EP1912478A1 - Système d'amplification du son pour une salle de classe - Google Patents

Système d'amplification du son pour une salle de classe Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1912478A1
EP1912478A1 EP06122194A EP06122194A EP1912478A1 EP 1912478 A1 EP1912478 A1 EP 1912478A1 EP 06122194 A EP06122194 A EP 06122194A EP 06122194 A EP06122194 A EP 06122194A EP 1912478 A1 EP1912478 A1 EP 1912478A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sound
signal
amplification system
sound signal
personal computer
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Withdrawn
Application number
EP06122194A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Deepak Somasundaram
Tom Flaherty
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.)
Phonic Ear Inc
Original Assignee
Phonic Ear Inc
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Phonic Ear Inc filed Critical Phonic Ear Inc
Priority to EP06122194A priority Critical patent/EP1912478A1/fr
Publication of EP1912478A1 publication Critical patent/EP1912478A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R27/00—Public address systems

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a classroom amplification system i.e. a system used for enhancing the sound so as to increase the learning for students, such as a public address sound system or an assistive learning system.
  • state of the art classroom sound systems involve a microphone worn by a teacher and connected to an amplifier, which amplifies the teacher's voice and communicates an amplified signal to a set of speakers situated in the classroom.
  • teaching format has evolved from classical lectures given from a generally fixed position in front of a blackboard to computer power point presentations and a moving teacher moving around in the classroom, the requirements of a classroom sound amplification system has simultaneously increased.
  • the movement of the teacher requires the classroom sound amplification system to be able to compensate for acoustical feedback generated when the teacher, for example, moves the microphone closer to one of the speakers.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide an improved classroom amplification system overcoming the drawbacks of prior art sound systems.
  • It is a further object of the present invention is to improve the learning of students in a classroom environment so that a greater number of students benefit from the teaching.
  • a particular advantage of the present invention is the provision of a wireless transmission of a teacher's voice enabling the teacher to move freely and un-hindered around amongst the students.
  • a particular feature of the present invention is the provision of a transmission of images concurrently with transmission of a teacher's voice.
  • a wireless classroom sound amplification system comprising a microphone device adapted to convert a voice to a sound signal and connecting to a sound processing device adapted to process said sound signal and to generate a processed sound signal, and a speaker device connecting to said sound processing device and adapted to convert said processed sound signal to a processed voice, and wherein said sound processing device comprises a feedback cancellation unit adapted to identify acoustical feedback in said sound signal and to remove said acoustical feedback in said sound signal.
  • processed is in this context to be construed as amplifying a signal according to a transfer function; i.e. the gain is not necessarily constant throughout a frequency bandwidth, or throughout time.
  • the feedback cancellation unit may comprise a calculating element adapted to calculate a threshold value based on mean magnitude and standard deviation of the sound signal.
  • the feedback cancellation unit may further comprise a FFT element adapted to transform the sound signal into frequency domain, and a peak identification element adapted to identify a peak in the sound signal in frequency domain and to generate a peak signal.
  • the feedback cancellation unit may further comprise a comparator adapted to compare the threshold value with the peak signal and to generate a control signal identifying frequency of the peak.
  • the feedback cancellation unit may further comprise a programmable notch-filter unit adapted to receive the control signal and operable to filter out a bandwidth of the sound signal in accordance with the control signal thereby generating the processed sound signal.
  • the classroom sound system according to the first aspect of the present invention thus may, advantageously, utilise the fact that vocal sound has a Gaussian distribution in the time domain and the fact that most energy is of the vocal sound is within one standard deviation from the centre frequency.
  • the classroom sound system is particularly useful in situations where vocal sound is to be amplified such as in a classroom.
  • the microphone device may comprise a microphone transmitter adapted to transmit the sound signal wirelessly to the sound processing device in accordance with a communication protocol.
  • the communication protocol may be a proprietary protocol or a protocol such as Bluetooth, WLAN, WiMax, Wi-Fi, or other standardised protocols.
  • the microphone transmitter advantageously, enables the teacher to freely move around in the classroom and provide support for students at their tables or desks. However, having the teacher moving around in the classroom increases the possibility of the occurrence of acoustical feedback since the position of the microphone relative the speaker device may be too close. Hence prior art classroom amplification systems with wireless microphones inherently experience acoustical feedback creating a howling sound from the speakers.
  • the feedback cancellation unit according to the first aspect of the present invention thus, advantageously, ensures dynamic removal of acoustical feedback.
  • the sound processing device may comprise a sound processing transmitter adapted to transmit the processed sound signal wirelessly to the speaker device in accordance with a communication protocol.
  • the communication protocol may be a proprietary protocol or a protocol such as Bluetooth, WLAN, WiMax, Wi-Fi, or other standardised protocols.
  • the sound processing transmitter thus enables for wireless connection to a speaker device. This further flexibility in movement of the teacher carrying a microphone wirelessly connecting to the sound processing device, which is wirelessly transmitting to a movable speaker device, further increases the possibility for the occurrence of acoustical feedback.
  • the feedback cancellation unit ensures the mobility of the speaker devices as well as the microphone by dynamically removing acoustical feedback when detected.
  • the speaker device may comprise an interactive white-board.
  • the interactive white-board offer computer-interactive presentation, which offers images together with audio such as the teacher's processed voice. Having the teacher facing an interactive white-board equipped with speakers further increases the possibility of occurrences of acoustical feedback, which, advantageously, is prohibited by the feedback cancellation unit according to the first aspect of the present invention.
