Microphone device in annular array arrangement

Abstract

The invention discloses a microphone device arranged in an annular array, which adopts the arrangement of first microphone sensors arranged in an annular array and second microphone sensors arranged at a certain height difference with the first microphone sensors, and realizes sound source positioning by using the time difference, phase difference and other information of sound received by different microphones. According to the invention, noise is removed by combining with a software algorithm, a user does not need to wear a traditional head-mounted microphone or a handheld microphone, the user can easily speak with light and natural sound at any position, and participants or an online recording system can hear clear speech sound. The problem that the sound transmission effect of a traditional microphone can be achieved only when a speaker wears equipment or has certain distance limitation or loud sound hoarseness is solved, and the microphone has the beneficial effect that the speaker can express the sound more naturally and more easily.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of microphone devices, and particularly relates to a microphone device arranged in a circular array. Background Art

[0002] Conference microphones are in demand in various scenarios. Generally, they are connected to conference terminal devices through data cables with audio interface types such as USB and Type-C. They have the advantages of driver-free installation, plug-and-play, stable signal transmission, no battery life concerns, high cost performance, and strong device compatibility. However, they are restricted by wires, lack mobility, and will occupy desktop space, making the desktop appear messy. Another type of wireless omnidirectional microphone uses technologies such as Bluetooth, 2.4G, and 5.8G wireless adapters to connect to conference terminal devices. It is built-in with a large-capacity lithium battery, has a long signal reception distance, clear and delay-free human voice transmission, is not restricted by wires, is flexible to move, and is portable to use. The above two traditional microphone devices will cause more or less inconvenience to the speaker, including wearing and usage distance limitations, etc. For large conference rooms, there are currently ceiling microphones and array microphones. Existing array microphones usually consist of multiple microphone units and complex signal processing circuits, with a relatively high technical content. Therefore, the device price is relatively expensive. At the same time, their installation and debugging require professional personnel, which also increases the labor cost. For the desktop array microphones in small conference rooms, the unit spacing may be about 5 cm to 10 cm; while for the ceiling array microphones in large conference rooms, the unit spacing may be about 15 cm to 30 cm, and coordinated debugging between each unit is required, with a high usage cost. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a microphone device arranged in a circular array, so as to solve the technical problems of complex technology and high usage and installation costs caused by the need to install multiple microphone units at a fixed spacing and perform coordinated debugging for existing array microphones.

[0004] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention discloses a microphone device arranged in a circular array, including a fixing frame, a main board part and a microphone part. The fixing frame is fixedly connected to the microphone part through a hollow connecting rod. The microphone part includes a mesh cover part and a bracket part. The bracket part includes an upper bracket and a lower bracket. The lower bracket has a first sensor cavity arranged in a circular array and a second sensor cavity arranged at the lowest point of the spherical surface with the circle where the first sensor cavity is located as the equator. The microphone part includes a microphone sensor. The microphone sensors are fixedly connected by the same microphone flexible board and are independently placed in the first sensor cavity and the second sensor cavity. The microphone flexible board starts from the microphone sensor in one of the first sensor cavities arranged in a circular array and is connected to the microphone sensors in other first sensor cavities in series, then extends downward to the microphone sensor in the second sensor cavity and passes through the hollow part of the connecting rod to be connected to the main board part. The main board part includes an analog-to-digital conversion chip, which converts the analog signal into a digital signal and then calculates the sound sources at different positions and in different directions in the scene through a software algorithm.

[0005] Preferably, the first sensor cavities arranged in a circular array are five cavities, and the distance between any two of the first sensor cavities is equal.

[0006] Preferably, the mesh cover part is a spherical surface with uniformly distributed through holes. The mesh cover part includes an upper mesh cover and a lower mesh cover. The bracket part includes an annular upper bracket and a lower bracket with a ring. The upper mesh cover and the upper bracket are fixedly connected through the cooperation of a first insert piece and a first slot. The lower mesh cover and the lower bracket are fixedly connected through the cooperation of a second insert piece and a second slot.

[0007] Preferably, the upper bracket has a first slot, and a first insert piece corresponding to the first slot is arranged on the upper mesh cover. The first insert piece is inserted into the first slot and bent to realize the fixed connection between the upper mesh cover and the upper bracket. The lower bracket has a second slot, and a second insert piece corresponding to the second slot is arranged on the lower mesh cover. The second insert piece is inserted into the second slot and bent to realize the fixed connection between the lower mesh cover and the lower bracket.

[0008] Preferably, the upper bracket and the lower bracket are fixedly connected by a snap-fastening structure, and a decorative ring is arranged outside the connection seam for shielding and beautification.

[0009] Preferably, a first screw hole is arranged in the middle of the main board lower shell of the main board part, and the first screw hole is fixedly connected to one end of the connecting rod. A second screw hole is arranged at the center of the outside of the upper mesh cover, and the second screw hole is fixedly connected to the other end of the connecting rod.

[0010] Preferably, the main board part includes an upper main board case, a functional main board, and a lower main board case. The upper main board case and the lower main board case are fixedly connected by fastening screws. The lower main board case has a cavity for placing the functional main board and a cavity wall surrounding the functional main board. Vertically strip-shaped second through holes are uniformly arranged on the cavity wall.

[0011] Preferably, the upper main board case has third through holes corresponding one by one to the components of the functional main board for the components to pass through the upper main board case. A groove is arranged along the circumference on the outer side of the upper main board case relative to the cavity.

[0012] Preferably, a light-transmitting ring is arranged at the edge of the lower main board case. The light-transmitting ring is fixedly connected to the lower main board case through fixing posts.

[0013] Preferably, buckles are arranged around the fixing frame. Grooves corresponding one by one to the buckles are arranged on the outer side of the upper main board case of the main board part. The grooves have entrances for the buckles to be inserted. After the buckles are inserted from the entrances, they are rotated into the inside of the grooves and blocked and fixed by the limiting parts of the grooves to realize the fixed connection between the main board part and the fixing frame.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects obtained by the present invention are as follows: The present invention discloses a microphone device arranged in a circular array. By arranging a first microphone sensor arranged in a circular array and a second microphone sensor arranged with a certain height difference from the first microphone sensor, using information such as the time difference and phase difference of sound received by different microphones to realize sound source localization, combined with software algorithms to perform noise removal, without wearing a traditional head-mounted microphone or hand-held microphone, one can easily speak in a relatively soft and natural voice at any position, and the speech sound can be clearly heard by the participants or the online recording system, solving the problems that traditional microphones require the speaker to wear equipment or have certain distance limitations or need to shout loudly to achieve the sound transmission effect, and at the same time solving the technical problems of the existing ceiling array microphones with complex technology, high installation, use and debugging costs, having the beneficial effects of making the speaker express more naturally and easily, simple installation and use, and no need for collaborative debugging. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is an exploded view of the microphone device arranged in a circular array of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 It is a diagram of the microphone part of the microphone device arranged in a circular array of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3Schematic diagram of the microphone device arranged in an annular array according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 Installation schematic diagram of the microphone device arranged in an annular array according to the present invention.

[0019] Reference numerals: 1 - fixing bracket; 11 - connecting part; 12 - supporting part; 121 - first through hole; 122 - buckle; 2 - main board part; 21 - main board upper shell; 211 - third through hole; 212 - groove; 22 - functional main board; 23 - main board lower shell; 231 - cavity wall; 2311 - second through hole; 232 - light-transmitting ring; 2321 - fixing column; 233 - first screw hole; 3 - connecting rod; 4 - microphone part; 41 - mesh cover part; 411 - upper mesh cover; 4111 - first insertion piece; 4112 - second screw hole; 412 - lower mesh cover; 4121 - second insertion piece; 42 - bracket part; 421 - upper bracket; 4211 - first slot; 422 - lower bracket; 4221 - second slot; 423 - first sensor cavity; 424 - second sensor cavity; 43 - decorative ring; 44 - microphone sensor; 45 - microphone flexible board. Detailed implementation manners

[0020] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the specification and specific embodiments. However, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0021] Please refer to the attached Figures 1 to 3, a microphone device with an annular array setting, comprising a fixing frame 1, a main board part 2, a connecting rod 3, and a microphone part 4. The fixing frame 1 includes a connecting part 11 fixed to the ceiling and a supporting part 12 surrounding and higher than the connecting part. The supporting part 12 is provided with a first through hole 121 for ventilation; the main board part 2 includes a main board upper shell 21, a functional main board 22, and a main board lower shell 23. The main board upper shell 21 and the main board lower shell 23 are fixedly connected by fastening screws. The main board lower shell 23 has a cavity for placing the functional main board and a cavity wall 231 surrounding the functional main board. Vertically strip-shaped second through holes 2311 are uniformly arranged on the cavity wall 231. The main board upper shell 21 has third through holes 211 corresponding to the components of the functional main board 22 for the components to pass through the main board upper shell 21. A groove 212 is arranged along the circumference on the outer side of the main board upper shell 21 relative to the cavity. Buckles 122 corresponding to the grooves 212 are arranged around the supporting part 12. The groove 212 has an entrance for the buckle 122 to insert. After the buckle 122 is inserted from the entrance, it rotates into the inside of the groove 212 and is blocked and fixed by the limiting part of the groove 212 to achieve the fixed connection between the main board part 2 and the fixing frame 1. The buckle 122 has a structure with a middle protrusion and two flat sides. The groove 212 correspondingly has a depression that fits with the structure of the buckle 122 to make the rotational snap fit more firm; a light-transmitting ring 232 is arranged at the edge of the main board lower shell 23. The light-transmitting ring 232 is fixedly connected to the main board lower shell 23 through fixing columns 2321; an indicator light is arranged inside the main board part 2. When the microphone device is turned on, the indicator light lights up, and the light passes through the light-transmitting ring 232 to indicate that the current state of the microphone device is on. A first screw hole 233 is arranged in the middle of the main board lower shell 23. The first screw hole 233 is fixedly connected to one end of the connecting rod 3. The other end of the connecting rod 3 is fixedly connected to the microphone part 4. The connecting rod 3 is a hollow cylindrical structure. The hollow interior of the connecting rod 3 is used to connect the functional main board 22 and the microphone part 4 through a signal line, and the signal line passes through the hollow cylinder of the connecting rod.

[0022] The microphone unit 4 includes a grille portion 41 and a bracket portion 42. The grille portion 41 is a spherical surface with uniformly distributed through holes. The grille portion 41 includes an upper grille 411 and a lower grille 412. The bracket portion 42 includes an annular upper bracket 421 and a lower bracket 422 with a ring. The upper bracket 421 has a first slot 4211. A first insert piece 4111 corresponding to the first slot 4211 is provided on the upper grille 411. The first insert piece 4111 is inserted into the first slot 4211 and bent to achieve the fixed connection between the upper grille 411 and the upper bracket 421. A second screw hole 4112 is provided at the center of the outer side of the upper grille 411. The second screw hole 4112 is fixedly connected to the other end of the connecting rod 3. The lower bracket 422 has a second slot 4221. A second insert piece 4121 corresponding to the second slot 4221 is provided on the lower grille 412. The second insert piece 4121 is inserted into the second slot 4221 and bent to achieve the fixed connection between the lower grille 412 and the lower bracket 422. The upper bracket 421 and the lower bracket 422 are fixedly connected by a snap-fastening structure. A decorative ring 43 is provided outside the connection seam for shielding and beautification. Five first sensor cavities 423 arranged in an annular array are included on the lower bracket 422. A second sensor cavity 424 is provided at the bottom of a sphere with the largest outer circle of the lower bracket 422 as the equator. The first sensor cavities 423 and the second sensor cavity 424 are used to place the microphone sensors 44 and then filled with glue for sealing. The microphone sensors 44 are connected by a microphone flexible board 45. After the microphone sensors 44 are connected and fixed by the same microphone flexible board 45, they are independently placed in the first sensor cavities 423 and the second sensor cavity 424. The microphone flexible board 45 starts from one of the microphone sensors 44 in the annularly arranged first sensor cavities 423 and is connected in series to the microphone sensors 44 in the other first sensor cavities 423, and then extends downward to the microphone sensor 44 in the second sensor cavity 424 and passes through the hollow part of the connecting rod 3 to be connected to the main board portion 2.

[0023] Please refer to the attached Figure 4 When using the product, first fix the fixing frame 1 to the ceiling in the middle of the scene, and then press the main board portion 2 of the annular array microphone and the fixing frame 1 into the entrance of the groove first and then rotate and fit in the direction shown in the figure for snap-fastening and fixing.

[0024] The microphone sensor is a sound-receiving component that converts sound signals into analog electrical signals. This sensor has two or more wires, one of which is usually the ground wire, and the other is the signal wire for transmitting the analog audio signal. These wires are connected to the audio input interface on the functional main board. On the functional main board, there is a corresponding audio processing circuit that first amplifies the input analog audio signal to enhance the signal strength and compensate for the attenuation during signal transmission. Then, filtering is performed to remove high-frequency noise and other unwanted interference signals to improve the audio quality.

[0025] In another embodiment, the sound-receiving component integrates an analog-to-digital conversion function and can directly convert sound signals into digital signals. The sound-receiving component is connected to the functional main board through a digital interface (such as I²S, SPI, etc.). The I²S interface has dedicated clock lines, data lines, and left and right channel selection lines, enabling high-precision digital audio signal transmission. The SPI interface transmits digital audio data through the synchronization of the clock signal and the data signal. The digital signal processing chip on the functional main board receives these digital audio signals and performs further processing, such as noise reduction, echo cancellation, audio encoding, etc.

