Motorcycle stereo audio system with vox intercom

• US 5,243,659 A
• Filed: 02/19/1992
• Issued: 09/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John J. Lazzeroni, Melinda K. Carevich
• Original Assignee: John J. Lazzeroni, Melinda K. Carevich
• Inventors: Lazzeroni, John J., Stafford, Larry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US07/837,140
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/28, 381/110, 381/94, 381/1
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/303 Communication between riders or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/20 for coupling gramophone pick-up, recorder output, or microphone to receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers

Abstract

An improved motorcycle intercom communications system between the motorcycle driver and passenger providing for stereo of listening from a radio, cassette player, or the like in each of both right and left helmet speakers wherein intercom communications may be had through microphones always activated located proximate the mouth of both driver and passenger, where when initiating speaking over the microphone, the stereo output of both right and left speakers of the driver'"'"'s and passenger'"'"'s helmets is terminated completely and the intercom conversation is heard in full. Upon the termination of the intercom conversation, the invention circuitry returns both sides of speakers to the pre-existing level of stereo output. The above is accomplished by dividing all sounds which come in over the microphone into a low frequency range and an audio speaking range wherein the output of a low frequency range filter is constantly sampled and compared with the energy output of the audio speaking range of frequencies. When the energy in the speaking range of frequencies exceeds the energy in the low frequency range, such is indicative that a party is speaking into the microphone and the circuit automatically terminates the output to both helmet speakers and injects the intercom on the helmet speakers.

Claims

1. An improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom for a rider and passenger comprising:

an intercom system adapted to receive a speaking voice and extraneous audio frequency noise, said intercom system outputting said speaking voice and a control signal when the speaking voice exceeds the extraneous audio frequency noise, said intercom system including;

a plurality of microphones to receive and convert said speaking voice and extraneous audio frequency noise to electrical signals,

a plurality of preamplifiers, one each of said plurality of preamplifiers operably attached to one each of said plurality of microphones,

a band pass filter and a low pass filter, said band pass filter and said low pass filter operably attached to each of said preamplifiers, said band pass filter adapted to segregate said electrical signals in said speaking voice and said low pass filter adapted to segregate said electrical signals of said extraneous audio frequency noise having a frequency below the speaking voice,

a comparator operably attached to said band pass filter and to said low pass filter, said comparator outputting said control signal, and;

a mute control and a manual control operably connected interposed said band pass filter and said comparator, said mute control inhibiting said comparator outputting said control signal, and said manual control compelling said comparator to output said control signal;

a left switch and amplifier system adapted to receive as an input the left stereo channel of an associated stereo audio signal and to output said left stereo channel to a left speaker, said left switch and amplifier system operably connected to said intercom system to receive said intercom system control signal and speaking voice; and

a right switch and amplifier system adapted to receive as an input the right stereo channel of an associated stereo audio signal and to output said right stereo channel to a right speaker, said right switch and amplifier system also operably connected to said intercom system to receive said intercom system control signal and speaking voice whereby when the speaking voice exceeds the extraneous audio frequency noise, said intercom system comparator outputs said control signal, said control signal selectively switching on and off said left and right stereo channel from said left and right stereo channel output to said left and right speaker respectively and injecting said speaking voice into said left and right switch and amplifier systems to output said speaking voice in said left and right speaker.

2. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 1 wherein said band pass filter has a plurality of inputs and an output, one of each of said inputs connected to one each of said plurality of preamplifiers, said output comprising said speaking voice electrical signals, said band pass filter output operably connected to both said left and right switch and amplifier system to inject said speaking voice electrical signals into both said left and right switch and amplifier system, said left and right switch and amplifier system outputting said speaking voice on both said left and right speaker when said intercom system control signal is received by both said left and right switch and amplifier system.

3. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 2 wherein each said left and right switch and amplifier systems include a first electronic switch, said first electronic switch having an interruptable input and output, and a switching terminal, said electronic switch input operably receiving said stereo channel from the associated stereo audio signal, said output operably connected to said speaker, said switching terminal operably attached to said intercom system to receive said control signal whereby said first electronic switch interrupts said stereo channel when said control signal is received from said intercom system.

4. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 3 wherein each said left and right switch and amplifier system includes a second electronic switch having an interruptible input and output, and a switching terminal, said electronic switch input and output operably connected interposed said intercom system speaking voice output and said speaker respectively, said switching terminal operably connected to said intercom system control signal output whereby when said control signal is received by each said second electronic switch, said speaking voice from said intercom system is operably connected to said left and right speaker.

5. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 4 wherein said intercom system comparator has a first and second input, said first input operably connected to said output of said band pass filter, and said second input operably connected to said low pass filter, said comparator having an output, said comparator output operably attached to said switching terminal of each said first and said second electronic switch of each said left and right switch and amplifier system, said comparator output comprising said intercom system control signal output.

6. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 5 wherein said intercom system includes a sensitivity attenuator, said sensitivity attenuator interposed said band pass output and said comparator first input, said sensitivity attenuator operably reducing said speaking voice electrical signals output of said band pass filter.

7. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 6 wherein said intercom system sensitivity attenuator includes a sensitivity control, said sensitivity control variably adjusting the reduction of said speaking voice electrical signals output of said band pass filter.

8. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 7 wherein said mute control and said manual control of said intercom system are jointly operably connected to a mute/manual rectifier interposed said sensitivity attenuator and said comparator first input, said mute control and said manual control providing a voltage bias to said mute/manual rectifier, said mute/manual rectifier halfwave rectifying said speaking voice electrical signals output of said sensitivity attenuator.

9. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 8 wherein said mute control includes means to inhibit said intercom system control signal output whereby said speaking voice electrical signals are never injected into said left and right switch and amplifier system.

10. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 9 wherein said intercom system manual control includes means to continually output said control signals from said comparator whereby said speaking voice electrical signals are continually injected into said left and right switch and amplifier systems to output said speaking voice on said left and right speaker.

11. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 10 wherein said intercom system includes a first energy storage element interposed said mute/manual rectifier and said comparator first input, said first energy storage element receiving said halfwave rectified speaking voice electrical signals to create a DC voltage level to input to said comparator first input.

12. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 11 wherein said intercom system includes a second rectifier interposed said low pass filter and comparator second input, said second rectifier halfwave rectifying said extraneous audio frequency noise electrical signals outputted from said low pass filter.

13. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 12 wherein said intercom system further includes a second energy storage device interposed said second rectifier and said comparator second input, said second energy storage device receiving said halfwave rectified extraneous audio frequency noise electrical signals from said second rectifier to create a DC voltage level for input to said comparator second input whereby said comparator compares said DC voltage level of said first input to said DC voltage level of said second input, said comparator outputting said control signal when said first input voltage level exceeds said second input voltage level indicating said speaking voice exceeds said extraneous audio frequency voice.

14. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 13 wherein each said left and right switch and amplifier system includes a power amplifier interposed said first electronic switch and said speaker, said power amplifier receiving said stereo channel and said speaking voice electrical signals for amplification and direction to said speaker.

15. The improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom as defined in claim 14 wherein each said left and right switch and amplifier system speaker includes a plurality of earphones, one each said left earphone and one each said right earphone for the rider and passenger.