Asymmetric microphone array for speaker system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11134339-B2
Application number	US-201916244636-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2019
Priority date	Oct 31, 2017
Publication date	Sep 28, 2021
Grant date	Sep 28, 2021

Abstract

Various implementations include microphone arrays and related speaker systems. In one implementation, a microphone array is mounted in a housing having a primary X axis, a primary Y axis perpendicular to the primary X axis, and a primary Z axis perpendicular to the primary X axis and the primary Y axis. The microphone array can include: a set of microphones positioned in a single plane perpendicular to the primary Z axis of the housing and axially asymmetric with respect to both the primary X axis of the housing and the primary Y axis of the housing. In some cases, all microphones in the set of microphones are stationary relative to the housing.

First claim

We claim:

1. A microphone array mounted in a speaker housing having a primary X axis, a primary Y axis perpendicular to the primary X axis, and a primary Z axis perpendicular to the primary X axis and the primary Y axis, the microphone array comprising:
a set of microphones positioned in a single plane perpendicular to the primary Z axis of the speaker housing and axially asymmetric with respect to both the primary X axis of the speaker housing and the primary Y axis of the speaker housing, wherein all microphones in the set of microphones are stationary relative to the speaker housing,
wherein the speaker housing has a horizontal cross-section that is non-circular in shape,
wherein the set of microphones is rotationally asymmetric about the primary Z axis of the housing,
wherein the single plane is parallel with the primary X axis and the primary Y axis, wherein a complete rotation of the set of microphones, in the single plane and about the Z axis, only results in one matching position, and
wherein the set of microphones are positioned to enhance a directivity index of several beams with distinct look directions, and wherein magnitude and phase differences between the microphones in the set of microphones support beamforming for each of a plurality of look directions.

2. The microphone array of claim 1 , further comprising a printed wiring board coupled to the set of microphones.

3. The microphone array of claim 1 , wherein the set of microphones comprises at least two microphones.

4. The microphone array of claim 3 , wherein the set of microphones comprises six microphones.

5. The microphone array of claim 1 , wherein the set of microphones are positioned asymmetrically with respect to an azimuth angle in the single plane.

6. A system comprising:
a speaker housing having a primary X axis, a primary Y axis perpendicular to the primary X axis, and a primary Z axis perpendicular to the primary X axis and the primary Y axis; and
a microphone array contained within the speaker housing, the microphone array having a set of microphones positioned in a single plane perpendicular to the primary Z axis of the speaker housing and axially asymmetric with respect to both the primary X axis of the housing and the primary Y axis of the speaker housing, wherein all microphones in the set of microphones are stationary relative to the speaker housing,
wherein the speaker housing has a horizontal cross-section that is non-circular in shape,
wherein the set of microphones is rotationally asymmetric about the primary Z axis of the speaker housing,
wherein the single plane is parallel with the primary X axis and the primary Y axis, wherein a complete rotation of the set of microphones, in the single plane and about the Z axis, only results in one matching position, and
wherein the set of microphones are positioned to enhance a directivity index of several beams with distinct look directions, and wherein magnitude and phase differences between the microphones in the set of microphones support beamforming for each of a plurality of look directions.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the microphone array further comprises a printed wiring board coupled with the set of microphones.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a core section contained within the speaker housing, wherein the printed wiring board is coupled with the core, and wherein the core includes a set of recesses each at least partially housing one of the set of microphones.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the printed wiring board is located between the set of microphones and a top section of the speaker housing, the printed wiring board further comprising a set of apertures extending therethrough for receiving the set of microphones.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising an acoustically transparent screen between the printed wiring board and the top section of the speaker housing.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the set of microphones are positioned asymmetrically with respect to an azimuth angle in the single plane.

12. A system comprising:
a speaker housing having a primary X axis, a primary Y axis perpendicular to the primary X axis, and a primary Z axis perpendicular to the primary X axis and the primary Y axis,
wherein the speaker housing has a horizontal cross-section that is non-circular in shape;
a microphone array contained within the speaker housing, the microphone array comprising:
a set of microphones positioned in a single plane perpendicular to the primary Z axis of the housing and axially asymmetric with respect to both the primary X axis of the housing and the primary Y axis of the housing,
wherein the set of microphones is rotationally asymmetric about the primary Z axis of the housing,
wherein the single plane is parallel with the primary X axis and the primary Y axis, wherein a complete rotation of the set of microphones, in the single plane and about the Z axis, only results in one matching position, and
wherein the set of microphones are positioned to enhance a directivity index of several beams with distinct look directions, and wherein magnitude and phase differences between the microphones in the set of microphones support beamforming for each of a plurality of look directions; and
a printed wiring board coupled with the set of microphones; and

a core section contained within the speaker housing, wherein the printed wiring board is coupled with the core, wherein the core includes a set of recesses each at least partially housing one of the set of microphones.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the printed wiring board is located between the set of microphones and a top section of the speaker housing, the printed wiring board further comprising a set of apertures extending therethrough for receiving the set of microphones.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the set of microphones comprises six microphones.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the housing has an ellipsoidal cross-section having length along the primary X axis that is distinct from a length along the primary Y axis.

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Dick David Avi
• Heile Sarah Margaret

Classifications

• H04R1/02 Primary

  Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075}) · CPC title

• H04R5/027

  Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads · CPC title

• H04R1/265

  of microphones · CPC title

• H04R3/005

  for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407) · CPC title

• H04R2201/403

  Linear arrays of transducers · CPC title