  • the speaker device may comprise a personal computer wirelessly connecting to the sound processing transmitter and/or microphone transmitter and adapted to receive images concurrent to the speaker device generating the processed voice.
  • the personal computer may provide visual support during classes such as, for example, power point shows or other presentational data.
  • the personal computer may comprise a laptop or desktop general purpose computer.
  • the speaker device may be integral with the personal computer or be external devices plugged to the personal computer.
  • the personal computer allows the teacher to communicate with the students in a classroom by having the microphone device connecting directly to the students' personal computers, while simultaneously presenting visual material either directly, or streamed to the students personal computers.
  • the personal computer according to the first aspect of the present invention may comprise a wireless receiver connecting to the sound processing transmitter.
  • the wireless receiver may be implemented by a PCMCI card inserted into the personal computer such as WLAN, Wi-Fi, WiMax or Bluetooth.
  • the personal computer may connect to projecting means adapted to display a visual presentation.
  • the personal computer may further connect to a communications network such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), or an internetwork (e.g. the Internet), which communications network is adapted to forward the processed sound signal.
  • the communications network may interconnect the personal computer to a plurality of speaker devices and/or further personal computers. Hence the personal computer may act as a media hub of a classroom.
  • the personal computer may comprise the sound processing device.
  • the sound processing device may be implemented in the personal computer as a software program.
  • Figure 1 shows a classroom designated in entirety by reference numeral 100.
  • a teacher 102 speaks to an audience of students 104.
  • the teacher 102 carries a microphone device around the neck or attached on a collar of a coat or shirt.
  • the microphone device converts the sound from the teacher 102 to an electric sound signal.
  • the microphone device comprises a transmitter for transmitting the sound signal to a signal processing device 106 receiving the sound signal and performing processing of the sound signal e.g. filtering and amplification.
  • the signal processing device 106 may comprise a transmitter for transmitting the processed sound signal to speaker devices 108, 110, 112 and 114. Alternatively or additionally, the signal processing device 106 may forward the processed signal to the speaker devices 108, 110, 112 and 114 by wire.
  • FIG 2 shows a classroom amplification system according to a second embodiment of the present invention and designated in entirety by reference numeral 200.
  • the classroom amplification system 200 positioned in a classroom 202 comprises a microphone unit 204 connecting wirelessly to a computer 206 acting as a hub for a plurality of computers 208.
  • the computer 206 connects to the plurality of computers 208 through a communications bus 210, which may be implemented as a hardwired local area network or a wireless local area network.
  • the microphone unit 204 may also directly connect wirelessly to a plurality of students' personal computers or ultra mobile personal computers (UMPC), acting as local speakers and/or storage devices.
  • the communications bus 210 may further in an alternative embodiment be implemented by a wireless network such as Bluetooth, WiFi or WiMax.
  • the plurality of computers 208 may, for example, connect to the communications bus 210 by means of a PCMCI card.
  • the communications bus 210 may further connect to a displaying means 212, such as a projector or an intelligent whiteboard also known as smart board.
  • the displaying means 212 may be utilised for presentation of images or text relating to the teaching of students.
  • the teacher may utilise the displaying means 212 for presentation of a power point show of text and/or pictures illustrating the subject to be taught.
  • the displaying means 212 comprises one or more speaker units 214 and 216 presenting the processed voice of the teacher or additional audio determined by the teacher.
  • the teacher may desire to illustrate a certain pronunciation of a word or a particular piece of music and include this in the presentation.
  • the plurality of computers 208 may comprise a speaker unit 218 presenting the processed voice of the teacher or additional audio determined by the teacher.
  • the microphone unit 204 comprise a microphone 220 for converting the voice of the teacher to a sound signal, a sound processing device 222, such as a digital signal processor, for processing the sound signal in accordance with a transfer function, and an antenna 224 wirelessly transmitting the processed sound signal to the computer 206.
  • a sound processing device 222 such as a digital signal processor
  • the sound processing device 222 is shown figure 3 as a block diagram.
  • the sound processing device 222 comprises an input buffer unit 302 adapted to buffer the digital signals into a number (N) of frames, which are communicated to a FFT unit 304 transforming the frames into frequency domain signals and to a threshold calculation unit 306 adapted to calculate a threshold value from the frame based on mean magnitude (m) and standard deviation ( ⁇ ) of the frames.
  • the transformed frame is forwarded from the FFT unit 304 to a peak identification unit 308 adapted to identify peaks in the transformed frame and to generate a peak signal for each peak identified in the transformed frame.
  • the peak signal provides information of magnitude and frequency of the peak.
  • the threshold calculation unit 306 generates a threshold signal for each frame and forwards the threshold signal to a comparator unit 310, which compares the threshold signal to the peak signals received from the peak identification unit 308.
  • the comparator unit 310 generates a filter control signal in case the peak signal is greater than the threshold value, which filter control signal is forwarded to a filter/amplifier unit 312.
  • the filter/amplifier unit 312 comprises a programmable notch-filter 314 and an amplifier 316, and is adapted to receive the digital sound signal and filter the digital sound signal according to the filter control signal by means of the programmable notch-filter 314, and to amplify the potentially filtered digital sound signal according to a predetermined transfer function by means of the amplifier 316.
EP06122194A 2006-10-12 2006-10-12 Système d'amplification du son pour une salle de classe Withdrawn EP1912478A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP06122194A EP1912478A1 (fr) 2006-10-12 2006-10-12 Système d'amplification du son pour une salle de classe

