EP0114828A1 - Oto-laryngeal communication system - Google Patents
Oto-laryngeal communication systemInfo
- Publication number
- EP0114828A1 EP0114828A1 EP83901058A EP83901058A EP0114828A1 EP 0114828 A1 EP0114828 A1 EP 0114828A1 EP 83901058 A EP83901058 A EP 83901058A EP 83901058 A EP83901058 A EP 83901058A EP 0114828 A1 EP0114828 A1 EP 0114828A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- microphone
- ear
- circuit
- oto
- laryngeal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
- H04R1/46—Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope
Definitions
- This invention relates to a communications system and more particularly to a system for voice transmission.
- Voice transmitting systems employ a microphone, that is to say a transducer whereby sound waves are caused to generate or modulate an electrical signal.
- the microphone is connected to the input side of a circuit which transmits the >electrical signal by wire or wireless means to a receiver.
- a telephone is an example of a voice transmitter in which the voice of a person speaking is detected by a microphone, the microphone signal is amplified and then delivered to a receiver comprising the earphone of a listener.
- Commonly used radio transceivers provide a voice transmitting system on which the voice of a person speaking is detected by a microphone adapted to modulate the, frequency or amplitude of a radio signal which may be detected by a receiver.
- a person wearing a respirator or other mask is unable to communicate by microphone unless the microphone is incorporated within the mask adding substantially to the cost of the mask and often making the mask bulkier than need be since the microphone must be spaced from the mouth.
- the present invention consists in a voice transmitting system comprising: a microphone having a high impedance as herein defined; earplug means adapted to hold the microphone in or adjacent an outer ear of a person so as substantially to enclose air between the microphone and the tympanic membrane of the ear, and a circuit for transmitting a signal produced or modulated by the microphone in response to sound waves, if any, which are transmitted via the persons oto-laryngeal system to the tympanic membrane and propogated in the enclosed air.
- high impedance is meant that the microphone has an impedance equivalent to at least 1000 ohms, and preferably greater than 2000 ohms at 1kHz.
- the microphone is worn by means of an earplug individually cast for the ear of the wearer in the manner of a hearing aid earplug and is a transducer which is also operable as an earphone.
- the present invention is based on the surprising discovery that when air is enclosed between the tympanic membrane and a sufficiently high impedance microphone, the effect of external noise and vibration is greatly - reduced, and in preferred embodiments, is halved.
- a low impedance (400-800 ohms) transducer is employed as a microphone a high proportion of the detected audio energy is transmitted via bone structure and is thus subjected to noise vibrations from the general environment. It has been found that when a high impedance microphone is employed in accordance with the present invention, a high proportion of the detected audio energy is substantially transmitted from the tympanic membrane by means of the air column in the auditory canal and is much less influenced by vibrations in the bone which originate externally.
- FIG. 1 circuit schematic diagram
- the circuit is an interface circuit for use with a two way radio transceiver (not shown) having connectors for external speaker and microphone.
- the interface circuit of Fig. 1 comprises a high impedance transducer T, a two stage amplifier and an electronic switch and is powered by a 1.5 V battery.
- C- In use terminal Al is connected to the audio output of the radio transceiver.
- transducer T When ganged switch SIB is in the "NC" position as shown in Fig. 1 an audio signal from the transceiver connected at the "audio-in” terminal Al is routed to transducer T via capacitor C8 and resistor Rll.
- Capacitor C8 provides DC blocking and resistor R7 provides overload protection for transducer T which is a type AP2000 earpiece supplied by Crystal Aid Pty. Ltd., Australia, having an impedance of around 2000 ohms at 1kHz and developed for use as a hearing aid.
- the audio signal is then attenuated to the required level by variable resistance RV1 and fed to the associated transceiver via terminal A2 "audio out".
- Earpiece- T comprises a high impedance coil having a DC resistance of about 2000 ohms and preferably higher and has a magnet moveable relative to the coil by a diaphram affixed either to the magnet or the coil.
- the "earpiece” is thus able to function either as a microphone to modulate a signal in response to movement of the diaphram or as an earphone when fed with a modulated signal.
