EP0777404B1 - Rauschdämfersystem - Google Patents

Rauschdämfersystem Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0777404B1
EP0777404B1 EP96308839A EP96308839A EP0777404B1 EP 0777404 B1 EP0777404 B1 EP 0777404B1 EP 96308839 A EP96308839 A EP 96308839A EP 96308839 A EP96308839 A EP 96308839A EP 0777404 B1 EP0777404 B1 EP 0777404B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
light
microphone devices
membrane
microphone
devices
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP96308839A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0777404A1 (de
Inventor
Alexander Paritsky
Alexander Kots
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Phone Or Ltd
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Phone Or Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from IL11627495A external-priority patent/IL116274A0/xx
Application filed by Phone Or Ltd filed Critical Phone Or Ltd
Priority to EP96308839A priority Critical patent/EP0777404B1/de
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Publication of EP0777404B1 publication Critical patent/EP0777404B1/de
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R3/00—Circuits for transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R3/005—Circuits for transducers, loudspeakers or microphones for combining the signals of two or more microphones
    • 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
    • H04R1/20—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics
    • H04R1/32—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only
    • H04R1/34—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means
    • H04R1/38—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means in which sound waves act upon both sides of a diaphragm and incorporating acoustic phase-shifting means, e.g. pressure-gradient microphone
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R23/00—Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00
    • H04R23/008—Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00 using optical signals for detecting or generating sound
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2201/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones covered by H04R1/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2201/40—Details of arrangements for obtaining desired directional characteristic by combining a number of identical transducers covered by H04R1/40 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2201/403—Linear arrays of transducers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system for attenuation of noise for use with sound receiving devices. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a system for attenuating acoustic background sounds in devices employing a microphone for receiving and utilizing sound waves applied thereto.
  • noise in accordance with the commonly acceptable definition thereof, which is “undesired sound”
  • outside premises such as sports fields or arenas, and other like locations.
  • the first one utilizes a special construction of a microphone providing different sensitivities to sound waves, reaching the microphone from different directions.
  • Such microphones known as directional microphones, suffer, however, from the obvious disadvantage of not being able to provide a satisfactory solution to sound received from directions other than the two preset, very distinct directions.
  • noise-cancelling technique utilizes electronic generation of "anti-noise" signals precisely out of phase with the incoming noise signals. This technique involves digital processing of sound signals and the irradiation of noise signals into space, out of phase with the phase of the incoming noise signals, so as to cancel out only the incoming noise signals.
  • a more common noise-cancellation technique employs several individual microphones disposed in spaced-apart relationship producing output signals corresponding to the sound picked up thereby, which signals are then processed and delayed in different ways to obtain an improved signal to noise ratio. This technique is also quite involved and necessitates special equipment.
  • Patent Abstracts of Japan, Vol. 10, No. 165 (P-467) 12 June 1996 and JP 61-018916 (Nippon Denki), 27 January 1986, disclose a noise attenuation system consisting of two adjacently housed optical microphones having at least one optical fiber light guide for transmitting light and for receiving light reflected from two diaphragms, each facing two different directions. The reflected light is frequency-modulated by the Doppler effect and transduced into a sound signal.
  • a noise attenuation system for use with sound-receiving devices, comprising first and second small optical microphone devices having at least one sound-responsive membrane operative to produce an output signal in accordance with sound waves picked up by said microphone devices, at least one pair of light guides affixed to said first or second microphone devices, said pair of light guides each having an input end portion and an output end portion, the input end portion of a first light guide being connectable to a source of light and the output end portion of said second light guide being connectable to a light intensity detecting means, characterized in that each of the output portion of said first light guide and input end portion of said second light guide has an axis and a rim and is oriented with respect to the other to include an angle between said axes, and each of said light guide rims is cut at an angle with respect to the axis of its light guide, wherein in operation, the intensity of light reflected by said membrane and detected by said light intensity detecting means, represents sound intensities picked up by said first and second small optical microphone devices having at least one
  • Fig. 1 there is schematically illustrated the principles of a system for attenuation of noise, according to the present invention.
  • Seen are two optical microphone devices 2 and 4 positioned in close proximity to each other.
  • Each microphone device leads via an operational amplifier 6 or 8 to a substraction circuit 10 in which the signals, representing sound intensities picked up by the microphone devices, are substracted from each other.
  • the subtracted output signal may then be amplified at amplifier 12, prior to being further utilized.
  • the microphone devices 2 and 4 are relatively small and preferably of the type described and illustrated in Israel Patent Specification No. 111,913, filed December 7th, 1994.
  • the fact that at least the sound pick up elements, e.g., a sound responsive membrane of the microphone devices, are very small, enables the disposition of the elements very close to each other, so that for acoustical waves originating at a far distance, the elements are effectively located at the same place and thus substantially equally sensing the incoming waves.
