Directional microphone assembly for mounting behind a surface

• US 7,110,553 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Schulein, Robert B., Julstrom, Stephen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian T.
• Application Number:
  US09/017,937
• Time in Patent Office: 3,150 Days
• Field of Search: 381/92, 381/313, 381/356, 381/365, 381/357, 381/86, 381/389, 381/355, 381/361, 381/358
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/407 Circuits for combining signals of a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/006 Microphone matching
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A directional microphone assembly suitable for subsurface mounting. A directional pickup pattern is developed from the outputs of a plurality of omnidirectional microphone elements mounted in an assembly behind a surface such that their acoustic excitation comes from the opposite side of the surface through small openings in the surface. The openings may have varying dimensions and may be covered with acoustically semi-transparent material without significantly degrading the assembly frequency response or polar pattern. Precautions are taken to ensure design robustness considering practical microphone element characteristics and potential high levels of low-frequency excitation.

Claims

1. A microphone assembly comprising:

at least two microphones, each of said at least two microphones receiving sound energy and generating electrical signals corresponding to the sound energy received;

signal processing circuitry, said signal processing circuitry processing the electrical signals into an assembly output signal;

said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry being configured to limit adverse effects on the assembly output signal from amplitude and phase mismatches between the at least two microphones; and

a case for housing said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry, wherein said case is mounted on a mounting side of an acoustical barrier, the acoustical barrier comprising an interior surface of a passenger vehicle.

2. A microphone assembly comprising:

at least two microphones, each of said at least two microphones receiving sound energy and generating electrical signals corresponding to the sound energy received;

signal processing circuitry, said signal processing circuitry processing the electrical signals into an assembly output signal;

said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry being configured to limit adverse effects on the assembly output signal from amplitude and phase mismatches between the at least two microphones;

a case for housing said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry, wherein said case is mounted on a mounting side of an acoustical barrier; and

at least one sealing gasket located between said case and the mounting side of the acoustical barrier.

3. The microphone assembly according to claim 2 wherein the acoustical barrier comprises an interior surface of a passenger vehicle.

4. A microphone assembly comprising:

at least two microphones, each of said at least two microphones receiving sound energy and generating electrical signals corresponding to the sound energy received;

signal processing circuitry, said signal processing circuitry processing the electrical signals into an assembly output signal;

said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry being configured to limit adverse effects on the assembly output signal from amplitude and phase mismatches between the at least two microphones;

a case for housing said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry; and

at least two protective screens located between an inner surface of the case and the at least two microphones.

5. The microphone assembly according to claim 4 wherein the case is mounted on a mounting side of an acoustical barrier.

6. The microphone assembly according to claim 5 wherein the acoustical barrier comprises an interior surface of a passenger vehicle.

7. A microphone assembly comprising:

at least two microphones, each of said at least two microphones receiving sound energy and generating electrical signals corresponding to the sound energy received;

signal processing circuitry, said signal processing circuitry processing the electrical signals into an assembly output signal;

said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry being configured to limit adverse effects on the assembly output signal from amplitude and phase mismatches between the at least two microphones;

a case for housing said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry, wherein said case is mounted on a mounting side of an acoustical barrier; and

a covering located on at least a portion of a pick-up side of the acoustical barrier.

8. The microphone assembly according to claim 7 wherein the acoustical barrier comprises an interior surface of a passenger vehicle.

9. A microphone assembly comprising:

at least two microphones, each of said at least two microphones receiving sound energy and generating electrical signals corresponding to the sound energy received;

signal processing circuitry, said signal processing circuitry processing the electrical signals into an assembly output signal and generating an additional output signal having an extended low frequency response in comparison to the assembly output signal;

said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry being configured to limit adverse effects on the assembly output signal from amplitude and phase mismatches between the at least two microphones;

a case for housing said at least two microphones and said signal processing circuitry, wherein said case is mounted on a mounting side of an acoustical barrier, the acoustical barrier comprises an interior surface of a passenger vehicle; and

at least one sealing gasket located between said case and the mounting side of the acoustical barrier.