Classifications

• • 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

Definitions

• the present invention relates to methods for voice communications between a microphone and an audio device, such as a sound card of a data processing device.
• the invention relates further to arrangements for realizing voice communications.
• the microphones are used for receiving sound, such as speech, and for transducing and transmitting the sound further to an audio device using and/or processing the received sound.
• the audio device can be understood as being any device which uses micro- phones in receiving the sound.
• An example of such are various tape or digital recorders, and another example is so called sound cards used in the processing devices for processing sound.
• a data processing de ⁇ vice such as a microcomputer or a Personal Computer (PC) or a workstation
• a data processing de ⁇ vice such as a microcomputer or a Personal Computer (PC) or a workstation
• This kind of voice communications may be arranged to be accomplished through an Internet connection or similar network arrangement providing an already existing commu ⁇ nications protocol (TCP/IP in the Internet) , by means of which the speech data may be transmitted in a digital form, ie. such that it is converted from an analog form to a digitized form.
• TCP/IP commu ⁇ nications protocol
• this kind of communication arrangement is sometimes referred to as an "Internet Call" or an "Internet Telephone".
• Said Internet Telephones have made it eg. possible to es- tablish an international call at the margin costs of a local call.
• the skilled person is familiar with the Internet itself and the communications networks in general, and thus they are not explained in more detail herein than by mentioning that the Internet is a global open communications network connecting a great number of local area networks, such as networks of various companies, universities and other organizations by using packet switched connectionless transfer mode. These networks, in turn, may be used by great number of independent work- stations and/or computer devices.
• An individual user may have a direct connection to these local area networks or the individual user may be connected to them through a
• PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network
• ISDN ISDN
• IRC Internet Relay Chat
• IRC servers specifically intented for the Internet Telephone usage are soon a reality. These are quite likely to improve the quality of the Internet calls by providing greater speed and improved access to the services. It is more than likely that the introduction of these or another possible network apparatus enabling transmission of voice over an IP network will make the Internet Telephones even more lucrative.
• the sound has to be firstly received by a microphone, from which it has to be transmitted to the data processing device, where it is then appropriately processed and converted into the digitized form by means of so called sound card implemented into the computer.
• An example of one implementation is so called LanPhone TM
• a client program running on Windows95 TM uses the sound card of the computer to digitize the speech and sends it over a LAN (Local Area Network) to a gateway computer providing the interface to the actual POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) or other suitable public telecommunications network.
• POTS Personal Telephone System
• Both of the above types can be used, if the connection between the sound card and the handset is able to switch the signal correctly on basis of the used sound card.
• the microphone inputs of the computer are, in turn, usu- ally intented and specified for dynamic microphones only which do not require any internal bias voltage or operating voltage of an amplifier.
• Some of the sound cards are, however, supplying at least some kind of direct voltage for this purpose.
• the correct pin or connection type has been selected by performing test by means of DIP switches (Dual -In-line Package switches) .
• the present interface electronics used by said LanPhoneTM system between the handset and the sound card uses four DIP switches to allow the same handset adapter to be used with different types of sound cards.
• the problem of the present solution relates to the difficult combining and assembly of unstandardized audio de- vices, such as sound cards, and the different kinds of microphones. This causes great difficulties when installing the microphone, and even makes it impossible for those who are not especially familiar and "handy" with the computer technology or electronics in general . In case the connections are made incorrectly, the microphone will not work, or works improperly/poorly, as the bias voltage becomes connected improperly.
• the version used at present eg. in LanPhone TM is not optimal as it requires that the user or the one who installs the application knows the exact type and mark of the sound card and then also knows how to configure the DIP switches accordingly. It is clear that this kind of requirement of knowledge efficiently prevents and even scares potential users of such speech transmission which utilizes the data processing device arrangements and open data communications networks .
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a method and an arrangement by means of which the user is relieved from making any configurations of the interface between a microphone and used audio device .
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a method and an arrangement in which same microphone can be used in connection with various audio devices or sound cards .
• the objects are obtained by a method of connecting a mi ⁇ crophone requiring a bias voltage to a audio device for establishing voice signal communications therebetween, wherein the interface comprises several inputs for the microphone.
• the method comprises steps of supplying a biasing voltage to the microphone through at least one input of said several inputs for the microphone such that the biasing voltage is conducted through a diode disposed on the respective conduit from said at least one input, and transmitting the voice signal from the microphone to the audio device through another input of said several inputs .
• the invention provides a method of connecting a microphone to a sound card of a data processing device connected to a communications network for establishing a voice signal communication between the mocrophone and the sound card and thereby a subsequent communications transmitting the voice between a user of the microphone and another party connected to said communications network, wherein the connection between the sound card and the microphone comprises several inputs for the microphone.
• the method comprises steps of supplying a biasing voltage to the microphone from the sound card through at least one of said several inputs for the microphone such that the biasing voltage is conducted through a diode disposed on a respective conduit from said at least one input, and of transmitting the voice signal from the microphone to the sound card through another input of said several inputs.
• the invention provides further an arrangement for inter- facing a microphone requiring a bias voltage to an audio device in order to establish a voice signal communications therebetween.
