EP3624112A1 - In-ear-anc-ohrhörer - Google Patents

In-ear-anc-ohrhörer Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3624112A1
EP3624112A1 EP19195322.3A EP19195322A EP3624112A1 EP 3624112 A1 EP3624112 A1 EP 3624112A1 EP 19195322 A EP19195322 A EP 19195322A EP 3624112 A1 EP3624112 A1 EP 3624112A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
earphone
volume
speaker
ear
frontal
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP19195322.3A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP3624112B1 (de
Inventor
Michael Perkmann
Daniel Wöhrer
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.)
Austrian Audio GmbH
Original Assignee
Austrian Audio GmbH
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
Priority claimed from EP18193193.2A external-priority patent/EP3644620A1/de
Priority claimed from US16/535,486 external-priority patent/US11115749B2/en
Application filed by Austrian Audio GmbH filed Critical Austrian Audio GmbH
Publication of EP3624112A1 publication Critical patent/EP3624112A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3624112B1 publication Critical patent/EP3624112B1/de
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10K—SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K11/00—Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/16—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/175—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound
    • G10K11/178—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
    • G10K11/1787—General system configurations
    • G10K11/17875—General system configurations using an error signal without a reference signal, e.g. pure feedback
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10K—SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K11/00—Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/16—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/175—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound
    • G10K11/178—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
    • G10K11/1781—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase characterised by the analysis of input or output signals, e.g. frequency range, modes, transfer functions
    • G10K11/17821—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase characterised by the analysis of input or output signals, e.g. frequency range, modes, transfer functions characterised by the analysis of the input signals only
    • 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
    • H04R1/10—Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones
    • H04R1/1016—Earpieces of the intra-aural type
    • 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
    • H04R1/22—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only 
    • H04R1/28—Transducer mountings or enclosures modified by provision of mechanical or acoustic impedances, e.g. resonator, damping means
    • H04R1/2807—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements
    • H04R1/2811—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements for loudspeaker transducers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10K—SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K2210/00—Details of active noise control [ANC] covered by G10K11/178 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • G10K2210/10—Applications
    • G10K2210/108—Communication systems, e.g. where useful sound is kept and noise is cancelled
    • G10K2210/1081—Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
    • 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
    • H04R1/10—Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones
    • H04R1/1083—Reduction of ambient noise
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2410/00—Microphones
    • H04R2410/05—Noise reduction with a separate noise microphone
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2460/01—Hearing devices using active noise cancellation

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an in-ear ANC earphone, which is at least partially worn in the external auditory canal, and which, when leaking, is prone to the least possible amount of quality reduction, according to the preamble of Claim 1.
  • EP 1 398 991 discloses a conventional ANC headphone with earpieces worn over the ears, requiring that the interior volume and the exterior volume of the earpiece communicate with each other via an acoustic resistance, and providing within the earpiece, separated by the driver and its membrane, a front cavity facing the ear and a rear cavity on the side facing away from the ear of the user wherein the front cavity has a much larger volume than the rear cavity.
  • US Pat. No. 7,995,782 discloses in an in-ear hearing device in addition to the microphone and its acoustic channel the provision of a second channel connecting, when the hearing device is inserted, the auditory canal of the ear to the outside (the environment) in order to prevent the so-called "occlusion effect".
  • in-ear ANC headphones are disclosed in US 2009/0080670 , EP 2 768 239 , GB 2 526 945 , and US 2014/0294182 , the last two documents forming part of the same patent family but putting forward differing aspects. All of these four documents disclose tubes extending from the tip, i.e. the ear-side or "inner" end of the in-ear earphone, into the area of the device located outside the ear canal and there extending to a microphone used for the provision of data or reference data for the ANC procedure.
  • In-ear ANC earphones are, as previously mentioned, to be interpreted for different cases, in particular: If the earphone leaks when worn against the ear canal, thus causing a leak, the result is a bass drop up to the critical frequency of the leak opening.
  • the differing geometries of the ear canals and thus the varying coupled ear volumes result in varying loads on the transducer, changing the critical frequency of the pressure chamber.
  • the earphone is removed from the ear when it is still in operation and is thus operated in an open sound field. Since the earphone is not designed for this type of operation but for closed-volume operation, the secondary path frequency response (corresponding to the transfer function between speaker and microphone) is characterized by a large bass drop. The situation once again approaches that of the secondary path in the closed volume, but only for higher frequencies, where earphone output begins to act inductively.
  • the object and goal of the invention is to appropriately solve these problems, and to provide for an in-Ear ANC earphone in which the ANC circuit remains stable even under varying wearing conditions, with the small available space having to be taken into consideration.
  • the acoustic channel of the speaker, possibly the speaker itself as well, and a connecting acoustic channel (tube) are positioned adjacent to each other in the tip part to be inserted into the ear, the side of the speaker facing away from the ear is connected to the environment by means of a connecting opening; however, the connecting acoustic channel does not lead to the outside, but instead to an additional volume preferably arranged at a distance from the output in the vicinity of the speaker and possibly around the speaker.
  • the additional channel and the speaker channel are to be routed next to each other for geometric reasons, preferably mutually sound-insulated.
  • the task of the tip part is to connect both channels with the earphone, preferably sealed.
  • a linearization of the secondary path in terms of wearing situation is de facto achieved; furthermore, through the measures according to the invention concerning the second channel, the connecting channel, stabilization for high frequencies above about 1 kHz was achieved for the predictable acoustic friction and the additional volume, since frequency components over 1 kHz in the secondary path generally affect stability, which is suppressed by the acoustic low-pass effect.
  • the second tube can be designed to protect against deliberate blocking of the earphone output, so that in case of such a blockage the feedback loop is interrupted so that no instability can occur in this extreme case.
  • Fig. 1 purely schematically, illustrates an in-ear earphone according to the invention, hereinafter often only referred to as "earphone".
  • a speaker 1 in the outer part of the earphone is acoustically connected to Eartip 5 by means of a frontal volume 2 and a speaker channel 10, largely arranged in the tip part.
  • a tube 7 extends from tip area 6 past speaker channel 10 and frontal volume 2, optionally also past speaker 1, to additional volume 3 occupying a noticeable to large part of the earphone.
  • frontal volume 12 is significantly increased as compared to the prior art, resulting in the above-mentioned advantages of the invention.
  • a horizontal route of the tube is assumed as intended orientation.
  • Coupled volume 12 ( Figs. 2 and 4 ), corresponding to the ear volume of the user when used as intended, is schematically shown in Fig. 1 using dashed lines.
  • tube 7 is simply shown as empty space, which may be employed just as much as the use of a "real" tube, which by no means must have a circular cross-section.
  • tube 7 is preferably sound-insulated with respect to speaker channel 10, frontal volume 2, and speaker 1.
  • microphone 11 of the ANC circuit is usually arranged in the area of Eartip 5 in tip area 6 or in standard frontal volume 2.
  • microphone 11 is now arranged in the inner area of additional volume 3, for example at inner position 8, leading to surprisingly favourable results. This measure achieves results as if the microphone were arranged in the tip area, for example at virtual position 13.
  • Fig. 2 illustrating the changes in the secondary path in an earphone according to Fig. 1 with microphone 11 schematically at the position of tip area according to the prior art in the area of eartip 5.
  • the resulting Helmholtz resonator which results from tube 7 with additional volume 3, appears at the thin characteristic curves in the range of 400-1000 Hz.
  • Fig. 3 shows the situation of Fig. 2 with the difference that in this case, microphone 11 is schematically positioned in additional volume 3 at an inner position 8.
  • the description of the lines is the same as that of Fig. 2 .
  • the abrupt improvement as compared to the basis of the invention shown in Fig. 2 which occurs completely unexpectedly, is also recognizable.
  • Fig. 4 shows the equivalent circuit diagram, the reference numerals shown corresponding to 15 those of Fig. 1 .
  • FIG. 5 shows the frequency response for the following situations: This illustration shows the secondary path differences between the construction with/without connecting microphone 11 at inner position 8 via tube 7. In other words: standard setup vs. setup with tubes, always with the same earphone volumes 3+2.
