EP2499837B1 - Microphone system - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

The invention relates to a microphone system with a microphone module and with a base station, wherein the microphone system is adapted to wirelessly transmit audio information and additional information from the microphone module to the base station.

Microphone systems for the wireless transmission of audio information are often used for example in concerts, talk shows, podium discussions etc. Conventionally, such microphone systems comprise a portable microphone which comprises a transmitting unit which transmits the audio signals detected by the microphone wirelessly to a base station as audio information. From there, the audio information or audio signals are passed on to other audio devices such as recording devices, amplifiers, mixing consoles, etc.

In addition to this basic functionality of the transmission of audio information, it is for example from the EP 1 174 840 A1 , which is probably the closest prior art, known to establish via a further channel bidirectional communication between the transmitting and receiving device. For example, so-called Blue-Tooth modules in the field of mobile communication are proposed for implementing the separate channel.

In the publication EP 633520 B1 a dictation machine is described, which also implements a remote control function.

The publication EP 865225 A2 relates to a terminal in the form of a headphone for security-related areas and their operation.

The publication WO2007028628A1 concerns a wireless microphone.

The publication DE202006002942U1 relates to a stage microphone and thus forms the closest prior art. The stage microphone comprises an electronic module which can exchange data via an interface.

The WO 01/67315 A1 discloses a remote control for a terminal, such as a television or radio receiver or a set-top box, having a user interface with a keyboard and transmitter for transmitting control signals to the terminal for control in response to user action based on the user interface. The remote control includes means for providing telephony functions including a speaker and a microphone.

The WO 2007/015154 A1 discloses a meeting system including a control system and a plurality of microphones configured to transmit an activation request to the control system. The control system generates an activation sequence for the microphones and selectively activates each of the microphones for which an activation request has been submitted.

Disclosure of the invention

In the context of the invention, a microphone system with the features of claim 1 is proposed. Preferred or advantageous embodiments The invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the following description and the accompanying drawings.

According to the invention, a microphone system is proposed which comprises at least one microphone module and at least one base station. In further embodiments of the invention, the microphone system may also include a plurality of such microphone modules and / or base stations, which are each assigned to each other at least temporarily, so that a plurality of microphone modules can be used in parallel.

The microphone module preferably has a microphone for recording audio signals of a user or an instrument, etc., as well as a transmitting unit, via which audio information, which was formed from the audio signals, can be transmitted wirelessly. In particular, the audio information represents the digitized audio signals. The microphone module is preferably portable and can be realized as a single component. Alternatively, the audio module consists of several components, so that, for example, the microphone and the transmitting unit are spatially separated from each other and connected via a cable.

The base station is designed to receive the audio information of the microphone module and, if necessary, to decode, ie to convert the audio information back into audio signals. However, this step can also be taken over by a downstream component. It is preferably provided that exactly one base station is assigned to each microphone module. In modified embodiments can also be provided that a base station is assigned to several microphone modules or that a microphone module is assigned to several base stations.

In addition to the audio information, additional information, such as status information, control information and / or identification information can also be transmitted wirelessly from the microphone module to the base station.

Optionally, it is proposed that the microphone system, in particular the microphone module, in particular the transmitting unit, for

Transmission of the additional information and the audio information is formed via a common channel and / or in a common data stream. A common channel is understood in particular to mean a common transmission frequency which forms the carrier frequency for transmitting the information, that is to say the additional information and the audio information. However, the common channel may also be formed as a digital channel. Alternatively or additionally, additional information or audio information is transmitted in a common data stream, in particular sequentially in the data stream.

The advantage of the possible embodiment of the invention is to be seen in particular in that it is possible to dispense with the system technology for the establishment of a second channel for the transmission of additional information. This, on the one hand, reduces the costs for the microphone system. On the other hand, the available transmission frequencies in the microphone systems are anyway limited and must be distributed at major events, sometimes with more than 40 or 50 microphone module base station assignments, so that The saving of additional channels can provide additional space in the frequency spectrum.