[0026] In another embodiment, the sound-receiving component first converts the sound signal into an analog electrical signal, and then converts the analog signal into a digital signal through an analog-to-digital conversion chip. This analog-to-digital conversion chip is connected to the functional main board through a digital interface to transmit the digital audio signal to the functional main board for subsequent processing. This method combines the advantages of analog and digital technologies, being able to utilize the analog circuit to perform preliminary amplification and filtering of the sound signal, and also being able to perform more precise signal processing and transmission through digital technology.

[0027] When the disclosed annular array microphone device of the present invention is in use, it has 5 microphones evenly distributed in an inner ring shape on the same plane, and there is another microphone at a certain distance from the previous 5 microphones in the height direction. Software algorithms are used to calculate the sound sources at different positions and in different directions in the scene to determine which sound is the sound source to be picked up and which sounds are noise. Then, digital processing is performed on the sound source to be picked up, and the environmental noise is filtered, so that the entire microphone device picks up a clean sound, and then this sound is output to our speaker device for playback.

[0028] A sound feedback technology is designed between the speaker device and the microphone to avoid the delay in sound transmission, and the sound collected by the annular array microphone is played back in the speaker without delay and almost in real time.

[0029] Sound acquisition refers to the technology of collecting, processing, and analyzing played or transmitted sound signals, which is widely used in fields such as audio monitoring, voice interaction optimization, and audio quality assessment. The following introduces common technical solutions from the hardware, software, and algorithm levels: Hardware solutions: Microphone array acquisition: Multiple microphones are used to form an array to collect sound. By utilizing information such as the time difference and phase difference of sound received by different microphones, sound source localization and beamforming can be achieved. Audio interface adaptation: Select an audio interface that matches the acquisition device, such as a 3.5mm interface, USB interface, XLR cannon interface, etc., to ensure stable transmission of the sound signal to the acquisition device, such as a computer, recording device, etc. Signal conditioning circuit: Perform preprocessing such as amplification and filtering on the collected sound signal. Use an operational amplifier to amplify weak sound signals and a low-pass filter to remove high-frequency noise to improve the signal quality.

[0030] Software solutions: Operating system audio acquisition: In operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS, utilize the system's built-in audio acquisition APIs (such as WaveIn for Windows, ALSA for Linux, and Core Audio for macOS) for sound acquisition. Developers can call these APIs through programming to set parameters such as the sampling rate, number of channels, and bit depth. Professional audio acquisition software: Use professional audio acquisition software such as Audacity and Adobe Audition. These software have rich functions such as real-time monitoring, multi-track recording, audio editing, and noise reduction, which facilitate users to perform sound acquisition and processing. Embedded system acquisition: In embedded devices (such as smart speakers and surveillance cameras), utilize embedded operating systems (such as FreeRTOS and RT-Thread) and corresponding audio driver programs to achieve sound acquisition, and the acquisition function can be customized according to the device requirements.

[0031] Algorithm solutions: Noise reduction algorithms: Adopt algorithms such as Wiener filtering and wavelet denoising to remove environmental noise and device noise in the collected sound. For example, Wiener filtering estimates the noisy signal optimally based on the statistical characteristics of the noise and the signal to suppress the noise. Echo cancellation algorithms: In two-way audio communication scenarios, use adaptive echo cancellation algorithms (such as NLMS and RLS algorithms). By comparing the reference signal with the collected signal, the echo path is estimated and the echo is eliminated to ensure clear speech. Audio enhancement algorithms: Utilize deep learning algorithms (such as audio enhancement models based on convolutional neural networks) to recover the original clean audio from noisy or damaged audio, improve the audio quality, and enhance the intelligibility and clarity of the sound.

[0032] When this device is used in large-scale scenes such as classrooms, conference rooms, and studios, speakers in the scene do not need to wear traditional head-mounted microphones or handheld microphones. They can easily speak in a relatively light and natural voice at any position, and then the participants on site or the online recording system can hear the clear speech sound. It removes some of the constraints of traditional speakers and does not need to shout loudly, allowing speakers to express themselves more naturally and easily.

