Wireless microphone antenna

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to antennas for wireless microphone systems. In particular, the wireless microphone system may be configured to transmit audio via a dipole antenna. The dipole antenna may include conductive elements that are folded and disposed on both sides of a circuit board. Advantageously, the dipole antenna can facilitate effectively linking devices of the wireless microphone system and provide a wide transmission range.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Utility Model Application No. 17 / 183,173, filed February 23, 2021, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates generally to wireless microphone systems and methods, and more particularly to antennas for wireless microphone systems. [Background technology]

[0003] In some applications, wireless systems are used to transmit audio to remote devices, for example, wireless microphone systems are commonly used in movies, news gathering, and games.

[0004] Conventional wireless microphone systems often include an audio receiver that receives audio data from one or more wireless transmitters. Various forms of analog-to-digital conversion and data compression are known to facilitate the transmission of audio data. Wireless applications typically require long periods of operation, spanning minutes, hours, days, or months, and require the rapid and reliable processing of large amounts of data.

[0005] High-speed, i.e., near real-time (low latency) transmission of audio data is desirable, especially for synchronizing audio and video, but has heretofore been difficult to achieve and virtually impossible with some typical systems and methods.

[0006] Furthermore, among other limitations, transmitters are typically battery powered, so it is often difficult to provide the desired size and weight in a portable system, along with good performance over long-term operation.

[0007] While systems such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,336,307 have been successful in professional video production activities, their power requirements, including RF power, complexity, and cost may make them impractical for many users.

[0008] The Rode Wireless Go system, developed, manufactured and sold by the applicant, is popular with hobbyists and professionals alike due to its compact size, low power and ease of use, but has certain limitations, such as a limited transmission range.

[0009] One of the accessories sold with the latter system is a DeadCat synthetic fur windshield to protect the transmitter from wind noise. The windshield was very popular and spawned many copies, but many users had trouble attaching the windshield securely, i.e., preventing it from falling off the transmitter.

[0010] Furthermore, conventional microphone systems often suffer from signal drops due to interference. While efforts have been made to reduce and improve dropouts, they have not been entirely successful and tend to be overly complex. Improved range and processing of audio transmissions between receivers and transmitters would provide various benefits to users. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for a compact wireless microphone system that facilitates dynamic recording and transmission of audio. The present invention fills this need. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The present invention relates generally to wireless microphone systems and methods, and more particularly to a compact wireless microphone system for dynamically recording and transmitting audio.

[0013] In one aspect, the system includes a receiver configured to output audio through one or more connector ports. The receiver can be linked to one or more transmitters. Each transmitter can include an antenna and a circuit board including a controller. The controller can be configured to acquire audio data from, for example, an internal microphone or a wired microphone connected through an input port of the transmitter. Additionally, a windshield can be secured to the transmitter housing via a bayonet fastener to attenuate wind noise.

[0014] When audio is received, the controller may record the audio data according to processing paths. A first processing path may include recording the raw audio data. A second processing path may include compressing the audio data via an encoder and recording the compressed audio data. Simultaneously, the controller may transmit the compressed audio to a receiver unit.

[0015] The controller may further be operable to monitor the wireless link between the transmitter and receiver. In response to detecting a broken connection, the controller may automatically or in response to user input tag or mark the recorded audio to indicate the dropout. Additionally, the controller may be configured to record a peak audio file, which may be a low-resolution signal used to display a waveform corresponding to the recorded data. The waveform may be used to output a video of the audio file on a display. Outputting the entire audio waveform allows for more efficient editing of the audio data and any corresponding markings.

[0016] The audio transmission may occur via one or more antennas of the transmitter unit. The one or more antennas may be inverted-F antennas and / or folded dipole antennas. The folded dipole antennas may include a horizontally polarized antenna array coupled to a vertically polarized antenna array. Additionally, the antennas may be mounted on a circuit board. Ground Layer The antenna may be elevated a predetermined distance from the circuit board to provide a wider communication range. A slit in the circuit board may receive a portion of the antenna, which may be soldered to a connector element on the circuit board.

[0017] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It is to be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an antenna array for a wireless microphone, the antenna array comprising: Ground Layer a circuit board including: a folded dipole antenna operably coupled to the circuit board; Equipped with The aforementioned Ground Layer teeth, First side and, Second Side and, The antenna is The first conductive element has one leg, the one leg being The aforementioned Ground Layer The above First side A specified distance away from and one leg of the second conductive element, the one leg being The aforementioned Ground Layer The above Second Side and one leg of the second conductive element spaced a predetermined distance from the It is an antenna array.

[0019] In one embodiment, each of the conductive elements includes a leg that is L-shaped and preferably has a length of less than about 30 millimeters.

[0020] In one embodiment, Each of the conductive elements comprises: another leg having a length of less than about 10 millimeters Equipped with .

[0021] In one embodiment, the one leg of the first conductive element is Ground Layer are spaced approximately 2 to 10 mm apart.

[0022] In one embodiment, the one leg of the second conductive element is Ground Layer are spaced about 1 to 2 mm apart.

[0023] In accordance with one aspect of the present technology, there is provided a wireless system, the wireless system comprising: a receiver configured to output audio through one or more connector ports; one or more transmitters wirelessly linked to the receiver; Equipped with Each transmitter is The antenna and a circuit board operably coupled to the memory and the antenna; Including, The circuit board includes a controller, the controller comprising: Get the audio data, recording said audio data according to a processing path; Transmitting compressed audio data to the receiver via the antenna. It can operate as follows: the audio data includes live audio; a first processing path for recording the raw audio, and a second processing path for compressing the audio data via an encoder and recording the compressed audio data; It is a wireless system.

[0024] In one embodiment, each transmitter further includes a non-volatile, non-transitory memory configured to store the audio data according to the first processing path or the second processing path.

[0025] In one embodiment, each transmitter further includes a real-time clock configured to tag the recorded audio data with at least one of a date and a time.

[0026] In one embodiment, the controller is further operable to record a peak audio file, the peak audio file being a low resolution signal used to display a waveform corresponding to the recorded audio data.

[0027] In one embodiment, the controller is further operable to monitor the wireless link to the receiver.

[0028] In one embodiment, the controller is further operable to mark a portion of the recorded audio data in response to detecting that the wireless link to the receiver is disconnected.

[0029] In one embodiment, the antenna is a folded dipole antenna.

[0030] In one embodiment, the antenna is Ground Layer It is placed at a certain height from

[0031] In accordance with another aspect of the present technology, there is provided a device for transmitting and recording audio, said device comprising: The housing and Ground Layer a circuit board including: a built-in microphone connected to the circuit board; a microphone windshield including an acoustic liner; Including, the circuit board is mounted within the housing; The built-in microphone protrudes from an opening in the housing, the microphone windshield includes a connector having a bayonet-style mounting portion, the connector for connecting to a corresponding bayonet mounting portion on the housing; device.

[0032] In one embodiment, the housing further includes a fastener configured to fasten to a user's clothing.

[0033] In one embodiment, the fastener is a clip for clipping onto the user's clothing.

[0034] In one embodiment, the housing further includes one or more ports for interfacing with one or more external devices.

[0035] In one embodiment, there is further provided an antenna disposed within the housing, the antenna comprising: Ground Layer is separated from [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] Embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate similar elements and in which: [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A shows an exemplary wireless microphone system comprising a transmitter unit and a receiver unit; [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B illustrates the exemplary wireless microphone system of FIG. 1A; [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A shows a top view of the transmitter unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B shows a bottom view of the transmitter unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 2C] FIG. 2C shows a top view of the transmitter unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a fixing mechanism of the transmitter unit of FIG. 1 for connecting a windshield; [Figure 4A]FIG. 4A shows the circuit board and antenna of the transmitter unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B shows the folded dipole antenna of the transmitter unit; [Figure 4C] FIG. 4C shows the circuit board and dipole antenna of the transmitter unit; [Figure 5] FIG. 5 illustrates the mounting of a circuit board and antenna within the transmitter unit housing of FIG. 1; [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A shows a top view of the receiver unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B shows a bottom view of the receiver unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 6C] FIG. 6C shows a top view of the receiver unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating exemplary connections of a receiver unit to external devices; [Figure 8A] FIG. 8A is a diagram showing the circuit board and antenna of the receiver unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B shows the dipole antenna of the receiver unit; [Figure 8C] FIG. 8C is a diagram showing the circuit board and dipole antenna of the receiver unit; [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the mounting of a circuit board and antenna within the housing of the receiver unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 10] 1 is a block diagram showing a portion of a transmitter unit; [Figure 11] 1 is a block diagram showing a portion of a receiver unit; [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a portion of a transmitter unit and a receiver unit; [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary operations for dynamically recording and transmitting audio. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] The present invention relates generally to wireless microphone systems and methods, and more particularly to systems and methods for dynamically recording and transmitting audio.

[0038] 1A and 1B show an exemplary wireless microphone system 100. As shown, wireless microphone system 100 includes at least one transmitter unit 200 and a receiver unit 300. As shown in FIG. 1B, the components of wireless microphone system 100 are compact for easy transport and storage, such as in a pouch 104.

[0039] One or more transmitter units 200 may communicate with the receiver unit 300 via a wireless link 102. The wireless link 102 may facilitate data communication over a wireless medium, such as Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.21 family of standards), Bluetooth® (family of standards promulgated by Bluetooth SIG, Inc.), a 128-bit encrypted 2.4 GHz wireless protocol, or other protocols for wireless data communication. The wireless link 102 may be implemented using a combination of hardware (e.g., driver circuits, antennas, modulators / demodulators, encoders / decoders, and other analog and / or digital signal processing circuits) and software components. In some embodiments, the wireless link 102 may include near-field communication ("NFC") functionality, implementing, for example, the ISO / IEC 18092 standard, which can support wireless data exchange between devices over a very short range (e.g., 20 centimeters or less). Multiple different wireless communication protocols and associated hardware may be incorporated into the transmitter unit 200 and the receiver unit 300.

[0040] 1.0 Exemplary Transmitter Unit 200 1A, transmitter unit 200 may include housing 202, microphone 204, input port 206, and connector interface 208. Additionally, transmitter unit 200 may include link indicator 210 and battery indicator 212, each of which may be a light-emitting diode (LED). Housing 202 may be made of a thermoplastic material, such as polycarbonate-ABS, with a low or substantially no carbon content.

[0041] The transmitter unit 200 may be a wearable device having a cubic structure. Other structures are possible, so possible wearable devices may include a finger ring, a wristwatch (also called a "smartwatch"), a button or brooch that may include a pin for attachment to clothing, or a patch sewn to or into clothing such as a shirt or blouse, etc. Other examples of wearable devices may include a bracelet, a belt buckle, etc.

[0042] The transmitter unit 200 may range in length from about 30 millimeters to about 60 millimeters, preferably between about 40 and 50 millimeters. In one embodiment, the transmitter unit 200 has a length of approximately 44 millimeters.

[0043] The height of the transmitter unit 200 can range from about 30 millimeters to about 60 millimeters, preferably between about 40 and 50 millimeters. In other words, a height of less than 60 millimeters is preferred, and a height of less than 50 millimeters is even more preferred. In one embodiment, the transmitter unit 200 has a height of approximately 45 millimeters.

[0044] The transmitter unit 200 may range in width from about 10 to about 25 millimeters, preferably between about 15 and 20 millimeters. In other words, a width of less than 25 millimeters is preferred, and a width of less than 20 millimeters is even more preferred. In one embodiment, the transmitter unit 200 has a width of approximately 18.5 millimeters.

[0045] The weight of the transmitter unit 200 can range from about 20 grams to about 40 grams, preferably between about 25 grams and 35 grams. In other words, the weight is preferably less than 40 grams, and more preferably less than 35 grams. In one embodiment, the transmitter unit 200 has a weight of approximately 30 grams.