It is particularly preferred that the transmission of the additional information and / or the audio information is designed as a digital data transmission. When using a digital data transmission, a very high high data rate can be achieved, so that in addition to the audio information in sufficient quality and the additional information in the same channel and / or data stream can be transmitted. For example, it may be provided that the additional information is arranged in a fixed area, such as in a header area.

A possible embodiment of the invention provides that the microphone module, in particular the transmitting unit, a multiplexer and the base station comprises a demultiplexer. The multiplexer is designed to integrate the audio information and the additional information into the common data stream, whereas the demultiplexer is designed to extract the additional information from the common data stream again. In particular, the multiplexer is formed, the parallel data streams of To convert additional information and audio information into serial data streams. The demultiplexer forms the counterpart to the multiplexer, with which the combined data channels are separated again.

In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the microphone module has an input unit and / or is coupled thereto in order to input the additional information. In this case, it may be provided, for example, that the input unit is designed as buttons, switches, toggle switches, keypad, touchscreen or as another HMI (Human Machine Interface) / MMS (human-machine interface). It is also possible for the microphone module to be wirelessly coupled to such an input unit that the user has at a location other than the microphone module, e.g. as a remote control carries.

In a development of the invention, it is proposed that the base station has a communication interface to a communication device, wherein the additional information comprises control information for the communication device and the base station is designed to output the control information to the communication interface. In particular, the microphone system is optionally supplemented with the communication device so that predetermined information and / or messages and / or instructions are output by the control information. For example, it can be provided that via the actuation of the input unit the user can communicate to other persons, for example his crew, previously defined information, such as "monitor signal louder". It is particularly preferred that the additional information is embodied as digital control information that triggers defined or freely definable messages in the communication device.

In another embodiment of Erfingung is proposed that the base station a

Control interface for the amplifier system and / or peripheral devices, wherein the additional information control information for the amplifier system and / or peripheral devices include. In this embodiment, it is possible for the user, by operating the input unit, to initiate control commands to, for example, the sound mixer, the control panel of the lighting system, a control device for pyroeffects, etc., there to e.g. to start previously defined actions or to change settings. For example, the user can turn on a special lighting effect at the exact time when he enters the stage. Another application is that the user can adjust the settings of the amplifier system, in particular the monitor signal, ie an audio signal, which he gets leaked for his own orientation, more precisely or himself and control.

A next embodiment of the invention provides that the base station has a switching module, wherein the additional information comprises a switching information and / or an address information, wherein the base station is formed, the audio information according to the switching information and / or the address information to a switched or an address according to to pass on the address information. In the basic functionality, the audio information should be directed to the amplifier system so that it can be amplified and played to an audience. With the modification according to the invention, however, it is possible for the user to select another addressee by inputting to the input unit for the audio signal or to switch from a first addressee to a second, different addressee. Practical applications are, for example, that the user temporarily does not transmit the audio information to the amplifier system, but, for example, to auxiliary personnel to transmit instructions. In other embodiments, different audiences, such as sound engineers, directors, or other artists may be specifically addressed by "in-ear monitoring" by changing the addressing.

According to the invention, it is proposed that the additional information comprises user ID information that identifies the user of the microphone module. The input of the user ID information in the microphone module can be done via an automated procedure. The transmission of the user ID information can be used for verification that the identified user of the micromodule also receives a user profile assigned to him. For example, the user is assigned an amplifier channel on the mixing console, which is intended for the user on the basis of his role (main actor, main speaker, main instrument, etc.). In a further development of the invention, the base station comprises a user management module or is coupled to this, which holds user profiles, based on the user ID information selects a user profile and the parameters of the selected user profile to the amplifier system and / or peripheral devices, in particular to the mixer , passed on and / or discontinued.