• the interface comprises several inputs for the microphone, a biasing voltage to the microphone being conducted through at least one of said seve- ral inputs for the microphone.
• At least one diode is dis ⁇ posed on each of the conduits from said inputs such that the b iasing voltage becomes conducted through said at least one diode, the arrangement being such that the voice signal is transmitted from the microphone to the audio device through another input of said several inputs than the one conducting the biasing voltage.
• the invention provides an arrangement for interfacing a microphone to a sound card of a data processing device connected to a communications network for establishing voice signal communications therebetween and thereby a subsequent communications transmitting the voice between the user of the microphone and another party connected to said communications network.
• the interface comprises several inputs for the microphone, biasing voltage to the microphone being con- ducted through at least one of said several inputs for the microphone.
• At least one diode is disposed on each of the conduits from said inputs such that the biasing voltage becomes conducted through said diode, and the voice signal is transmitted from the microphone to the sound card through another input of said several inputs than the one conducting the biasing voltage.
• the solution provides a simple, reliable and controllable manner for installing a microphone to a data processing device.
• the solution relieves the user from making any complicated configurations other than just "plug" the connection cord in the data processing device or some other audio device.
• network telephones such as the Internet Telephones or any other audio devices requiring an external microphone .
• the inventive arrangement provides a simple design for the interface, which is more reliable than the conventional mechanical switches .
• Figure 2 discloses an arrangement according to one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 1 is a schematical presentation of one prior art microphone interface arrangement using conventional DIP switches 10 and including a resistor R and a capacitor C between the microphone 1 and the input (and output) pins.
• the user has to configure ie . switch the DIP switch in a correct manner so as to provide a correct connection to correspond either version A or version B described above at the time of the installation of the microphone.
• the configuration is depending on the type of the used sound card.
• the sound card defines which one of the input pins (inp#l or inp#2) or the output pins (out#2 or out#l) is to be used and for which purpose .
• Figure 2 discloses a circuit that solves the problem relating to the required separate configuring of a handset adapter, such as the prior art DIP switch of figure 1, each time when installing it to a new device.
• the adapter circuit 2 is such that it automatically adapts the two alternative connections, ie . versions A and B described above, by means of directing the supply voltage to the microphone through diodes such that it can be supplied through either one of the two microphone input pins .
• the circuit 2 comprises a resistor R connected on the conduit from the microphone 1 to the input pins.
• the circuit comprises further two parallel connected capacitors Cl and C2 so as to provide in either case a circuit with at least one resistor and capacitor.
• two diodes Dl and D2 are connected in parallel between the resistor R on the conduit and the respective input (output) pins.
• the arrangement is such that said parallel capacitors Cl and C2 are connected on the conduit between the microphone 1 and resistor R and between the diodes Dl and D2 and the input (output) pins, respectively.
• the grounding of the microphone and the ac- tual device is arranged in a per se known manner.
• capacitors and resistors may be greater than what is shown in figure 2. If several capacitors or resistors are used, they may be connected in parallel or in series in an appropriate manner.
• Inp#l carries the bias voltage and thus Inp#2 is used for the microphone return signal, ie . for carrying the speech signal .
• the diode Dl will be in a conductive state and thus it will provide the necessary biasing voltage for the microphone 1, e.g. a voltage of 5V. Sound arriving into the microphone will cause the impedance of the microphone to vary and thus a small varying AC current can be seen in the resistor R causing a small AC voltage drop over the resistor R.
• the AC signal is connected to Inp#2 through C2 and is then sensed by the used sound card. The sound card will then process the sound so as to convert it to be suitable for the transmission over the used network.
• Inp#2 which carries the bias voltage and thus Inp#l is used for the micro- phone return signal, ie. for carrying the speech signal.
• the diode D2 will be the one which is in a conductive state and thus provides the necessary biasing voltage for the microphone 1.
• the sound ar- riving at the microphone will cause the impedance of the microphone to vary and thus a small varying AC current can be seen in the resistor R causing a small AC voltage drop over the resistor R.
• the AC signal is now connected to Inp#l through Cl and is then sensed by the used sound card.
• the adapter arrangement 2 of figure 2 has been tested with the following sound cards : SoundBlaster and GravisUltrasound TM. During the tests the adapter was found to work properly, and to provide the benefits described above .
• the invention provides an apparatus and a method by means of which a significant improvement can be achieved e.g. in the area of telecommunications, and more precisely, when connecting a microphone to a data processing device or to some other audio device.
• the arrangement according to the present invention is easy and economical to realize by per se known components and reliable in use. It should, however, be noted that the foregoing example of the invention is not intended to restrict the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims . All additional embodiments, modifications and applica- tions obvious to those skilled in the art are thus included within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth by the claims appended hereto.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)
• Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
• Details Of Audible-Bandwidth Transducers (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8550503

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

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Citations (1)

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• 1998
  • 1998-01-22 FI FI980140A patent/FI105379B/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1999
  • 1999-01-21 AU AU20565/99A patent/AU2056599A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-01-21 WO PCT/FI1999/000041 patent/WO1999038355A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-01-21 EP EP99900900A patent/EP1050189B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-01-21 CN CNB99802337XA patent/CN1319411C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-01-21 DE DE69916423T patent/DE69916423T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-01-21 BR BR9907155-0A patent/BR9907155A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (1)

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