Loudspeaker Microphone Device Bottom Placement Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Auditory communication devices used in conference setups often experience acoustic feedback and directional microphone issues, limiting microphone sensitivity and loudspeaker output.
Innovation Solution
A device design featuring a microphone positioned on an inclined surface angled away from the loudspeaker, with a round or oval shape to minimize acoustic feedback, and optimized sound reception to achieve omnidirectional sensitivity and reduced feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the microphone is positioned at the top face or side face close to the loudspeaker, then the device structure is simple, but acoustic feedback occurs and microphone sensitivity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The microphone is repositioned from the traditional top or side face to the bottom face of the device, utilizing a new spatial dimension for sound reception. This dimensional change in microphone placement eliminates the acoustic feedback path while maintaining simple device structure, as the microphone now receives sound from below rather than from directions close to the loudspeaker.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom face of the device serves as an intermediary surface for sound reception. By positioning the microphone on this intermediate surface, the patent creates a separate sound reception path that does not directly interact with the loudspeaker's sound output, thereby eliminating acoustic feedback while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Device complexity
If the microphone is positioned close to the loudspeaker, then the device structure is simple, but microphone sensitivity and loudspeaker acoustic output are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the sensitivity limitation by moving the microphone to the bottom face, creating a new spatial dimension for sound reception. This allows the microphone to capture sound from directions not blocked by the loudspeaker, thereby increasing microphone sensitivity without complicating the device structure.
3Device complexity
If the device has directional microphone characteristics, then the microphone structure is simple, but speech pickup is not uniform in all directions
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the microphone on the bottom face, the patent creates a new spatial dimension for omnidirectional sound reception. This dimensional placement allows the microphone to uniformly pick up speech from all directions around the device, eliminating the directional limitations of traditional microphone placements without increasing structural complexity.
4Ease of manufacture
If the device shape is not round or oval, then manufacturing is easier, but soundwaves are distorted around the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spheroidality by specifying that the device housing should be round or oval in shape. This curved geometry allows soundwaves to travel around the device undisturbed, minimizing acoustic interference and distortion. While this shape may be slightly more complex to manufacture than rectangular forms, the benefit of uninterrupted soundwave propagation justifies the design choice.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design reduces acoustic feedback and enhances microphone sensitivity and loudspeaker output, ensuring consistent speech pickup regardless of speaker location, improving overall audio quality in teleconferences.
Implementation Method 1
the device often suffers from problems with acoustic feedback during use
Implementation Method 2
a microphone having an inlet portion, which microphone is configured to receive sound energy from a sound reception region in acoustic communication with the surroundings
Data Source
AI summary
A device for radiating sound energy into the surroundings and receiving sound energy from the surroundings, where the device comprises a housing having a top portion, a side portion and a bottom portion wherein a loudspeaker unit is provided in the top portion configured to generate sound energy in the surroundings of the device and where the housing is further provided with a microphone having an inlet portion, where the microphone is configured to receive sound energy from a sound reception region that is in acoustic communication with said surroundings of the device, wherein the sound reception region is provided adjacent the bottom portion of the housing, such that the inlet portion of the microphone faces away from the top portion of the device. In an embodiment the sound reception region is partially bounded by an inclined surface portion at the outer circumferential edge portion of the bottom portion, where the inclined surface portion preferably forms an angle α less than 45 degrees with the bottom portion.