  • the solid line shows the secondary path WITHOUT channel/tube for position inner area 8 of microphone 11, but direct connection to the lateral volume in which ANC microphone 11 is positioned, for the blocked case (output from earphone is blocked).
  • the dashed line shows the secondary path for the wearing situation in the ear.
  • the dashed-dotted line shows the secondary path WITHOUT channel/tube for position inner area 8 of microphone 11, but the direct connection to the lateral volume in which ANC microphone 11 is positioned.
  • the earphone plays in an "open” manner, i.e. it is neither worn nor blocked.
  • the dotted line shows the analogous situation to the dashed-dotted line, but with the significant difference that in this case the coupling according to the invention of microphone 11 (position inner area 8) positioned in additional volume 3 is implemented by means of tube 7.
  • the position of the microphone is virtually shifted to the ear-side end of tube 7 (generally corresponding to tip area 6, depending on the design), of course with an upstream acoustic low-pass filter, which is of a mechano-acoustic nature.
  • This virtual position in tip area 6 has the great advantage of generating additional level spacing for the ANC system for the open case.
  • the additional level spacing is e.g. 16 dB in the range of 300-2000 Hz.
  • Fig. 6 purely schematically illustrates an in-ear earphone according to the invention and according to Fig.1 , in which tube 7, however, does not continue from a continuous part but, subdivided by two segments, in this particular case earphone housing and sound channels (tube or channels), continues to tip area 6 as part of ear tips 5.
  • the speaker is provided in an outer part of the earphone; progressive miniaturization already allows for bringing this into the area of the external auditory canal.
  • the features according to the invention are to be used advantageously in this case as well, and in the knowledge of the invention, a person skilled in the art may readily do so.
  • Frontal Volume 2 is the volume located front of speaker 1 in the direction of sound propagation (standard frontal volume 2 and speaker channel 10), with the respective ear volume of the user (coupling volume 12) and, depending on the design of the earphone, with or without additional volume 3 and tube 7 for coupling additional volume 3.
  • the position Inner Area 8 is only indicated in principle; it may be located anywhere within additional volume 3 which begins at the tip-distal end of tube 7.
  • “in the inner area” or “in the additional volume” of course denotes a wall of or wall within the additional volume in which or to which microphone 11 is mounted.
  • Additional Volume 3 can occupy any area of the earphone without any particular restriction of its shape, insofar as the components housed therein allow it. It may also be located around vent 4; in any case, it is a part of the earphone, usually a part of the outer part.
  • Speaker Channel 10 extends from speaker 1 or, in channel form, from frontal volume 2 to the outer end of tip area 6 and is to be acoustically insulated from tube 7.
  • Tube 7 provided according to the invention extends from the ear-end of the earphone (output) to additional volume 3, for the aforementioned reasons, depending on the design, even at a small distance of a few millimetres thereof. It may be provided with a cross-sectional shape adapted to the interior of the earphone, which does not need to be constant over its length, neither in shape nor in area.
  • the desired acoustic insulation with respect to the directly adjacent frontal volume 2, speaker channel 10, and speaker 1 itself is achieved, for example, by air-tight and preferably acoustically hard separation by means of suitable material thicknesses and high material densities.
  • Tube 7 has only two end openings, one in the tip area, the other emptying into additional volume 3, with especially the shape of the latter opening possibly adapted to the geometry in this area as well as to the design of the transition.
  • the jacket of tube 7, which optionally projects into additional volume 3, is formed outside of this additional volume without any opening.
  • Eartip 5 itself may consist of two separate channel guides (or contain such), which, under the aforementioned conditions, receive the two-channel structure (tube 7 and speaker channel 10) of the earphone housing part as illustrated in Fig. 6 , and continue/extend into tip area 6. Therefore, in this last-mentioned embodiment, tube 7 does not merely consist of a continuous part, but is subdivided by two or more segments, in this special case earphone housing and sound guides (tubes or channels), in or as part of Eartip 5.
  • Speaker Vent 4 as a rule is also acoustically insulated from additional volume 3 and moreover has in most cases in its interior acoustic friction, which a person skilled in the art with knowledge of the invention and the design of the earphone can readily ascertain.
  • a possible embodiment producing a highly inductive connection between speaker vent 4 and additional volume 3, i.e. effective only for very low frequency signals ( ⁇ 20 Hz), is useful in some cases to ensure an isobaric pressure equalization between frontal volume and the exterior.
  • the electronics for the operation of the speaker and the microphone are as in the prior art and, like the power supply and the wiring, need no further explanation; the same applies to the materials that may be used.
  • the terms "front”, rear”, “top”, “bottom”, etc. are used in their common form and with reference to an item in its usual position of use. This means that for a weapon, the mouth of the barrel is in “front”, the shutter is moved to the "rear” by the explosion gases, etc.
  • the direction of travel refers to the particular direction of the hanger, since the focus is the hanger and not the track(s); and transverse to it means essentially in a direction rotated by 90° and substantially horizontal.
  • substantially means a deviation of up to 10% of the stated value, if this is physically possible, both downwards and upwards, otherwise only in the sensible direction; for degrees (of angle and temperature) ⁇ 10° is meant.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Headphones And Earphones (AREA)
EP19195322.3A 2018-09-07 2019-09-04 In-ear-anc-ohrhörer Active EP3624112B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP18193193.2A EP3644620A1 (de) 2018-09-07 2018-09-07 In-ear-anc-ohrhörer
ATA50518/2019A AT521588A2 (de) 2018-09-07 2019-06-07 In-Ear-ANC-Ohrhörer
US16/535,486 US11115749B2 (en) 2018-09-07 2019-08-08 In-ear active noise-cancelling earphone