[0046] 1.1 External Components of Transmitter Unit 200 2A-2C show various views of transmitter unit 200, including front 216, back 218, top 220, bottom 222, and side 224. FIG. 2A shows a top view of transmitter unit 200. Microphone 204 protrudes from top 220 of housing 202. At the other end of housing 202, bottom 222 of transmitter unit 200 may include a power button 226.

[0047] 2B-2C, the back surface 218 of the transmitter unit may include a clip 214. Clip 214 may be, for example, an alligator clip for securing to clothing such as a shirt or to the sun visor of a vehicle. While a clip is shown, other releasable connector types are contemplated for securing to such items.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2C , side 224 includes connector interface 208. Connector interface 208 may communicate with various host devices over a wired communication path using, for example, Universal Serial Bus (USB), universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART), or other protocols for wired data communication. Such a connection may provide additional advanced functionality associated with transmitter unit 200 (e.g., audio playback, audio optimization, exporting or deleting recordings, switching between mono and stereo, activating a fine-grained gain control mode, etc.). In some embodiments, connector interface 208 may provide a power port to enable transmitter unit 200 to receive power and charge an internal battery, such as a 3.8V lithium-ion battery.

[0049] Connector interface 208 can include a connector, such as a mini-USB connector or a custom connector, and supporting circuitry. In some embodiments, the connector can be a custom connector that provides dedicated power and ground contacts, as well as digital data contacts used to implement different communication technologies in parallel. For example, two pins can be assigned as USB data pins (D+ and D−), and two other pins can be assigned as serial transmit / receive pins (e.g., implementing a UART interface). The assignment of pins to specific communication technologies can be hardwired or negotiated while the connection is established. In some embodiments, the connector can also provide connections for audio and / or video signals, which can be transmitted to and from an external device (not shown) in analog and / or digital format.

[0050] In one embodiment, connector interface 208 may include a USB device stack. The USB device stack may be configured to perform USB host OS detection through heuristic analysis of the enumeration sequence. This may enable providing different features and configurations to different operating systems. For example, the system may be configured to avoid exposing iOS®-specific interfaces that might otherwise appear to Windows® devices as lacking drivers. Additionally, the USB device stack may facilitate reallocation of limited endpoint resources within the USB controller to interfaces associated with specific operating systems.

[0051] Additionally, connector interface 208 may include a USB audio stack, which may employ a phantom terminal descriptor to circumvent limitations inherent in certain Android® implementations that, for example, prevent input-only USB devices from working with the Android® system audio stack.

[0052] 1.2 Microphone 204 of Transmitter Unit 200 3, the transmitter unit 200 may include a microphone 204 that protrudes from an opening 221 in the top surface 220. Examples of the microphone 204 may include an omnidirectional microphone, a unidirectional microphone, or a super-cardioid microphone.

[0053] An omnidirectional microphone is a microphone that has equal or similar response sensitivity to sounds from all directions throughout a 360° range. Thus, the directional response pattern of an omnidirectional microphone is uniform in level as a function of position relative to the microphone, diagrammatically a perfect circle. Unidirectional microphones offer an improvement over omnidirectional microphones in that they are most sensitive in the forward direction and less sensitive to sounds arriving from the sides or rearward directions relative to the longitudinal axis of the microphone. Supercardioid microphones have a directional response pattern that is more attenuated to sounds arriving from the sides than a unidirectional directional response pattern.

[0054] As shown, transmitter unit 200 may include input port 206. Input port 206 may be a 3.5 mm TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) connector for receiving analog audio signals. The input port may be cylindrical in shape and may provide multiple channels. For example, input port 206 may include a 2.5 mm or 3.5 mm 3-conductor or 4-conductor version to provide mono (3-conductor) or stereo (4-conductor) sound and microphone input. It should be noted that transmitter unit 200 is not necessarily limited to any connector type, size, or configuration, so long as it is suitable for the disclosed and described systems and applications.

[0055] 1.3 Windshield 228 FIG. 3 also shows a windshield 228 that can be attached to the transmitter unit 200. In particular, the windshield 228 can be removably attached around the microphone 204 to attenuate wind noise. The windshield 228 can include a first layer and a second layer. The first layer can be made of foam or wind guard material and can be used to fill the interior of the windshield 228. The second layer can encompass the first layer and can be made of artificial, synthetic, imitation fur, or other suitable material that has relatively long, flexible fibers while remaining acoustically transparent, including any backing material or fabric that can be thin and open so that sound waves can easily pass through. The imitation fur provides a soft, absorbent, and flexible surface so that when wind comes into contact with the fur, the fur moves and absorbs some of the wind's energy. The imitation fur has many soft fur strands that have more than 10 times the surface area and are much more flexible than the device surface facing the fur. These fur strands create microturbulence and quietly absorb energy at a distance from the microphone.

[0056] In the systems disclosed herein, the fibers may range in length from about 1 mm to about 50 mm, preferably from about 1 mm to about 30 mm, with the strand lengths being shorter on the outside and longer toward the center of the windshield. The imitation fur, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, may be made from any acceptable composition, such as polymers, including polyesters, acrylics, and the like (including blends) having the properties described above.

[0057] Additionally, the windshield 228 may include a fastener 230 made of a silicone material or any other suitable material to form an airtight seal between the windshield 228 and the microphone 204 .

[0058] As shown, fastener 230 may be a bayonet fastener including two or more arcuate ridges 231 and two or more L-shaped female slots 232. Arcuate ridges 231 may be adapted to receive corresponding ball locks 233 extending from top surface 220 of housing 202. In operation, arcuate ridges 231 are lowered directly down onto ball locks 233 and rotated so that ball locks 233 engage with arcuate ridges 231.

[0059] The female slots 232 may be adapted to receive two or more corresponding bayonet pins 234 on the housing 202. In operation, the female slots 232 are lowered directly down onto the pins 234 and rotated so that the pins 234 engage the slots 232.

