CN215300867U

CN215300867U - Sound control apparatus and microphone system

Info

Publication number: CN215300867U
Application number: CN202121992545.7U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 龚勇; 范冠伟
Original assignee: Shure Electronics Suzhou Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shure Electronics Suzhou Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-23
Filing date: 2021-08-23
Publication date: 2021-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2031-08-23

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a sound control apparatus and a microphone system. A sound control device configured to control one or more microphones independent of the sound control device, the sound control device comprising: a main body; one or more operation control elements on the main body, the operation control elements configured to generate user input information based on an operation of the operation control elements by a user; an interface on the body configured to communicatively connect a sound control device to a local area network; a microprocessor configured to control sound of a microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device within the local area network based on user input information from the operation control element.

Description

Sound control apparatus and microphone system

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a sound control apparatus and a microphone system having the same.

Background

Conventional microphones may be provided with various sound control buttons, including volume adjustment buttons, mute buttons, etc., to control the volume of the microphone or to switch the microphone between mute and un-mute states.

However, with conventional microphones, these buttons are typically embedded in the microphone, i.e. attached to the microphone as part of the microphone. With such a scheme that the sound control button is embedded in the microphone, if the microphone is placed at a place far away from the user, the volume adjustment or mute button is very inconvenient for the user to touch. This button arrangement is even more inconvenient in the case of a video or teleconference at the microphone user's office.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

In view of the above-mentioned problems and needs, the present disclosure proposes a novel sound control apparatus that solves the above-mentioned problems and brings about the above-mentioned and other technical effects by adopting the following technical features.

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a sound control device configured to control one or more microphones independent of the sound control device. The sound control apparatus includes: a main body; one or more operation control elements on the main body, the operation control elements configured to generate user input information based on an operation of the operation control elements by a user; an interface on the body configured to communicatively connect a sound control device to a local area network; a microprocessor configured to control sound of a microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device within the local area network based on user input information from the operation control element.

Preferably, the interface is configured as an ethernet cable interface.

Preferably, the operation control member is a button.

Preferably, the operation control element is a touch-type element.

Preferably, the operation control element is configured to place a microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device in a mute state when in the first state and to place the microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device in an un-mute state when in the second state.

Preferably, a display is provided on the body of the sound control device to display the sound status of one or more microphones communicatively connected to the sound control device.

Preferably, the display displays the muting and non-muting of one or more microphones communicatively connected to the sound control device.

Preferably, the display displays a first color when the connected microphone is in a mute state and a second color different from the first color when the connected microphone is in an un-mute state.

Preferably, the operation control element includes a mute element configured to switch mute and non-mute states of a microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device, and a volume adjustment element configured to control a volume of the microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device.

Preferably, the microprocessor of the sound control device is configured to communicatively connect with one or more of the microphones in the same local area network via a network communication protocol.

Preferably, the microprocessor of the sound control device is configured to control the sound state of the one or more microphones via a network communication protocol.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a microphone system, comprising: a POE switch; one or more microphones communicatively connectable with the POE switch; at least one voice control device as described in any of the previous paragraphs connected to a POE switch via its interface and over an ethernet cable; a router communicatively connected to the POE switch.

The sound control device proposed by the present disclosure is a separate component from the microphone and can be mounted in close proximity to the user. Moreover, the sound control device can be in communication connection with one or more microphones in the same network through a network communication protocol, and the sound state of the sound control device can be conveniently controlled. In addition, the sound control equipment provided by the disclosure is small and exquisite in appearance, compact in structure and convenient to operate.

The best modes for carrying out the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the features and advantages of the present disclosure can be readily understood.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be briefly described below. The drawings are intended to depict only some embodiments of the disclosure, and not all embodiments of the disclosure are limited thereto.

Fig. 1 is an overall view of a sound control apparatus proposed by the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the general arrangement of a microphone system proposed by the present disclosure.

