The present disclosure generally relates to microphone assemblies.
All examples and features mentioned below can be combined in any technically possible way.
Generally, in one aspect, a microphone assembly is provided. The microphone assembly comprises: a first waveguide, the first waveguide having a first high frequency port and a first low frequency port arranged on a front surface of the first waveguide; a first microphone arranged in communication with the first waveguide; a second waveguide, the second waveguide having a second high frequency port and a second low frequency port arranged on a front surface of the second waveguide; and a second microphone arranged in communication with the second waveguide. The first waveguide is arranged adjacent to the second waveguide such that the first and second low-frequency ports are arranged at a first distance from each other and the first and second high-frequency ports are arranged at a second distance from each other.
In an aspect, the first and second low-frequency ports have a first impedance, wherein the first and second high-frequency ports have a second impedance, and wherein the first impedance is different than the second impedance.
In an aspect, the first and second low-frequency ports have a first impedance, wherein the first and second high-frequency ports have a second impedance, and wherein the first impedance is less than the second impedance.
In an aspect, the first and second low-frequency ports have a first resistance, wherein the first and second high-frequency ports have a second resistance, and wherein the first resistance is less than the second resistance.
In an aspect, the microphone assembly has a first directivity at low frequencies ranging from approximately 100-1000 Hz and high frequencies ranging from approximately 2000-6000 Hz.
In an aspect, the microphone assembly has a first directivity at low frequencies ranging from approximately 100-1000 Hz and high frequencies ranging from approximately 2000-15000 Hz.
In an aspect, the first distance is approximately 60 mm and wherein the second distance is approximately 8 mm, or wherein the first distance is approximately 60 mm and wherein the second distance is approximately 4 mm.
In an aspect, the first and second low-frequency ports have a diameter of approximately 1 mm.
In an aspect, the first and second high-frequency ports have a diameter of approximately 4 mm and wherein the first and second high-frequency ports are covered with one or more materials which provide an impedance of approximately 600 Rayl.
In an aspect, the first and second high-frequency ports have a diameter of approximately 2 mm and wherein the first and second high-frequency ports are covered with one or more materials which provide an impedance of approximately 150 Rayl.
In an aspect, the first and second low-frequency ports are covered with one or more materials or geometric features which provide an inertance.
In an aspect, the first low-frequency port and the second low-frequency port have a first extension and a second extension, respectively, wherein the first and second extensions protrude into an interior of the first and second waveguide, respectively.
In an aspect, the first low-frequency port and the second low-frequency port have a first extension and a second extension, respectively, wherein the first and second extensions protrude to the exterior of the first and second waveguide, respectively.
In an aspect, the microphone assembly further comprises: a third waveguide, the third waveguide having a third high frequency port and a third low frequency port arranged on a front surface of the third waveguide; a third microphone arranged in communication with the third waveguide; a fourth waveguide, the fourth waveguide having a fourth high frequency port and a fourth low frequency port arranged on a front surface of the fourth waveguide; and a fourth microphone arranged in communication with the fourth waveguide. The first waveguide and the second waveguide have a first length. The third waveguide and the fourth waveguide have a second length. The first waveguide is arranged adjacent to the second waveguide, and the third waveguide is arranged adjacent to the fourth waveguide such that the first, second, third, and fourth low-frequency ports are arranged at a low-frequency port distance from each other and the first, second, third, and fourth high-frequency ports are arranged at a high-frequency port distance from each other.
Generally, in one aspect, a microphone assembly is provided. The microphone assembly comprises: a first waveguide, the first waveguide having a first high-frequency port, a first mid-frequency port, and a first low-frequency port arranged on a front surface of the first waveguide; a first microphone arranged in communication with the first waveguide; a second waveguide, the second waveguide having a second high-frequency port, a second mid-frequency port, and a second low-frequency port arranged on a front surface of the second waveguide; and a second microphone arranged in communication with the second waveguide. The first waveguide is arranged adjacent to the second waveguide such that the first and second low-frequency ports are arranged at a first distance from each other, such that the first and second high-frequency ports are arranged at a second distance from each other, and such that the first and second mid-frequency ports are arranged at a third distance from each other.