[0060] The slots 232 may be spaced apart across the opening 221 having a diameter of between about 10 millimeters and about several millimeters, and in one embodiment, may have a diameter of about 16 millimeters. The length of each slot 232 may be between about 5 millimeters and about 10 millimeters, and in one embodiment, may have a length of about 7 millimeters. The pins 234 may be between about 2 mm and about 7 millimeters in length, and in one embodiment, may have a length of about 4 millimeters. It is contemplated that in other embodiments, the windshield may have the pins and the housing may have the slots.

[0061] 1.4 Internal Components of Transmitter Unit 200 4A, 4C, and 5 show the circuit board 236 of the transmitter unit 200. The circuit board 236 may have a thickness ranging between about 0.5 millimeters and 2 millimeters, and preferably about 1 millimeter. In other words, the circuit board 236 may preferably have a thickness of less than 2 millimeters.

[0062] The circuit board 236 is Ground Layer238. Circuit board 236 can be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible PCB. A flexible PCB can be entirely flexible or can include both flexible and rigid areas, where the rigid areas can be made of standard rigid PCB materials with connections to the flexible portion of the overall PCB.

[0063] The flexible substrate may provide electrical traces, electrical connections, and / or electrical pads on one or both major surfaces of the flexible substrate. Examples of components that may communicate over one or more communication buses or signal lines of circuit board 236 may include memory (optionally including one or more computer-readable storage media), a memory controller, one or more processing units, peripheral interfaces, RF circuitry, audio circuitry, a microphone, an input / output (I / O) subsystem, other input or control devices, and external ports.

[0064] Circuit board 236 may be rectangular with rounded corners and may include a cutout 241 for antenna 242, as described below. In one embodiment, circuit board 236 is substantially square. Each linear dimension of circuit board 236 may range in length from about 20 millimeters to about 60 millimeters, preferably between about 30 millimeters and about 50 millimeters, and more preferably about 40 millimeters. In other words, each linear dimension is preferably less than about 60 millimeters, and even more preferably less than about 50 millimeters. Each linear dimension of circuit board 236 may correspond to and substantially fill a corresponding linear dimension of housing 202. Thus, circuit board 236 may fill at least about 90% of the corresponding interior linear dimension of housing 202.

[0065] 1.5 Transmitter Unit 200 Antenna Transmitter unit 200 may include, for example, one or more antennas configured to transmit audio signals to receiver unit 300. The antennas of transmitter unit 200 may be made of copper and / or a thermoplastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), that has a lower or substantially no carbon content.

[0066] One or more of the antennas may be a monopole antenna 240 and a folded dipole antenna 242. The antennas 240, 242 may be of different polarizations (horizontal / vertical) to accommodate without loss of performance depending on the physical orientation of the transmitter unit 200. The system may use a diverse antenna approach to actively scan and select the antenna that receives the strongest signal and operates within the least congested frequency band, such as the 2.4 GHz band.

[0067] The monopole antenna 240 is Ground Layer 238 and may be an inverted-F antenna with one end grounded. The polarization of the monopole antenna 240 may be vertical, and the radiation pattern may be approximately torus or donut shaped.

[0068] As shown, circuit board 236 may include a slit 244 for receiving dipole antenna 242. More specifically, dipole antenna 242 may be configured to fit within slit 244 formed in circuit board 236. It is also contemplated that dipole antenna 242 may include connector portions 246 that are soldered to corresponding regions on opposite sides of circuit board 236, for example.

[0069] The dipole antenna 242 may be positioned on the edge of the circuit board 236 substantially opposite the connector port of the transmitter unit 200 .

[0070] As shown in FIG. 4B, folded dipole antenna 242 may include first conductive element 243 and second conductive element 245 connected by coupler 247.

[0071] As shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, dipole antenna 242 includes L-shaped conductive elements 243 and 245. Ground Layer 238, thereby conserving space within the transmitter unit 200 while maximizing the antenna size.

[0072] Each conductive element 243, 245 may be L-shaped and may include a tapered end. As shown, the width of the tapered end (shown as W1) may range between about 3 millimeters and about 5 millimeters, preferably between about 3.5 millimeters and 4 millimeters, and in one embodiment, may be about 3.7 millimeters.

[0073] 4B, the legs 243a, 245a of each conductive element 243, 245 of the folded dipole antenna 242 may have a length (denoted as L1) ranging between about 10 millimeters and about 30 millimeters, preferably between about 15 millimeters and 20 millimeters. In one embodiment, the length L1 is about 17 millimeters. Each leg 243a, 245a is Ground Layer 238, each of which may be arranged substantially parallel to Ground Layer It may be spaced a predetermined distance above or below 238.

[0074] The distance between the legs 243a and 245a is Ground Layer When positioned relative to 238, the cutout 241 may range between about 5 millimeters and about 15 millimeters, and preferably about 10 millimeters. The cutout 241 may eliminate circuit board material between the legs 243a, 245a, thereby reducing interference.

[0075] 4B, the other legs 243b, 245b of each conductive element 243, 245 of the folded dipole antenna 242 may have a length (shown as L2) ranging between about 5 and 15 millimeters, preferably between about 7 and 10 millimeters. In one embodiment, the length L2 is about 8.5 millimeters. Each leg 243b, 245b has a length (shown as L2) ranging between about 5 and 15 millimeters, preferably between about 7 and 10 millimeters. Ground Layer 238, and is disposed substantially perpendicular to Ground Layer 238 and extends a predetermined distance.

[0076] The folded dipole antenna 242 may be a polarized antenna array. It is also contemplated that the antenna 242 may include multiple horizontally polarized antenna arrays coupled to a vertically polarized antenna array. The vertically polarized antenna array may produce a radiation pattern that is substantially perpendicular to the radiation pattern produced by one of the horizontally polarized antenna arrays.

[0077] Such a configuration of dipole antenna 242 provides a good link in all directions and a wide communication range of substantially more than 250 feet (about 75 meters), and in certain embodiments, for example, in line-of-sight conditions, provides a communication range of substantially more than about 650 feet (about 200 meters). In other words, the range of transmission provided by folded dipole antenna 242 and system 100 is preferably between about 100 feet (about 30 meters) and about 1500 feet (about 460 meters), and more preferably between about 250 feet (about 75 meters) and about 1,000 feet (about 300 meters).