List of reference numerals

1 main body

2 operating the control element

3 interface

10 sound control apparatus

20 POE switch

30 Router

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure more clear, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail and fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. It should be noted that the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the described embodiments of the disclosure without any inventive step, are within the scope of protection of the disclosure.

Possible embodiments within the scope of the disclosure may have fewer components, have other components not shown in the figures, different components, differently arranged components or differently connected components, etc. than the embodiments shown in the figures. Further, two or more of the components in the drawings may be implemented in a single component, or a single component shown in the drawings may be implemented as a plurality of separate components.

Unless defined otherwise, technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The use of "first," "second," and similar terms in the description and claims of the present disclosure are not intended to indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. Also, the use of the terms "a" or "an" and the like do not necessarily denote a limitation of quantity. The word "comprising" or "comprises", and the like, means that the element or item listed before the word covers the element or item listed after the word and its equivalents, but does not exclude other elements or items. The terms "connected" or "coupled" and the like are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. "upper", "lower", "left", "right", and the like are used merely to indicate relative positional relationships, and when the absolute position of the object being described is changed, the relative positional relationships may also be changed accordingly.

The sound control device proposed by the present disclosure is a separate device independent of the microphone, which can be communicatively connected with the microphone to control its sound, in particular to control its mute and non-mute states.

Referring to fig. 1, there is shown an overall view of a sound control device 10 as proposed by the present disclosure. It can be seen that the sound control device 10 comprises a main body 1, an operation control element 2 located on the main body and an interface 3 located on the main body.

The body 1 of the sound control device 10 may be a generally flat cylinder as shown, but the present disclosure is not limited to a particular shape of the body, and the sound control device 10 may have bodies of other shapes.

The operation control member 2 of the sound control apparatus 10 is configured to generate user input information based on an operation of the operation control member 2 by a user.

According to a preferred version, the operating control element is a push button. According to another aspect, the operation control element is a touch-type element. When the user operates the operation control element, for example, by pressing or touching, the operation control element generates user input information.

The user input information generated by operating the control element 2 may be, for example, to mute the connected microphone, to unmute the connected microphone, to turn up the volume of the connected microphone, to turn down the volume of the connected microphone, or the like.

The interface 3 of the sound control device 10 is configured for communicatively connecting the sound control device to a local area network. Preferably, the interface is configured as an ethernet cable interface. The advantage of providing an ethernet cable interface is that the voice control device 10 can not only be connected to a local area network via the interface, but also power the voice control device 10 using the ethernet cable, so that one interface performs two functions for the purpose of minimizing the size of the voice control device.

The microprocessor of the sound control device 10 may be provided inside the main body 1 and is therefore not shown in the figures. Wherein the microprocessor is configured to control the sound of a microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device within the local area network based on user input information from the operation control element, including placing the connected microphone in a mute/un-mute state, turning up or down the volume of the connected microphone, and the like.

According to a preferred solution, the operation control element 2 is embodied as a single mute button, i.e. it is only used to put the connected microphone in a mute/non-mute state, in particular the operation control element 2 may be configured to put the microphone in a mute state in communication with the sound control device when in a first state (e.g. when the button is not depressed, or when the touch key is not activated, etc.), and to put the microphone in a non-mute state in communication with the sound control device when in a second state (e.g. when the button is depressed, or when the touch key is activated, etc.). And vice versa.

According to another preferred solution, the operation control element 2 comprises a muting element configured to switch between a mute state and a non-mute state of a microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device, and a volume adjusting element configured to control a volume of the microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device.

The sound control apparatus proposed by the present disclosure may further be provided with a display (not shown in the drawings) on the main body to display a sound state of one or more microphones communicatively connected to the sound control apparatus.

According to a preferred embodiment, the display displays the mute and un-mute states of one or more microphones communicatively coupled to the sound control device. For example, the display displays a first color (e.g., red) when the connected microphone is in a mute state, and displays a second color (e.g., green) different from the first color when the connected microphone is in an un-mute state. For another example, the display may display a first color (e.g., red) when the connected microphone is in a mute state and may not display any color when the connected microphone is in an un-mute state.

