89results about "Optical signal transducers" patented technology

An apparatus is described herein related to detecting and processing silent speech. The apparatus comprises a head-mountable device and at least one ear-mountable device, wherein the ear-mountable devices are configured to selectively pick up both head-internal and head-externals sounds, thus enabling silent speech to be detectable and wherein the head-mountable device comprises an eye tracking unit capable of determining a gaze dwell of a user of the device, thus enabling silent speech commands to be directed at objects subject to a gaze dwell, or enabling speech or audio originating from an interlocutor who is subject to a gaze dwell to be selectively enhanced. Methods are described herein relate to the application of semantic intent derived from a silent speech to real-word objects which are subject to a gaze dwell by a user.

This invention unveils an optical microphone utilizing diamond cantilevers and its associated acoustic sensing system. The core component is a diamond cantilever, featuring a diamond diaphragm with a centrally located U-shaped groove. The manufacturing process involves several key steps: initially preparing the diamond diaphragm using silicon in a chemical vapor deposition setup, where methane and hydrogen are reacted under specific temperature and pressure conditions to form a diamond polycrystalline film on the silicon. This film is then separated from the substrate to create the diaphragm. Subsequently, a U-shaped groove is crafted on the diaphragm by applying a dry etching template and etching, resulting in the formation of the diamond cantilever, with a thickness ranging from 10 to 100 μm. This method establishes a novel approach to creating sensitive and durable optical microphones.

An audio system including an optical microphone and an audio controller. The optical microphone includes a light source and a detector. In some embodiments, the light source illuminates skin of a user. Alternatively the optical microphone also includes a membrane, and the light source illuminates a portion of the membrane. Sounds from a local area cause vibrations in the skin (or vibrations in the membrane). The detector may be in an interferometric configuration or a non-interferometric configuration with the light source. The audio controller monitors the vibrations of the skin (or membrane) using signal output from the detector, and measures the sounds using the monitored vibrations.

An optical microphone assembly including a substrate having a first and second substrate portions with the first substrate portion being thinner than the second substrate portion, an interferometic arrangement including a membrane and at least one optical element including a surface of the first substrate portion and / or is disposed on a surface of the first substrate portion, and the at least one optical element does not include a diffractive optical element formed as a plurality of holes through the first substrate portion. The optical microphone assembly further includes a light source arranged to provide light to the interferometric arrangement such that a first portion of the light propagates along a first optical path via the interferometric arrangement and a second portion of the light propagates along a second different optical path via the interferometric arrangement, thereby giving rise to an optical path difference between the first and second optical paths which depends on a distance between the membrane and the optical element, and with at least one of the first and second paths passing through the first substrate portion, and at least one photo detector arranged to detect at least part of an interference pattern generated by said first and second portions of light dependent on the optical path difference.

The invention provides an optical microphone and a sound wave detection method. The optical microphone includes: an MEMS structural member configured to generate a vibration displacement in response to a sound wave; the laser device is configured to emit laser to the MEMS structural member and receive reflected light of the MEMS structural member, so that self-mixing interference is formed in the MEMS structural member, and the emergent light intensity of the laser device linearly changes along with the vibration displacement; and the photoelectric detector is configured to convert the emergent light intensity into a current signal reflecting the sound wave. Linear conversion between sound wave vibration and an electric signal is realized by regulating and controlling a feedback intensity factor, and a complex demodulation process is omitted; by adopting the compact integration or split type optical path design of the MEMS structure, the laser and the detector, the system has the advantages of high sensitivity, high environmental adaptability, easiness in mass production and the like.

An optical displacement sensor comprises a reflective surface and one or more diffraction gratings which, together with the reflective surface, each define a respective interferometric arrangement. The reflective surface is moveable relative to the diffraction grating(s) or vice versa. Light from a light source propagates via the interferometric arrangement(s) to produce an interference pattern at a respective set of photo detectors. Each interference pattern depends on the separation between the reflective surface and the respective grating. A collimating optical arrangement at least partially collimates the light between the light source and the diffraction grating(s). For the or each interferometric arrangement, when the reflective surface or the diffraction grating is in a zero-displacement position, the optical path length L of the light propagating between the diffraction grating and the reflective surface satisfies the relationship:L=Tz⁢n2,to within 20% ofTz2, where n is an integer; where Tz is the Talbot length, defined by:Tz=λ1-1-λ2p2,where λ is the wavelength of the light, and where p is the grating period of the respective diffraction grating.

The present application provides a sound capture method applied to a microphone. The microphone comprises a laser self-mixing device and a diaphragm device, the diaphragm device comprises a membrane configured to respond to sound vibration, and the laser self-mixing device and the diaphragm device are separately configured to detect the vibration of the membrane. In the method, a first voltage signal is obtained using the laser self-mixing device, and a second voltage signal is simultaneously obtained using the diaphragm device. If the first voltage signal is equal to or less than a preset threshold, the first voltage signal is converted into an audio signal, or if the first voltage signal is greater than a preset threshold, the second voltage signal is converted into an audio signal. According to the method of the present application, the audio signal may be collected in two different manners, so that the switching between the two signals is realized using a preset threshold, and the more consistent signal is selected and converted into an audio signal. This can ensure the quality of the audio signal. The present application further relates to a microphone and an electronic device.

A vehicle is provided, comprising at least one optical sensor arranged on an exterior surface thereof, as well as a control unit which is in signal communication with the optical sensor and which is configured to process data acquired by the optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor is arranged and configured to optically record acoustic signals generated in the exterior surface of the vehicle and to transmit them to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a voice command from the optically recorded acoustic signal.Furthermore, a method for detecting an acoustic signal outside the vehicle is provided by means of an optical sensor serving as a visual microphone, which is arranged on an exterior of the vehicle, wherein only acoustic signals which are recognized as a voice command during the processing of the acoustic signals are further processed in such a way that the voice command is executed by the vehicle.

A method and system for distributed acoustic sensing in a city or metropolitan area or the like that includes a dedicated, established fiber optic communication network, including a data center, is provided. [Solution] The method and system include the steps of: (a) selecting an optical fiber cable plant having a route extending across a selected geographic area, including a bundle of optical fibers and forming part of an optical fiber communications network; (b) determining characteristics associated with the optical fibers associated with the plant and / or the selected optical fibers; (c) transmitting emitted light within the optical fiber; (d) receiving reflected light backscattered along the optical fiber; and (e) generating an alarm signal representative of an acoustic event based on the reflected light and the determined characteristics, and may be useful for detecting acoustic events near or within the selected geographic area.

An acoustic output of therapeutic devices used in shock wave therapy can be obtained by measuring the pressure waves radiated from the pressure wave transducer in water. Since the pressure waves used in shock wave therapy generate severe bubbles in water, measuring the surface vibrations of the pressure wave transducer using the laser Doppler method includes significant noise caused by the bubbles. This invention utilizes a filter generated to eliminate the noise in the vibration signals measured by the laser Doppler method, which is caused by the bubbles. The filter is generated by comparing the vibration signals measured in degassed distilled water with the reference signals measured in air at the minimum output setting of the shock wave generation device. Using the filter, it is possible to estimate the vibration signals of the pressure wave transducer generated underwater under the set conditions of the specific shock wave generating device.

A microphone 1 includes a light source 11 that outputs an optical signal, an optical coupler 12 that demultiplexes and multiplexes the optical signal, a transmission path 13 including an optical fiber 130 that transmits a demultiplexed optical signal demultiplexed by the optical coupler 12 to the optical coupler 12 in mutually opposite directions, a sensor part 14 that is connected to the transmission path 13 and returns the demultiplexed optical signal to be transmitted by the transmission path 13 to the transmission path 13 via a space part 40, and a light receiving element 15 that receives a multiplexed optical signal multiplexed by the optical coupler 12.

A laser-induced plasma (LIP) sound generator comprising: a laser beam and a first beam splitter configured to split the laser into a plurality of sub-laser beams such that each sub-laser beam creates a LIP at a respective focal point, wherein each focal point lies within an imaginary sphere having a radius that is less than half of a desired sound wavelength such that acoustic fields of the LIPs add together as if from a single point source.