[0033] The above examples are only specific embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and there are many similar modifications. All modifications that can be directly derived or associated with the content disclosed by ordinary technicians in this field should be considered as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A microphone device arranged in a circular array, characterized in that: The invention comprises a fixing frame (1), a main board portion (2) and a microphone portion (4), wherein the fixing frame (1) and the microphone portion (4) are fixedly connected via a hollow connecting rod (3), the microphone portion (4) comprises a mesh cover portion (41) and a bracket portion (42), the bracket portion (42) comprises an upper bracket (421) and a lower bracket (422), the lower bracket (422) comprises first sensor cavities (423) arranged in a circular array and a second sensor cavity (424) is arranged at the lowest point of a spherical surface with the circular area where the first sensor cavities (423) are located as the equator, the microphone portion (4) comprises a microphone sensor (44), and the microphone sensor (44) is connected and fixed via a same microphone soft board (45). Independently placed in the first sensor cavity (423) and the second sensor cavity (424), the microphone soft board (45) starts from the microphone sensor (44) of one of the first sensor cavities (423) arranged in a circular array and connects in series the microphone sensors (44) arranged in other first sensor cavities (423), and then extends downward to the microphone sensor (44) arranged in the second sensor cavity (424), and then passes through the hollow part of the connecting rod (3) to be connected to the main board part (2), and the main board part (2) includes an analog-to-digital conversion chip, which converts the analog signal into a digital signal and calculates the sound sources at different positions and directions in the scene through a software algorithm.

2. The microphone device arranged in a circular array according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first sensor cavities (423) arranged in a circular array consist of five cavities, and the intervals between any two of the first sensor cavities (423) are equal.

3. The microphone device arranged in a circular array according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mesh cover portion (41) is a spherical surface with evenly distributed through holes. The mesh cover portion (41) comprises an upper mesh cover (411) and a lower mesh cover (412). The bracket portion (42) comprises an annular upper bracket (421) and an annular lower bracket (422). The upper mesh cover (411) and the upper bracket (421) are fixedly connected by the cooperation of a first plug-in piece (4111) and a first slot (4211). The lower mesh cover (412) and the lower bracket (422) are fixedly connected by the cooperation of a second plug-in piece (4121) and a second slot (4221).

4. The microphone device arranged in a circular array according to claim 3, characterized in that: The upper bracket (421) has a first slot (4211), and the upper net cover (411) is provided with a first inserting piece (4111) corresponding to the first slot (4211), and the first inserting piece (4111) is inserted into the first slot (4211) and bent to achieve a fixed connection between the net cover (411) and the upper bracket (421); the lower bracket (422) has a second slot (4221), and the lower net cover (412) is provided with a second inserting piece (4121) corresponding to the second slot (4221), and the second inserting piece (4121) is inserted into the second slot (4221) and bent to achieve a fixed connection between the lower net cover (412) and the lower bracket (422).

5. The microphone device arranged in a circular array according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper bracket (421) and the lower bracket (422) are buckled and fixedly connected via a buckle and slot structure, and a decorative ring (43) is provided outside the connection seam for shielding and aesthetics.

6. The microphone device arranged in a circular array according to claim 3, characterized in that: A first screw hole (233) is provided in the middle of the mainboard lower shell (23) of the mainboard portion (2), and the first screw hole (233) is fixedly connected to one end of the connecting rod 3; a second screw hole (4112) is provided at the center of the outer side of the upper net cover (411), and the second screw hole (4112) is fixedly connected to the other end of the connecting rod (3).

7. The microphone device arranged in a circular array according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mainboard portion (2) comprises a mainboard upper shell (21), a functional mainboard (22) and a mainboard lower shell (23); the mainboard upper shell (21) and the mainboard lower shell (23) are fixedly connected by fastening screws; the mainboard lower shell (23) comprises a cavity for placing the functional mainboard (22) and a cavity wall (231) surrounding the functional mainboard (22); the cavity wall (231) is evenly provided with vertical strip-shaped second through holes (2311).

8. The microphone device arranged in a circular array according to claim 7, characterized in that: The mainboard upper shell (21) has third through holes (211) corresponding one-to-one to components of the functional mainboard (22) for the components to pass through the mainboard upper shell (21), and the mainboard upper shell (21) is provided with a groove (212) along the circumference of the outer side of the cavity.

9. The microphone device arranged in a circular array according to claim 7, characterized in that: A light-transmitting ring (232) is provided on the edge of the mainboard lower shell (23), and the light-transmitting ring (232) is fixedly connected to the mainboard lower shell (23) via a fixing column (2321).

10. The microphone device arranged in a circular array according to claim 1, characterized in that: Buckles (122) are arranged around the fixing frame (1), and grooves (212) corresponding to the buckles (122) are arranged on the outer side of the mainboard upper shell (21) of the mainboard part (2), and the grooves (212) have an entrance for inserting the buckles (122). After the buckles (122) are inserted from the entrance, they rotate into the interior of the groove (212) and are blocked and fixed by the limiting part of the groove (212), thereby realizing a fixed connection between the mainboard part (2) and the fixing frame (1).

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