WO2009003548A1

WO2009003548A1 - Mobile sonic sensor

Info

Publication number: WO2009003548A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/003187
Authority: WO
Inventors: René RODIGAST
Original assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
Priority date: 2007-07-02
Filing date: 2008-04-21
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Also published as: DE102007030725B3

Abstract

A mobile sonic sensor comprises a microphone (10) for picking up a sound signal (11) which hits the microphone (10), a device (12) for delivering a piece of location information about a location at which the microphone (10) is located at the time at which the sound signal is picked up, and a signal processer for processing a microphone output signal and the location information in order to produce output data (14) which comprise an audio signal and, as associated metadata, location data which are derived from the location information or which correspond to the location information.

Description

Mobile acoustic sensor

description

The present invention relates to acoustic applications, and more particularly to mobile acoustic sensors.

Acoustic sensors can be used for track monitoring, bridge monitoring, material monitoring, on machinery, in agriculture or in many other application areas. In these applications, the acoustic signal and possibly switching pulses are often generated. They are usually connected by cable to central units in which the signal is then evaluated. Further information on the acoustic signals are therefore obtained here only in the evaluation of the signal itself.

A disadvantage of such sensors is that they are mostly built for special applications, so that one sensor is designed and implemented for a very specific application, and that another sensor is designed and implemented for a different application.

Due to the special fields of use, in particular for monitoring purposes, such sensors are typically arranged at fixed positions and deliver audio signals to an emergency center there, such as when a person having an emergency button has pressed it. Such pressing an emergency button activates a telephone line to an emergency center, then from there via a speaker, which is typically mounted near the phone, the emergency center asks if the activation of the alarm button was accidentally done or intentionally done. Is then confirmed to the demand of the emergency center by the person who pressed the button, that it was a false alarm, nothing more happens. However, if the person responds unsatisfactorily to the request of the emergency call center, an ambulance and emergency doctor immediately set in motion in order to help the person who pressed the emergency button from a problematic situation which may already exist.

A disadvantage of such applications is that for purposes of communication with the person who has pressed the emergency button, typically a speaker and a microphone are only located at a fixed position in a person's home. Therefore, it can happen that the communication works badly if the person is far away from this fixed position.

In addition, the emergency call center, which often deals with false alarms, has a hard time judging by the received audio data from the home and by the person's reaction to the actual emergency situation or false alarms Person to communication was too excited to communicate this clearly and clearly the emergency center.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved acoustic sensor concept.

This object is achieved by a mobile acoustic sensor according to claim 1, a method for acoustic monitoring according to claim 17 or a computer program according to claim 18.

The present invention is based on the knowledge that not only in emergency applications, but also in many other applications in addition to the audio signal and the place is an important source of information on which the microphone is located, which has received the audio signal. Therefore, according to the invention, in addition to the audio signal, a local Information is obtained from the mobile acoustic sensor and, like the microphone signal, fed to a signal processor which then generates output data comprising the audio signal and associated metadata having location data derived from the location information or the location Information. The audio data here are either audio original data or audio data already compressed by known compression methods.

An emergency call center receiving such output data may now be based on the location data associated with the audio data and on the fact that the acoustic sensor is a mobile acoustic sensor to be worn by the person to be monitored Decide where the person is right now to make better, faster and more efficient decisions. For example, if the person is at a critical location in the home, such as in the bathroom or toilet, then if no better clarification takes place, a person must definitely come to the rescue. However, if the person is in a different, more uncritical place, for example on the sofa, then more time may possibly be spent communicating with the person to find out what they are lacking, etc.

Thus, many other applications of acoustic sensors also have an advantage in that, in addition to the audio data being delivered, location information relating to the location where the audio data has been recorded is also provided. In addition, it is preferable to add, in addition to the location information as additional meta-information, statements about the directivity of the microphone, the intensity of the signal and other relevant parameters, which also include dynamic information etc. of the audio signal. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a mobile acoustic sensor;

FIG. 2 shows a preferred implementation of the modular mobile acoustic sensor according to the invention; FIG. and

3 shows a sketch to illustrate the input / output configurability of the mobile acoustic sensor according to a preferred embodiment.

The mobile acoustic sensor comprises, as shown in FIG. 1, a microphone 10 for receiving a sound signal 11 incident on the microphone 10. Further, means 12 for providing location information about a location where the microphone 10 is located at the time of recording the sound signal 11 are provided. Furthermore, the mobile acoustic sensor comprises a signal processor 14 for processing the microphone output signal 15 and the location information 16 to generate output data 17 comprising an audio signal and as associated metadata location data derived from the location information 16 or which correspond to the location information. In the former case, the signal processor 14 has still carried out various location determinations in order, for example, to calculate a position on the basis of location information in the form of transit times, as supplied by the device 12, while in the latter case the device 12 for delivering a Location information eg has already received a complete location determination and the signal processor 14 then writes this complete location determination into the output data stream, for example by means of a multiplex method or by means of a modulation, etc. The output data is then sent out, depending on the implementation, from a transmitter 18, which may be a wireless transmitter, but may also be a wired sensor when the mobile acoustic sensor is connected to a cable, such as a power cable or signal cable.

If the transmitter 18 is a radio transmitter, then it includes a radio interface for transmitting the output data to a remote receiver.

Depending on the implementation, the signal processor 14 includes an audio compressor to compress the microphone output signal to obtain a compressed audio signal. Furthermore, the signal processor 14 is then designed to supply the location information 16 or data derived from the location information 16 as meta information to the compressed audio signal. Here, for example, corresponding fields kept free of the various audio compression standards for auxiliary data or metadata can be readily used, so that a standard-compliant system is created.

The location information providing means 12 is configured to cause a location signal to be sent to two or more remote reference receivers at certain reference positions, and to receive the location information in response to a transmission of the location signal.

For location determination, a triangulation method or another method based on a signal transit time is typically performed. For example, if there is variability in two dimensions, two receivers at predetermined receiving positions, which measure the transit time of a locating signal from the transmitter, are already sufficient. Then, a computer unit can, due to the two measured transit times and with knowledge of the positions of the two reference receiver to determine the position of the mobile acoustic sensor very accurately and transmitted, for example wirelessly to the mobile acoustic sensor, and in particular to a receiving antenna, which is shown schematically at 19 in Fig. 1, so that the means 12 for providing location information from the remote central computer receives its information.

Depending on the implementation, however, the device 12 for providing location information may also be designed to autonomously determine its position. If relatively coarse positioning is sufficient, this may be done by a GPS cell or other absolute location determiner. However, if the accuracy is not sufficient, as provided by a geostationary navigation system, then the means 12 for providing location information may also perform active location by, for example, two remote receivers whose reference positions are to the mobile acoustic sensor are known, responsive to cause a transmission of locating signals and then to measure the transit time that the signal takes to get from the remote reference sensor to the mobile acoustic sensor. Then, the device 12 for providing location information with knowledge of the two reference sensors and the two measured transit times can calculate their location and feed it directly to the signal processor 14.

Alternatively or additionally, the device 12 for providing location information can also transmit a sound signal for location purposes instead of the radio signal for location purposes, or the device 12 for providing location information can also make a location on both radio signals and sound signals.

In preferred embodiments, the signal processor 14 is a DSP (digital signal processor) programmable by software to be programmed for various applications. Depending on the implementation, the signal processor 14 is further configured to analyze the microphone output signal to provide as further metadata data characterizing the microphone output signal and to add this further metadata to the output data 17. The further metadata are, for example, the volume of the signal, an origin direction of the signal, which can be determined by a directional effect of the microphone or a possibly additionally existing additional microphone, the frequency range of the signal or the proportion of the signal energy in a frequency range relative to a other frequency band or relative to the total energy of the signal in all bands.

Further additional information, which the signal processor can determine by analyzing the microphone output signal itself, also consists of information about the sound source from the microphone output signal, namely whether the sound source provides a signal that has very strong transient components. This is the case, for example, when one object strikes another object and, starting from a relatively quiet or at least uniform background volume, suddenly a rapidly rising and then rapidly falling signal event takes place, which could indicate a fall of a person. Alternative audio signal analysis methods may be to find out specific noises, such as in the monitoring of a motor, etc., in which a particular signal pattern is sought, which indicates a problematic system or indicates a situation that requires closer attention ,

In alternative embodiments, the mobile acoustic sensor also has a foreign localization property such that the mobile acoustic sensor can detect location signals from other acoustic sensors and knowing its own reference position and knowing a reference position from another acoustic sensor, ie one third acoustic sensor, the positi- can calculate on the acoustic sensor from which the locating signal comes, so just want to locate.