An embodiment of this application provides a laser microphone, including a diaphragm, a laser device, a control circuit, a self-mixing signal obtaining apparatus, and a signal processing circuit. The laser device is configured to emit light to the diaphragm and receive a feedback light signal from the diaphragm, and the feedback light signal interferes with laser in a resonant cavity of the laser device to obtain a self-mixing light signal. A distance between the laser device and the diaphragm ranges from 30 to 300 µm. The control circuit is connected to the laser device, and is configured to drive and control the laser device to emit light. The self-mixing signal obtaining apparatus is connected to the laser device, and is configured to obtain a target voltage signal related to the self-mixing light signal. The signal processing circuit is connected to the self-mixing signal obtaining apparatus, and is configured to receive the target voltage signal output by the self-mixing signal obtaining apparatus and process the target voltage signal into an audio voltage signal. The laser microphone has a high signal-to-noise ratio, such that a voice recognition rate and an awakening rate can be increased, and long-distance sound pickup effect is improved. An embodiment of this application further provides a terminal including the laser microphone.

A microphone (1) is provided with: a light source (11) that outputs an optical signal; an optical coupler (12) for demultiplexing and multiplexing the optical signal; a transmission path (13) that includes an optical fiber (130) that transmits the demultiplexed optical signals demultiplexed by the optical coupler (12) to the optical coupler (12) in mutually opposite directions; a sensor unit (14) that is connected to the transmission path (13) and returns the demultiplexed optical signal transmitted by the transmission path (13) to the transmission path (13) via the space unit (40); and a light receiving element (15) that receives a multiplexed optical signal multiplexed by the optical coupler (12).

The invention provides an optical microphone demodulation method and system based on a digital optical comb, and the method comprises the steps: carrying out the inverse fast Fourier transform of a data sequence of a constant-amplitude pseudo-random phase relation, and converting the data sequence into an analog signal; performing light splitting on the optical signal to obtain two paths of optical signals; one path of optical signal is used as a reference optical signal, and the other path of optical signal is subjected to optical frequency comb modulation through an analog signal to obtain a measurement optical signal; enabling the target sound wave to act on the measurement optical signal, causing the spectral characteristic offset of the measurement optical signal through an acoustic-optical coupling effect, and obtaining an offset optical signal; performing coherent detection on the reference optical signal and the offset optical signal to obtain a detection signal; and sampling the detection signal, and analyzing the target sound wave based on the sampled data. According to the invention, tiny optical frequency change caused by sound signals can be captured, and high-precision application scene requirements can be met; tiny optical frequency deviation caused by extremely weak sound can be clearly distinguished, and high-sensitivity and high-resolution detection of weak sound signals is achieved.

A distributed forwarding sensing system and method for multi-event localization and high-fidelity acoustic waveform reconstruction in which the method includes modeling a bi-directional distributed forwarding sensing scheme as an equivalent dual-element sensor array (SA2), where an event location (z) along a fiber is mapped to a direction-of-arrival (DOA) angle (α). Signals from first and second receivers are transformed into the time-frequency domain. Generalized Cross-Correlation with Phase Transform (GCC-PHAT) is used to accurately localize multiple simultaneous events by estimating a time shift (Δτ). An adaptive beamforming technique, such as a Generalized Sidelobe Canceller (GSC), is then steered toward the desired event location to enhance the acoustic signal and mitigate noise and interference from other locations along the fiber, resulting in a high-fidelity reconstructed acoustic waveform suitable for machine learning classification.

Examples relate to a method (10) for detecting an acoustic signal (Sig) on ​​a vehicle (21), the method (10) comprising: using (11) a laser device (Lid', Lid'') of the vehicle for a laser microphone system to detect an acoustic vibration on a predetermined surface (21a, 41) of the vehicle (21); aligning (12) the laser device (Lid', Lid'') of the vehicle (21) onto the predetermined surface; sending (13) laser beams (L2) onto the predetermined surface by means of the aligned laser device (Lid', Lid''); and receiving (14) laser beams reflected from the predetermined surface by means of the aligned laser device (Lid', Lid'') in order to calculate the acoustic signal (Sig) from the reflected laser beams with the superimposed acoustic vibration.