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP06122194A EP1912478A1 (fr) 2006-10-12 2006-10-12 Système d'amplification du son pour une salle de classe

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1912478A1 true EP1912478A1 (fr) 2008-04-16

Family

ID=37668172

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP06122194A Withdrawn EP1912478A1 (fr) 2006-10-12 2006-10-12 Système d'amplification du son pour une salle de classe

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1912478A1 (fr)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5025314A (en) * 1990-07-30 1991-06-18 Xerox Corporation Apparatus allowing remote interactive use of a plurality of writing surfaces
EP0599450A2 (fr) * 1992-11-25 1994-06-01 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Dispositif d'amplification de son avec suppression automatique de réaction acoustique
US5677987A (en) * 1993-11-19 1997-10-14 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Feedback detector and suppressor
WO1998056209A2 (fr) * 1997-06-02 1998-12-10 Marie Lapalme Dispositif assiste par video pour malentendants
US6397037B1 (en) * 1997-06-02 2002-05-28 Audiological Engineering Corporation Method and apparatus for improving classroom amplification systems and other RF-type amplification systems
US20060098826A1 (en) * 2004-11-05 2006-05-11 Phonic Ear Inc. Method and system for amplifying auditory sounds

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5025314A (en) * 1990-07-30 1991-06-18 Xerox Corporation Apparatus allowing remote interactive use of a plurality of writing surfaces
EP0599450A2 (fr) * 1992-11-25 1994-06-01 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Dispositif d'amplification de son avec suppression automatique de réaction acoustique
US5677987A (en) * 1993-11-19 1997-10-14 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Feedback detector and suppressor
WO1998056209A2 (fr) * 1997-06-02 1998-12-10 Marie Lapalme Dispositif assiste par video pour malentendants
US6397037B1 (en) * 1997-06-02 2002-05-28 Audiological Engineering Corporation Method and apparatus for improving classroom amplification systems and other RF-type amplification systems
US20060098826A1 (en) * 2004-11-05 2006-05-11 Phonic Ear Inc. Method and system for amplifying auditory sounds

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
JP6750125B2 (ja) 記録メディアのホットワードトリガ抑制
US9984703B2 (en) Sound verification
EP3304548B1 (fr) Dispositif électronique et son procédé de traitement audio
EP3824653A1 (fr) Procédés pour un système de traitement vocal
KR20180084592A (ko) 음성 명령에 기반하여 서비스를 제공하는 시스템 및 방법
US20080170712A1 (en) Sound amplification system
JP2019109503A5 (fr)
US20180322116A1 (en) Interactive translation system
US10070240B2 (en) Methods and apparatuses for controlling an audio system
US11721337B2 (en) Proximity aware voice agent
JP6925469B2 (ja) スマートマイク制御サーバー及びシステム
CN110915239B (zh) 用于助听器用户的在线自动音频转录
US9565500B2 (en) Apparatus and method for canceling feedback in hearing aid
WO2019240035A1 (fr) Dispositif et procédé d'aide à la conversation, et programme
US20080107277A1 (en) Classroom sound amplification system
EP1912478A1 (fr) Système d'amplification du son pour une salle de classe
JP6476938B2 (ja) 音声解析装置、音声解析システムおよびプログラム
KR102044970B1 (ko) 환경 특징 추출 방법 및 이를 이용한 보청기 작동 방법
EP3340647B1 (fr) Système de capture et de traitement de média
KR20180068655A (ko) 음성 신호에 기초한 문자 생성 장치 및 방법
JP2021536207A (ja) 聴覚装置の環境音声信号を強化するための方法、システム、および聴覚装置
KR101778548B1 (ko) 청각장애인을 위한 음성인식 및 보청지원이 가능한 회의 관리 방법 및 시스템
US10580431B2 (en) Auditory interpretation device with display
CN106231109A (zh) 一种通信方法和终端
KR102098600B1 (ko) 강의 지원 시스템

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

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL BA HR MK RS

AKX Designation fees paid
17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20081016

RBV Designated contracting states (corrected)

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20081219

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: 8566

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: 20110916