[0078] As shown in FIG. 4C, the folded dipole antenna 242 in the transmitter unit 200 Ground Layer The dipole antenna 242 and the antenna 238 may be separated from each other (i.e., placed at a certain height). Ground Layer 238 may range between approximately 1 millimeter and 10 millimeters. In one embodiment, the folded dipole antenna 242 is configured such that the first conductive element 243 of the dipole antenna 242 is Ground Layer 238 at a distance (shown as D1) between about 1 and about 2 millimeters, and in one embodiment, about 1.5 millimeters, and the second conductive element 245 of the dipole antenna 242 is Ground LayerIt may be positioned on the circuit board 236 so as to be at a distance (shown as D2) of between about 7 and about 8 millimeters from 238, and in one embodiment about 7.5 millimeters. Ground Layer The separation from 238 may reduce signal loss, thereby lowering the dropout error rate.

[0079] 1.6 Transmitter Unit 200 Power System 5, power system 248 is mounted within housing 202 of transmitter unit 200. Power system 248 may be used to provide power to various components of transmitter unit 200. Power system 248 may include a power management system, one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating current (AC)), a recharging system, power failure detection circuitry, power converters or inverters, power status indicators (e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs)), and any other components associated with the generation, management, and distribution of power within transmitter unit 200.

[0080] The battery 250 of the transmitter unit 200 may be a lithium ion polymer rechargeable battery. In one embodiment, the battery 250 is a 3.8V 350mAh 1.33Wh Tenergy Model 34363T battery.

[0081] The height of the battery 250 can range between about 15 and 30 millimeters, preferably between about 20 and 25 millimeters. In one embodiment, the height of the battery 250 is about 22 millimeters.

[0082] The length of battery 250 can range between about 10 and 25 millimeters, preferably between about 15 and 20 millimeters. In one embodiment, the height of battery 250 is about 18 millimeters.

[0083] 2.0 Exemplary Receiver Unit 300 1 , wireless microphone system 100 includes a receiver 300. Receiver 300 may include a housing 302, a display 304, an output port 306, and a connector interface 308. Receiver unit 300 may be a wearable device like transmitter unit 200, or may be configured to attach to an external device, as described in more detail below. Housing 302 may be made of a thermoplastic material such as polycarbonate-ABS with a low or substantially no carbon content.

[0084] The receiver unit 300 may range in length from about 30 millimeters to about 60 millimeters, preferably between about 40 and 50 millimeters. In one embodiment, the receiver unit 300 has a length of approximately 44 millimeters. In other words, the receiver unit 300 may have a length of less than 60 millimeters, preferably less than 50 millimeters.

[0085] The height of receiver unit 300 can range from about 30 millimeters to about 60 millimeters in length, preferably between about 40 and 50 millimeters. In one embodiment, receiver unit 300 has a height of approximately 46 millimeters.

[0086] The receiver unit 300 may range in width from about 10 to about 25 millimeters, preferably between about 15 and 20 millimeters. In other words, the receiver unit 300 may have a width less than 25 millimeters, preferably less than 20 millimeters. In one embodiment, the receiver unit 300 has a width of approximately 18.5 millimeters.

[0087] The weight of the receiver unit 300 can range from about 20 grams to about 40 grams, preferably between about 25 grams and 35 grams. In other words, the weight can be less than 40 grams, preferably less than 35 grams. In one embodiment, the receiver unit 300 has a weight of approximately 30 grams.

[0088] 2.1 External Components of Receiver Unit 300 6A-6C show various views of receiver unit 300, including front 310, back 312, top 314, bottom 316, and side 318. FIG.

[0089] 6A shows a top view of receiver unit 300. As shown, front surface 332 includes display 304. Display 304 may be a liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode display, an electrophoretic display, an electrowetting display, or any other suitable type of display. Display 304 may be a touchscreen display (e.g., a display incorporating touch sensors) or may not be touch sensitive.

[0090] The display 304 may output various types of content such as images, videos, text, etc. As shown in Figure 1, the display 304 may be configured to output certain information related to the transmitter unit 200 and the receiver unit 300, including, but not limited to, battery level, signal strength, audio input level, audio channel, etc.

[0091] Additionally, receiver unit 300 includes various selectable buttons related to the functions of system 100. Top surface 314 includes a power button 320 for turning receiver unit 300 on and off.

[0092] The bottom surface 316 of the receiver unit 300 includes a control button 322 and a link button 324. The control button 322 can reduce the decibel output from the receiver unit 300 to an external device. For example, a user can press the control button 322 to engage the -24 dB pad, then press it a second time to reduce the attenuation to just the -12 dB pad (halfway between -24 dB and 0 dB), and then press it again to return to the maximum output level (no attenuation) at the 0 dB setting.

[0093] Additionally, a user can activate an advanced mode for even finer gain control, which may include, for example, adjustments from 0 dB to −30 dB in −3 dB increments. This may operate in a round-robin manner that cycles through all available gain steps using control button 322. In other embodiments, gain adjustments may be achieved in 1 dB increments and / or may include additional or alternative control button options, such as “+” and “−” buttons (not shown).

[0094] Additionally, the receiver unit 300 may include a safety channel when recording in mono audio mode. The safety channel may be used to create a copy of the mono audio signal from one or more transmitters at a lower level. In some embodiments, the safety channel may facilitate the selection of creating an audio signal at a lower decibel level from a particular transmitter unit.

[0095] A user may engage the link button 324 to initiate a pairing or connection procedure between the receiver unit 300 and the transmitter unit 200, depending on the wireless technology employed.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 6B, the back surface 312 of the transmitter unit may include a clip 312. The clip 312 may be a shoe clip, such as a hot shoe clip or a cold shoe clip, for securing to an external device. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a clip 322 may be used to secure to a shoe mount 328 on a camera 330. Additional external devices to which the receiver unit may connect include a smartphone, a table, a laptop, etc. Although a clip is shown, other connections are contemplated.

