Acoustic sensor assembly and method of sensing sound using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11747192-B2
Application number	US-202117348184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2021
Priority date	Jan 5, 2021
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

An acoustic sensor assembly includes a non-directional acoustic sensor having a first directional pattern, a plurality of directional acoustic sensors surrounding the non-directional acoustic sensor and including a plurality of resonators having different resonance frequencies from each other, each of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors having a second directional pattern, and a processor configured to obtain output signals from the non-directional acoustic sensor and the plurality of directional acoustic sensors. The processor is further configured to calculate an acoustic signal having directivity by selecting any one or any combination of the obtained output signals or selectively combining the obtained output signals, and obtain sound around the acoustic sensor assembly, using the calculated acoustic signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An acoustic sensor assembly comprising:
a non-directional acoustic sensor having a first directional pattern;
a plurality of directional acoustic sensors surrounding the non-directional acoustic sensor and comprising a plurality of resonators having different resonance frequencies from each other, each of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors having a second directional pattern; and
a processor configured to:
obtain output signals from the non-directional acoustic sensor and the plurality of directional acoustic sensors;
calculate an acoustic signal having directivity by combining each of the obtained output signals based on ratios of a signal level output by the non-directional acoustic sensor and signal levels output by each of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors; and
obtain sound surrounding the acoustic sensor assembly in multiple directions, using the calculated acoustic signal.

2. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate additional directional patterns different from the first directional pattern and the second directional pattern, wherein the number of directional acoustic sensors is 2 and the additional patterns comprise four directional patterns to obtain sound surrounding 360 degrees around the acoustic sensor assembly.

3. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors is configured to:
sense, in a direction of the second directional pattern, a sound that is in-phase with a phase of a sound that is sensed by the non-directional acoustic sensor; and
sense, in a direction opposite to the direction of the second directional pattern, a sound that is anti-phase with the phase of the sound sensed by the non-directional acoustic sensor.

4. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the acoustic signal having a third directional pattern different from the first directional pattern and the second directional pattern.

5. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first directional pattern is omnidirectional,
the second directional pattern is bi-directional, and
the third directional pattern is uni-directional.

6. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
calculate a plurality of acoustic signals having third directional patterns oriented in different directions from each other; and
obtain the sound around the acoustic sensor assembly, using the calculated plurality of acoustic signals.

7. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the acoustic signal by calculating a sum of or a difference of the signal output by the non-directional acoustic sensor and the signal outputs by each of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors.

8. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the acoustic signal having a third directional pattern in a front direction of one of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors corresponding to second output signal levels, by calculating the sum of the ratios of a first output signal level and the second output signal levels.

9. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the acoustic signal having a third directional pattern in a rear side direction of one of the plurality of directional acoustic sensor corresponding to second output signal levels, by calculating the difference between the ratios of the first output signal level and the second output signal levels.

10. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors further comprises a support, and
the plurality of resonators extend from the support in a length direction.

11. The acoustic sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of resonators comprises:
a driver moving based on input sound; and
a sensor detecting movement of the driver.

12. An acoustic sensor assembly of claim wherein the acoustic sensor assembly is implemented in an electronic device.

13. A method of sensing sound, the method comprising:
obtaining output signals from a non-directional acoustic sensor having a first directional pattern and a plurality of directional acoustic sensors, the plurality of directional acoustic sensors surrounding the non-directional acoustic sensor, and comprising a plurality of resonators having different resonance frequencies from each other, and each of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors having a second directional pattern;
using a processor to calculate an acoustic signal having directivity by combining each the obtained output signals based on ratios of a signal level output by the non-directional acoustic sensor and signal levels output by each of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors; and
obtaining sound surrounding an acoustic sensor assembly in multiple directions, using the acoustic calculated signal.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate additional directional patterns different from the first directional pattern and the second directional pattern, wherein the number of directional acoustic sensors is 2 and the additional patterns comprise four directional patterns to obtain sound surrounding 360 degrees around the acoustic sensor assembly.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the obtaining of the output signals comprises:
sensing, in a direction of the second directional pattern, a sound that is in-phase with a phase of a sound that is sensed by the non-directional acoustic sensor; and
sensing, in a direction opposite to the direction of the second directional pattern, a sound that is anti-phase with the phase of the sound sensed by the non-directional acoustic sensor.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the calculating of the acoustic signal comprises calculating a plurality of acoustic signals having third directional patterns oriented in different directions from each other, and
the obtaining of the sound comprises obtaining the sound, using the calculated acoustic signals.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the calculating of the acoustic signal comprises calculating the acoustic signal by calculating a sum of or a difference of the signal output by the non-directional acoustic sensor and the signals output by each of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the calculating of the acoustic signal further comprises calculating the acoustic signal having a third directional pattern in a front direction of one of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors corresponding to second output signal levels, by calculating the sum of the ratios of the first output signal level and the second output signal levels.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the calculating of the acoustic signal further comprises calculating the acoustic signal having a third directional pattern in a rear side direction of one of the plurality of directional acoustic sensors corresponding to second output signal levels, by calculating the difference between the ratios of the first output signal level and the second output signal levels.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method of claim 13 .

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Hyunwook
• Kim Cheheung
• Son Daehyuk
• Hong Hyeokki

Classifications

• G01H11/00 Primary

  Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by detecting changes in electric or magnetic properties · CPC title

• G01H1/06

  Frequency · CPC title

• G01H11/02

  by magnetic means, e.g. reluctance · CPC title

• G01S3/802 Primary

  Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction · CPC title

• H03H9/02

  Details · CPC title