Vehicle accessory microphone
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A microphone system comprising:
- a microphone assembly comprising a first transducer generating a first audio signal and a second transducer generating a second audio signal;
a remote processing circuit located remote from said microphone assembly; and
a microphone interface circuit electrically coupled between said transducers and said remote processing circuit, said microphone interface circuit comprising;
a first electrical signal path extending between said first transducer and said remote processing circuit, and a second electrical signal path extending between said second transducer and said remote processing circuit, said second electrical signal path including a phase inverter circuit provided proximate said second transducer for inverting the phase of the second audio signal, wherein said remote processing circuit is configured to recognize that the phase of the second audio signal has been inverted and process the second audio signal accordingly, said remote processing circuit will also recognize common signals on both said first and second electrical signal paths as being line-induced noise.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microphone assembly includes one or more transducers positioned in one or more housings. A processing circuit is coupled to the transducer for outputting an electrical signal such that the microphone in combination with the processing circuit very effectively cancels noise. The microphone assembly can be employed in a vehicle accessory.
116 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A microphone system comprising:
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a microphone assembly comprising a first transducer generating a first audio signal and a second transducer generating a second audio signal;
a remote processing circuit located remote from said microphone assembly; and
a microphone interface circuit electrically coupled between said transducers and said remote processing circuit, said microphone interface circuit comprising;
a first electrical signal path extending between said first transducer and said remote processing circuit, and a second electrical signal path extending between said second transducer and said remote processing circuit, said second electrical signal path including a phase inverter circuit provided proximate said second transducer for inverting the phase of the second audio signal, wherein said remote processing circuit is configured to recognize that the phase of the second audio signal has been inverted and process the second audio signal accordingly, said remote processing circuit will also recognize common signals on both said first and second electrical signal paths as being line-induced noise. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A vehicle accessory comprising:
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a housing for attaching to a vehicle;
a microphone assembly carried by said housing and comprising a first transducer generating a first audio signal and a second transducer generating a second audio signal;
a microphone interface circuit electrically coupled between said transducers and a remote processing circuit located remote from said microphone assembly, said microphone interface circuit comprising;
a first electrical signal path extending between said first transducer and the remote processing circuit, and a second electrical signal path extending between said second transducer and the remote processing circuit, said second electrical signal path including a phase inverter circuit provided proximate said second transducer for inverting the phase of the second audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A vehicle accessory comprising:
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a housing for attaching to a vehicle;
a microphone assembly carried by said housing and comprising at least one transducer, the microphone assembly generating an audio signal;
a microphone interface circuit electrically coupled between said transducer and a remote processing circuit located remote from said microphone assembly, said microphone interface circuit comprising;
a first electrical signal path extending between said transducer and the remote processing circuit, an impedance matching circuit for providing an electrical connection to ground having an impedance matching that of said transducer, and a second electrical signal path extending between said impedance matching circuit and the remote processing circuit adjacent said first electrical signal path, the second electrical signal path providing the remote processing circuit with a reference of the line-induced noise present on said first signal path such that the remote processing circuit may cancel the line-induced noise from the first electrical signal path by subtracting the noise signal received from the second electrical signal path from the signal received from the first electrical signal path. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30)
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15. A vehicle accessory comprising:
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an accessory housing for attaching to a vehicle; and
a microphone assembly carried by said accessory housing and comprising;
a microphone housing having a plurality of ports with windscreens provided across said ports;
a first transducer positioned in said microphone housing and generating a first audio signal; and
a second transducer positioned in said microphone housing and generating a second audio signal, the front of said second transducer facing a different direction from the front of said first transducer, wherein said ports, windscreens and transducers are configured such that said microphone assembly exhibits a first polar pattern with null aimed at a driver of the vehicle, and a second polar pattern with a null aimed at a front passenger area of the vehicle.
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27. A vehicle accessory comprising:
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an accessory housing for attaching to a vehicle;
a microphone assembly carried by said accessory housing and including at least one transducer supplying an audio signal; and
a high frequency boost circuit coupled to said transducer for receiving the audio signal and for boosting the frequency response at high frequencies to compensate for the effect of the vehicle on the frequency response of the microphone assembly.
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31. A vehicle accessory comprising:
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an accessory housing for attaching to a vehicle;
a first microphone assembly supported by said accessory housing; and
a second microphone assembly supported by said accessory housing at a location laterally spaced from said first microphone assembly, wherein said first and second microphone assemblies have a “
D”
of at least about 3.5 mm. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51)
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48. A vehicle accessory comprising:
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a housing for attaching to a vehicle;
a microphone assembly carried on said housing and including a windscreen; and
a cloth deflector disposed on said housing proximate said microphone assembly to deflect airflow away from said microphone assembly.
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52. A vehicle accessory comprising:
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a housing for attaching to a vehicle;
a first transducer supported by said housing;
a second transducer supported by said housing and laterally spaced from said first transducer; and
a separator disposed between said first and second transducers to physically deflect airflow coming from the side of said first transducer away from said second transducer and to physically deflect airflow coming from the side of said second transducer away from said first transducer. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59)
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56. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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a mirror housing for attaching to the vehicle;
a mirror disposed in said mirror housing and having a front surface;
a first microphone housing supported by said mirror housing;
first and second transducers disposed in said first microphone housing;
a second microphone housing supported by said mirror housing; and
third and fourth transducers disposed in said second microphone housing, wherein said first microphone housing is disposed closer to the front surface of said mirror than said second microphone housing, said second transducer and said fourth transducer being provided to respectively alter the polar pattern associated with said first and second microphone housings to compensate for frequency discrepancies caused by the proximity of said first microphone housing to the front surface of said mirror.
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Specification