Speakerphone and/or microphone arrays and methods and systems of using the same
First Claim
1. A device, comprising:
- at least three microphone elements;
at least one additional microphone element;
at least one loudspeaker;
at least one housing, wherein the at least one housing is configured to support the at least three microphone elements and the at least one additional microphone element in a first orientation and the at least one loudspeaker in a second orientation; and
the at least three microphones are substantially equispaced in a horizontal plane around a circle with a predetermined diameter approximately equal to the wavelength of a predetermined highest frequency of operation of the device and the at least one additional microphone element is positioned at the approximate center of the circle;
the at least three microphone elements having substantially equal gain and substantially equal phase and the at least one additional microphone element having a gain substantially equal to the sum of the gains of the at least three microphone elements and a phase shift of about 180 degrees relative to the phase of the at least three microphone elements such that when the signals from the array of microphones are appropriately phased, weighted and summed, the resultant signal in a three-dimensional space is substantially zero in the vertical direction and substantially additive in the horizontal plane direction to achieve a substantial null response in positions having a substantially equal sound path from the at least three microphone elements over a desired audible range of frequencies; and
the device is able to provide a response to sounds over a range of second oriented elevations away from the first orientation containing the at least three microphone elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to devices, methods and systems for microphone arrays wherein enhancing performance of directional microphone arrays is provided. Enhanced performance of speaker phones is also provided. In certain embodiments, the housing of the device is configured to support the at least three microphones and the loudspeaker in a substantially first orientation; and the at least three microphones and the loudspeaker are arranged in a spatial relationship such that appropriate phase and delay characteristics achieve a substantial null response in the at least three microphones and in the loudspeaker in a substantial vertical direction away from the substantially first orientation over a desired audible range of frequencies and the device is able to provide a response to sounds over a range of first oriented elevations.
38 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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at least three microphone elements; at least one additional microphone element; at least one loudspeaker; at least one housing, wherein the at least one housing is configured to support the at least three microphone elements and the at least one additional microphone element in a first orientation and the at least one loudspeaker in a second orientation; and
the at least three microphones are substantially equispaced in a horizontal plane around a circle with a predetermined diameter approximately equal to the wavelength of a predetermined highest frequency of operation of the device and the at least one additional microphone element is positioned at the approximate center of the circle;
the at least three microphone elements having substantially equal gain and substantially equal phase and the at least one additional microphone element having a gain substantially equal to the sum of the gains of the at least three microphone elements and a phase shift of about 180 degrees relative to the phase of the at least three microphone elements such that when the signals from the array of microphones are appropriately phased, weighted and summed, the resultant signal in a three-dimensional space is substantially zero in the vertical direction and substantially additive in the horizontal plane direction to achieve a substantial null response in positions having a substantially equal sound path from the at least three microphone elements over a desired audible range of frequencies; and
the device is able to provide a response to sounds over a range of second oriented elevations away from the first orientation containing the at least three microphone elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification