1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to an object locating device and, more particularly, to a sound source detecting device and a method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Sound source detecting devices, such as sonars, are almost solely used underwater in the past to detect a location of an object producing a detectable sound. Today, sound source detecting devices are used in quite a few circumstances, for example, in vehicles, in robots, or in aircrafts to detect a location of an object producing sound. Since the arrival time is proportional to the length of the sound propagable path extending between the sound source and the sound source detecting devices. In the traditional method for detecting the location of a sound source, a number of sound wave detectors are distributed at different positions of a carrier. A calculagraph is configured to record the arrival time of each sound wave detected by different detectors. A calculator is configured to count a time difference between every two sequent arrival times, and the time differences between the arrival times constitute the indexes for determining the location of the sound source. However, when the detectors are positioned very close, the differences in distance for the sound propagable path become correspondingly difficult to determine, thereby making it impossible to accurately determine the direction of the sound source by calculating the time difference of every two sequent arrival times.
Therefore, what is needed is to provide a sound source detecting device, in which the above problem is eliminated or at least alleviated.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The analyzer 106 is configured to identify the sound source direction according to the comparison result. Since the three detectors 102 are arranged on a circular track and separated at an equivalent angel about 120 degree, the sound wave produced by the sound source will be attenuated during transmitting in a transmission medium. The peaks of the intensity of the sound wave at different positions detected by the individual detectors 102 are therefore different from each other, and the peak differences of the sound wave are represented in the voltages of the electrical signals transmitted by the detectors 102. Therefore, the voltages relationships of the three electrical signals represent the relationships of the peaks of intensity of the sound wave at different positions. The peaks of the intensity of the sound wave represent the positions or locations of the detectors 102 in the propagation path of the sound wave with respect to the sound source generated the sound wave. Thereby, the analyzer 106 can determine the direction of the sound source relative to the detectors 102 by analyzing the comparison result transmitted from the voltage comparator 104. Preferably, the analyzer 106 can identify the direction of the sound source according to a predetermined principle previously stored in the analyzer 106. The predetermined principle is that, for example, the direction of the sound source is towards one of the detectors 102 associated with the electrical signal with the highest voltage outputted by the detectors 102, and inclined more to the detector 102 associated with the second highest voltage than to the detector 102 with the lowest voltage. That means the direction of the sound source is facing toward the detector 102 that produces the electrical signal with the highest voltage. The predetermined principle also can be that if two voltages of the electrical signals are equal to each other and the third voltage is lower or higher than the two equal voltages, the direction of the sound source is locating on the extending line of the middle line of the line connecting two detectors 102 associated with the two equal voltages, and towards to or aparts from the third detector 102. Then the analyzer 106 will output an analyzing result indicated the direction of the sound source to the indicators 108.
The indicators 108 are configured to receive the analyzing result outputted from the analyzer 106 and emit a readable signal to indicate the sound source direction. The indicators 108 are lights/lamps and evenly positioned around the detectors 102. Alternatively, the indicators 108 can be substituted by other displaying media or indicating media.
In summary, the differences between the voltages of the electrical signals produced by the detectors are more definite than the differences between the arrival times when a sound wave arrived to the detectors. Therefore, even if the detectors are positioned adjacently, the location of a sound source can be precisely detected.
Referring to
In step S1, a sound source detecting device including a number of sound wave detectors is provided and the wave detectors are positioned towards different directions.
In step S2, a sound wave generated by the sound source is detected by the detectors, and a corresponding number of electrical signals associating to the detected sound waves are produced by the detectors.
In step S3, the voltages of the electrical signals outputted from the detectors are compared to get the highest, second highest, and lowest voltages of the electrical signals, and a comparing result is outputted.
In step S4, each pair of the voltages of electrical signals produced by each pair of adjacent detectors is analyzed to get a voltage relationship among the electrical signals. The direction of the sound source producing the sound wave is determined according to the voltage relationships and a predetermined principle. The predetermined principle adopted to definite the direction of the sound source is that if all voltages of electrical signals produced by the detectors are different from each other, the direction of the sound source is towards one of the detectors associating to the highest voltage and inclined to another one of the detectors associated to the second highest voltage; and if two voltages in all voltages of the electrical signal are equal to each other and the third voltage is lower or higher than the two equal voltages, the direction of the sound source is locating on the extending line of the middle line of the line connecting the two detectors associated with the two equal voltages, and towards to or aparts from the third detector associated to a higher or lower voltage accordingly;
In step S5, an indicating signal is emitted to indicate the direction of the sound source.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
200810302345.7 | Jun 2008 | CN | national |