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3624112A1 true EP3624112A1 (de) 2020-03-18
EP3624112B1 EP3624112B1 (de) 2024-07-17

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19195322.3A Active EP3624112B1 (de) 2018-09-07 2019-09-04 In-ear-anc-ohrhörer

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EP (1) EP3624112B1 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2584535B (en) * 2019-04-02 2021-12-01 Tymphany Acoustic Tech Huizhou Co Ltd In-ear headphone device with active noise control

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1398991A2 (de) 1997-04-17 2004-03-17 Bose Corporation Akustische Geräuschverminderung
US20090080670A1 (en) 2007-09-24 2009-03-26 Sound Innovations Inc. In-Ear Digital Electronic Noise Cancelling and Communication Device
US7995782B2 (en) 2007-01-29 2011-08-09 Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. Combined receiver and ear-canal microphone assembly for a hearing instrument
EP2768239A1 (de) 2013-02-13 2014-08-20 Funai Electric Co., Ltd. Kopfhörermikrofon
US20140294182A1 (en) 2013-03-28 2014-10-02 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Systems and methods for locating an error microphone to minimize or reduce obstruction of an acoustic transducer wave path
EP2856771A1 (de) 2012-05-25 2015-04-08 Bose Corporation Ohrinterner kopfhörer mit aktiver rauschunterdrückung
GB2526945A (en) 2014-06-06 2015-12-09 Cirrus Logic Inc Noise cancellation microphones with shared back volume

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1398991A2 (de) 1997-04-17 2004-03-17 Bose Corporation Akustische Geräuschverminderung
US7995782B2 (en) 2007-01-29 2011-08-09 Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. Combined receiver and ear-canal microphone assembly for a hearing instrument
US20090080670A1 (en) 2007-09-24 2009-03-26 Sound Innovations Inc. In-Ear Digital Electronic Noise Cancelling and Communication Device
EP2856771A1 (de) 2012-05-25 2015-04-08 Bose Corporation Ohrinterner kopfhörer mit aktiver rauschunterdrückung
US9082388B2 (en) 2012-05-25 2015-07-14 Bose Corporation In-ear active noise reduction earphone
EP2768239A1 (de) 2013-02-13 2014-08-20 Funai Electric Co., Ltd. Kopfhörermikrofon
US20140294182A1 (en) 2013-03-28 2014-10-02 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Systems and methods for locating an error microphone to minimize or reduce obstruction of an acoustic transducer wave path
GB2526945A (en) 2014-06-06 2015-12-09 Cirrus Logic Inc Noise cancellation microphones with shared back volume

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2584535B (en) * 2019-04-02 2021-12-01 Tymphany Acoustic Tech Huizhou Co Ltd In-ear headphone device with active noise control

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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