MICROPHONE FOR RECORDING MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ACOUSTIC EFFECTS

DESCRIPTION
Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a microphone that enables a reproduction offering to the listener a more reliable sensation with respect to the real location of the sound sources at the moment of recording, thanks to a head support incorporating loudspeakers or other sound reproduction means.

In particular, the invention relates to a recording system that provides, in a two channel audio reproduction, a perception of the sound in at least six directions of the sound source, such as front and rear, side right and side left, up and down, static or in approaching and moving away directions.

Description of the Prior Art

Very high fidelity recordings, for example recorded using binaural microphones, like the systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,216A or in WO9807299A1, are known.

These audio recordings require sophisticated reproduction devices, such as surround systems or high fidelity headphones, in order to reproduce spatial effects such as the sound source direction or a movement direction of the audio source.

Different kinds of loudspeaker incorporating devices, arranged for propagating audio recordings, in order to let a single user to hear it, providing also a comfortable support for the head, are known. Such devices, also called “musical pillows”, combine the comfort of the headrest with musical entertainment provided by integrated loudspeakers. These devices can be used at home as well as in professional context, i.e. wellness centers, massage centers, waiting rooms, centers of music therapy, etc.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,566,986B1 describes an example of a musical pillow. The device comprises, in particular, a central body fitted with a circular opening arranged to receive the face of the user in prone position and an electronic board for controlling a vibration unit and a rotation unit. The system also comprises two lateral bodies, each of which is equipped with a speaker connected to the electronic board and to the rotation unit. This way, the two lateral bodies can rotate starting from a first position, coplanar with the central body, to a second position, orthogonal with the central body. The system also comprises a control unit for activating through the electronic board the vibration unit and the rotation unit. Input channels for receiving audio data and playing the loudspeakers located in the two lateral bodies are also present.

This device has the advantage to provide a comfortable support for the head of the user, for any sleeping position, while listening. Furthermore, the lateral bodies can be oriented starting from a position of minimum encumbrance where the two lateral bodies are coplanar with the central body. The portal frame allows the user to listen in a sleeping position by placing the central body of the device on a horizontal plane. However, this device is not designed for listening multi-dimensional audio recordings.

FR2877554A1 describes another multifunctional device comprising a rectangular base in elastic material and two lateral walls. Each lateral wall is arranged at the right and left sides of the base and includes a loudspeaker. Furthermore, a cover fabric is used as tension element for the orthogonal positioning of the two lateral walls, with respect to the base. This way, a good stereophonic listening is obtained from the loudspeakers that are orthogonal to the base. The system also comprises a shape-memory rectangular element arranged to house, in a comfortable way, the back of the head of the user. In particular, such device adapts its shape according to the weight of the head of the user.

Generally, the above described systems have the drawback of not providing a listening of the played sound that allows a realistic perception of the conveying direction of the original sound, if the sound source comes from high fidelity recording systems as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,216A and WO9807299A1, above cited.

There are also systems of binaural recording, as described for example in WO96/10884A1, DE2545446A1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,936, which give to the recorded sound, when played, a sensation of multidimensionality. However, these systems do not allow perceiving sensations of movement in up-down directions and recognizing sounds coming from a frontal area, in particular if the frontal area is lower than the listener.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a system of binaural recording that allows, in a stereophonic listening context through a head support incorporating loudspeakers, according to the disclosure, or through other devices or reproduction systems, to perceive realistically the direction of the approaching/moving away movement of the sound source at the moment of recording.

It is another particular feature of the present invention to provide such a system of binaural recording that allows, in such a stereophonic listening context, an improvement of perception of the sound source if coming from up to down or vice-versa at the time of recording, and, in particular, the perception of sounds that are moving, at the moment of the recording, between a hypothetical listener and the ground.

It is another particular feature of the present invention to provide such a system of binaural recording that allows, in such a stereophonic listening context, an improvement of perception of the sound source if coming from the front, for example sounds that move in front of a hypothetical listener of the real sound when recording.

According to the invention, a system of binaural recording of a sound source is provided, comprising:

- a dummy head arranged to provide a physic and acoustic barrier between two opposite right and left sides thereof,
- two auricles mounted to the two opposite right and left sides of the dummy head, wherein the auricles have a central channel defining a recess having an entry that faces outwards, and a cavity among a helix and a lobe,
- two lateral microphone capsules associated with said two auricles, said lateral microphone capsules configured for recording sounds coming from sound sources present in a recording environment, said lateral microphone capsules having a sound collection face,
- each of said lateral microphone capsules is located in said recess of said central channel of the respective auricle with said sound collection face that is arranged substantially at said entry and in said recess,

said system of binaural recording having two further lateral microphone capsules mounted to said dummy head on the two opposite right and left sides thereof, and having a sound collection face oriented laterally to said dummy head, said two further lateral microphone capsules mounted at a distance from the auricles, in particular in a position different in a vertical direction with respect to said lateral microphone capsules mounted to the auricles, in particular above said auricles.

This way, the sound is collected at the entrance of the channel in the center of the auricle, and not after having crossed an artificial auditory channel as binaural microphone of prior art. This solution avoids distortion and rumbles of the original sound that would happen otherwise when the sound is propagated through the artificial auditory channel.

The fact that the sound collecting face is located in the recess of the auricle, allows the auricle, and in particular the helix of the auricle, to shield sounds such as the ones that come from behind or from above the head. This allows better discrimination of those sounds compared to the sounds coming from the lateral sides.

Furthermore, the presence of the two lateral microphone capsules adds, to sounds collected through the lateral microphone capsules located in the auricle and above defined, a full and direct perception of the sounds coming laterally. This way it is possible to perceive recorded sounds that move in up to down direction.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, two frontal microphone capsules are mounted to said dummy head, having a sound collection face oriented towards a frontal face of said dummy head, in particular said two sound collection faces of said two lateral microphone capsules, mounted to the auricles, are arranged at a predetermined first distance from each other and said frontal microphone capsules are arranged at a second distance from each other that is less than said first distance. In particular, the first distance is set between 15 and 13 cm and the second distance is set between 13 and 10 cm from the auricles, and, in particular, the helices of the two auricles are at a distance from each other set between 15 and 20 cm. In particular, the two frontal microphone capsules are arranged in a position h1 different in vertical direction from the lateral microphone capsules, and, in particular arranged from 1 to 3 cm higher or lower therefrom.

This way, with respect to the sounds collection obtained through the lateral microphone capsules above defined, it is obtained a sound collection coming from the frontal direction, simulating sonic sensations by the front part of the face of a person, and improving therefore the fidelity of sounds that come from a frontal direction.

Furthermore, while the lateral microphone capsules simulate the collection of sounds by the auricles of the human ear, the inner position of the frontal microphone capsules causes a sound collection carried out at an inner position. This effect is similar to the sound collection provided by the cochlea of the human ear, which is inner with respect to the auricles.

The auricles, and, in particular the helices of the two auricles, which in the human ear are the portions more lateral, are at a distance from each other set between 15 and 20 cm, in order to shield sounds coming from the top or from behind from sounds coming from the right and left sides.

In a possible exemplary embodiment, the two frontal microphone capsules are in a lower position in a vertical direction than the lateral microphone capsules.

The fact that the frontal microphone capsules are in a lower position than the lateral microphone capsules for a difference of height set between 1 and 3 cm, allows the listener to perceive in a more reliable way sounds moving in a vertical direction. In fact, the lateral microphone capsules perceive differently than the frontal one the intensity of sounds moving in up to down direction or vice versa. Such effect reproduces, like the human ear, the position of the cochlea which is lower than the auditory channel.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a partition wall is arranged between the two frontal microphone capsules. The partition wall is made of a material acoustically insulating, arranged to acoustically insulate the two frontal capsules.

This way, the presence of the partition wall provides an acoustic shield that makes it possible to each frontal capsule of distinguishing the sounds coming from the respective right and left sides.

According to another aspect of the invention, it is provided an audio product or an audio-visual product containing at least a part of audio recording obtained by a system of binaural recording as above defined.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristic and/or advantages of the present invention will be made clearer with the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1A shows, in a schematic back view, a head support incorporating loudspeakers, according to the disclosure, with two loudspeakers oriented with a predetermined first angle of elevation with respect to the listening axis and with the respective tweeters having the axes of symmetry aligned to each other and parallel to the listening axis;

FIG. 1B shows, in a schematic back view, the head support incorporating loudspeakers, according to the disclosure, with two loudspeakers oriented with a predetermined second angle of elevation and with the respective tweeters having the axes of symmetry converging towards a point that is located upper with respect to the listening axis;

FIG. 2A shows, in a schematic side view, the support of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2B shows, in a schematic side view, the support of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 3A shows, in a schematic top view, the support of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3B shows, in a schematic top view, the support of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 4 shows, in a schematic front view, an exemplary embodiment of the head support incorporating loudspeakers of FIG. 1A, with a receiving recess for a portion of the face of the user;

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 show respectively, a lateral cross section, a back view, a top view, and a lateral view of an exemplary embodiment of the support of FIG. 1A;

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show respectively, a perspective view, a cross section view and a further perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the head support of FIG. 1A;

FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 show respectively a perspective view, a side view, and a top view of a further exemplary embodiment of the support of FIG. 1A, having an anti-skid sticker for the placement of the support on chairs and armchairs;

FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 show respectively, a perspective view, a top view, and a lateral cross section of a further exemplary embodiment of the support of FIG. 1A, comprising a connecting element between the two left and right lateral support elements;

FIGS. 18, 19 and 20 show respectively, a perspective view, a front cross section, and a lateral cross section of a further exemplary embodiment of the support of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 21 shows, in a schematic top view, an exemplary embodiment of the head support incorporating loudspeakers of FIG. 1A, comprising an audio/video external unit;

FIG. 22 shows, in a schematic top view, an exemplary embodiment of the head support incorporating loudspeakers of FIG. 1A, wherein a sensor system is provided on the rest element;

FIG. 23 shows, in a schematic top view, an exemplary embodiment of the head support incorporating loudspeakers of FIG. 1A, wherein three further loudspeakers are provided;

FIG. 24 shows, in a schematic top view, an exemplary embodiment of the head support incorporating loudspeakers of FIG. 1A, wherein an articulated structure is arranged to support a mobile device;

FIG. 25 shows a perspective view of a possible exemplary embodiment of the head support of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 26 shows a cross sectional view of the head support incorporating loudspeakers of FIG. 1A, wherein the rest element has a housing at an angle in a horizontal plane;

FIG. 27 shows a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of the head support incorporating loudspeakers of FIG. 1A, comprising a receiving recess for a head portion of the user;

FIG. 28 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of the head support incorporating loudspeakers of FIG. 1A, comprising a receiving recess for a head portion of the user;

FIG. 29 shows, in a schematic view, the effect of head centering obtained by the exemplary embodiments described in FIGS. 27, 28.

FIG. 30 shows, in a perspective view, an exemplary embodiment of the head support incorporating loudspeakers of FIG. 1A, comprising an amplifier housing;

FIG. 31 shows a schematic view of a prior art device of binaural recording, with two lateral microphone capsules placed into left and right auditory channels;

FIG. 32 shows a front view of a system of binaural recording, according to the invention, with two microphone capsules arranged flush with artificial auricles;

FIG. 33 shows a top view of the system of FIG. 32;

FIGS. 34 and 35 show, a right side view and a left side view of the system of FIG. 32;

FIG. 36 shows a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the system of binaural recording of FIG. 32 with two further frontal microphone capsules mounted to the dummy head;

FIG. 37 shows a top view of the system of binaural recording of FIG. 36;

FIG. 38 schematically shows a front view of another exemplary embodiment of the system of binaural recording of FIG. 32 with a frontal microphone capsule, arranged in the dummy head, in a central position with respect to the two lateral microphone capsules and oriented towards a front face of the dummy head;

FIG. 39 shows, in a schematic top view, the system of binaural recording of FIG. 38;

FIG. 40 shows, in a schematic front view, a further exemplary embodiment of the system of binaural recording of FIG. 32 with two lateral microphone capsules and with three front microphone capsules mounted to the dummy head;

FIG. 41 shows, in a schematic top view, the system of binaural recording of FIG. 40;

FIG. 42 shows, in a schematic top view, another exemplary embodiment of the system of binaural recording of FIG. 32 comprising two further lateral microphone capsules mounted to the dummy head, in particular the two further lateral microphone capsules are mounted in a position higher in a vertical direction with respect to the auricle and oriented laterally;

FIG. 43 shows, in a schematic front view, another exemplary embodiment of the system of binaural recording of FIG. 32 with four lateral microphone capsules and three front microphone capsules;

FIG. 44 shows, in a schematic front view, a further exemplary embodiment of the system of binaural recording of FIG. 32 with four lateral microphone capsules and two front microphone capsules;

FIG. 45 shows, in a schematic front view, an exemplary embodiment of the system of binaural recording of FIG. 44 wherein between the two frontal microphone capsules a partition wall is arranged;

FIG. 46 shows a block diagram of an audio recording comprising the binaural microphone unit of FIGS. 32-35, configured to record sound from a sound source, with the pre-amplification unit, and with a storage unit on a PC;

FIG. 47 shows an audio recording block diagram by the binaural microphone unit of FIGS. 36-37, modified with respect to FIG. 42 by the addition of two frontal microphone capsules;

FIG. 48 shows an audio recording block diagram by the binaural microphone unit of FIGS. 38-39 modified with respect to FIG. 32 by the addition of a frontal microphone capsule;

FIG. 49 shows an audio recording block diagram by the binaural microphone unit with three further frontal microphone capsules, arranged to acquire the sound source, with the pre-amplification unit, and with the storage unit on PC;

FIG. 50 shows a front view of the improved system of binaural recording, wherein the microphone capsules are placed within the housings configured for acoustic insulation;

FIG. 51 shows a cross section of the improved system of binaural recording, wherein the microphone capsules are placed within housings configured for acoustic insulation;

FIG. 52 shows a further cross section of the improved system of binaural recording, wherein the microphone capsules are placed within housings configured for acoustic insulation;

FIG. 53 shows a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a system, according to the disclosure, using the system of binaural recording of FIGS. 32-52, recording a plurality of audio tracks each relative to sounds originated in a predetermined position with respect to the system of binaural recording;

FIG. 54 shows a further exemplary embodiment of FIG. 53;

FIG. 55 shows a block diagram of the software for the reproduction of audio tracks recorded as described in FIGS. 53-54;

FIG. 56 shows a flow-sheet for reproduction of audio tracks acquired as described in the examples of FIGS. 53-54;

DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 3A, according to the disclosure, a head support 100 incorporating loudspeakers comprises a rest element 10 for the head 50 of a user, two right 20 and left 30 lateral support elements, which are located respectively at the right 11 and left 12 sides of rest element 10.

A right loudspeaker 21 and a left loudspeaker 31 are mounted respectively to the right 20 and left 30 lateral support elements. The lateral support elements have respective sound emission faces 22, 32 that face towards a listening space 80. Rest element 10 provides a rest zone 13 for a portion 51 of the head.

A listening space 80 is defined between the two right 20 and left 30 support elements (as shown only in FIG. 1B, but similarly present in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1A) and a longitudinal direction 15 parallel to support elements 20, 30. Each of the two right 21 and left 31 loudspeakers has a woofer 23, 33 and a tweeter 24, 34. The tweeters have an axis of symmetry 60.

A housing 13 is provided for a portion 51 of the head, configured to position the user's head with right and left ears 52, 53 oriented towards the right and left loudspeakers 21, 31. The right and left ears of the user create a listening axis 54, so that the axes of symmetry 60 of the tweeters 24, 34 are oriented with a predetermined angle of elevation a with respect to the listening axis 54 between a first elevation value substantially equal to zero and a second elevation value substantially equal to 45°. In the first case the tweeters 24, 34 have the respective axes of symmetry 60 aligned to each other and parallel to the listening axis, in the second case the tweeters 24, 34 have the axes of symmetry converging towards a point that is located higher than the listening axis 54.

With reference to FIG. 2B, in a possible exemplary embodiment of the head support 100 incorporating loudspeakers, the tweeters 24 and 34 have a center that is higher than the listening axis for a predetermined height z set between 0 and 5 cm.

Tweeters 24 and 34 and woofers 23, 33 are arranged oriented in a predetermined direction at an angle in a horizontal plane by a predetermined inclination angle β set between 0° and 45°, preferably the inclination angle is set between 0° and 35°.

Furthermore, the tweeters 24, 34 have a respective center that is translated, along the longitudinal direction, proximally with respect to said user for a predetermined distance x set between 0 and 10 cm.

In a further exemplary embodiment (FIG. 3B), tweeters 24, 34 and woofers 23, 33 are arranged in a predetermined direction 26 oriented in a vertical plane by a predetermined angle of orientation y set between 0° and 10°.

With reference to FIG. 4, an exemplary embodiment 300 of the head support, which has the same reference numbers of FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, comprises a receiving recess 14 arranged to receive a portion 71 of the face 70 of the user. In this case, maintaining one of the structures above described, the tweeters 24, 34 are exchanged with each other and the woofers 23, 33 are exchanged with each other. This way, the multidimensional effect on the user is kept, notwithstanding its face is oriented in an opposite side.

With reference to FIG. 5, in an exemplary embodiment 400 of the head support, the rest element can have a cylindrical shape, leaving unchanged the structures and the effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B. In this case, an exemplary embodiment of the head support comprises an audio connecting element 81 (which can be fixed without stresses by a skilled person even at the structures previously described).

With reference to FIGS. 6 to 8, leaving unchanged the structures and effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, a further exemplary embodiment 400 of the head support is shown, comprising a plastic deformable cover 90 for the rest element. The cover is made of a micro perforated material having a plurality of holes of size comprised between 1 and 5 mm.

With reference to FIGS. 9 to 11, leaving unchanged the structures and effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, an exemplary embodiment 500 of the head support comprises a rest element 10 on the frontal part of the head, that faces on the parietal surface of the user. Exemplifying, FIG. 11 shows a head support on a cradle for babies.

With reference to FIGS. 12 to 14, leaving unchanged the structures and effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, an exemplary embodiment 600 of the head support comprises an anti-skid sticker 130 arranged on a portion of surface of the rest element. The presence of the anti-skid sticker 130 allows to mount the head support, for example, to a sofa or to an armchair 610.

With reference to FIGS. 15 to 17, leaving unchanged the structures and effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, an exemplary embodiment 700 of the head support comprises a connecting element 37 for the left 30 and right 20 lateral support elements. For example, the connecting element 37 can be made of a sound-transparent material which assists the user in wearing the support whilst maintaining the multi-dimensional effects of the sound.

With reference to FIGS. 18 to 20, leaving unchanged the structures and effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, an exemplary embodiment 800 of the head support, comprises a connecting element 38 which joins the two left and right support elements and can be worn, covering the face of the subject to provide an improved listening experience.

With reference to FIG. 21, leaving unchanged the structures and effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, an exemplary embodiment 900 of the head support, comprises multimedia devices 920 arranged to be connected to the support and actuated by a control device 910, for example a remote control that can be operated by the user.

With reference to FIG. 22, leaving unchanged the structures and effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, a further exemplary embodiment 950 of the head support, comprises a plurality of sensors 930 located on rest element 10 and arranged to interact with the user.

With reference to FIG. 23, leaving unchanged the structures and effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, an exemplary embodiment 960 of the head support, comprises further four loudspeakers 940 mounted to rest element 10.

With reference to FIG. 24, leaving unchanged the structures and effects indicated as reference to FIGS. 1A,1B,2A,2B,3A,3B, an exemplary embodiment 970 of the support, comprises an articulated structure 990 arranged to support a mobile device 980, such as a tablet.

FIG. 25 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the head support made of a deformable material with a leather protective coating.

FIG. 26 shows a cross section of a further exemplary embodiment of the audio playing head support of FIG. 1A, wherein rest element 10 has a housing 13 for the head 50 of the user at an angle in a horizontal plane by an angle ε.

FIG. 27 shows an exemplary embodiment of the audio playing head support of FIG. 1A, where the receiving recess 14 for a head portion of the user has a circular cross section, symmetric with respect to the longitudinal direction 15, arranged to receive an insert 2 with circular cross section. The insert 2 can be made of a material having a different hardness with respect to the material used for the rest element, in order to realize a more comfortable support for the head 50. When housing the insert 2 in the receiving house 14, the presence of the edge 14′ on the receiving house 14 has the further advantage to provide a reference point to center the head 50 in a position of optimal listening.

FIG. 28 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the support of FIG. 27 wherein the receiving house 14 is a semicircular slot symmetric to the longitudinal direction 15, configured to receive an insert 2 having the same shape. Even in this case, as in the case of the previous figure, the edge 14′ of the slot provides a reference point to center the head of the user.

In FIG. 29, a schematic view of a support is given, similar to that of FIG. 1A, relative to the effect of head centering by recess 14 and of an edge 14′. In particular, if the user is positioned with an error of eccentricity δ with respect to the longitudinal direction 15, an altered listening on both sides would be perceived depending on the eccentricity δ.

FIG. 30 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the support of FIG. 1A, comprising an amplifier housing 4.

FIG. 31 schematically shows a prior art system of binaural recording having a so called “dummy head” 101, and shape similar to the human head. The “dummy head” can be simply a body configured as an insulating barrier made for example of polyurethane foam. The dummy head 101 have two ears 102a, 102b, each of which have a listening channel 103a, 103b to emulate the human listening channel, and have a channel or recess 104, to emulate the auditory channel. Two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b are arranged at one end of the listening channel 103a, 103b, opposite to the ears 102a, 102b and arranged to correspond to the anatomical position of the human eardrum.

With reference to FIGS. 32 to 35, an improved system of binaural recording according to the invention comprises, similarly to the prior art, a dummy head 101, arranged to provide a physic and acoustic barrier between two opposite right and left auricles 106a, 106b.

According to the invention, the auricles 106a, 106b are respectively configured to receive two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b so that they have a sound collection face 1015a, 1015b oriented laterally. The auricles 106a, 106b have a listening channel, not emulating the human ear, represented by a recess 1017a, 1017b defined between a helix 107a, 107b and a lobe 108a, 108b.

Each lateral microphone capsule 105a, 105b is located on the recess 1017a, 1017b with the sound collection face 1015a, 1015b that is inside the recess at the entrance 1018a, 1018b of the recess 1017a, 1017b.

This way, the sound is collected directly at the entrance 1018a, 1018b of the recess 1017a, 1017b that represents the listening channel and is located at the center of the auricle, and not after having crossed an artificial listening channel as the binaural microphone of the prior art of FIG. 31. This avoids distortions and rumbles of the sound source that occurs during the crossing of the artificial listening channel of prior art.

The fact that the sound collection face 1015a, 1015b is located in the recess 1017a, 1017b allows auricles 106a, 106b and, in particular to the helixes 107a, 107b of the auricles, to perform an acoustic shielding and at the same time to collect for example sounds that come from behind or from above with respect to the head. This way, it is possible to discriminate better, like the human ear, sounds coming from a sound source positioned laterally, i.e. by the respective right or left sides, from sounds that come from behind or from the above.

The auricles, and in particular the helixes 107a, 107b of the two auricles 106a, 106b, that in the human ear are the more protruding portions, are preferably at a distance from each other set between 15 and 20 cm, in order to protrude more than the collecting faces 1015a and 1015b and to shield in part sounds that are from the above or from behind with respect to sounds that come from the right and left sides.

With reference to FIGS. 36 and 37, an exemplary embodiment of the improved system of binaural recording comprises, in addition to the two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b located in accordance to what described in the FIGS. 32-35, also two frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d, which are located frontally to the dummy head 101.

This way, to the sound collection obtained through the lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b defined above, also a sound collection coming from the frontal direction is added, simulating audio sensations from the front part of the face of a person, and improving therefore the fidelity with respect to sounds coming from a frontal direction.

The two frontal microphone capsules front 105c, 105d can have a linear distance d1 to each other less than the linear distance d2 between the two lateral microphone capsules (d1<d2). In particular, the distance d2 between the collecting faces 1015a and 1015b of the frontal microphone capsules 105a, 105b is set between 15 and 13 cm, and the distance d1 between the frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d is set between 13 and 10 cm.

This way, whereas the lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b simulate the listening collection by the auricles of the human ear, the inner position of the frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d causes a sound collection which emulates the cochlea of human ear, which is inner within respect the auricles.

In a possible exemplary embodiment, the two frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d are located at a difference in height 0<h<h1 from the two lateral microphone capsules, in a lower position in a vertical direction with respect to the lateral microphone capsules, as shown in FIG. 36, or also in a higher position, not shown.

The difference of position in height of the frontal microphone capsules front 105c, 105d with respect to the lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b aids to reproduce in a more realistic way the effect on the listener of sounds in movement in a vertical direction. In fact, the lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b would collect in a different way from the frontal capsules 105c, 105d the intensity of sounds moving up to down or vice-versa. In particular, the frontal microphone capsules are lower or higher than the lateral microphone capsules for a difference in height set between 1 and 3 cm. This emulates the different position in height, in the human ear, of the cochlea with respect to the auditory channel.

The lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b can be configured for recording at a predetermined first intensity, and the frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d can be configured for recording at a predetermined second intensity that is less than the first intensity for a difference in gain in dB set between 1 and 20 db. This way, a reduction of vestibular sensation is emulated, like in human ear, for sounds moving from a frontal direction that cross the skeletal parts of the face, with respect to sounds heard directly through the eardrum.

Furthermore, the two frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d can be configured for recording at an opposite phase from the lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b. Alternatively, the two frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d can be configured for recording with respect to the lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b with a phase shift of 20/40 samples.

With reference to FIGS. 38 and 39, an exemplary embodiment of the improved system of binaural recording comprises two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b located in accordance to what described in the FIGS. 32-35, and a third lateral microphone capsule 105e located in front of the dummy head in a lower position with respect to the two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b for a difference in height of h2, for example 4-5 cm. Even in this case a collection of vestibular sensations of sounds is obtained that are coming from the frontal direction of the dummy head 101. This simulates, during listening of the recorded sound, the same sensations coming from the front part of the face of a person, and improves the fidelity with respect to sounds that come from a frontal direction.

With reference to FIGS. 40 and 41, an exemplary embodiment of the improved system of binaural recording comprises two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b located in accordance to what described in the FIGS. 32-35, and three frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d, 105e, which are located in front of the dummy head in accordance to what described in FIGS. 36, 37, 38, 39. This way, a still higher fidelity is obtained of the collected sounds coming from the frontal direction, thanks to the multiple sound collecting points.

The frontal microphone capsule 105e can be in a lower position in a vertical direction (d3<h) with respect to the other two frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d, for improving the fidelity of recorded sound with respect to sounds that move in a vertical direction. This way, it is possible to discriminate better the directionality of the sound source moving up to down or vice-versa.

The two frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d can be set for recording at a predetermined second intensity less than the first intensity of the lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b for a difference in gain in decibel set between 5-8 dB, and the frontal microphone capsule 105e is configured for recording at a predetermined third intensity less than the first intensity for a difference in gain in decibel set between 3-5 dB. This way, a reduction of vestibular sensation is reproduced, like the human ear, for sounds moving from a frontal direction that cross the upper skeletal parts of the user's face, with respect to sounds moving from a frontal direction that cross the lower skeletal parts of the user's face.