Fig. 2 shows a more specific implementation of the mobile acoustic sensor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Here, the microphone comprises an actual microphone element 10 and a downstream analog / digital converter 10b, which in addition to an analog / digital conversion can also perform amplification or similar functionalities.

Furthermore, the mobile acoustic sensor comprises a module core 20 comprising the signal processor 14 equipped as a DSP, and comprising an audio input / output interface 22 and a control input / output interface 24. The module core may be further supplied with a battery 26 provided when power can not be supplied, such as a power supply for an electrical device to which the mobile acoustic sensor is connected to monitor this device in some form.

The audio input / output device 22 can be coupled to the input side of the microphone 10, via a module connection 26a, with further module connections 26b to 26f being present. Furthermore, the audio input / output device 22 is connected to the DSP 14, this connection being of particular importance when the DSP 14 performs a signal analysis of the audio signal. As such, the DSP 14 also has a control line to the audio input / output device 22 to provide feedback regarding audio analysis or to control the interface.

The mobile acoustic sensor further comprises a control input / output device 24 which includes a two-way communication link with the DSP 14 and which is also unidirectional with the audio input / output device 22. or bi-directionally communicated. Further, the control input / output device has output functionalities to an RF transmitter 28, to a cable interface 29, or, although not shown in FIG. 2, to a display / controller that is externally formed, such as a graphical interface or an acoustic interface 30 may be. The control input / output device 24 further includes input side information from an RF receiver 31, and the RF transmitter 28 may further receive information from the audio input / output device 22.

Depending on the implementation, the DSP 14 may also send the output data directly to the RF transmitter 28, although not shown in FIG. 2, since in FIG. 2 the DSP provides the output data via the audio input / output interface and the control interface. Input / output device to the RF transmitter 28 sends so that the RF transmitter 28 performs a wireless transmission of the output data, which includes the audio data and the metadata.

3 shows a further implementation of the module core 20 of the acoustic sensor, which can be connected on the input side next to the microphone 10 with different RF interfaces 35a, 35b, 35c, wherein the RF interface 35a is a general RF interface according to some interface principle, such as For example, a GSM interface or a DECT interface. By contrast, the interface 35b is an interface according to the WLAN standard, while the interface 35c is an interface according to the Bluetooth standard.

Also on the output side, various interfaces can be connected, which can be constructed analogously to the input interfaces, and which are designated by 28 '/ 31' or 28 '' / 31 ''. The interface 29 is, for example, a standardized CAT 5 interface, also known as the "Ethernet" interface to allow a wired message communication.

In the following, further implementations / fields of application of the mobile acoustic sensor according to the invention or of the method according to the invention for acoustic monitoring will be discussed.

Acoustic sensors are opening up in recent applications.

Gaining acoustic information and associated metadata such as location, distance, volume, directivity, frequency range ..., etc., is becoming increasingly relevant in the industrial environment.

The invention describes a flexible integrated system which receives, processes and distributes acoustic information. Emphasis is placed on mobility and the associated miniaturization of the system. The acquisition of acoustic information and associated parameters is the basic objective of the invention. The units are wirelessly equipped to achieve a wide range of applications.

One or more acoustic sensors form an intelligent matrix which preferably acquires acoustic information and its parameters and prepares them interface-compatible. The user is thus able to immediately access these parameters for editing or further processing.

Technical fields of application of the present invention are therefore, for example, in acoustic monitoring for industrial purposes, in occupational safety / environmental protection, in the area of so-called assisted living, ie where, for example, sick or infirm persons are to be supported. in the field of security applications or in robotics.

In contrast to the prior art, in which acoustic information without metadata relating to location information is obtained, according to the invention metadata comprising location information are supplied in addition to the audio data, which also makes the present invention possible to use as self-locating acoustic sensor or to use within a system of multiple sensors for purposes of self-localization.

According to the invention, acoustic information and additionally parameters of this acoustic information are thus obtained. When implemented in a self-aligning array, a processed signal is provided with the desired information about the signal to a receiver. Particularly when implemented as a modular system, an application-related implementation can be achieved, in particular due to the software configurability, and with high cost efficiency. Furthermore, it is preferred to use a miniaturized system, which is also referred to as an embedded system, which, as device-implemented, has a volume content of less than 30 cubic centimeters and in particular less than 10 cubic centimeters, which is achieved by a high degree of integration of microphones and circuits for providing the Output data is achieved. Furthermore, it is preferred to transmit the acquired signals / parameters via standard interfaces. After the present invention has an intelligent DSP in preferred systems, the present invention can be applied without special knowledge in the self-configuration mode.

The DSP preferably provides an analysis of the acoustic signal and an application-related preparation of the parameters, wherein the mobile acoustic sensor with other mobile acoustic sensors or a central station wireless or Wired communicates. Furthermore, it is preferred to determine a position information, specifically via a transit time determination to at least two further mobile acoustic sensors.

The invention is advantageous in that acoustic signals are automatically recorded and provided with relevant data describing the acoustic signal, which, in addition to the location information, comprise additional metadata, depending on the implementation. The sensor according to the invention can itself gain information about the signal and output. External systems can be connected via standard interfaces. Thanks to the miniaturized (embedded) design, the sensor can be easily applied and installed. A personal computer is only needed for configuration, but not for sensor operation. Depending on the local situation, different modules may use different transmission ranges, e.g. UHF is not possible because of existing interference fields in a field of application. A system of acoustic sensors according to the invention can be implemented in a self-configuring manner when a set-up phase has taken place, ie when each acoustic sensor has assigned its channel or identification in a communication scheme. Such a communication scenario includes not only wireless but also wired data transmission capabilities.

For example, industrial sensors are used for track monitoring, bridge monitoring, material monitoring, on machines, in agriculture, etc. These widespread applications usually provide the acoustic signal and possibly switching pulses. They are usually connected by cable to central units in which the signal is then evaluated. Further information on the acoustic signals can be obtained here only in the evaluation of the signal itself. Statements about location, directivity, intensity and other relevant parameters can be metadata such as location, distance, Volume, directivity, frequency range ... etc. with increasing relevance.

The invention describes a flexible integrated system which accepts and distributes acoustic information. Emphasis is placed on mobility and the associated miniaturization of the system. The sensor consists of modules that can be individually equipped. Subareas of these modules are here sound recording unit (including level adjustment), DSP unit, output / transmission unit (see also Fig. 2). The system is able to communicate with each other or with a master unit. The unit is wirelessly equipped to achieve a wide range of applications.

External modules (e.g., RFID) may also be integrated into the network of this system. The associated energy efficiency is thus a decisive factor. Specifically, an intelligent matrix is formed by one or more acoustic sensors, which preferably obtains acoustic information and its parameters and prepares them interface-compatible. The user is thus able to immediately access these parameters for editing or further processing. The system should be designed as an integrated (embedded), miniaturized system in order to be able to be used in a wide range of applications.

Fields of application, as has already been stated, include acoustic monitoring in industry, for example for processes, machines, materials and device testing. Other areas of application are occupational health and safety, to monitor sound levels, create an emissions map, detect limits, perform automatic limiting, perform sound source analysis, or locate sound sources. With regard to so-called RF-IDs, the mobile acoustic sensor according to the invention can be used to detect RFID objects, and can provide information about RFID objects that go beyond an exclusive detection of such objects.

In the area of assisted living, the sensor according to the invention can also serve well, e.g. in the monitoring of housing environments in elderly or sick people, in the so-called "Smart Home", in the reporting of acoustic events with position and other parameters, or in a general process cycle consisting of acquisition / analysis, localization, processing and reporting.

Also in the security area, the acoustic sensor according to the invention is used for detecting dangers, for analyzing panic situations or for the short-term creation of an acoustic monitoring network. In robotics, the acoustic sensor may be incorporated into the artificial intelligence system of robots, for example, for acoustic events, such as e.g. To respond to voice commands for a service robot or to identify and react to typical / untypical noises in industrial processes, for example in industrial robots.

In the field of home entertainment, too, the acoustic sensor can be used to automatically measure multichannel sound systems. A detection of the current seating position and a correspondingly dependent optimal level / time setting can be done by the acoustic sensor, especially in a directional home entertainment system or to capture panning information and amplification by additional sound tuning.

Also in the field of sound, a room acoustics analysis can be carried out or it can be a source location and automatically passing directional information. It is also possible to record audience reactions and information as a creative tool for the sound designer, for example, where the applause is strongest. On the other hand, emission protection can be carried out at concerts, and in particular at loud concerts. For larger sound systems, an automatic calibration of complex sound systems can be achieved.

In measuring technology, automatically calibrating microphone arrays can be obtained by the mobile acoustic sensor according to the invention.

In preferred embodiments, a cooperation of the acoustic sensors with RFID elements takes place. With RFID elements, mobile acoustic sensors according to the invention can cooperate, for example, for the purpose of localization, if the localization takes place via radio signals. Then, RFID receivers can make runtime measurements and report their results to a central processing unit, which then calculates the actual position.

Audio is recorded via a microphone module and AD is converted. In the DSP meta information is added (in a lock in the data stream). This can be done using standardized methods (AAC, Broadcastwave, MXF ...) or even proprietary formats. The "enriched" metadata audio signal is transmitted via RF or cable to another unit and can be unpacked there, by demodulating the metadata and audio data, converting the audio if necessary, and converting the meta information to standard format (eg ASCI). be made available at the module.

Gaining the metadata:

Position information - are gained via 1. Radio detection active

The relevant module (which supplies the audio signal) transmits a pulse via its RF transmitter module and can be localized via at least 2 further units according to the invention with receiver modules by determining the runtime for each unit. The system thus determines relative position coordinates that can be converted to absolute coordinates with knowledge of the fixed coordinates of the two receiver units, which then describe the position in space (eg absolute coordinates [length, width in degrees / seconds, x, y, z ...)

To obtain this information a variety of modulations (waves) in the air can be used. The application and the environment are decisive. Thus, from sound waves in the audible frequency range to microwaves different methods of localization can be used. In this case, only the Receive / Transmit module is to be replaced on the unit according to the invention.

2. Passive bearing passive

Also possible is a localization of the sensor via passive bearing. Here, with known methods, as are customary in the field of RFID, a signal emitted by the units according to the invention can be changed by the unit to be located, and a signal received from the transmitting units can be provided about the position of the sensor to be located. However, the passive method is characterized by shorter ranges and thus will not meet all application requirements.

Signal information (level, dynamics ...) - are obtained via: Special algorithms that are implemented directly in the DSP and analyze the audio signal there. Thus, certain parameters directly (eg: absolute level is ... dB) as a threshold (absolute level of ... dB was exceeded) or indirectly (absolute level of ... dB was reached in time ... s - that means Alarm XY) etc. The individual sensors can thus be individually adapted to their respective application (what should they hear / respond to).

About the placement of the units according to the invention with communication modules and the possibility of individual application-related programming these sensors are versatile.

As has been stated, the DSP 14 in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 is individually adaptable via software modules. Either a direct interface is provided on the sensor or the individual adjustment works via a so-called "flashing", so that depending on the implementation of another memory card with stored configuration data is inserted into the acoustic sensor, such a memory card eg as a flash memory is executed.

FIG. 2 shows a basic operation of a present implementation in which the main unit 20 consists of the DSP 14, the audio I / O unit 22, and the control module 24. The main unit 20 may be individually populated with modules to be configured for use. In addition to the specific matrix configuration, the individual units are recorded with software packages that configure themselves.

In an example configuration for obtaining audio signals and metadata, the acoustic signal is detected by the microphone module 10 and provided to the DSP after A / D conversion in the I / O unit. The DSP continues to receive metadata via the control unit 24, such as Position, level, dynamics, etc. These data are packaged in the DSP in an audio stream, such as an MXF audio stream, and the signal can be provided via an output unit (cable, RF ...). In the DSP, a further evaluation of the audio signal takes place according to the requirements and the selected software module. Another unit can now receive the signal or the signal can be played on a conventional unit, such as a computer.

In another example configuration for obtaining positional parameters, in addition to the input sensor, ie the unit for which the position is to be determined, two further mobile acoustic sensors for a two-dimensional determination or three further mobile acoustic sensors according to the present invention for a three-dimensional position determination required. The position of the input sensor is determined relative to the position sensors via a transit time determination based on the signal propagation times of the units to the input sensor. The input sensor receives the transit times via its HF interface and now calculates its own position. In order to obtain an absolute coordination, the positions of the position sensors are known, e.g. their geographical length or latitude. Position sensors thus require a transceiver or a transmitter / receiver equipment.

From the above examples, it can be seen that the system is flexible and can therefore be adapted individually to the application and thus saves costs.