According to the invention, it is provided that the microphone module has an identification unit which is designed to identify the user by means of an identification mark. For example, it is possible that the user wears an RFID tag and the microphone module is equipped with a corresponding receiver, so that the user ID can be automatically detected and transmitted as additional information. About such an automated assignment, it is also possible that each user in a discussion, a performance or a concert can take any microphone module and the user profile and thus the user-specific settings for further processing of the audio information are initiated by the transmission of the user ID information , It is also possible for the users to be able to exchange the microphones freely and to change, for example, from a first microphone, which is assigned to a first base station, to a second microphone, which is assigned to a second base station, wherein the user profile is also automatically exchanged. Further features, advantages and effects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying figure. Showing: FIG. 1 a block diagram of a microphone system as an embodiment of the invention.

The FIG. 1 shows in a highly schematic representation of a microphone system 1, which comprises a portable microphone module 2 and a base station 3, which enable wireless transmission of audio information 5 and additional information 6. The wireless transmission is preferably in a transmission range of the VHF / UHF. The microphone module 2 has a microphone, not shown, and a transmitting unit. The microphone system 1 may optionally additionally have further allocations microphone module 2 - base station 3, a base station 3 may be assigned to a plurality of microphone modules 2 or a microphone module 2 is assigned to a plurality of base stations 3.

The transmission of the audio information 5 and the additional information 6 takes place via a common serial data stream (5, 6, 5, 6,...) In a multiplex mode. For this purpose, the microphone module 2 has a multiplexer 4 in which digital audio signals 5 are fed as a first data stream and digital additional information 6 is fed as a second data stream. These parallel data streams are converted by the multiplexer 4 into the serial data stream (5, 6, 5, 6, ...) and then transmitted wirelessly over the radio link. In contrast, the receiver has a demultiplexer 7, which converts a separation of the audio information 5 and the additional information 6 into two separate data streams, which can then be further processed.

The audio information 5 is usually digitized audio signals, which are recorded by the microphone of the microphone module 2. The additional information 6 can be designed in particular as a control signal, information signals or user ID, as will be illustrated below with reference to the figures.

For entering the additional information, the microphone module may have an input unit 8, which is designed, for example, as a switch, key, buttons, keypad, touchscreen, etc. The additional information input via the input unit 8 is then mixed into the common data stream (5; 6; 5; 6 ...) and transmitted to the base station 3. An alternative embodiment provides that the microphone module 2 a Identification device 9 has or is coupled thereto, which detects a user ID of the user by entering an identification PIN via the input unit 8, a fingerprinting or a body worn RFID tag and as additional information in the common data stream (5; 6, 5, 6, ...). Thus, the microphone module 2 is designed to pass both manually entered additional information as well as automatically determined additional information to the base station 3.

In a possible addition to the microphone system, the base station 3 has a communication interface 10, which is coupled to a communication device 11. The communication device 11 serves to output previously defined information. For example, by the input unit 8, for example by pressing buttons, control information as additional information 6 via the microphone module 2, the base station 3, the communication interface 10 are transmitted to the communication device 11 so that there is a previously defined information, such as a Command "Monitor signal quieter, louder, etc." is issued to other persons, in particular a crew.

In a further possible addition, the base station 3 has a control interface 12, which is coupled to a mixing console 13, a control panel of the lighting system 14, a control device 15 for pyroeffects or further amplifier system components and / or peripheral devices. By entering in the operating unit 8, the user can transfer control signals as additional information 6 to the base station 3 and then via the control interface 12 to the units 13, 14 and 15, so that, for example, certain stored settings of the facilities can be accessed and activated. For example, the user can turn on a special lighting effect at the exact time when he enters the stage. This might not have been possible to the technician so exactly if the user was not previously visible.

Instead of or in addition to the operating unit, the microphone module can have a voice recognition device that is designed to recognize spoken commands of the user and as additional information to the user Transfer base station. An activation of the speech recognition device could be done by operating the input unit 8.

Another possible embodiment would be that the user can more precisely control the setting for his monitor signal, ie the audio signal which he receives for orientation, or via the operating unit 8 and the control interface 12.

In a further optional supplement, the base station 3 comprises a switching module 16, which can switch the audio signals and / or audio information to different outputs 17 and thus to different addressees. For example, a first output 17 is associated with the normal amplifier, so that the audio signal is amplified output. For example, another audio output 17 is connected to the crew so that the user can provide voice instructions that the listener should not hear. It is also possible that by verschriene keys of the control unit 8 different audiences such as sound, director or other artists are specifically addressed in their monitoring by a control signal is transmitted as additional information 6 to the base station by operating the control unit 8, which the switching module controls and changes the output.

In a further optional supplement, the identification device 9 is designed so that the user can log on or identify himself to the microphone module 2. This can be done for example by entering an identifier (PIN) via the input unit 8, or by fingerprinting or fingerprint recognition Ode worn on the body RFID. The microphone module 2 transmits the user ID information as additional information 6. The base station 3 and / or a downstream component, such as the mixer recognizes the additional information 6, the microphone module 2 used and which user currently uses this and its audio signal, eg via the switching module 16 to send to a specific address or to a particular channel on the mixer or previously, for example, retrieve stored in a user profile settings. For a sound engineer, a special artist can always be controlled via the same knob, regardless of which microphone module 2 he is currently using. This optional supplement takes into account that before an event the sound engineer the Distributed / positioned microphone modules and marked on the mixer, which controller to which microphone module 2 belongs. There is thus an assignment mixer controller -> microphone module 2 instead. A direct assignment mixer controller -> user is not yet possible. If the user exchanges the microphone module 2 or if he uses several microphone modules 2 at different locations on a large stage, the sound engineer has to recognize this change and react to it. By the identification device 9 thus the user of the mixer control is assigned confusion.

Claims (9)

1. Microphone system (1) for discussion, a presentation or a concert,
   comprising a microphone module (2) and
   comprising a base station (3), wherein the microphone system (1) is designed for transmitting audio information (5) and additional information (6) wirelessly from the microphone module (2) to the base station (3),
   characterized in that
   the additional information (5) comprises a user ID information item which identifies the user of the microphone module (2),
   wherein the microphone module (2) has an identification device (9) which is designed for identifying the user by means of an identification mark and for detecting the user ID information item of the user as additional information,
   wherein the base station (3) comprises an allocation module, or is coupled to the latter, which allocates to the user ID information a user profile with parameters for an amplifier system, in particular a mixing console (13),
   wherein the base station (3) has a control interface (12) for transmitting the parameters of the allocated user profile to the amplifier system, in particular to the mixing console (13).
2. Microphone system (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the microphone system comprises the amplifier system, in particular the mixing console (13).
3. Microphone system (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the microphone system (1), especially the microphone module (2), is designed for transmitting the additional information (5) and the audio information (6) via a common channel and/or in a common data stream.
4. Microphone system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmission of the additional information (6) takes place as a digital data transmission.
5. Microphone system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microphone module (2) has a multiplexer (4) and the base station (3) has a demultiplexer (7), which are designed for combining, and separating, respectively, the audio information (5) and the additional information (6) in a common data stream.
6. Microphone system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microphone module (2) has an input unit (8) and/or is coupled to the latter in order to input additional information (6).
7. Microphone system (1) according to Claim 6, characterized in that the input unit (8) comprises buttons, switches, a keypad, a touch screen and/or toggle switches.
8. Microphone system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base station (3) has a communication interface (10) to a communication device (11), wherein the additional information (6) comprises control information for the communication device (11) and the base station (3) is designed for outputting the control information to the communication interface (10).
9. Microphone system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base station (3) has a switching module (16), wherein the additional information (6) comprises a switching information item and/or an address information item and the base station (3) is designed for forwarding the audio information (5) to a switched address and/or to an address according to the address information.

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