Acoustic collection system for handheld electronic devices

• US 9,706,975 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2016
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratoscientific, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stratoscientific, Inc.
• Inventors: Mulumudi, Mahesh S., Mulumudi, Suman K.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUBER, PAUL W
• Application Number:
  US15/203,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20160310100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/004 Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/08 Non-electric sound-amplifying devices, e.g. non-electric megaphones amplifying by horns G10K11/02; amplifying by focusing G10K11/26
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/22 for conducting sound through hollow pipes, e.g. speaking tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

A mounting system is provided to allow the attachment of an acoustic collector to a handheld electronic device such that sound is conducted directly to the device'"'"'s microphone. A fitted case or band encloses part of the device and includes a tube running from the collector to the device'"'"'s microphone. In certain embodiments, the tube may be embedded in the case, and a detachable mount may be provided to connect the collector to the case. The collector may be a stethoscope chestpiece, or an open air collector, such as a parabolic collector.

Claims

1. A tool for connecting an acoustic collector to a microphone-equipped handheld electronic device, the tool comprising:

a detachable fitted casing for fitting around at least a portion of the handheld device;

the acoustic collector having a sloped inner wall forming a dish, and wherein the dish has a surface; and

a tube connected to the casing and running to the acoustic collector, the tube having an open end located above the surface of the dish and configured to receive sound waves deflected through air off of the surface of the dish, and wherein the tube is configured to carry the sound waves through air in the tube to a microphone on the handheld electronic device.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the tube is physically incorporated as a channel within the casing.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the handheld electronic device is a Smartphone/Tablet and the casing is designed to hook onto the handheld electronic device.

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the casing is provided with a mounting system for detachably mounting the collector to the casing.

5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the open end includes a funnel.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the dish is a parabolic dish having a parabolic cross-section.

7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the tube includes a focal point tube that terminates with the open end located at the focal point of the parabolic dish.

8. The tool of claim 7, wherein the open end includes a funnel.

9. The tool of claim 7, wherein the focal point tube and the acoustic collector are configured to move independently from the handheld electronic device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the dish includes a deep point surface at its deepest point for deflecting sound waves, and the open end of the tube is configured to receive sound waves deflected backwards through air off of said deep point surface.

11. A method for using an acoustic collector for a microphone-equipped handheld electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a microphone-equipped handheld electronic device;

providing a detachable fitted casing covering at least a portion of the handheld device;

providing the acoustic collector as having a sloped inner wall forming a dish, and wherein the dish has a surface;

providing a tube connected to the casing and running to the acoustic collector, the tube having an open end located above the surface of the dish and configured to receive sound waves deflected through air off of the surface of the dish, and wherein the tube is configured to carry the sound waves through air in the tube to a microphone on the handheld electronic device; and

allowing said handheld electronic device'"'"'s microphone to detect sound waves deflected by said dish to said tube.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing at least a portion of the tube as physically incorporated as a channel within the casing.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the handheld electronic device as a Smartphone/Tablet and providing the casing with lips for hooking onto the device.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the casing with a mounting system for detachably mounting the acoustic collector to the casing.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the open end with a funnel.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a parabolic dish having a parabolic cross-section.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing the tube as including a focal point tube that terminates with the open end located at the focal point of the parabolic dish.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing the open end with a funnel.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing the focal point tube and the acoustic collector as configured to move independently from the handheld electronic device.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a software program capable of augmenting user-selected sound wave frequencies.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising using the collector as an open air acoustic collector.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the handheld electronic device as equipped with a camera, and including using the camera to capture a visual image of a subject that is emitting the sound waves.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein the dish is further provided as including a deep point surface at its deepest point for deflecting sound waves, and the open end of the tube is configured to receive sound waves deflected backwards through air off of said deep point surface.