Electrical amplifier device

Abstract

Amplifier device (100) with inputs (111, 121, 131) for electrical signals and outputs (112, 122, 132) of amplified electrical signals, wherein three separate and independently controllable amplifier lines (1100, 1200, 1300) are provided, each with the same structure and the same number of electronic amplifier elements (1101, 1201, 1301), wherein each amplifier line (1100, 1200, 1300) is assigned its own input (111, 121, 131) and its own output (112, 122, 132) of high-frequency electrical signals, characterized in that each input (111, 121, 131) is assigned a microphone and each output (112, 122, 132) is assigned a microphone that can be heard in a human ear. The placeable acoustic signal generator with integrated vibrating membrane is assigned in such a way that each is assigned to a different amplifier line (1100, 1200,that the three microphones assigned to 1300) can be placed in a stable, predetermined spatial configuration in the vicinity of a human ear; that the three diaphragms assigned to different amplifier lines (1100, 1200, 1300) can be placed in the same stable, predetermined spatial configuration within a human ear as the three microphones; that the three microphones are spatially arranged to identify the three-dimensional spatial arrangement or directional information of an ambient sound source located outside a given human ear; and that the three diaphragms can be placed within a human ear to reconstruct the directional information of an ambient sound source identified by the three microphones by means of interference of the sound waves produced by the three diaphragms.

Description

The invention relates to an amplifier device with an input for electrical signals and an output of amplified electrical signals. Amplifier devices of the type mentioned above are used in countless different embodiments in the prior art. However, all known amplifier devices have the disadvantage that they are unsuitable for reconstructing the three-dimensional spatial directional information of one or more ambient sound sources. A microphone device with signal processing for different directional characteristics is known from publication US 2017 / 0288689 A1 (D1). From publication US 2016 / 0150325 A1 (D2) a system is known comprising an arrangement of acoustic MEMS sensors, an arrangement of preamplifiers and an analog-to-digital converter. A hearing aid device for electrically stimulating the cochlea using electrodes is known from publication US 4 400 590 A (D3). From publication US 2017 / 0171679 A1 (D4) a portable audio device is known in which a loudspeaker signal is passed through amplifier, delay and filter elements. The object of the invention is therefore to create an amplifier device suitable for reconstructing the three-dimensional spatial directional information of one or more ambient sound sources. For an amplifier device of the type mentioned above, this problem is solved according to the invention by providing three separate and independently controllable amplifier lines, each with the same structure and the same number of electronic amplifier elements, wherein each amplifier line has its own input and output of high-frequency electrical signals. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims, the elements of which act in the sense of a further improvement of the solution approach to the problem underlying the invention. In the amplifier device according to the invention, the combination of features in which three separate and independently controllable amplifier lines are provided, each with the same structure and the same number of electronic amplifier elements, wherein each amplifier line is assigned its own input and its own output of high-frequency electrical signals, enables a reconstruction of the three-dimensional spatial directional information of one or more ambient sound sources by means of interference of sound transducers arranged at the output of the respective amplifier lines. According to a first preferred embodiment of the amplifier device according to the invention, it is provided that an amplifier element is formed from a semiconductor-based integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is preferably implanted on an electronic chip, wherein the frequency range of each amplifier line is preferably dimensioned from 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz. Each amplifier line preferably has its own gain control and its own frequency control, by means of which a frequency-adjustable high-pass filter and a frequency-adjustable low-pass filter can be implemented. An input to each individual amplifier line for electrical signals can, for example, be formed by a microphone, with an output for electrical signals—preferably, but not necessarily—formed by an acoustic signal generator with an integrated vibrating diaphragm that can be placed in a human ear. According to an important preferred embodiment of the amplifier device according to the invention, the three microphones, each assigned to a different amplifier line, can be placed in a stable, predetermined spatial configuration in the vicinity of a human ear. According to another important preferred embodiment of the amplifier device according to the invention, the three vibrating diaphragms, each assigned to a different amplifier line, can be placed in the same stable, predetermined spatial configuration within a human ear as the three microphones placed in the vicinity of a human ear in an unstable, predetermined spatial configuration. The three microphones, placed in a stable, predetermined spatial configuration in the vicinity of a human ear, are spatially arranged to identify the three-dimensional spatial arrangement or directional information of an ambient sound source located outside of the human ear in question. According to an important embodiment of the device according to the invention, the three vibrating diaphragms, each assigned to a different amplifier line, can be spatially positioned within a human ear in order to reconstruct the directional information of an ambient sound source identified by the three microphones by means of interference of the sound waves produced by the three vibrating diaphragms. According to another important preferred embodiment of the amplifier device according to the invention, each amplifier line is provided with a phase delay element for delaying the output in time, the time delay being dimensioned to effect a targeted and predictable change in the propagation direction of the sound waves produced by interference of the three vibrating diaphragms within a human ear, to adapt to the individual shape of an ear canal of a person using the device according to the invention, and to optimize the impact of the sound waves produced by the vibrating diaphragms on the eardrum of the person using the device according to the invention. The amplifier device according to the invention is explained below with reference to a preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the figure of the drawing. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the amplifier device according to the invention. The amplifier device 100 according to the invention, shown in Fig. 1, comprises inputs 111, 121, 131 for electrical signals and outputs 112, 122, 132 of amplified electrical signals, wherein three separate and independently controllable amplifier lines 1100, 1200, 1300 are provided, each with the same structure and the same number of electronic amplifier elements 1101, 1201, 1301, wherein each amplifier line 1100, 1200, 1300 is assigned its own input 111, 121, 131 and its own output 112, 122, 132 of high-frequency electrical signals. Each amplifier element 1101, 1201, 1301 is formed from a semiconductor-based integrated circuit, the integrated circuit being implanted on an electronic chip. The frequency range of each amplifier line 1100, 1200, 1300 is designed from 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz. Each amplifier line 1100, 1200, 1300 has its own gain control 1102, 1202, 1302 and its own frequency control, by means of which a frequency-adjustable high-pass filter 1103, 1203, 1303 and a frequency-adjustable low-pass filter 1104, 1204, 1304 can be implemented, wherein an input 111, 121, 131 of each individual amplifier line for electrical signals from a microphone is formed and an output 112, 122, 132 of each individual amplifier line is formed by an acoustic signal generator with an integrated vibrating diaphragm that can be placed in a human ear. The three microphones, each assigned to a different amplifier line 1100, 1200, 1300, are placed in a stable, predetermined spatial configuration in the vicinity of a human ear, and the three vibrating diaphragms, each assigned to a different amplifier line 1100, 1200, 1300, are placed in the same stable, predetermined spatial configuration within a human ear as the three microphones placed in a stable, predetermined spatial configuration in the vicinity of a human ear. The three microphones, placed in a stable, predetermined spatial configuration in the vicinity of a human ear, are arranged at a mutual distance and in a spatial orientation such that they are able to identify the three-dimensional spatial arrangement or the directional information of an ambient sound source located outside of a particular human ear. The three vibrating membranes, each assigned to a different amplifier line 1100, 1200, 1300, can be placed inside a human ear in order to reconstruct the directional information of an ambient sound source identified by the three microphones by means of interference of the sound waves produced by the three vibrating membranes. Furthermore, each amplifier line 1100, 1200, 1300 is provided with a delay element 1105, 1205, 1305 for delaying the oscillation phase during the output of an acoustic signal, the time delay being adjustable to effect a change in the propagation direction of the sound waves produced by the three oscillating membranes within a human ear. The embodiment of the invention described above serves only the purpose of a better understanding of the teaching of the invention specified by the patent claims, which as such is not limited by the embodiment. Reference symbol list 100 Amplifier device 111, 121, 131 Input 112, 122, 132 Output 1100, 1200, 1300 Amplifier line 1101, 1201, 1301 Amplifier elements 1102, 1202, 1302 Gain control 1103, 1203, 1303 High-pass 1104, 1204, 1304 Low-pass 1105, 1205, 1305 Delay element

