Measuring apparatus, measuring system and measuring method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9866980-B2
Application number	US-201615237105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2016
Priority date	May 18, 2012
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a measuring apparatus capable of measuring a vibration amount weighted with characteristics of vibration transmission to a human ear and capable of evaluating correctly an electronic device having a vibrator. A measuring apparatus 10 configured to evaluate an electronic device 100 that transmits vibration sound to a human ear by pressing a vibrator 102 held in a housing 101 thereto, including an ear simulator 50 that mimics a human ear, and a vibration detection unit 55 disposed on a periphery 52 of an artificial ear canal 53 formed in the ear simulator 50.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A measuring system configured to evaluate an electronic device that transmits sound based on vibration of a vibrator to a user by pressing the vibrator held in a housing to a human ear, comprising:
an ear simulator that mimics a human ear;
a vibration detection unit disposed on a periphery of an artificial ear canal formed in the ear simulator, wherein the artificial ear canal includes a top portion, a bottom portion and a side portion, and wherein the vibration detection unit is disposed at the side portion and not directly exposed to the artificial ear canal;
a sound pressure measuring unit that measures sound pressure of sound propagated through the artificial ear canal;
a phase adjusting unit that is configured to relatively adjust phase of output from the vibration detection unit and phase of output from the sound pressure measuring unit; and
a frequency analysis unit.

2. The measuring system according to claim 1 , further comprising an output synthesizing unit that synthesizes the output from the vibration detection unit and the output from the sound pressure measuring unit, the phases of the outputs relatively adjusted by the phase adjusting unit, wherein
the frequency analysis unit analyzes a frequency component of the output from the vibration detection unit, a frequency component of the output from the sound pressure measuring unit, or a frequency component of the synthesized output from the output synthesizing unit.

3. The measuring system according to claim 2 , wherein the phase adjusting unit adjusts a phase of the output from the vibration detection unit.

4. The measuring system according to claim 2 , wherein the frequency analysis unit further analyzes the frequency component of the output from the vibration detection unit and the frequency component of the output from the sound pressure measuring unit, phases of the outputs relatively adjusted by the phase adjusting unit.

5. The measuring system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensitivity adjusting unit that is configured to adjust sensitivity of the vibration detection unit and of the sound pressure measuring unit.

6. The measuring system according to claim 1 , further comprising a frequency characteristic adjusting unit that is configured to adjust frequency characteristics of the output from the vibration detection unit and of the output from the sound pressure measuring unit.

7. The measuring system according to claim 1 , further comprising a display that displays an analysis result by the frequency analysis unit.

8. The measuring system according to claim 1 , further comprising a human head model, wherein the ear simulator is, as an artificial ear included in the head model, detachably attached to the head model.

9. The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the ear simulator includes an ear model and an artificial ear canal unit connected to the ear model, and the artificial ear canal is formed in an artificial ear canal unit.

10. The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the artificial ear canal is 20mm to 40mm.

11. The measuring system according to claim 1 , further comprising a holder that holds the electronic device.

12. The measuring system according to claim 11 , wherein the holder includes a supporter that supports the electronic device at least two positions to aid a user to press the electronic device to the user's ear.

13. The measuring system according to claim 11 , wherein the holder is configured to adjustably move the electronic device in a direction of pressing to the ear simulator.

14. The measuring system according to claim 11 , wherein the holder is configured to adjustably turn the electronic device in a direction of pressing to the ear simulator.

15. The measuring system according to claim 13 , wherein the holder is configured to adjust pressing force of the vibrator to the ear simulator in a range of 0N to 10N.

16. The measuring system according to claim 13 , wherein the holder is configured to adjust pressing force of the vibrator to the ear simulator in a range of 3N to 8N.

17. The measuring system according to claim 11 , wherein the holder is configured to adjustably move the electronic device in an up and down direction of the electronic device relative to the ear simulator, so that a contact posture of the electronic device to the ear simulator is be changed.

18. The measuring system according to claim 17 , wherein the contact posture includes a posture in which the electronic device is in contact with the ear simulator so that the vibrator covers the ear simulator.

19. The measuring system according to claim 17 , wherein the contact posture includes a posture in which the electronic device is in contact with the ear simulator so that a part of the vibrator comes into contact with the ear simulator.

20. The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the ear simulator is made of a material conforming to IEC60318-7.

21. The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration detection unit includes a plurality of vibration detection elements disposed on the periphery of the artificial ear canal.

22. The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration detection unit includes two arc-like vibration detection elements disposed around the periphery of the artificial ear canal.

23. The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration detection unit includes a ring-shaped vibration detection element disposed around the periphery of the artificial ear canal.

24. The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the sound pressure measuring unit includes a microphone held by a tubular member extending from an outer wall of the artificial ear canal.

25. The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the sound pressure measuring unit includes a microphone disposed in a floating state from an outer wall of the artificial ear canal.

26. A measuring method in which, in order to evaluate an electronic device that transmits sound based on vibration of a vibrator to a user by pressing the vibrator held in a housing to a human ear, including steps of:
detecting vibration by a vibration detection unit, the vibration being caused by the vibrator and transmitting through a periphery of an artificial ear canal formed in an ear simulator by pressing the vibrator to the ear simulator that mimics a human ear, wherein the artificial ear canal includes a top portion, a bottom portion and a side portion, and wherein the vibration detection unit is disposed at the side portion and not directly exposed to the artificial ear canal;
measuring sound pressure of sound propagated through the artificial ear canal by a sound pressure measuring unit as well; and
relatively adjusting phase of output from the vibration detection unit and phase of output from the sound pressure measuring unit by a phase adjusting unit; and
performing a frequency analysis using at least one output of the phase adjusting unit by a frequency analysis unit.

27. The measuring method according to claim 26 , further including step of:
synthesizing the output from the vibration detection unit and the output from the sound pressure measuring unit, the phases of the outputs relatively adjusted by the phase adjusting unit; wherein
performing a frequency analysis includes analyzing a frequency component of synthesized output f

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Inagaki Tomohiro
• Hirata Yoichi

Classifications

• H04R25/30

  Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power · CPC title

• H04R5/027

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

• G01M7/06

  Multidirectional test stands · CPC title

• G01H1/12

  of longitudinal or not specified vibrations · CPC title

• H04R29/00

  Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements {(for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308)} · CPC title