In an aspect, the first and the second low-frequency ports have a first impedance, wherein the first and the second high-frequency ports have a second impedance, and wherein the first and the second mid-frequency ports have a third impedance, wherein the first impedance, the second impedance, and the third impedance are different than each other.
In an aspect, the first and the second low-frequency ports have a first impedance, wherein the first and the second high-frequency ports have a second impedance, wherein the first and the second mid-frequency ports have a third impedance, and wherein the first impedance is less than the third impedance below a first frequency and the third impedance is less than the second impedance above the first frequency and below a second frequency, and the second impedance is below the first and third impedance above the second frequency.
In an aspect, the microphone assembly has a first directivity at low frequencies ranging from approximately 100 HZ to 1000 Hz, medium frequencies ranging from approximately 1000 Hz to 6000 HZ, and high frequencies ranging from approximately 6000 Hz to 15000 Hz.
In an aspect, the first distance is approximately 60 mm, wherein the second distance is approximately 8 mm, and wherein the third distance is approximately 30 mm.
In an aspect, the first and the second low-frequency ports have a first resistance, wherein the first and the second high-frequency ports have a second resistance, wherein the first and the second mid-frequency ports have a third resistance, and wherein the first resistance is less than the third resistance and the third resistance is less than the second resistance.
The present application discloses microphone assemblies that provide improved directive performance at low and high frequencies. The microphone assemblies disclosed herein can reduce the number of microphones required in a microphone array and/or increase performance with a similar number of microphones. Such microphone assemblies are configured to provide better performance with less microphone self-noise and with arrays that are more directive at low frequencies. In general, the microphone assemblies of the present application comprise two waveguides each having a microphone, a high-frequency port, and a low-frequency port. The two waveguides are arranged adjacent to each other so that the two low-frequency ports are arranged at a first distance apart from each other and so that the two high-frequency ports are arranged at a second distance apart from each other.
The first waveguide 2 is arranged adjacent to the second waveguide 20 such that the first low-frequency port 6 and the second low-frequency port 24 are arranged at a first distance 40 from each other and the first high-frequency port 4 and the second high-frequency port 22 are arranged at a second distance 42 from each other. The first distance 40 between the first and second low-frequency ports 6, 24 may be approximately 60 mm and the second distance 42 between the first and second high-frequency ports 4, 22 may be approximately 8 mm. Alternatively, the first distance 40 between the first and second low-frequency ports 6, 24 may be approximately 60 mm and the second distance 42 between the first and second high-frequency ports 4, 22 may be approximately 4 mm.
The first and second low-frequency ports 6, 24 may be covered with materials that have different impedance than the materials which cover the first and second high-frequency ports 4, 22 to aid in the frequency selectivity of the ports, or they may have different geometric arrangements which provide different impedance. The first and second low-frequency ports 6, 24 may be covered with materials that give the first and second low-frequency ports 6, 24 a first impedance 44. The first and second high-frequency ports 4, 22 may be covered with materials that give the first and second high-frequency ports 4, 22 a second impedance 46 which is different than the first impedance 44. The first impedance 44 may be less than the second impedance 46. The first and second low-frequency ports 6, 24 may be covered with materials that give the first and second low-frequency ports 6, 24 a first resistance 92. The first and second high-frequency ports 4, 22 may be covered with materials that give the first and second high-frequency ports 4, 22 a second resistance 94 which is different than the first resistance 92. The first resistance 92 may be less than the second resistance 94. As an example, the diameter of the first and second low-frequency ports 6, 24 may be approximately 1 mm. The diameter of the first and second high-frequency ports 4, 22 may be larger than the diameter of the low-frequency ports 6, 24 and may be 2 mm. The first impedance may have negligible resistance and the second impedance may be defined by a 150 Rayl screen. As another example, the diameter of the first and second high-frequency ports 4, 22 may be 4 mm and the second impedance may be defined by a 600 Rayl screen. The first and second waveguides 2, 20 may be rectangular in shape with the front 8, 26 and back 48, 34 surfaces substantially parallel to each other. The front 8, 26 and back 48, 34 surfaces of the first and second waveguides 2, 20 may be arranged at a distance approximately 1 mm apart.
