IP Library Granted Patent US 10,838,683
Granted Patent B2
US 10,838,683 · App. 16/559,607 · Granted Nov 17, 2020

Digitally controlled microphone with audio compressor

Inventor: Lucas Van der Mee (Los Angele, CA)
Assignee: Apogee Electronics Corporation
G06F3/162G10L19/00H04R1/04H04R1/08H04R1/1041H04R3/00H04R2420/03
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,838,683
App. No.
16/559,607
Granted
Nov 17, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A digitally controlled microphone with audio compressor includes a capsule; a compressor circuitry having a compressor engine, a digitally controlled root mean square (RMS) detector and a digitally controlled analog processor; a bypass switch to the compressor circuitry; an analog to digital converter (ADC); a digital processor that sends digital audio to a host and receives a second digital audio signal; a digital to analog converter (DAC) and a summing circuit that combine the audio with the audio from the host and send it to a digitally-controlled headphone amplifier and a headphone jack; a microphone body; a serial host interface connector; and hardware controls on the microphone body.

Claims (60)

1. A microphone for digital communication of audio with a host, the microphone comprising:

an electrical circuitry that includes

a capsule that converts sound waves into a first analog audio signal,

a compressor circuitry that receives and compresses the first analog audio signal,

a bypass switch that receives the first analog audio signal and allows for a bypass path to the compressor circuitry, thereby providing an optionally-compressed analog audio signal,

an analog to digital converter (ADC) that converts the optionally-compressed analog audio signal into a first digital audio signal, and

a digital processor that transmits the first digital audio signal to the host;

a microphone body that encloses the electrical circuitry; and

a host interface connector on the microphone body that provides a physical communication interface with the host.

2. The microphone of claim 1 , wherein the digital processor includes a microprocessor that manages communication of digital audio and control signals with the host and that adjusts a digitally-adjustable component of the electrical circuitry.

3. The microphone of claim 1 , wherein the host interface connector supports a serial interface.

4. The microphone of claim 1 , further comprising a hardware control on the microphone body that a user may use to adjust a parameter of the electrical circuitry.

5. The microphone of claim 1 , wherein the compressor circuitry includes

a compressor engine which compresses the first analog audio signal, and

a digitally controlled root mean square (RMS) detector which outputs an RMS signal that is utilized by the compressor engine.

6. The microphone of claim 5 , wherein the compressor circuitry further includes a digitally controlled analog processor that affects the RMS signal.

7. The microphone of claim 1 , further comprising:

a headphone jack on the microphone body that provides an amplified audio signal to a user's headphone;

wherein the digital processor receives a second digital audio signal from the host; and

the electrical circuitry further includes

a digital to analog converter (DAC) that receives the second digital audio signal from the digital processor and converts the second digital audio signal into a second analog audio signal,

a summing circuit that receives the optionally-compressed analog audio signal and the second analog audio signal and outputs a combined analog audio signal, and

a digitally controlled headphone jack amplifier that amplifies the combined analog audio signal and provides an amplified audio signal to the headphone jack.

8. The microphone of claim 7 , wherein the electrical circuitry further includes

a first digitally controlled preamplifier that amplifies the first analog audio signal from the capsule and provides an amplified signal to the compressor circuitry,

an ADC driver circuitry that receives the optionally-compressed analog audio signal provided by the bypass switch and drives the ADC, and

a second digitally controlled preamplifier that amplifies the optionally-compressed analog audio signal from the ADC driver circuitry and provides an amplified signal to the summing circuit.

9. A microphone for digital communication of audio with a host, the microphone comprising:

an electrical circuitry that includes

a capsule that converts sound waves into a first analog audio signal;

a compressor circuitry that receives and compresses the first analog audio signal, the compressor circuitry including a compressor engine which compresses the first analog audio signal, a digitally controlled root mean square (RMS) detector which outputs an RMS signal that is utilized by the compressor engine, and a digitally controlled analog processor that affects the RMS signal,

a bypass switch that receives the first analog audio signal and allows for a bypass path to the compressor circuitry, thereby providing an optionally-compressed analog audio signal,

an analog to digital converter (ADC) that converts the optionally-compressed analog audio signal into a first digital audio signal,

a digital processor that transmits the first digital audio signal to the host and receives a second digital audio signal from the host, the digital processor including a microprocessor that manages communication of digital audio and control signals with the host and that adjusts a digitally-adjustable component of the electrical circuitry,

a digital to analog converter (DAC) that receives the second digital audio signal from the digital processor and converts the second digital audio signal into a second analog audio signal,

a summing circuit that receives the optionally-compressed analog audio signal and the second analog audio signal and outputs a combined analog audio signal, and

a digitally controlled headphone jack amplifier that amplifies the combined analog audio signal and provides an amplified audio signal to the headphone jack;

a microphone body that encloses the electrical circuitry;

a host interface connector on the microphone body that supports a serial interface and provides a physical communication interface with the host;

a hardware control on the microphone body that a user may use to adjust a parameter of the electrical circuitry; and

a headphone jack on the microphone body that provides an amplified audio signal to a user's headphone.

10. The microphone of claim 9 , wherein the electrical circuitry further includes

a first digitally controlled preamplifier that amplifies the first analog audio signal from the capsule and provides an amplified signal to the compressor circuitry,

an ADC driver circuitry that receives the optionally-compressed analog audio signal provided by the bypass switch and drives the ADC, and

a second digitally controlled preamplifier that amplifies the optionally-compressed analog audio signal from the ADC driver circuitry and provides an amplified signal to the summing circuit.

11. A microphone for digital communication of audio with a host, the microphone comprising:

an electrical circuitry that includes

a capsule that converts sound waves into an analog audio signal;

a compressor circuitry that receives and compresses the analog audio signal, the compressor circuitry including a compressor engine which compresses the analog audio signal, a digitally controlled root mean square (RMS) detector which outputs an RMS signal that is utilized by the compressor engine, and a digitally controlled analog processor that affects the RMS signal,

a bypass switch that receives the analog audio signal and allows for a bypass path to the compressor circuitry, thereby providing an optionally-compressed analog audio signal,

an analog to digital converter (ADC) that converts the optionally-compressed analog audio signal into a digital audio signal,

a digital processor that transmits the digital audio signal to the host, the digital processor including a microprocessor that manages communication of digital audio and control signals with the host and that adjusts a digitally-adjustable component of the electrical circuitry, and

a digitally controlled headphone jack amplifier that amplifies the optionally-compressed analog audio signal and provides an amplified audio signal to the headphone jack;

a microphone body that encloses the electrical circuitry;

a host interface connector on the microphone body that supports a serial interface and provides a physical communication interface with the host;

a hardware control on the microphone body that a user may use to adjust a parameter of the electrical circuitry; and

a headphone jack on the microphone body that provides an amplified audio signal to a user's headphone.

12. The microphone of claim 11 , wherein the electrical circuitry further includes:

a digitally controlled preamplifier that amplifies the first analog audio signal from the capsule and provides an amplified signal to the compressor circuitry, and

an ADC driver circuitry that receives the optionally-compressed analog audio signal provided by the bypass switch and drives the ADC.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 3, 2019
From: VAN DER MEE, LUCAS
To: APOGEE ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050253/0423 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62793841 · Jan 17, 2019
Related Publication 20200233633A1 · Jul 23, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,387,613