The frontal microphone capsule 105e can be a cardioid capsule. In particular, a filter can be provided that cuts predetermined frequencies with respect to a full range of 1 hz-20 KHz. The filter can cut frequencies under 4-5 KHz and enhance frequencies between 12/20 KHz with a gain of 12 dB. This way, the behavior of the human ear for the sounds moving from a frontal direction that cross the skeletal parts of the face is reproduced. In particular, these sounds are reduced at lower frequencies and enhanced at higher frequencies.

Advantageously, at least one frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d, 105e, is configured for oscillating a collected signal by an auto-panpot setting. This way, the ear of the listener will be stimulated for sounds coming from a frontal direction. The range of the auto-panpot can be set between a left/center point and a right/center point comprised between 20/30%, and the time for a movement between the left/center point and right/center point is comprised within 20/80 ms.

With reference to FIG. 42, in an exemplary embodiment of the improved system of binaural recording, two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b located in accordance to what described in the FIGS. 32-35 are provided, and two further lateral microphone capsules 109c, 109d located laterally with respect to the dummy head 101, on the two respective right and left sides, higher than the two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b, and above the auricle (h4>h3) are provided.

The two further lateral microphone capsules 109c, 109d, which do not have an auricle, add a sound collection to that obtained through the lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b located in the auricle 106a, 106b and above described, obtaining a better distinction between sounds coming frontally and sounds coming laterally.

With reference to FIG. 43, an exemplary embodiment of the improved system of binaural recording comprises four lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b, 109c, 109d located in accordance to what described in the FIGS. 32-35 and in FIG. 42 and three frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d, 105e in accordance to what described in the FIGS. 38-39 adding the relative effects.

With reference to FIG. 44, a further exemplary embodiment is shown, with four lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b, 109c, 109d located in accordance to what described in the FIGS. 32-35 and in FIG. 42 and two further frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d are provided in accordance to what described in FIGS. 36 and 37 adding the relative effects.

With reference to FIG. 45 a front view of a system of binaural recording is shown, similar to that of FIG. 44, where a partition wall 1020, located between the two frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d, is provided. This way, the presence of the partition wall 1020 determine an acoustic shield that makes it possible to each frontal capsule 105c, 105d to define the sounds coming from the respective right and left sides.

With reference to FIG. 46 an exemplifying block diagram for the processing phases of the binaural microphone unit is shown, where the two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b acquire an analog signal, coming from the sound source, and send it to the pre-amplification unit. The signal, after processing by the pre-amplification unit is sent to an audio interface for the analog to digital conversion. The digital signal, is then acquired by the recording unit.

Similarly, FIG. 47 shows a schematic view of the processing phases in the case of four microphone capsules, two lateral 105a, 105b, and two frontal 105c, 105d.

FIG. 48 shows a schematic view of the processing phases in the case of three microphone capsules, two lateral 105a, 105b, and a frontal 105e.

FIG. 49 shows a schematic view of the processing phases in the case of five microphone capsules, two lateral 105a, 105b, and three frontal 105c, 105d, 105e. The processing of the sound in the case of four capsules, as shown in FIG. 42, of four lateral capsules and three frontal capsules, as shown in FIG. 43, or of four lateral capsules and two frontal capsules, as shown in FIG. 44, can be obtained.

FIGS. 50 to 51 show a front view (FIG. 50) and two cross section views LI-LI (FIG. 51) and LII-LII (FIG. 52), of a possible embodiment of the binaural system according to the invention. The exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 40 and 41, with two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b and three frontal microphone capsules front 105c, 105d, 105e is used, as an example. A person skilled in the art can obviously extend this exemplary embodiment to the other cases shown above.

In FIGS. 50-52, the elements 109, 1010, 1011, are the rest elements belonging to the two frontal microphone capsules 105c, 105d, and the further frontal microphone capsules 105e and the two lateral microphone capsules 105a, 105b. The dummy head 101 can be made of an acoustically insulating material, for example a foam with open or closed cells, such as polyurethane, including a rigid frame 1011 for the support of the auricles 106a, 106b. The rigid frame is arranged to reduce vibrations at low frequency. Moreover, the elements 109, 1010, 1011 are contained in the rigid frame.

As shown in FIGS. 51 and 52, the element 1011 is a tubular element made of plastic material selected from the group consisting of: nylon, polyethylene, etc. that can be filled with a light soundproofing material 13, for example polyurethane foam, wool, etc.

The element 109 has a tubular shape and is placed into the body of the soundproofing material, and preferably it is not in contact with the tubular element 11 used to support the lateral microphone capsules 105a-105e of the auricles. This way noise affecting the sound recording can be reduced.