[0097] 6C, side 318 includes connector interface 314. Connector interface 314 communicates with various host devices over a wired communication path, such as using a universal serial bus (USB), universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART), or other protocol for wired data communication. In some embodiments, connector interface 314 can provide a power port, allowing receiver unit 300 to receive power, for example, to charge an internal battery.

[0098] The connector interface 314 can include a connector, such as a 3.5 mm TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) or TRRS (tip, ring, ring sleeve) connector, a USB connector, a mini-USB connector, or a custom connector, as well as supporting circuitry. In some embodiments, the connector can be a custom connector that provides dedicated power and ground contacts, as well as digital data contacts used to implement different communication technologies in parallel. For example, two pins can be assigned as USB data pins (D+ and D−), and two other pins can be assigned as serial transmit / receive pins (e.g., implementing a UART interface). The assignment of pins to specific communication technologies can be hardwired or negotiated while the connection is established. As shown in FIG. 7 , the connector interface 308 can provide connections for audio and / or video signals, which can be transmitted to and from an external device, such as a camera 330, in analog and / or digital format.

[0099] In one embodiment, connector interface 314 may include a USB device stack. The USB device stack may be configured to perform USB host OS detection through heuristic analysis of the enumeration sequence. This may enable providing different features and configurations to different operating systems. For example, the system may be configured to avoid exposing iOS®-specific interfaces that might otherwise appear to Windows® devices as lacking drivers. Additionally, the USB device stack may facilitate reallocation of limited endpoint resources within the USB controller to interfaces associated with specific operating systems.

[0100] Additionally, connector interface 314 may include a USB audio stack, which may employ a phantom terminal descriptor to circumvent limitations inherent in certain Android® implementations that, for example, prevent input-only USB devices from working with the Android® system audio stack.

[0101] 2.2 Internal Components of Receiver Unit 300 8A, 8C, and 9 show the circuit board 332 of the receiver unit 300. The circuit board 332 includes: Ground Layer 334. Circuit board 332 may have a thickness ranging between about 0.5 millimeters and 2 millimeters, preferably about 1 millimeter.

[0102] The circuit board 332 can be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible PCB. A flexible PCB can be entirely flexible or can include both flexible and rigid areas, where the rigid areas can be made of standard rigid PCB materials with connections to the flexible portion of the overall PCB.

[0103] The flexible substrate may be provided with electrical traces, electrical connections, and / or electrical pads on one or both major surfaces of the flexible substrate. Examples of components that may communicate over one or more communication buses or signal lines of circuit board 332 may include memory (optionally including one or more computer-readable storage media), a memory controller, one or more processing units, peripheral interfaces, RF circuitry, audio circuitry, a microphone, an input / output (I / O) subsystem, other input or control devices, and external ports.

[0104] The circuit board 332 may be rectangular with rounded corners and may include a cutout 335 for the antenna 338, as described below. In one embodiment, the circuit board 332 is substantially square. Each linear dimension of the circuit board 332 may range in length from about 20 millimeters to about 60 millimeters, preferably between about 30 millimeters and about 50 millimeters, and more preferably about 40 millimeters. In other words, each linear dimension is preferably less than about 60 millimeters, and even more preferably less than about 50 millimeters. Each linear dimension of the circuit board 332 may correspond to and substantially fill a corresponding linear dimension of the housing 302. Thus, the circuit board 332 may fill at least about 90% of the corresponding interior linear dimension of the housing 302.

[0105] 2.3 Receiver Unit 300 Antenna Receiver unit 300 may include, for example, one or more antennas configured to receive audio signals from transmitter unit 200. The antennas of receiver unit 300 may be made of copper and / or a thermoplastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), that has a lower or substantially no carbon content.

[0106] One or more of the antennas may be a monopole antenna 336 and a folded dipole antenna 338. The antennas 336, 338 may be of different polarizations (horizontal / vertical) to accommodate without loss of performance depending on the physical orientation of the receiver unit 300. The system may use a diverse antenna approach to actively scan and select the antenna that receives the strongest signal and operates within the least congested frequency band, such as the 2.4 GHz band.

[0107] The monopole antenna 336 is Ground Layer 334 and may be an inverted-F antenna with one end grounded. The polarization of the monopole antenna 336 may be vertical, and the radiation pattern may be approximately torus or donut shaped.

[0108] As shown, the circuit board 332 may include a slit 340 for receiving the folded dipole antenna 338. More specifically, the folded dipole antenna 338 may include a connector portion 348 configured to fit within the slit 340 formed in the circuit board 332. It is also contemplated that the folded dipole antenna 338 may include connector portions 342 soldered to corresponding regions on opposite sides of the circuit board 332, for example.

[0109] The dipole antenna 338 may be located on the edge of the circuit board 332 substantially opposite the connector port of the receiver unit 300 .

[0110] 8B, folded dipole antenna 338 may include a first conductive element 339 and a second conductive element 341 connected by a coupler 343. The distance between each conductive element 339, 341 may range between about 5 millimeters and about 15 millimeters, and preferably about 10 millimeters.

[0111] As shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, dipole antenna 338 includes L-shaped conductive elements 339 and 341. Ground Layer334, thereby conserving space within the receiver unit 300 while maximizing the antenna size.

[0112] Each conductive element 339, 341 may be L-shaped and may include a tapered end. As shown, the width of the tapered end (shown as W2) may range between about 3 millimeters and about 5 millimeters, preferably between about 3.5 millimeters and 4 millimeters, and in one embodiment, may be about 3.7 millimeters.

[0113] As shown in Figure 8B, the legs 339a, 341a of each conductive element 339, 341 of the folded dipole antenna 338 may have a length (shown as L3) ranging between about 10 millimeters and about 30 millimeters, preferably between about 15 millimeters and 20 millimeters. In one embodiment, the length L3 is about 17 millimeters. Each leg 339a, 341a is Ground Layer 334, each of which may be arranged substantially parallel to Ground Layer It may be spaced a predetermined distance above or below 334.

[0114] The distance between the legs 339a and 341a is Ground Layer When positioned relative to 334, the cutout 335 may range between about 5 millimeters and about 15 millimeters, and preferably about 10 millimeters. The cutout 335 may eliminate circuit board material between the legs 339a, 341a, thereby reducing interference.

[0115] As shown in Figure 8B, the other legs 339b, 341b of each conductive element 339, 341 of the folded dipole antenna 338 may have a length (shown as L4) ranging between about 5 and 15 millimeters, preferably between about 7 and 10 millimeters. In one embodiment, the length L4 is about 8.5 millimeters. Each leg 339b, 341b has a length L4 of about 8.5 millimeters. Ground Layer 334, and is disposed substantially perpendicular to Ground Layer 334 and extends a predetermined distance.

[0116] The dipole antenna 338 may be a polarized antenna array. It is also contemplated that the dipole antenna 338 may include multiple horizontally polarized antenna arrays coupled to a vertically polarized antenna array. The vertically polarized antenna array may produce a radiation pattern that is substantially perpendicular to the radiation pattern produced by one of the horizontally polarized antenna arrays.

[0117] As shown in FIG. 8C, the folded dipole antenna 338 in the receiver unit 300 Ground Layer The dipole antenna 338 and the antenna 334 may be separated from each other (i.e., placed at a certain height). Ground Layer The distance between 334 may range between approximately 1 millimeter and 10 millimeters. In one embodiment, the folded dipole antenna 338 is configured such that the first conductive element 339 of the dipole antenna 338 is Ground Layer 334, and a second conductive element 341 of the dipole antenna 338 is located at a distance (shown as D3) between about 1 and about 2 millimeters from the Ground Layer It may be positioned on the circuit board 332 so as to be at a distance (shown as D4) between about 7 and about 8 millimeters from 334. Ground Layer The separation from 334 may reduce signal loss, thereby lowering the dropout error rate.

[0118] 2.4 Receiver Unit 300 Power System 9, a power system 344 is mounted within the housing 202 of the receiver unit 300. The power system 344 may be used to provide power to various components of the receiver unit 300. The power system 344 may include a power management system, one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating current (AC)), a recharging system, power failure detection circuitry, power converters or inverters, power status indicators (e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs)), and any other components associated with the generation, management, and distribution of power within the receiver unit 300.

[0119] The battery 346 of the receiver unit 300 may be a lithium ion polymer rechargeable battery. In one embodiment, the battery 346 is a 3.8V 350mAh 1.33Wh Tenergy Model 34363R battery.

[0120] The height of the battery 346 can range between about 15 and 30 millimeters, preferably between about 20 and 25 millimeters. In one embodiment, the height of the battery 346 is about 22 millimeters.

[0121] The length of the battery 346 can range between about 10 and 25 millimeters, preferably between about 15 and 20 millimeters. In one embodiment, the height of the battery 346 is about 18 millimeters.

[0122] 3.0 Exemplary Block Diagram Figure 10 is a block diagram 400 of the transmitter unit 200. Figure 11 is a block diagram 500 of the receiver unit 300. Figure 12 is a block diagram 600 of an exemplary wireless microphone system.

[0123] 3.1 Exemplary Block Diagram 400 of Transmitter 200 As shown in FIG. 10, the transmitter unit 200 may include a microphone preamplifier 402, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 404, an audio digital signal processor (DSP) 406, a controller 408, and a radio module 410.

[0124] The microphone preamplifier 402 may be a low-voltage, low-noise amplifier. The microphone preamplifier 402 may be formed of field-effect transistors and / or bipolar junction transistors, such as PNP transistors. Audio amplification may be performed up to the required optimum input. A variable resistor in the microphone preamplifier may facilitate gain adjustment.

[0125] ADC 404 may receive preamplified analog audio signal 401 output from preamplifier 402. ADC 404 may include any suitable system device or apparatus configured to convert the preamplified analog audio signal received at its input into a digital signal representative of the analog audio signal. ADC 404 may include one or more components including, but not limited to, a delta-sigma modulator and a decimator.

[0126] Once converted, the digital signal can be transmitted over significantly longer distances without being affected by noise compared to analog transmission over the same distance.

[0127] DSP 406 may include any suitable system, device, or apparatus configured to process digitized signals for use in a digital audio system. For example, DSP 406 may be configured to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data.

[0128] The controller 408 may receive the digitized audio signal from the DSP 406. The controller 408 may include an encoder 414, a recorder 416, and a real-time clock 418. The encoder 414 may be configured to compress the audio signal. For example, the signal may be compressed by half or more using logarithmic compression.

[0129] The recorder 416 may be configured to record the audio signal according to processing paths via the switching configuration of the transmitter unit 200. A first processing path involves recording the raw audio signal before compression. A second processing path involves compressing the audio signal via the encoder 414 and recording the compressed audio signal.

[0130] Additionally, the recorder 416 may record a peak audio file. The peak audio file may include a low-resolution signal that indexes the shape of the audio waveform, for example, to aid in the display of the waveform via a software component of the system. In other words, the peak audio file may be used to output a visual representation of the audio file on a display. Outputting the entire audio waveform allows for more efficient editing of the audio.

[0131] The recording may then be tagged according to either the first or second processing path based on the real-time clock 418. In particular, the real-time clock 418 may monitor time information such as the day of the week, date, hour, minute, and second when the recording started and stopped. That information is then used to tag the audio signal and / or peak file. For example, the system may automatically, or in response to user input, mark portions of the audio file to identify audio dropouts.

[0132] The tagged audio recording may then be stored in memory 420. Memory 420 may be any suitable non-volatile, non-transitory memory, such as high-speed random access memory, e.g., DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM, or other random access solid-state memory device, and optionally includes non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state storage devices.

[0133] As shown in FIG. 10, the transmitter unit 200 may utilize the same audio data, compressed audio or live audio, for both recording and transmission via the radio antenna 410, as will be described in further detail below.