An optical displacement sensor (2) comprises a reflective surface (4) and one or more diffraction gratings (6) which, together with the reflective surface, each define a respective interferometric arrangement. The reflective surface (4) is moveable relative to the diffraction grating(s) (6) or vice versa. Light from a light source (8) propagates via the interferometric arrangement(s) to produce an interference pattern at a respective set of photo detectors (10). Each interference pattern depends on the separation between the reflective surface (4) and the respective grating (6). A collimating optical arrangement (14) at least partially collimates the light between the light source (8) and the diffraction grating(s) (6). For the or each interferometric arrangement, when the reflective surface (4) or the diffraction grating (6) is in a zero-displacement position, the optical path length L of the light propagating between the diffraction grating (6) and the reflective surface (4) satisfies the relationship: to within 20% of j, where n is an integer; where Tz is the Talbot length, defined by: where λ is the wavelength of the light, and where p is the grating period of the respective diffraction grating (6). Alternatively, L may satisfy: to within 20% of p where m is an odd integer. Additionally or alternatively, the optical displacement sensor (34; 112) may comprise two or more diffraction gratings (44, 46; 116) and may be configured to provide a respective separate light beam (62, 64; 132) to each grating (44, 46; 116) using a beam-separating arrangement (48; 126) or plural light source elements.

In order to facilitate the disposition of multiple noise measuring points in a distributed manner, this underwater noise monitoring device is provide with: a processing unit in which, by using data which was acquired using optical fibers installed underwater or on a bottom of water and which indicates noise or vibration at the position of each of the optical fibers, a statistical value of the amount of noise or vibration is derived at the time and the place when / where the data was acquired; and an output unit that outputs the statistical value.

The invention relates to a method for producing a target break line (3) with a defined tear resistance in an airbag cover (2). The target break line (3) is produced using a removal method, in which sound waves are generated along a line (L) at the respective machining location using a tool. The creation of a predefined tear resistance along the target break line (3) is controlled in that an optical control signal for controlling the removal is formed which is influenced by the sound waves.

A sound measuring device includes: a light source that emits a laser beam; a frame including at least one reflective surface that faces a predetermined space through which sound travels, and transversely surrounds the predetermined space with respect to a sound propagation direction; and a light receiver that receives the laser beam multiply reflected by the at least one reflective surface. The at least one reflective surface is disposed to multiply reflect and cross the laser beam in the predetermined space as viewed from the sound propagation direction.

The optical displacement sensor (2) includes a reflecting surface (4) and one or more diffraction gratings (6) that, together with the reflecting surface, each define an interference arrangement. The reflecting surface (4) is movable relative to the diffraction gratings (6), or vice versa. Light from a light source (8) propagates through the interference arrangement and produces an interference pattern at each set of photodetectors (10). Each interference pattern depends on the separation between the reflecting surface (4) and each grating (6). A collimating optical arrangement (14) at least partially collimates the light between the light source (8) and the diffraction grating (6). For the or each interference arrangement, when the reflecting surface (4) or diffraction grating (6) is in a zero-displacement position, the optical path length L of light propagating between the diffraction grating (6) and the reflecting surface (4) satisfies the following relationship to within 20% of j, where n is an integer, and Tz is the Talbot length defined as follows: λ is the wavelength of the light, and p is the grating period of each diffraction grating (6): Alternatively, L is within 20% of p, where m is an odd integer. Additionally or alternatively, the optical displacement sensor (34, 112) may include two or more diffraction gratings (44, 46, 116) and may be configured to provide each separate light beam (62, 64, 132) to each grating (44, 46, 116) using a beam separation arrangement (48, 126) or multiple light source elements.

The invention relates to a method for a motor vehicle comprising a laser transmitter, said method comprising: detecting a voice command of a user of the motor vehicle; a laser signal is determined, and the laser signal is set to be used for generating audio input corresponding to the voice instruction in a photoacoustic mode when the laser signal enters a microphone; and the laser signal is output towards the direction of the microphone through the laser transmitter.

The present invention relates to a human body stimulation system that uses acoustic pressure to provide vibration and photoacoustic sound to provide bone conduction sound. More specifically, the present invention relates to a human body stimulation system that uses acoustic pressure to provide vibration and photoacoustic sound to provide bone conduction sound, the system includes a vibration device configured to provide vibration to a human body using acoustic pressure and a transducer that provides bone conduction sound using photoacoustic sound, and thus can provide vibration (tactile sensation) and bone conduction sound (auditory sensation) to a human body (particularly the brain). According to the present invention, bone conduction sound can be provided simultaneously with human body stimulation to vibration.