With reference to FIG. 53, an exemplary embodiment is shown of a system of reproduction, according to the disclosure wherein, using the system of binaural recording of FIGS. 32-52, according to which a plurality of audio tracks are recorded, each relative to sounds originated in a predetermined position with respect to the system of binaural recording 101. In particular, each position of the space is referred to a body part identified using a body object 101′ configured for simulating a human body.

In the example described in FIG. 53, a body object 101′ is associated to the system of binaural recording and define the positions of the parts of a human body, whose head is the system of binaural recording 101. An ideal partition is made of the bi-dimensional space within which the body is contained, in order to identify an mxn matrix of areas which overlap to body object 101′. In particular, each area is the result of the combination of m lines and n columns. In the example described in Fig., for each area of the matrix mxn a sound source is activated in a predetermined position mn, which is acquired by the system of binaural recording 101. The sound source is then activated in all the other positions mn, and each time a recording is done, obtaining a relative track audio. This way, a plurality of audio tracks is made, each relative to a sound generated in a position mn selected between a combination of m lines 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49 and n columns 40, 40′, 40″ of the matrix.

Being the system of binaural recording 101 capable of keeping the information relative to the direction of the sound sources, the high fidelity audio tracks thus generated can be played with a reproduction system of the same fidelity level like the one above described with reference to the FIGS. 1-30.

With reference to FIG. 54, an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure is shown, similar to that of FIG. 53, where it is shown a partition of a three-dimensional space which contains the object 101′ and the system of binaural recording 101. This way, one additional spatial dimension is obtained for the audio tracks. In particular, the sound source can be activated in any position mn of FIG. 53, above or below the object 101′ that simulate the patient's body.

Such audio tracks, used in combination with a mobile device 980 and a head support for audio reproduction, allow the patient to listen sounds that are perceived as coming from the position mn in which the sound source has been activated during recording. Combining more audio tracks it is possible to reproduce sounds that move with respect to the patient, in a predetermined way according to the cells mn chosen for reproduction. For example, it can be produced audio tracks that make the patient perceive sounds that move up to down or vice-versa.

It is also possible to record audio tracks relative to moving sound sources, which cross more zones mn. In this case such audio tracks that cover more zone can be played choosing the relative positions for reproduction, as hereinafter described.

With reference to FIG. 55 a block diagram shows a possible exemplary embodiment of the system, installed in an interface 1000, for reproduction of a plurality of audio tracks, each acquired as described in FIGS. 53, 54. Through the interaction with the interface, for example by a pointing device 1001, the user that is located on the support experience listening of audio tracks that are felt as coming from audio source located by the respective body parts.

If the interface 1000 is either a tablet or a smartphone, it can be equipped with touch screen 1000′ where it is given an image 1002 depicting a body and a plurality of areas overlapped to body parts. In particular, the user, for example a patient that is located on the support of audio reproduction, or a therapist that wishes the patient to perceive some chosen sounds, interacting with the image 1002, controls reproduction of audio tracks recorded with the criteria above described. Such controls can be performed both by a selection of the areas present in the image 1002, near body parts, and by a selection of a stimulation path which runs through a predetermined succession of areas of the image 1002. A database 1003 can contain both audio tracks of recordings relative to predetermined body parts 1004, and audio tracks relative to paths 1005 that cross multiple body parts. A control unit 1006, present in the software, is adapted to control the head support in order to reproduce the audio tracks obtained by the system of binaural recording. The audio tracks activated are sent to the head support for audio reproduction by wireless connection or by cable connection by means of a player 1007. For example, it can be played a sound perceived at the height of the right foot of the patient, or a sound that moves from the right edge of the foot to the head, and the like.

FIG. 56 shows a flow-sheet for reproduction of audio tracks as a result of the interaction with the interface 1000. The user, at the beginning of session 850, interacts with the touch screen 1000′ of the interface 1000 to provide the stimulation controls. If the user has provided controls for multiple areas 851 of the touch screen, an audio track for selected areas 853 is carried out, or a track audio comprising a path of multiple areas 852, with possibility of cross fading among the various areas. If the user has provided controls for a single area 855, a track audio for the selected area is performed.

The foregoing description of some exemplary specific embodiments will so fully reveal the disclosure according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt in various applications the specific exemplary embodiments without further research and without parting from the disclosure, and, accordingly, it is meant that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiments. The means and the materials to realize the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the disclosure. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology that is employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Number	Date	Country	Kind
102016000085931	Aug 2016	IT	national
102016000085955	Aug 2016	IT	national

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	16325588	Feb 2019	US
Child	17565340		US

MICROPHONE FOR RECORDING MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ACOUSTIC EFFECTS

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