Depending on the circumstances, the methods according to the invention can be implemented in hardware or in software. The implementation may be on a digital storage medium, in particular a floppy disk or CD with electronically readable control signals that may interact with a programmable computer system such that a method is carried out. In general, the invention thus also consists in a computer program product with a program code stored on a machine-readable carrier for carrying out the method when the computer program product runs on a computer. In other words, the invention can thus be realized as a computer program with a program code for carrying out the method when the computer program runs on a computer.

Claims

claims

1. Mobile Acoustic Sensor with the following features:

a microphone (10) for receiving a sound signal incident on the microphone (10);

means (12) for providing location information about a location where the microphone is located at the time of recording the sound signal (11); and

a signal processor (14) for processing a microphone output signal and the location information to generate output data (17) comprising an audio signal and as associated metadata location data derived from the location information or the location Information correspond.

2. A mobile acoustic sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a radio interface (18) for transmitting the output data (17) to a remote receiver.

3. A mobile acoustic sensor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the signal processor (14) comprises an audio compressor to compress the microphone output signal (15) to obtain a compressed output signal, and wherein the signal processor (14 ) is further adapted to associate the location information with the compressed audio signal as meta-information.

A mobile acoustic sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means (12) is adapted to provide for transmitting a locating signal to a remote reference receiver at a reference Position and to receive the location information in response to a transmission of the location signal.

5. A mobile acoustic sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means (12) is adapted to supply, to cause a transmission of a sound signal or a radio signal as a detection signal.

A mobile acoustic sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal processor (14) is a digital signal processor (DSP) programmable by software.

7. A mobile acoustic sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal processor (14) is adapted to analyze the microphone output signal (15) to provide as further metadata data characterizing the microphone output signal and Add this additional metadata to the output signal (17).

8. A mobile acoustic sensor according to claim 7, wherein the further metadata has a volume, an originating direction, a frequency range or a characteristic of a sound source for the sound signal derived from the microphone output signal (15).

9. A mobile acoustic sensor according to one of the preceding claims, which is housed in a housing whose volume is less than or equal to 30 cubic centimeters.

10. A mobile acoustic sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal processor (14) is programmed to use the acoustic sensor for localization of a remote sensor in which a reference position of the mobile acoustic sensor is detected. and wherein the mobile acoustic sensor is configured to receive a location signal of a remote sensor to receive information from another remote sensor and to use a reference position of the mobile acoustic sensor and the information of the other remote sensor to calculate a position of the sensor from which the locating signal originates, and to cause a transmission of the location information to the remote sensor.

11. A mobile acoustic sensor according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed to be used as an emergency sensor for a person to be monitored, wherein the sensor is designed to continuously detect and process the sound signal, and to automatically, in response to detection of a predetermined event due to continuous detection and processing, to begin outputting the output signal while no output signal is output prior to detection of the predetermined event.

12. A mobile acoustic sensor according to claim 11, wherein the event is a rapid energy increase above a certain relative or absolute energy level.

13. A mobile acoustic sensor according to one of the preceding claims, which is configured to use one of a plurality of different transmission channels in response to a configuration.

14. A mobile acoustic sensor according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed to have a self-sufficient power supply, which is designed as a battery or accumulator (26).

15. A mobile acoustic sensor according to claim 2, wherein the radio interface is designed according to an international standard.

16. A mobile acoustic sensor according to any one of the preceding claims, as the module core (20) the signal processor (14), which is designed as a digital signal processor (DSP), an audio input / output interface (22) and a control input Has / output interface (24),

wherein the module core is coupled to the microphone (10) and an analog-to-digital converter (10b) associated with the microphone, and is further connectable to an RF input interface or to an input device, and

wherein the module core (20) can be coupled on the output side with an RF transmitter, a wired transmitter, a data output unit or an RF receiver.

17. Method for acoustic monitoring with a microphone, comprising the following steps:

Recording a sound signal (11) with the microphone;

Providing location information about a location where the microphone (10) is located at the time of recording the sound signal (11); and

Processing the microphone output signal and the location information to produce output data comprising an audio signal and, as associated metadata, location data derived from the location information or corresponding to the location information.

18. Computer program with a program code for carrying out a method for acoustic monitoring according to Pa tentanspruch 17, when the computer program is executed on a computer.