IP Library Granted Patent US 12,701,367
Granted Patent B2
US 12,701,367 · App. 18/203,974 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Electret microphone

Inventors: Stephan Leschka (Potsdam, DE); Wolfgang Dreßler (Berlin, DE)
Assignee: Sennheiser electronic SE & Co. KG
H04R19/016H03K17/60H04R3/007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,701,367
App. No.
18/203,974
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electret microphone includes a microphone capsule with an output connection, a first input connection as an earth connection and a second input connection for providing a supply voltage and for leading out a microphone output signal. A cascode includes first and second transistors, wherein the microphone capsule's output is input to the cascode. The second transistor is an FET having a gate coupled to the microphone capsule's output connection and a drain coupled to the first transistor's emitter when bipolar or source when a FET. A third transistor, which is bipolar has an emitter coupled to the second input connection, a collector coupled via a capacitor to earth, and a base coupled via a resistance to the second input connection and the first transistor's collector when bipolar or drain when a FET, wherein a resistance exists between the second transistor's drain and the third transistor's collector.

Claims (39)

1 . An electret microphone, comprising:

a microphone capsule with an output connection;

a first input connection as an earth connection and a second input connection for providing a supply voltage for the microphone capsule and for leading out a microphone output signal of the microphone capsule; and

a cascode consisting of a first and second transistor, wherein an output connection of the microphone capsule is provided as an input of the cascode,

wherein the second transistor is configured as a field effect transistor (FET) and a gate connection thereof is coupled to the output connection of the microphone capsule,

wherein a drain connection of the second transistor is coupled to an emitter connection of the first transistor as a bipolar transistor or to a source connection of the first transistor as a FET transistor,

a third transistor as a bipolar transistor, whose emitter connection is coupled to the second input connection,

wherein a collector connection of the third transistor is coupled via a third capacitor to the earth connection,

wherein a base connection of the third transistor is coupled via a first resistance to the second input connection,

wherein the base connection of the third transistor is coupled to a collector connection of the first transistor as a bipolar transistor or to a drain connection of the first transistor as a FET transistor,

wherein a fourth resistance is coupled between the drain connection of the second transistor and the collector connection of the third transistor.

2 . The electret microphone according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a third resistance between a source connection of the second transistor and the earth connection.

3 . The electret microphone according to claim 2 , wherein

the third resistance is configured as a temperature-dependent resistance.

4 . The electret microphone according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a series circuit comprising a sixth capacitor and a fifth resistance between the base connection of the third transistor and the second input connection of the electret microphone.

5 . The electret microphone according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a fourth capacitor between the source connection of the second transistor and the earth connection.

6 . The electret microphone according to claim 5 , wherein

a coil is provided between the earth connection and the fourth capacitor.

7 . The electret microphone according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first capacitor between the output connection of the microphone capsule and the second input connection.

8 . The electret microphone according to claim 1 , wherein the first transistor is configured as a bipolar transistor, further comprising:

a twelfth resistance between the base connection of the first transistor and the second input connection; and

a series circuit comprising at least one diode and a resistance between the base connection of the first transistor and the source connection of the second transistor.

9 . The electret microphone according to claim 1 , wherein

a protective circuit comprising a first diode, a series circuit comprising an eleventh resistance and a first coil and a second capacitor is provided between the second input connection and the elements coupled thereto.

10 . An electret microphone, comprising:

a microphone capsule with an output connection,

a first input connection as an earth connection and a second input connection for providing a supply voltage for the microphone capsule and for leading out a microphone output signal of the microphone capsule; and

a cascode consisting of a first and a second transistor, wherein the output connection of the microphone capsule is provided as input of the cascode,

wherein the second transistor is configured as a field effect transistor (FET) and a gate connection thereof is connected to the output connection of the microphone capsule,

wherein a drain connection of the second transistor is coupled to an emitter connection of the first transistor as a bipolar transistor or to a source connection of the first transistor as a FET transistor,

a third transistor as a self-locking field effect transistor whose third connection is coupled to the second input connection,

wherein a second connection of the third transistor is coupled via a third capacitor to the earth connection,

wherein a gate connection is coupled as a first connection of the third transistor via a first resistance to the second input connection,

wherein the gate connection of the third transistor is coupled to a collector connection of the first transistor as a bipolar transistor or to a drain connection of the first transistor as a FET transistor,

wherein a fourth resistance is coupled between the drain connection of the second transistor and the second connection of the third transistor.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2025
From: LESCHKA, STEPHAN; DREßLER, WOLFGANG
To: SENNHEISER ELECTRONIC GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 070773/0634 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 26, 2024
From: SENNHEISER ELECTRONIC GMBH & CO. KG
To: SENNHEISER ELECTRONIC SE & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 069053/0134 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 102022114130.6 · Jun 3, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230396932A1 · Dec 7, 2023
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