Portless and membrane-free microphone
US10547953B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 9, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jan 28, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 5, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2562/0204
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Sound waves cause pressure changes in the air, and the pressure changes cause changes in the dielectric constant of air. Capacitive sensor measurements indicative of the changes in the dielectric constant of air can be processed to extract features associated with sound waves in the air. The features can include sound pressure levels represented and recordable as audio samples. Furthermore, the features can help identify types of sounds, determine direction of travel of the sound waves, and/or determine the source location of the audio. Instead of relying on movement of a mechanical member to transduce sound waves through a port into an electrical signal, an improved microphone uses capacitive sensing to directly sample and sense static pressure as well as dynamic pressure or pressure changes in the air to derive audio samples. The resulting microphone avoids disadvantages of the conventional microphone having the moving mechanical member and port.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.