A hearing stimulation system for a tympanic membrane (16) comprising a signal generator (17) and an optomechanical transducer (18) for exciting a vibration of the tympanic membrane (16). The signal generator (17) is designed to emit a light signal (20) such that the light signal (20) strikes the optomechanical transducer (18) and triggers a thermal deformation in the optomechanical transducer (18). The optomechanical transducer (18) is designed such that the thermal deformation causes a change in the curvature of the optomechanical transducer (18), thereby deflecting a surface section (30, 31) of the optomechanical transducer (18). The invention also relates to a method for operating a hearing stimulation system.

An optical microphone module (2) for mounting in a microphone assembly is described. The module (2) is manufactured by assembling a semiconductor chip (4), a spacer (6), and an interferometry assembly (8) into a stack, wherein the spacer (6) is disposed between the semiconductor chip (4) and the interferometry assembly (8). The interferometry assembly (8) includes a diaphragm (12) and a substrate (10) including optical elements (14) spaced apart from the diaphragm (12). The semiconductor chip (4) includes a photoelectric circuit (20) containing at least one photodetector (18) and has a light source (16) mounted thereon or integrated therein. The light source (16) is positioned to provide light to the interferometry arrangement (8) such that two light portions (26, 28) propagate via corresponding optical paths to produce an interference pattern at the photodetector (18) that depends on the position of the diaphragm (12). The stack includes an inner cavity (30) and at least one orifice (40) providing an air passage between the inner cavity (20) and the outer surface (34) of the stack, such that the inner cavity (30) is in fluid communication with the outer surface (34) of the stack. A first side of the diaphragm (12) is in fluid communication with the outer surface (34) of the stack, and a second side of the diaphragm (12) is in fluid communication with the inner cavity (30).

A system for locating a sound source includes at least four emitter / receiver pairs, each emitter / receiver pair of the at least four emitter / receiver pairs including a laser emitter and a receiver external to an enclosed structure. The laser directs a laser beam onto a respective reflector surface location on an outer surface of the structure, the respective reflector surface location being caused to vibrate due to sound waves generated from a sound source at a sound source location within the enclosed structure. The receiver receives vibrational signals from the laser beam on the surface at the respective reflector surface location and converting the vibrational signals to acoustic signals. A processor coupled to the emitter / receiver pairs for utilizing the acoustic signals to determine a time difference of arrival of the sound waves to the respective reflector surface locations to determine the sound source location based on the time difference of arrivals.

To provide an optical microphone capable of controlling directivity toward a sound source.SOLUTION: An optical source 110, a first optical splitter 120 that splits light from the optical source into reference light and measuring light, a second optical splitter 130 that splits the measuring light into N pieces of measuring light, a first emitting unit 141 that emits the N pieces of measuring light to a S1 of a predetermined space, a first light receiving unit 145 that receives the N pieces of measuring light 144 propagated through the predetermined space, a third optical splitter 150 that splits the reference light into N pieces of measuring light, and N optical couplers 161 to 168 that couple the N pieces of measuring light and the N pieces of reference light on a one to-one basis; N photodetectors 171 to 178 that receive the N coupled light beams and detect interference between the measurement light beam and the reference light beam in each of the N coupled light beams, and a control unit 180 that controls directivity of sound collection by performing signal processing on N detection signals output from the N photodetectors are provided, the N measurement light beams are arranged in parallel at equal intervals in a predetermined space, and the control unit sequentially delays the N detection signals by a predetermined time interval and adds the detection signals.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

This disclosure provides methods and apparatuses related to a microphone. In an implementation, a microphone includes a laser self-mixing apparatus and a diaphragm apparatus, the diaphragm apparatus includes a membrane configured to respond to a sound vibration, and the laser self-mixing apparatus and the diaphragm apparatus are separately configured to detect a vibration of the membrane. In an example method performed by the microphone, a first voltage signal is obtained by using the laser self-mixing apparatus, and a second voltage signal is simultaneously obtained by using the diaphragm apparatus. If the first voltage signal is less than or equal to a preset threshold, the first voltage signal is converted into an audio signal; or if the first voltage signal is greater than the preset threshold, the second voltage signal is converted into an audio signal.

[Problem] The estimation accuracy of a class of an object is to be effectively improved. [Means of Solution] Provided is an information processing device including an estimation unit that estimates, based on an input image, a class of an object that is present in a real environment corresponding to an imaging range of the input image, wherein the object includes an acoustically useful object having an acoustic feature useful for class estimation, and the estimation unit estimates a class of the acoustically useful object based on acoustic data collected from around the acoustically useful object.