Voice-actuated switching system
US4449238A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 1982 |
| Grant date | May 15, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M2203/1041
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A voice-actuated switching system selectively connects multiple microphones to an audio line in accordance with the output signal levels from each of the microphones. The state of each microphone is determined by its use and can exit in one of three states: selected, mixed, or off. The microphone with the greatest output signal level at any given time is considered in the selected state and is selected for connecting to the audio line with no loss. Those microphones in the mixed state have their output signal levels attenuated before being connected to the audio line. And those microphones in the off state have their outputs essentially disconnected from the audio line. The user of a microphone while in the mixed state can be heard along with the user of a microphone while in the selected state although at a lower level. Improved accuracy is obtained in the microphone selection process by comparing the microphone signals to each other and to a reference level that takes into account any offsets induced into the signals by the system. The system can accommodate any number of microphones.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.