- the "earpiece” is of a size similar to a hearing aid earpiece and is held in the ear of a wearer by a custom made hollow casting such as is often used to seal a hearing aid earphone to an ear.
- the earpiece may be otherwise adapted by shape to fit in or adjacent the ear so as to enclose air between the transducer and tympanic membrane.
- Switch SW1 serves to disconnect the audio reception line from the transceiver to the transducer when the transducer is used for voice transmission. Because the apparatus operates from a 1.5 battery it is non-sparking and useable in hazardous environments.
- Fl is a ferrite bead providing shielding.
- Ql, Q2 and Q3 are each type BC 549 transistors.
- the circuit - parameters shown in Fig. 1 and indeed the circuit itself may be varied in ways which will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teaching hereof.
- the interface circuit is adapted to be worn on the belt.
- ear protectors if desired, may be worn over the earpiece to further reduce extraneous noise.
- the microphone is built into ear protectors.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Multimedia (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Headphones And Earphones (AREA)
- Details Of Audible-Bandwidth Transducers (AREA)
- Reduction Or Emphasis Of Bandwidth Of Signals (AREA)
- Silicates, Zeolites, And Molecular Sieves (AREA)
- Telephone Set Structure (AREA)
Abstract
Système de transmission vocale comprenant un microphone à impédance élevée, des organes permettant de maintenir le microphone à proximité ou à l'intérieur de l'oreille externe d'une personne de manière à enfermer sensiblement l'air entre le microphone et la membrane du tympan de l'oreille, et un circuit de transmission d'un signal produit ou modulé par le microphone en réaction aux éventuelles ondes sonores transmises via le système oto-laryngien à la membrane du tympan et se propageant dans l'air enfermé.Voice transmission system comprising a high impedance microphone, organs for holding the microphone near or inside a person's external ear so as to substantially enclose air between the microphone and the eardrum of the ear, and a circuit for transmitting a signal produced or modulated by the microphone in response to any sound waves transmitted via the otolaryngeal system to the eardrum and propagating in trapped air.
Description
"OTO-LARYNGEAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM" TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a communications system and more particularly to a system for voice transmission. BACKGROUND ART
Voice transmitting systems employ a microphone, that is to say a transducer whereby sound waves are caused to generate or modulate an electrical signal. The microphone is connected to the input side of a circuit which transmits the >electrical signal by wire or wireless means to a receiver. A telephone is an example of a voice transmitter in which the voice of a person speaking is detected by a microphone, the microphone signal is amplified and then delivered to a receiver comprising the earphone of a listener. Commonly used radio transceivers provide a voice transmitting system on which the voice of a person speaking is detected by a microphone adapted to modulate the, frequency or amplitude of a radio signal which may be detected by a receiver.
There are various circumstances in which the use of a microphone in existant voice transmitting systems is
disadvantageous. In a noisy environment the electrical signal is modulated by environmental noise as well as by the voice leading to poor communication between a person speaking and the receiver.
A person wearing a respirator or other mask is unable to communicate by microphone unless the microphone is incorporated within the mask adding substantially to the cost of the mask and often making the mask bulkier than need be since the microphone must be spaced from the mouth.
In many circumstances a person wishes to be mobile, to have both hands free, and to use a radio transceiver without the need to hold a microphone before his mouth. Sometimes, as during surveillence, it is desirable that voice communication be possible without the presence of a microphone being readily apparent.
Although emphasis has been placed on voice transmission, it is clearly desirable that the person speaking also be able to receive and hear voice communications transmitted to him.
When a person speaks sound is conveyed via his oto-laryngeal system to his ear. It has been proposed to employ an earphone for the dual purpose of producing sound waves in the ear of a wearer and as a microphone to detect sounds conveyed via the oto-laryngeal system of the wearer. The earphone transducers hitherto employed have a low impedance typically of 400-600 ohms
O ?I ' '
at 1kHz. Such earphone transducers, while having the advantage of being able to be worn beneath a mask and of permitting hands free operation have not proved satisfactory, especially when used in noisy environments DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect the present invention consists in a voice transmitting system comprising: a microphone having a high impedance as herein defined; earplug means adapted to hold the microphone in or adjacent an outer ear of a person so as substantially to enclose air between the microphone and the tympanic membrane of the ear, and a circuit for transmitting a signal produced or modulated by the microphone in response to sound waves, if any, which are transmitted via the persons oto-laryngeal system to the tympanic membrane and propogated in the enclosed air.
By "high impedance" is meant that the microphone has an impedance equivalent to at least 1000 ohms, and preferably greater than 2000 ohms at 1kHz.
For preference the microphone is worn by means of an earplug individually cast for the ear of the wearer in the manner of a hearing aid earplug and is a transducer which is also operable as an earphone.
It was previously believed that increasing the sensitivity of a microphone plugged to the oto-laryngeal
^TΪΪE O PI
system would merely aggrevate problems of extraneous noise.
The present invention is based on the surprising discovery that when air is enclosed between the tympanic membrane and a sufficiently high impedance microphone, the effect of external noise and vibration is greatly - reduced, and in preferred embodiments, is halved. Apparently when a low impedance (400-800 ohms) transducer is employed as a microphone a high proportion of the detected audio energy is transmitted via bone structure and is thus subjected to noise vibrations from the general environment. It has been found that when a high impedance microphone is employed in accordance with the present invention, a high proportion of the detected audio energy is substantially transmitted from the tympanic membrane by means of the air column in the auditory canal and is much less influenced by vibrations in the bone which originate externally. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
By way of example only the invention will now be. described with reference to the accompanying circuit schematic diagram (FIG. 1) .
The circuit is an interface circuit for use with a two way radio transceiver (not shown) having connectors for external speaker and microphone.
The interface circuit of Fig. 1 comprises a high impedance transducer T, a two stage amplifier and an electronic switch and is powered by a 1.5 V battery.
C-
In use terminal Al is connected to the audio output of the radio transceiver.
When ganged switch SIB is in the "NC" position as shown in Fig. 1 an audio signal from the transceiver connected at the "audio-in" terminal Al is routed to transducer T via capacitor C8 and resistor Rll. Capacitor C8 provides DC blocking and resistor R7 provides overload protection for transducer T which is a type AP2000 earpiece supplied by Crystal Aid Pty. Ltd., Australia, having an impedance of around 2000 ohms at 1kHz and developed for use as a hearing aid.
When ganged switch SW1A/SW1B is in the "NO" position, that is to say in the "transmit" mode, power is applied to electronic switch Ql and the two amplifier stages Q2 and Q3 via switch S1A. Transistor Ql is turned on causing the PTT ("PUSH TO TALK") line connected via terminal A3 to the associated transceiver to go low. With switch SIB in the "NO" position the audio signal from transducer T is-applied at the- ase of the first amplifier stage Q2. Transistor Q3 provides further amplification and impedance matching.
The audio signal is then attenuated to the required level by variable resistance RV1 and fed to the associated transceiver via terminal A2 "audio out".
As mentioned above "Earpiece"- T comprises a high impedance coil having a DC resistance of about 2000 ohms and preferably higher and has a magnet moveable relative
to the coil by a diaphram affixed either to the magnet or the coil. The "earpiece" is thus able to function either as a microphone to modulate a signal in response to movement of the diaphram or as an earphone when fed with a modulated signal.
For preference the "earpiece" is of a size similar to a hearing aid earpiece and is held in the ear of a wearer by a custom made hollow casting such as is often used to seal a hearing aid earphone to an ear. However . the earpiece may be otherwise adapted by shape to fit in or adjacent the ear so as to enclose air between the transducer and tympanic membrane.
Switch SW1 serves to disconnect the audio reception line from the transceiver to the transducer when the transducer is used for voice transmission. Because the apparatus operates from a 1.5 battery it is non-sparking and useable in hazardous environments.
Fl is a ferrite bead providing shielding. Ql, Q2 and Q3 are each type BC 549 transistors. - The circuit - parameters shown in Fig. 1 and indeed the circuit itself may be varied in ways which will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teaching hereof.
For preference the interface circuit is adapted to be worn on the belt.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, ear protectors if desired, may be worn over the earpiece to further reduce extraneous noise. In other embodiments the microphone is built into ear protectors.
