver unit includes a receiver device 12 for receiving electric wave, a detector circuit 13, and tone and noise signals detection circuits 16, 15 for detecting a signal level (field intensity), and tone and noise signals of the electric wave, respectively, each of the signal level and the signals being used as parameter signals for detecting received state of the electric wave, a mute circuit which is controlled in accordance with the detected, received state of the electric wave that is detected from one of the parameter signals, A/D converters 191 to 193 for converting the parameter signals from analog signal into digital signal, respectively, and a controller 20 having a threshold to be set with respect to the parameter signal, the controller switching on/off the mute circuit in accordance with difference between the parameter signal and threshold. The controller 20 has a first period of time that is previously set in accordance with threshold, as timing in switching off said mute circuit and a second period of time during which period the parameter signal of the received electric wave reaches the threshold. The mute circuit 17 is switched off or on at variable interval in accordance with the difference between the first period of time and second period of time.

Claims

1. A wireless microphone system having a wireless microphone for transmitting therefrom electric wave containing audio, tone and noise signals;

and a receiver unit, wherein said receiver unit including

a) a receiver device having an antenna through which the electric wave is received, the electric wave being demodulated therein to be outputted therefrom;

b) a detector circuit connected with said receiver device so as to detect a signal level of said demodulated electric wave to be outputted therefrom;

c) an audio signal detection circuit connected with said detector circuit through a filter so as to detect said audio signal from the demodulated electric wave;

d) a tone signal detection circuit connected with said detector circuit through a filter so as to detect said tone signal from the demodulated electric wave;

e) a noise signal detection circuit connected with said detector circuit through a filter so as to detect said noise signal from the demodulated electric wave;

f) a plurality of A/D converters each connected with said signal level detection circuit, tone signal detection circuit, and noise signal detection circuit so as to convert said signal level, tone signal, and noise signal from analog signals to digital signals, one of the digital signals being a parameter signal for determining received state of said electric wave;

g) a mute circuit connected with said audio signal detection circuit so as to turn down volume of said audio signal in accordance with said parameter signal;

h) an input device for inputting threshold that is set in accordance with said parameter signal from said electric wave in normal state; and

,

i) a controller for switching on or off said mute circuit by the method of detecting a first period of time which is previously set in accordance with said input threshold, detecting a second period of time during which period the said electric wave to be received reaches said input threshold, and outputting a mute-controlling signal at Hi or Lo to said mute circuit in accordance with difference between said first period of time and said second period of time.

2. The wireless microphone system of claim 1, wherein said input device is a console, and said controller is CPU or MPU.

3. The wireless microphone system of claim 1, wherein said receiver device is of a super heterodyne.

4. The wireless microphone system of claim 1, wherein said input device is a dip switch.

5. The wireless microphone system of claim 1, wherein when said second period of time is longer than said first period of time, said controller delays said timing in switching on/off said mute circuit.

6. The wireless microphone system of claim 1, wherein when said second period of time is shorter than said first period of time, said controller advances said timing in switching on/off said mute circuit.

7. The wireless microphone system of claim 1, wherein when said second period of time is longer than said first period of time, said controller detects that electric wave isn'"'"'t received well after switch-on of the wireless microphone.

8. The wireless microphone system of claim 1, wherein when said second period of time is shorter than said first period of time, said controller detects that electric wave isn'"'"'t received well during operation of the wireless microphone.

9. The wireless microphone system of claim 1, wherein said controller includes a function of a jamming suppression circuit enabling to detect weather the received electric wave is normal electric wave or jamming by means of performing the detection of said first parameter in combination with the second parameter signal generated from said digital signal other than said detected parameter signal.

10. A wireless microphone system having a wireless microphone for transmitting therefrom electric wave containing audio, tone and noise signals;

and a receiver unit, wherein said receiver unit including

a) a receiver device having an antenna through which the electric wave is received, the electric wave being demodulated therein to be outputted therefrom;

b) a detector circuit connected with said receiver device so as to detect a signal level of said demodulated electric wave to be outputted therefrom;

c) an audio signal detection circuit connected with said detector circuit through a filter so as to detect said audio signal from the demodulated electric wave;

d) a tone signal detection circuit connected with said detector circuit through a filter so as to detect said tone signal from the demodulated electric wave;

e) a noise signal detection circuit connected with said detector circuit through a filter so as to detect said noise signal from the demodulated electric wave;

f) a single of A/D converter connected with said signal level detection circuit, tone signal detection circuit, and noise signal detection circuit so as to alternatively convert in series said signal level, tone signal, and noise signal from analog signals to digital signals, one of the digital signals being a parameter signal for determining received state of said electric wave;

g) a mute circuit connected with said audio signal detection circuit so as to turn down volume of said audio signal in accordance with said parameter signal;

h) an input device for inputting threshold that is set in accordance with said parameter signal from said electric wave in normal state; and

,

i) a controller for switching on or off said mute circuit by the method of detecting a first period of time which is previously set in accordance with said input threshold, detecting a second period of time during which period the said electric wave to be received reaches said input threshold, and outputting a mute-controlling signal at Hi or Lo to said mute circuit in accordance with difference between said first period of time and said second period of time.

11. The wireless microphone system of claim 10, wherein said input device is a console, and said controller is CPU or MPU.

12. The wireless microphone system of claim 10, wherein said receiver device is of a super heterodyne.

13. The wireless microphone system of claim 10, wherein said input device is a dip switch.

14. The wireless microphone system of claim 10, wherein when said first period of time is longer than said second period of time, said controller delays said timing in switching on/off said mute circuit.

15. The wireless microphone system of claim 10, wherein when said first period of time is shorter than said second period of time, said controller advances said timing in switching on/off said mute circuit.

16. The wireless microphone system of claim 10, wherein when said first period of time is longer than said second period of time, said controller detects that electric wave isn'"'"'t received well after switch-on of the wireless microphone.

17. The wireless microphone system of claim 10, wherein when said first period of time is shorter than said second period of time, said controller detects that electric wave isn'"'"'t received well during operation of the wireless microphone.

18. The wireless microphone system of claim 10, wherein said controller includes a function of a jamming suppression circuit enabling to detect weather the received electric wave is normal electric wave or jamming by means of performing the detection of said first parameter in combination with a second parameter signal generated from said digital signal other than said detected parameter signal.