Claims

Amplifier device (100) with inputs (111, 121, 131) for electrical signals and outputs (112, 122, 132) of amplified electrical signals, wherein three separate and independently controllable amplifier lines (1100, 1200, 1300) are provided, each with the same structure and the same number of electronic amplifier elements (1101, 1201, 1301), wherein each amplifier line (1100, 1200, 1300) is assigned its own input (111, 121, 131) and its own output (112, 122, 132) of high-frequency electrical signals, characterized in that each input (111, 121, 131) is assigned a microphone and each output (112, 122, 132) is assigned a microphone that can be heard in a human ear. The placeable acoustic signal generator with integrated vibrating membrane is assigned in such a way that each is assigned to a different amplifier line (1100, 1200,that the three microphones assigned to 1300) can be placed in a stable, predetermined spatial configuration in the vicinity of a human ear; that the three diaphragms assigned to different amplifier lines (1100, 1200, 1300) can be placed in the same stable, predetermined spatial configuration within a human ear as the three microphones; that the three microphones are spatially arranged to identify the three-dimensional spatial arrangement or directional information of an ambient sound source located outside a given human ear; and that the three diaphragms can be placed within a human ear to reconstruct the directional information of an ambient sound source identified by the three microphones by means of interference of the sound waves produced by the three diaphragms. Amplifier device according to claim 1, characterized in that an amplifier element (1101, 1201, 1301) is formed by a semiconductor-based integrated circuit. Amplifier device according to claim 2, characterized in that the integrated circuit is implanted on an electronic chip Amplifier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frequency range of each amplifier line (1100, 1200, 1300) is dimensioned from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Amplifier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a separate gain controller (1102, 1202, 1302) is provided for each amplifier line (1100, 1200, 1300). Amplifier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a separate frequency controller is provided for each amplifier line (1100, 1200, 1300), by means of which a frequency-adjustable high-pass filter (1103, 1203, 1303) and a frequency-adjustable low-pass filter (1104, 1204, 1304) can be implemented. Amplifier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a jack plug with a jack having four metallic sub-areas separated by an insulator each is provided for an input access of each of the individual amplifier lines (1100, 1200, 1300), as well as a socket adapted thereto. Amplifier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each amplifier line (1100, 1200, 1300) is provided with a delay element (1105, 1205, 1305). Amplifier device according to claim 8, characterized in that the delay element (1105, 1205, 1305) is configured to delay the oscillation phase in time when an acoustic signal is output, wherein the time delay is adjustable in order to effect a change in the propagation direction of the sound waves produced by interference of the three vibrating membranes within a human ear. Amplifier device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the time delay is designed to adapt to the individual shape of an ear canal of a person using the amplifier device and / or to optimize the impact of the sound waves produced by the vibrating membranes on the eardrum of the person using the amplifier device.

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