The microphone assembly 100 of the present disclosure has a first directivity, corresponding to high directivity, at low frequencies ranging from 100-1000 HZ and similar directivity, a first directivity, at high frequencies ranging from 2000-6000 Hz and higher frequencies ranging up to approximately 1500 Hz. In general, high directivity corresponds with directivity indices from approximately 4 dB to 6 dB and higher. For example,
The first waveguide 50 is arranged adjacent to the second waveguide 52 such that the low-frequency ports 54a, 54b are arranged at a first distance 74 from each other, the high-frequency ports 58a, 58b are arranged at a second distance 76 from each other, and the mid-frequency ports 56a, 56b are arranged at a third distance 78 from each other. The first distance 74 between the low-frequency ports 54a, 54b may be approximately 60 mm, the second distance 76 between the high-frequency ports 58a, 58b may be approximately 8 mm, and the third distance 78 between the mid-frequency ports 56a, 56b may be approximately 30 mm.
The low-frequency ports 54a, 54b, high-frequency ports 58a, 58b, and mid-frequency ports 56a, 56b may be covered with materials that provide different impedance and inertance than each other to aid in the frequency selectivity of the ports, or the materials that cover the ports may have a geometric arrangement that provides the different impedances. The low-frequency ports 54a, 54b may be covered with materials that give the low-frequency ports 54a, 54b a first impedance 80. The high-frequency ports 58a, 58b may be covered with materials that give the high-frequency ports 58a, 58b a second impedance 82. The mid-frequency ports 56a, 56b may be covered with materials that give the mid-frequency ports 56a, 56b a third impedance 84. The first impedance 80, second impedance 82, and third impedance 84 may be different from each other. The first impedance 80 may be less than the third impedance 84 below a first frequency, and the third impedance 84 may be less than the second impedance 82 above the first frequency and below a second frequency. The second impedance 82 may be below the first and third impedance 80, 84 above the second frequency. The low-frequency ports 54a, 54b may be covered with materials that give the low-frequency ports 54a, 54b a first inertance and a first resistance 86. The high-frequency ports 58a, 58b may be covered with materials that give the high-frequency ports 58a, 58b a second inertance and a second resistance 88. The mid-frequency ports 56a, 56b may be covered with materials that give the mid-frequency ports 56a, 56b a third inertance and a third resistance 90. The first inertance, second inertance, and third inertance may be different from each other. The first inertance may be greater than the third inertance, and the third inertance may be greater than the second inertance. The first resistance 86 may be less than the third resistance 90, and the third resistance 90 may be less than the second resistance 88.
The first waveguide 102 is arranged adjacent to the second waveguide 104 such that the first and second low-frequency ports 110a, 110d are arranged at a first distance 40 from each other and the first and second high-frequency ports 112a, 112d are arranged at a second distance 42 from each other (shown in
By utilizing the microphone assemblies of the present disclosure, the microphone assemblies can have a first directivity, corresponding to high directivity at low frequencies ranging from approximately 100 Hz to 1000 Hz, medium frequencies ranging from approximately 1000 Hz to 6000 Hz, and high frequencies ranging from approximately 6000 Hz to 15000 Hz.
The above-described examples of the described subject matter can be implemented in any of numerous ways. Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims and other claims to which the applicant may be entitled.
While various examples have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the examples described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific examples described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing examples are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, examples may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Examples of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure.