EP0777404B1 - Système pour l'atténuation du bruit - Google Patents

Système pour l'atténuation du bruit Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0777404B1
EP0777404B1 EP96308839A EP96308839A EP0777404B1 EP 0777404 B1 EP0777404 B1 EP 0777404B1 EP 96308839 A EP96308839 A EP 96308839A EP 96308839 A EP96308839 A EP 96308839A EP 0777404 B1 EP0777404 B1 EP 0777404B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
light
microphone devices
membrane
microphone
devices
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP96308839A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0777404A1 (fr
Inventor
Alexander Paritsky
Alexander Kots
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Phone Or Ltd
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Phone Or Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from IL11627495A external-priority patent/IL116274A0/xx
Application filed by Phone Or Ltd filed Critical Phone Or Ltd
Priority to EP96308839A priority Critical patent/EP0777404B1/fr
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R3/00—Circuits for transducers
    • H04R3/005—Circuits for transducers for combining the signals of two or more microphones
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R1/20—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics
    • H04R1/32—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only
    • H04R1/34—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means
    • H04R1/38—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means in which sound waves act upon both sides of a diaphragm and incorporating acoustic phase-shifting means, e.g. pressure-gradient microphone
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R23/00—Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00
    • H04R23/008—Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00 using optical signals for detecting or generating sound
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2201/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones covered by H04R1/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2201/40—Details of arrangements for obtaining desired directional characteristic by combining a number of identical transducers covered by H04R1/40 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2201/403—Linear arrays of transducers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system for attenuation of noise for use with sound receiving devices. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a system for attenuating acoustic background sounds in devices employing a microphone for receiving and utilizing sound waves applied thereto.
  • noise in accordance with the commonly acceptable definition thereof, which is “undesired sound”
  • outside premises such as sports fields or arenas, and other like locations.
  • the first one utilizes a special construction of a microphone providing different sensitivities to sound waves, reaching the microphone from different directions.
  • Such microphones known as directional microphones, suffer, however, from the obvious disadvantage of not being able to provide a satisfactory solution to sound received from directions other than the two preset, very distinct directions.
  • noise-cancelling technique utilizes electronic generation of "anti-noise" signals precisely out of phase with the incoming noise signals. This technique involves digital processing of sound signals and the irradiation of noise signals into space, out of phase with the phase of the incoming noise signals, so as to cancel out only the incoming noise signals.
  • a more common noise-cancellation technique employs several individual microphones disposed in spaced-apart relationship producing output signals corresponding to the sound picked up thereby, which signals are then processed and delayed in different ways to obtain an improved signal to noise ratio. This technique is also quite involved and necessitates special equipment.
  • Patent Abstracts of Japan, Vol. 10, No. 165 (P-467) 12 June 1996 and JP 61-018916 (Nippon Denki), 27 January 1986, disclose a noise attenuation system consisting of two adjacently housed optical microphones having at least one optical fiber light guide for transmitting light and for receiving light reflected from two diaphragms, each facing two different directions. The reflected light is frequency-modulated by the Doppler effect and transduced into a sound signal.
  • a noise attenuation system for use with sound-receiving devices, comprising first and second small optical microphone devices having at least one sound-responsive membrane operative to produce an output signal in accordance with sound waves picked up by said microphone devices, at least one pair of light guides affixed to said first or second microphone devices, said pair of light guides each having an input end portion and an output end portion, the input end portion of a first light guide being connectable to a source of light and the output end portion of said second light guide being connectable to a light intensity detecting means, characterized in that each of the output portion of said first light guide and input end portion of said second light guide has an axis and a rim and is oriented with respect to the other to include an angle between said axes, and each of said light guide rims is cut at an angle with respect to the axis of its light guide, wherein in operation, the intensity of light reflected by said membrane and detected by said light intensity detecting means, represents sound intensities picked up by said first and second small optical microphone devices having at least one
  • Fig. 1 there is schematically illustrated the principles of a system for attenuation of noise, according to the present invention.
  • Seen are two optical microphone devices 2 and 4 positioned in close proximity to each other.
  • Each microphone device leads via an operational amplifier 6 or 8 to a substraction circuit 10 in which the signals, representing sound intensities picked up by the microphone devices, are substracted from each other.
  • the subtracted output signal may then be amplified at amplifier 12, prior to being further utilized.
  • the microphone devices 2 and 4 are relatively small and preferably of the type described and illustrated in Israel Patent Specification No. 111,913, filed December 7th, 1994.
  • the fact that at least the sound pick up elements, e.g., a sound responsive membrane of the microphone devices, are very small, enables the disposition of the elements very close to each other, so that for acoustical waves originating at a far distance, the elements are effectively located at the same place and thus substantially equally sensing the incoming waves.
  • the microphone devices are designed to have the same sensitivity and phase characteristics.
  • the amplifiers 6 and 8 are designed to provide the same amplification and phase characteristics.
  • the output signal from the subtraction circuit 10 or amplifier 12 will be very small or close to zero. This can be better understood from the following mathematical derivation.
  • the devised sound attentuation system will suppress the far sound in comparison with the near sound at the ratio of the two distances and the greater the distance to the far sound source relative to the distance to the near sound source, the stronger the attenuation or suppression.
  • a source of sound may be considered to be at a far distance if the distance between the sound pick up elements of the microphone devices is 8 to 10 times smaller than the length of the sound waves.
  • microphone devices are of the type described hereinbefore, wherein, the sound pick up elements of the microphone devices, each having a diameter of about 3 mm, sound arriving from all directions from sources as close as 1 meter and having frequencies up to 10 KHz, will be cancelled.
  • FIG. 2 there is illustrated a characteristic curve of a sound intensity vs. distance from sources of sound, depicted in relation to the microphone devices of the type according to the present invention.
  • the sound waves originate at a mouth of a speaker, distant a short distance therefrom, i.e., the sounds originate at a close distance from the microphone devices.
  • the speaker's voice at the near field has the characteristic of a spherical field, as depicted by the spherical curves.
  • the sound intensity of the spherical waves are substantially the same along the sphere's surface or envelope arid changes along the sphere's radius, this is not the case with a plane field. In the latter case the sound intensity is substantially the same on all points of the plane.
  • a barrier 14 placed across the acoustical wave travel path and located between the two microphone devices 2 and 4, will increase the difference between the output signals of the microphone devices, thereby improving the sound to noise ratio.
  • the barrier 14 in the form of a small and thin plate, disc, or the like element, affixed in between the two microphone devices 2 and 4, increase the difference in the sound intensities picked up by each microphone device.
  • Figs. 5a to 5e there are illustrated a plurality of possible relative dispositions of the pair of microphone devices with respect to each other, while maintaining close proximal relationship between their active sound pick up elements, e.g., membranes.
  • the microphone devices 2 and 4 are disposed with the plane of their membranes substantially parallel with respect to each other.
  • the microphone devices are also disposed with their membranes 5 substantially at the same plane, however, the microphone devices are oppositely oriented.
  • Fig. 5c the microphone devices 2 and 4 are disposed along the same axis with their membranes 5 in close proximity to each other, but in opposite directions. Seen in Fig.
  • Fig. 5d are the microphone devices 2 and 4 disposed with their axis at the same plane, however, at an angle with respect to each other, while the membranes 5 are disposed in close proximity to each other.
  • Fig. 5e there are seen the two microphone devices 2 and 4, under a common housing, namely, having two separate membranes 5 enveloped in a single housing.
  • a barrier is affixed onto the devices in a disposition suitable to the relative dispositions of the microphone devices.
  • the barrier 14 can be affixed in a plane traversing the plane of the two microphone membranes 5 (Fig. 6a); in a plane parallel to and in between the pair of membranes 5 (Fig. 6b); in a plane parallel to the two membranes 5 (Fig. 6c), or in a plane traversing the planes of the membranes 5 and in between the two membranes (Fig. 6d).
  • Figs. 7 to 10 The more detailed structure of preferred microphone devices according to the present invention are illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10.
  • Fig. 7 there are shown a pair of microphone devices 2 and 4 composed of a two-part housing 20,22 and 24,26, respectively. Interposed between the housing parts is a membrane 5 dividing the interior of the housing into two spaces or chambers 28,30 and 32,34, respectively.
  • the housing parts 20 and 24 are provided with members 36, 38 serving as mounts for an optical guide 40,42 leading to light sources 44 and 46.
  • light guides 48,50 leading to light detectors 52,54.
  • the light guides 40,48 and respectively 42,50 each have an end portion affixed in members 36 and 38 and slightly protruding into chambers 30,34.
  • end portions have an axis and a rim and are disposed with respect to each other to include an angle between the axes and each of the light guide rims is cut at an angle with respect to the axis of its light guide.
  • Fig. 7 Further seen in Fig. 7 are the different distances d 1 and d 2 at which the rims of light guides of each microphone device is spaced-apart from its membrane 5. It can thus be understood that upon operation, when sound waves impinge upon the membranes 5, in the direction of arrow A, the latter bulges into chambers 30,34 as depicted by the broken lines.
  • Fig. 8 it is noted that whereas the light intensity in microphone device 2 is increased by ⁇ I as the sound wave is picked up by the device, and the membrane 5 is moved by a distance d, for the same movement of the membrane 5 in device 4, the light intensity I 2 is decreased.
  • the output signals from devices 2 and 4 are thus fed to an operational amplifier.
  • This type of an arrangement may also be utilized with the two optical microphone devices in which the membrane 5 is equally distant from the rims of the light guides.
  • the output signals have to be processed by means of an electronic circuit shown in Fig. 1, for summing up of the respective signals, producing an improved signal having a higher signal to noise ratio.
  • both microphone devices 2 and 4 are optically connected to a single light source and a single light intensity detector.
  • Fig. 10 it can be seen how the ouput light guide 48 of the microphone device 2 is utilized as an input light source via light guide 42 of the microphone device 4, thereby requiring only a single light source 60 and a single light intensity detector 62.
  • Fig. 11 illustrates a still further modification in which the two microphone devices 2 and 4 share a single membrane 5.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Electrostatic, Electromagnetic, Magneto- Strictive, And Variable-Resistance Transducers (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Mechanical Vibrations Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Optical Radar Systems And Details Thereof (AREA)

Claims (12)

  1. Système d'atténuation du bruit à usage avec des dispositifs récepteurs de sons, comprenant:
    des premier et second petits microphones à fibre optique (2, 4) comportant au moins une membrane sensible au son (5), utilisable pour produire un signal de sortie correspondant à des ondes acoustiques captées par lesdits microphones;
    au moins une paire de guides optiques (40, 48; 68, 70) fixés audit premier ou second microphone;
    lesdits guides optiques comportant une extrémité d'entrée et une extrémité de sortie;
    l'extrémité d'entrée d'un premier guide optique pouvant être connectée à une source de lumière (44, 46) et l'extrémité de sortie dudit second guide optique pouvant être connectée à un moyen de mesure d'intensité lumineuse (52, 54);
       caractérisé en ce que chacune de l'extrémité de sortie dudit premier guide optique et de l'extrémité d'entrée dudit second guide optique présente un axe et un rebord et est orientée par rapport à l'autre pour former un angle entre lesdits axes, et chacun des rebords des guides optiques est coupé sous un certain angle par rapport à l'axe de son guide optique, et en ce que, en service, l'intensité de la lumière réfléchie par ladite membrane (5) et détectée par ledit moyen de mesure d'intensité lumineuse (52, 54) représente des intensités acoustiques captées par lesdits premier et second microphones (2, 4) ou des différences entre lesdites intensités.
  2. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce qu'il est prévu au moins deux microphones à fibre optique (2, 4) au moins indirectement couplés à proximité immédiate l'un de l'autre, de façon à diminuer la distance réelle entre eux, chaque microphone étant connecté à un circuit soustracteur de signaux (10) destiné à effectuer la soustraction dudit premier signal audit second signal pour produire un troisième signal de sortie.
  3. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que chacun desdits premier et second microphones à fibre optique (2, 4) comprend une membrane (5) et lesdits microphones sont couplés l'un à l'autre avec lesdites membranes sensiblement incluses dans un même plan.
  4. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que chacun desdits premier et second microphones à fibre optique (2, 4) comprend une membrane (5) et lesdits microphones sont couplés l'un à l'autre avec lesdites membranes sensiblement incluses dans des plans distincts.
  5. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que lesdites membranes (5), montées dans lesdits microphones à fibre optique (2, 4), sont disposées en sens opposés l'une par rapport à l'autre.
  6. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que lesdits microphones à fibre optique (2, 4) sont disposés avec leurs axes inclus dans le même plan, mais formant un angle l'un par rapport à l'autre.
  7. Système selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre une cloison (14) placée entre lesdits premier et second microphones à fibre optique (2, 4).
  8. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les rebords des extrémités d'entrée et de sortie des guides optiques (40, 48; 68, 70) de chacun desdits microphones (2, 4) sont placés à différentes distances de la membrane (5) lorsqu'elle est au repos, d'une manière telle que, en service, lorsque ladite membrane (5) dudit premier microphone à fibre optique (2) se rapproche desdits rebords, l'intensité de la lumière réfléchie augmente alors qu'un mouvement de la membrane (5) dans un sens l'éloignant des rebords entraíne une diminution d'intensité de la lumière détectée, et lorsque ladite membrane (5) du second microphone à fibre optique (4) se rapproche desdits rebords, l'intensité de la lumière réfléchie diminue alors qu'un mouvement de la membrane (5) dans un sens l'éloignant des rebords entraíne une augmentation d'intensité de la lumière détectée.
  9. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ledit premier microphone à fibre optique (2) produit dans sa sortie une lumière modulée en phase avec des ondes acoustiques incidentes, et ledit second microphone à fibre optique (4) produit dans sa sortie une lumière modulée en opposition de phase avec des ondes acoustiques incidentes, et les deux sorties sont connectées audit moyen de mesure d'intensité lumineuse (52, 54) qui somme lesdits signaux de sortie pour produire un troisième signal ayant un rapport signal à bruit plus élevé que celui de chacun desdits premier et second microphones (2, 4).
  10. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les guides optiques (40, 48; 68, 70) desdits premier et second microphones à fibre optique (2, 4) peuvent être connectés à la même source de lumière (44, 46) et au même moyen de mesure d'intensité lumineuse (52, 54).
  11. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'un des guides optiques (40, 48; 68, 70) des premier et second microphones (2, 4) est couplé optiquement de façon que, en service, la lumière réfléchie par la membrane (5) du premier microphone (2) et dirigée vers l'extrémité d'entrée du guide optique associé soit utilisée comme source de lumière du second microphone (4).
  12. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce qu'il est prévu deux microphones à fibre optique (2, 4) partageant une seule membrane (5), et en service, ladite membrane (5) est orientée avec ses faces perpendiculaires à la direction de propagation des ondes acoustiques à capter, pour une détection optique des différences entre les intensités acoustiques captées par les microphones (2, 4).
EP96308839A 1995-12-07 1996-12-05 Système pour l'atténuation du bruit Expired - Lifetime EP0777404B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP96308839A EP0777404B1 (fr) 1995-12-07 1996-12-05 Système pour l'atténuation du bruit

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL11627495A IL116274A0 (en) 1995-12-07 1995-12-07 System and methot for attenuation of noise
IL11627495 1995-12-07
EP96201999 1996-07-17
EP96201999 1996-07-17
EP96308839A EP0777404B1 (fr) 1995-12-07 1996-12-05 Système pour l'atténuation du bruit

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0777404A1 EP0777404A1 (fr) 1997-06-04
EP0777404B1 true EP0777404B1 (fr) 2001-09-12

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EP96308839A Expired - Lifetime EP0777404B1 (fr) 1995-12-07 1996-12-05 Système pour l'atténuation du bruit

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EP (1) EP0777404B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69615129T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2162984T3 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1239698A4 (fr) * 1999-12-13 2006-11-22 Kenwood Corp Transducteur electroacoustique optique
IL140066A0 (en) * 2000-12-04 2002-02-10 Phone Or Ltd Optical microphone system and a method for forming same

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0716291A2 (fr) * 1994-12-07 1996-06-12 Phone-Or Limited Un capteur et une méthode pour la mesure de distances à une matière ou ses propriétés physiques

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2350010A (en) * 1941-12-26 1944-05-30 Glastonbury Bank & Trust Compa Microphone
US3004103A (en) * 1958-12-22 1961-10-10 Chance Vought Corp Noise-reducing microphone assembly
JPS6118916A (ja) * 1984-07-06 1986-01-27 Nec Corp 光マイクロフオン

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0716291A2 (fr) * 1994-12-07 1996-06-12 Phone-Or Limited Un capteur et une méthode pour la mesure de distances à une matière ou ses propriétés physiques

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69615129D1 (de) 2001-10-18
EP0777404A1 (fr) 1997-06-04
ES2162984T3 (es) 2002-01-16
DE69615129T2 (de) 2002-09-05

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