  • the microphone devices are designed to have the same sensitivity and phase characteristics.
  • the amplifiers 6 and 8 are designed to provide the same amplification and phase characteristics.
  • the output signal from the subtraction circuit 10 or amplifier 12 will be very small or close to zero. This can be better understood from the following mathematical derivation.
  • the devised sound attentuation system will suppress the far sound in comparison with the near sound at the ratio of the two distances and the greater the distance to the far sound source relative to the distance to the near sound source, the stronger the attenuation or suppression.
  • a source of sound may be considered to be at a far distance if the distance between the sound pick up elements of the microphone devices is 8 to 10 times smaller than the length of the sound waves.
  • microphone devices are of the type described hereinbefore, wherein, the sound pick up elements of the microphone devices, each having a diameter of about 3 mm, sound arriving from all directions from sources as close as 1 meter and having frequencies up to 10 KHz, will be cancelled.
  • FIG. 2 there is illustrated a characteristic curve of a sound intensity vs. distance from sources of sound, depicted in relation to the microphone devices of the type according to the present invention.
  • the sound waves originate at a mouth of a speaker, distant a short distance therefrom, i.e., the sounds originate at a close distance from the microphone devices.
  • the speaker's voice at the near field has the characteristic of a spherical field, as depicted by the spherical curves.
  • the sound intensity of the spherical waves are substantially the same along the sphere's surface or envelope arid changes along the sphere's radius, this is not the case with a plane field. In the latter case the sound intensity is substantially the same on all points of the plane.
  • a barrier 14 placed across the acoustical wave travel path and located between the two microphone devices 2 and 4, will increase the difference between the output signals of the microphone devices, thereby improving the sound to noise ratio.
  • the barrier 14 in the form of a small and thin plate, disc, or the like element, affixed in between the two microphone devices 2 and 4, increase the difference in the sound intensities picked up by each microphone device.
  • Figs. 5a to 5e there are illustrated a plurality of possible relative dispositions of the pair of microphone devices with respect to each other, while maintaining close proximal relationship between their active sound pick up elements, e.g., membranes.
  • the microphone devices 2 and 4 are disposed with the plane of their membranes substantially parallel with respect to each other.
  • the microphone devices are also disposed with their membranes 5 substantially at the same plane, however, the microphone devices are oppositely oriented.
  • Fig. 5c the microphone devices 2 and 4 are disposed along the same axis with their membranes 5 in close proximity to each other, but in opposite directions. Seen in Fig.
  • Fig. 5d are the microphone devices 2 and 4 disposed with their axis at the same plane, however, at an angle with respect to each other, while the membranes 5 are disposed in close proximity to each other.
  • Fig. 5e there are seen the two microphone devices 2 and 4, under a common housing, namely, having two separate membranes 5 enveloped in a single housing.
  • a barrier is affixed onto the devices in a disposition suitable to the relative dispositions of the microphone devices.
  • the barrier 14 can be affixed in a plane traversing the plane of the two microphone membranes 5 (Fig. 6a); in a plane parallel to and in between the pair of membranes 5 (Fig. 6b); in a plane parallel to the two membranes 5 (Fig. 6c), or in a plane traversing the planes of the membranes 5 and in between the two membranes (Fig. 6d).
  • Figs. 7 to 10 The more detailed structure of preferred microphone devices according to the present invention are illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10.
  • Fig. 7 there are shown a pair of microphone devices 2 and 4 composed of a two-part housing 20,22 and 24,26, respectively. Interposed between the housing parts is a membrane 5 dividing the interior of the housing into two spaces or chambers 28,30 and 32,34, respectively.
  • the housing parts 20 and 24 are provided with members 36, 38 serving as mounts for an optical guide 40,42 leading to light sources 44 and 46.
  • light guides 48,50 leading to light detectors 52,54.
  • the light guides 40,48 and respectively 42,50 each have an end portion affixed in members 36 and 38 and slightly protruding into chambers 30,34.
  • end portions have an axis and a rim and are disposed with respect to each other to include an angle between the axes and each of the light guide rims is cut at an angle with respect to the axis of its light guide.
  • Fig. 7 Further seen in Fig. 7 are the different distances d 1 and d 2 at which the rims of light guides of each microphone device is spaced-apart from its membrane 5. It can thus be understood that upon operation, when sound waves impinge upon the membranes 5, in the direction of arrow A, the latter bulges into chambers 30,34 as depicted by the broken lines.
  • Fig. 8 it is noted that whereas the light intensity in microphone device 2 is increased by ⁇ I as the sound wave is picked up by the device, and the membrane 5 is moved by a distance d, for the same movement of the membrane 5 in device 4, the light intensity I 2 is decreased.
  • the output signals from devices 2 and 4 are thus fed to an operational amplifier.
  • This type of an arrangement may also be utilized with the two optical microphone devices in which the membrane 5 is equally distant from the rims of the light guides.
  • the output signals have to be processed by means of an electronic circuit shown in Fig. 1, for summing up of the respective signals, producing an improved signal having a higher signal to noise ratio.
  • both microphone devices 2 and 4 are optically connected to a single light source and a single light intensity detector.
  • Fig. 10 it can be seen how the ouput light guide 48 of the microphone device 2 is utilized as an input light source via light guide 42 of the microphone device 4, thereby requiring only a single light source 60 and a single light intensity detector 62.
  • Fig. 11 illustrates a still further modification in which the two microphone devices 2 and 4 share a single membrane 5.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Electrostatic, Electromagnetic, Magneto- Strictive, And Variable-Resistance Transducers (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Mechanical Vibrations Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Optical Radar Systems And Details Thereof (AREA)

Claims (12)

  1. Geräuschdämpfungssystem zur Verwendung bei Schallaufnahmegeräten, umfassend:
    ein erstes und ein zweites kleines optisches Mikrofongerät (2, 4) mit mindestens einer schallempfindlichen Membran (5) zum Erzeugen eines Ausgangssignals nach Maßgabe von durch die Mikrofongeräte aufgenommenen Schallwellen;
    mindestens ein Paar Lichtleiter (40, 48; 68, 70), die an dem ersten oder an dem zweiten Mikrofongerät befestigt sind;
    wobei die Lichtleiter des Paares jeweils einen Eingangs-Endabschnitt und einen Ausgangs-Endabschnitt besitzen;
    von denen der Eingangs-Endabschnitt eines ersten Lichtleiters mit einer Lichtquelle (44, 46) und der Ausgangs-Endabschnitt des zweiten Lichtleiters an eine Lichtintensität-Detektoreinrichtung (52, 54) anschließbar ist;
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Ausgangsabschnitt des ersten Lichtleiters und der Eingangs-Endabschnitt des zweiten Lichtleiters jeweils eine Achse und einen Rand hat und gegen den anderen Abschnitt so orientiert ist, dass zwischen den Achsen ein Winkel eingeschlossen ist, wobei jeder der Lichtleiter-Ränder unter einem Winkel gegenüber der Achse seines Lichtleiters geschnitten ist, und dass im Betrieb die Intensität von durch die Membran (5) reflektiertem und von der Lichtintensitäts-Detektoreinrichtung (52, 54) detektierten Licht von dem ersten und dem zweiten Mikrofongerät (2, 4) aufgenommene Schallintensitäten oder Differenzen zwischen diesen Intensitäten repräsentiert.
  2. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass zwei optische Mikrofongeräte (2, 4) vorgesehen sind, die zumindest indirekt in enger Nachbarschaft zueinander gekoppelt sind, um ihren effektiven Zwischenabstand zu verringern, wobei jedes Mikrofongerät zu einer Signalsubtrahierschaltung (10) führt, die eine Subtraktion des ersten Signals von dem zweiten Signal unter Bildung eines dritten Ausgangssignals vornimmt.
  3. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass jedes von dem ersten und dem zweiten optischen Mikrofongerät (2, 4) eine Membran (5) aufweist und die Mikrofongeräte miteinander so gekoppelt sind, dass sich ihre Membranen etwa in einer einzigen Ebene befinden.
  4. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das erste und das zweite Mikrofongerät (2, 4) jeweils eine Membran (5) aufweisen und die Mikrofongeräte derart miteinander gekoppelt sind, dass die Membranen im wesentlichen in verschiedenen Ebenen liegen.
  5. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Membranen (5) in den optischen Mikrofongeräten (2, 4) montiert in zueinander abgewandten Richtungen liegen.
  6. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die optischen Mikrofongeräte (2, 4) mit ihren Achsen in derselben Ebene, jedoch unter einem Winkel zueinander liegen.
  7. System nach Anspruch 1,
    weiterhin umfassend eine zwischen dem ersten und dem zweiten optischen Mikrofongerät (2, 4) angeordnete Trenneinrichtung (14).
  8. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Ränder des Eingangs- und Ausgangsabschnitts der Lichtleiter (40, 48; 68, 70) in jedem der Mikrofongeräte in einem verschiedenen Abstand von der Membran (5) im Ruhezustand gelegen sind, wobei im Betrieb bei Annäherung der Membran (5) in dem ersten optischen Mikrofongerät (2) an die Ränder die reflektierte Lichtintensität gesteigert wird und die Bewegung der Membran (5) in einer Richtung weg von den Rändern eine Verringerung des detektierten Lichts verursacht, und bei Annäherung der Membran (5) in dem zweiten optischen Mikrofongerät (4) an die Ränder die reflektierte Lichtintensität verringert wird und die Bewegung der Membran (5) in einer Richtung weg von den Rändern eine Zunahme des detektierten Lichts verursacht.
  9. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das erste optische Mikrofongerät (2) an seinem Ausgang in der Phase mit umgebenden Schallwellen moduliertes Licht erzeugt, das zweite optische Mikrofongerät (4) an seinem Ausgang Licht erzeugt, welches außer Phase bezüglich umgebender Schallwellen moduliert ist, und beide Ausgänge mit der Lichtintensitäts-Detektoreinrichtung (52, 54) verbunden sind, um die Ausgangssignale zur Erzeugung eines dritten Signals zu summieren, dessen Rauschabstand höher ist als bei jedem Signal in dem ersten und dem zweiten Mikrofongerät (2, 4).
  10. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die paarweisen Lichtleiter (40, 48; 68, 70) des ersten und des zweiten optischen Mikrofongeräts (2, 4) mit derselben Lichtquelle (44, 46) und derselben Lichtintensitäts-Detektoreinrichtung (52, 54) koppelbar sind.
  11. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass einer der paarweisen Lichtleiter (40, 48; 68, 70) des ersten und des zweiten Mikrofongeräts (1, 4) derart optisch angeschlossen ist, dass im Betrieb das von der Membran (5) des ersten Mikrofongeräts (2) reflektierte und in den Eingangs-Endabschnitt des zugehörigen Lichtleiters gelenkte Licht als Lichtquelle für das zweite Mikrofongerät (4) dient.
  12. System nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass zwei optische Mikrofongeräte (2, 4) vorgesehen sind, die eine einzige Membran (5) gemeinsam benutzen, und im Betrieb die Membran (5) mit ihren Flächen quer zu der Ausbreitungsrichtung von aufzunehmenden Schallwellen orientiert ist, wodurch die Differtenzen von durch die Mikrofongeräte (2, 4) aufgenommenen Schallintensitäten optisch detektiert werden.
EP96308839A 1995-12-07 1996-12-05 Rauschdämfersystem Expired - Lifetime EP0777404B1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP96308839A EP0777404B1 (de) 1995-12-07 1996-12-05 Rauschdämfersystem

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL11627495A IL116274A0 (en) 1995-12-07 1995-12-07 System and methot for attenuation of noise
IL11627495 1995-12-07
EP96201999 1996-07-17
EP96201999 1996-07-17
EP96308839A EP0777404B1 (de) 1995-12-07 1996-12-05 Rauschdämfersystem

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0777404A1 EP0777404A1 (de) 1997-06-04
EP0777404B1 true EP0777404B1 (de) 2001-09-12

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EP96308839A Expired - Lifetime EP0777404B1 (de) 1995-12-07 1996-12-05 Rauschdämfersystem

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DE (1) DE69615129T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2162984T3 (de)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2001043494A1 (fr) 1999-12-13 2001-06-14 Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood Transducteur electroacoustique optique
IL140066A0 (en) * 2000-12-04 2002-02-10 Phone Or Ltd Optical microphone system and a method for forming same

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0716291A2 (de) * 1994-12-07 1996-06-12 Phone-Or Limited Sensor und Verfahren zum Messen von Abständen zu einem Medium und/oder dessen physischen Eigenschaften

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2350010A (en) * 1941-12-26 1944-05-30 Glastonbury Bank & Trust Compa Microphone
US3004103A (en) * 1958-12-22 1961-10-10 Chance Vought Corp Noise-reducing microphone assembly
JPS6118916A (ja) * 1984-07-06 1986-01-27 Nec Corp 光マイクロフオン

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0716291A2 (de) * 1994-12-07 1996-06-12 Phone-Or Limited Sensor und Verfahren zum Messen von Abständen zu einem Medium und/oder dessen physischen Eigenschaften

Also Published As

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DE69615129D1 (de) 2001-10-18
ES2162984T3 (es) 2002-01-16
EP0777404A1 (de) 1997-06-04
DE69615129T2 (de) 2002-09-05

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