Microphone Boom with Segmented Movable Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microphone booms with multiple microphones face challenges in achieving improved directional characteristics while maintaining compactness and ease of storage, as well as minimizing noise interference.
Innovation Solution
A microphone boom design featuring two groups of microphones fixated along parallel axes, which are movably mounted relative to each other, allowing for optimal spacing and directional enhancement when in use and easy collapse for storage, along with a headset that incorporates this boom for efficient storage and noise reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple microphones are arranged in a fixed array along a single axis, then directional characteristics are improved, but the device becomes difficult to store and occupies excessive space
Solution Approach 1:
The microphone array is divided into two separate groups: a first group with two or more microphones fixated along a first axis, and a second group with one or more microphones fixated along a second axis. This segmentation allows the arrays to be collapsed relative to each other for compact storage while maintaining the ability to form a functional array during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The first and second groups of microphones are made movable with respect to each other, transforming the static fixed array into a dynamic reconfigurable structure. This enables the boom to collapse into a compact form for storage while allowing the microphones to be positioned at optimal spacing for directional signal acquisition during operation.
2Measurement precision
If microphones are spaced far apart to maximize directional effect, then directional sensitivity is improved, but the device complexity and storage difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movable mounting of the first and second microphone groups enables dynamic adjustment of spacing between microphones. During use, the groups can be positioned far apart to maximize directional sensitivity, while during storage, they collapse into a compact configuration, avoiding the need for a permanently complex extended structure.
3Device complexity
If a single-axis microphone array is used, then the structure is simple, but storage capability is poor and directional performance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The microphone array is segmented into two groups arranged along different axes (first axis and second axis). This segmentation enables the structure to collapse in a compact manner for storage while still allowing the microphones to function as an array for directional signal acquisition when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-axis linear array to a multi-axis configuration where microphones are fixated along both a first axis and a second axis. This dimensional expansion allows for improved storage capability through collapsing motion while maintaining directional array functionality during use.
Data Source
AI summary
A microphone boom is provided with an extendable microphone assembly, and a headset having such a microphone boom. The headset includes a casing accommodating the signal transmission circuitry and further includes a speaker adapted to serve a sound signal at the proximity of a user's ear and the speaker is protruding from the casing at a speaker-end of the casing and a microphone assembly is fixated relative to the casing distally with respect to the speaker-end.