Q'-
Claims
THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:- 1. A voice transmitting system comprising: a microphone having a high impedance as herein defined; earplug means adapted to hold the microphone in or adjacent an outer ear of a person. so as substantially to enclose air between the microphone and the tympanic membrane of the ear; and a circuit for transmitting a signal produced or modulated by the microphone in response to sound waves, if any, which are transmitted via the persons oto-laryngeal system to the tympanic membrane and propogated in the enclosed air.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the microphone has an impedance equivalent to at least 2000 ohms at 1kHz.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the earplug includes an earpiece custom fitted to the
• wearer.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a circuit whereby the microphone may be connected to drive a radio transceiver in a transmit mode or to receive a signal output by said transceiver in a receive mode.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 comprising a two stage amplifier circuit and switch means which disconnect the transducer from signal reception during voice transmission.
6. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the drawing.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUPF346482 | 1982-04-05 | ||
| AU3464/82 | 1982-04-05 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| EP0114828A1 true EP0114828A1 (en) | 1984-08-08 |
| EP0114828A4 EP0114828A4 (en) | 1984-12-11 |
Family
ID=3769456
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP19830901058 Withdrawn EP0114828A4 (en) | 1982-04-05 | 1983-03-31 | Oto-laryngeal communication system. |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0114828A4 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPS59500744A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU552678B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1200006A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1983003733A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK159190C (en) * | 1988-05-24 | 1991-03-04 | Steen Barbrand Rasmussen | SOUND PROTECTION FOR NOISE PROTECTED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE USER OF THE EARNET PROPERTY AND SURROUNDINGS |
| JPH0456531A (en) * | 1990-06-26 | 1992-02-24 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Voice input device |
| GB2281004A (en) * | 1993-08-11 | 1995-02-15 | Yang Chao Ming | Combined microphone/earphone |
| US9401158B1 (en) | 2015-09-14 | 2016-07-26 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Microphone signal fusion |
| US9830930B2 (en) | 2015-12-30 | 2017-11-28 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Voice-enhanced awareness mode |
| US9779716B2 (en) | 2015-12-30 | 2017-10-03 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Occlusion reduction and active noise reduction based on seal quality |
| US9812149B2 (en) | 2016-01-28 | 2017-11-07 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Methods and systems for providing consistency in noise reduction during speech and non-speech periods |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2950357A (en) * | 1956-05-01 | 1960-08-23 | Robert E Mitchell | Electronic sound transmitting device |
| US3258533A (en) * | 1962-10-16 | 1966-06-28 | Spacelabs Inc | Ear-insert microphone |
| US4150262A (en) * | 1974-11-18 | 1979-04-17 | Hiroshi Ono | Piezoelectric bone conductive in ear voice sounds transmitting and receiving apparatus |
| JPS56122245A (en) * | 1980-02-29 | 1981-09-25 | Pilot Pen Co Ltd:The | Automatic control system for transmission or recording and transmission and reception |
-
1983
- 1983-03-31 AU AU13770/83A patent/AU552678B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1983-03-31 WO PCT/AU1983/000039 patent/WO1983003733A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1983-03-31 EP EP19830901058 patent/EP0114828A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1983-03-31 JP JP58501137A patent/JPS59500744A/en active Pending
- 1983-04-05 CA CA000425177A patent/CA1200006A/en not_active Expired
Non-Patent Citations (2)
| Title |
|---|
| No further relevant documents have been disclosed * |
| See also references of WO8303733A1 * |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU552678B2 (en) | 1986-06-12 |
| EP0114828A4 (en) | 1984-12-11 |
| WO1983003733A1 (en) | 1983-10-27 |
| JPS59500744A (en) | 1984-04-26 |
| AU1377083A (en) | 1983-11-04 |
| CA1200006A (en) | 1986-01-28 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
| 17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19840430 |
|
| AK | Designated contracting states |
Designated state(s): AT BE DE FR GB LU NL SE |
|
| RBV | Designated contracting states (corrected) |
Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR GB LI LU NL SE |
|
| STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
|
| 18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 19860110 |
|
| RIN1 | Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected) |
Inventor name: SPIKE, ROBERT GRAEME Inventor name: VANDER HEYDEN, PAULUS PETRUS ADAMUS |