Wherein for the solution where the operation control element 2 comprises a mute element and a volume adjustment element, the display may show the volume level in addition to the mute state.

According to the present disclosure, the microprocessor of the sound control device is configured to communicatively connect with one or more of the microphones in the same local area network via a network communication protocol. Wherein the sound control device may discover multiple microphones in the same local area network via a network communication protocol and establish a communication connection with one or more of the microphones based on a selection (e.g., a selection from a user). Further, the microprocessor of the sound control device is configured to control sound conditions, including mute conditions and volume levels, of the one or more microphones via a network communication protocol.

The microphone system comprises a POE switch 20, one or more microphones (denoted M1, M2 and Mn in the figure), one or more sound control devices 10 as described above and a router 30. Wherein each microphone is communicatively connectable with the POE switch, each sound control device being connected to the POE switch via its interface and over an ethernet cable. In this way, each sound control device can be connected to the local area network via an ethernet cable and can be powered via the ethernet cable. A router is communicatively connected to the POE switch. In the microphone system, the sound control apparatus is configured to be able to discover all microphones in the same network. Further, the microprocessor of the sound control device may establish a communication connection with one or more of the microphones based on a selection (e.g., a selection from a user) and control the sound state of the one or more microphones, such as whether to mute, via the network communication protocol.

Here, only two sound control apparatuses 10 are schematically shown in fig. 2, but the number of the sound control apparatuses 10 is not limited by the present disclosure. Furthermore, fig. 2 shows n microphones M1, M2 … Mn, where n may represent 3 and any integer greater than 3.

Since the sound control apparatus has a mute button function, it is possible to realize one-touch control of a mute state of any one microphone in the microphone system.

Exemplary embodiments of the proposed solution of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to preferred embodiments, however, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many variations and modifications may be made to the specific embodiments described above, and that many combinations of the various technical features and structures presented in the present disclosure may be made without departing from the concept of the present disclosure, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sound control device, characterized in that the sound control device is configured to control one or more microphones independent of the sound control device,

the sound control apparatus includes:

a main body;

one or more operation control elements on the main body, the operation control elements configured to generate user input information based on an operation of the operation control elements by a user;

an interface on the body configured to communicatively connect a sound control device to a local area network;

a microprocessor configured to control sound of a microphone communicatively connected to the sound control device within the local area network based on user input information from the operation control element.

2. The sound control device of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured as an ethernet cable interface.

3. The sound control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operational control element is a button.

4. The sound control device of claim 1, wherein the operation control element is a touch-type element.

5. The sound control device of claim 1, wherein the operational control element is configured to place a microphone communicatively coupled to the sound control device in a mute state when in a first state and to place a microphone communicatively coupled to the sound control device in an un-mute state when in a second state.

6. The sound control device of claim 1, wherein a display is provided on the body of the sound control device to display the sound status of one or more microphones communicatively coupled to the sound control device.

7. The sound control device of claim 6, wherein the display displays the mute and un-mute of one or more microphones communicatively coupled to the sound control device.

8. The sound control device of claim 6, wherein the display displays a first color when the connected microphone is in a mute state and a second color different from the first color when the connected microphone is in an un-mute state.

9. The sound control device of claim 1, wherein the operation control element comprises a mute element configured to switch between mute and un-mute states of a microphone communicatively coupled to the sound control device and a volume adjustment element configured to control a volume of the microphone communicatively coupled to the sound control device.

10. The sound control device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor of the sound control device is configured to communicatively connect with one or more of the microphones in the same local area network via a network communication protocol.

11. The sound control device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor of the sound control device is configured to control the sound state of the one or more microphones via a network communication protocol.

12. A microphone system, comprising:

a POE switch;

one or more microphones communicatively connectable with the POE switch;

at least one voice control device according to any of the preceding claims 1-11, connected to a POE switch via its interface and over an ethernet cable;

a router communicatively connected to the POE switch.