[0134] 3.2 Exemplary Block Diagram 500 of Receiver 300 As shown in FIG. 11, the receiver unit 300 may include a radio module 502, a decoder 504, DSPs 506, 508 corresponding to channels of audio data, digital-to-analog converters (DACs) 510, 512, and a digital output circuit 514.

[0135] The radio antenna 502 is configured to receive digitized audio data from the transmitter 200, as described in more detail below. The decoder 504 may be configured to receive the audio data and decode an audio compression codec corresponding to the encoder 414.

[0136] As shown, the audio data may then be directed to a DSP 506, 508 corresponding to a channel of recording, e.g., the transmitter unit from which the audio was received. DSP 508 corresponds to channel 2 and may be used when the receiver unit is linked to a second transmitter unit. When a second transmitter unit is linked, audio may be received separately from left and right channels or mixed to mono. When mixed to mono, a safety channel may be available on the right channel. Output may be, for example, left and right from a TRS analog output or channels 1 and 2 of a USB digital audio output (the USB digital output does not pass through a DAC). DSP 506, 508 may include any suitable system, device, or apparatus configured to process audio data for output. For example, the DSP may facilitate processing the audio in real time to provide equalization, compression, etc.

[0137] The DACs 510, 512 may receive digitized audio from the corresponding DSPs 506, 508. The DACs 510, 512 may include any suitable system device or apparatus configured to convert the received digitized audio to an analog format for output 516 to an external device.

[0138] The digital output circuit 514 may be adapted to couple directly to other devices or indirectly via a network (e.g., the Internet, wireless LAN, etc.). In some embodiments, the external port is a multi-pin (e.g., 30-pin) connector or a USB-C connector that is the same as, similar to, and / or compatible with various devices, such as Android® and iOS® devices and corresponding accessory cables. The digital output circuit 514 may output the audio 516 in digital form.

[0139] 3.3 Exemplary Block Diagram 600 of Wireless Microphone System 100 12, the radio module 410 of the transmitter unit 200 may communicate with the radio module 502 of the receiver unit 300 via a wireless link. As detailed above, data communication may be implemented via a wireless medium, such as a 128-bit encrypted 2.4 GHz wireless protocol, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.21 family of standards), Bluetooth® (family of standards promulgated by Bluetooth SIG, Inc.), or other protocols for wireless data communication. In one embodiment, the transmitter unit may transmit the same audio pack eight times and have a maximum output RF power of approximately 10 mW or less.

[0140] The radio modules 410, 502 may include logic 602, 604 configured to process, for example, audio, control, and status such as link status, audio level information, battery health, and charging status. The logic 602, 604 may consist of a single component or may be implemented as any combination of, but not limited to, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA, a CPU that executes executable instructions, a GPU that executes executable instructions, hardwired circuitry, a state machine, etc. Thus, by way of example, the logic may be implemented using an ASIC or FPGA. In another example, the logic may be a combination of hardware and software or firmware executed by a processor or the like.

[0141] Additionally, the radio modules 410, 502 may include power amplifiers 606, 608 configured to amplify low-power audio signals. Other possible components may include a tuner and one or more oscillators.

[0142] Radio module 410 further includes a link monitor 610 operatively coupled to recorder 416 of transmitter unit 200. Link monitor 610 is operable to monitor the wireless link connection between transmitter unit 200 and receiver unit 300. In response to detection of a connection drop by link monitor 610, a recorder such as recorder 416 may be configured to mark a peak audio file, as detailed above.

[0143] 4.0 Exemplary Transmitter Unit Flowchart 700 13 shows a flow chart 700 for an exemplary transmitter unit of a wireless microphone system. The method of operation begins with the transmitter unit receiving audio in step 702. The audio can be obtained via a built-in microphone in the transmitter unit or via an external microphone wired to the transmitter unit.

[0144] At step 704, the transmitter unit may compress the received audio, for example, via an encoder. At decision step 706, the transmitter unit may determine whether to record the audio. If yes, at decision step 708, the transmitter unit may determine whether to record the audio in a compressed format. If at decision step 708, the transmitter unit determines that compressed audio should be recorded, then at step 710, the compressed audio is recorded. If at decision step 708, the transmitter unit determines that raw audio should be recorded, then at step 710, the raw audio is recorded.

[0145] If, at decision step 706, the transmitter unit determines that the audio should not be recorded, or after the audio has been recorded in the selected format, at decision step 714 the transmitter unit determines whether to transmit the audio. If yes, at decision step 716 the transmitter unit determines whether a receiver unit is available. If, at decision step 716, the transmitter unit determines that a receiver unit is available, then at step 718 the two devices may be paired. At step 720, the transmitter unit transmits the compressed audio to the receiver unit.

[0146] At decision step 722, the transmitter unit determines whether the connection link between the transmitter unit and the receiver unit has been severed. If at decision step 722 the transmitter unit determines that the link has not been severed, then at decision step 724 the transmitter unit determines whether input has been received to tag the audio file and / or peak audio file with a marker, if recorded.

[0147] If, in decision step 722, the transmitter unit determines that the communication link is disconnected, then, in step 724, the transmitter unit tags the audio file and / or peek audio file, if recorded, with a marker corresponding to the disconnected connection.

Claims

1. 1. An antenna array for a wireless microphone, the antenna array comprising: a circuit board including a ground layer; a folded dipole antenna operably coupled to the circuit board; Equipped with the ground plane includes a first side and a second side; the antenna having one leg of a first conductive element, the one leg being spaced a predetermined distance from the first side of the ground plane, and one leg of a second conductive element, the one leg being spaced a predetermined distance from the second side of the ground plane; Antenna array.

2. 10. The antenna array of claim 1, each of the conductive elements is L-shaped and includes a leg having a length of less than about 30 millimeters; Antenna array.

3. 3. The antenna array of claim 2, each of the conductive elements includes a separate leg having a length of less than about 10 millimeters; Antenna array.

4. An antenna array according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the one leg of the first conductive element is spaced from the ground plane by about 2 to 10 millimeters; Antenna array.

5. An antenna array according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the one leg of the second conductive element is spaced about 1 to 2 millimeters from the ground plane; Antenna array.

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