# US 10,312,875 B2 · Sound pickup device and sound pickup method

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- Number: US 10,312,875 B2
- Document ID: US10312875B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/880,592
- Filed: 2018-01-26
- Published: 2018-05-31
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-24
- Assignees: Yamaha Corporation
- Applicants: Yamaha Corporation
- Inventors: Takayuki Inoue
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312875B2

## CPC

- H03G 3/3005: {in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers (H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence)}
- H04R 1/406: {microphones}
- H04R 3/005: {for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- H04R 29/005: {Microphone arrays}
- H03G: CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

A sound pickup device includes a plurality of microphones, and at least one processor configured to implement stored instructions and execute a plurality of tasks, including: a first gain controlling task controlling a gain of each of the plurality of microphones, an adding task adding a sound signal to be output from the first gain controlling task with a predetermined gain, a second gain controlling task controlling a gain of the sound signal to be output from the adding task; and a gain setting task setting each gain of the first gain controlling task based on gain setting in the second gain controlling task.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sound pickup device, comprising:
a plurality of microphones; and
at least one processor configured to implement stored instructions and execute a plurality of tasks, including:
a first gain controlling task controlling a first gain of each of the plurality of microphones;
an adding task adding a sound signal to be output from the first gain controlling task with a predetermined gain;
a second gain controlling task controlling a gain of the sound signal to be output from the sound pickup device; and
a gain setting task setting each first gain of the first gain controlling task based on gain setting in the second gain controlling task.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sound pickup device according to claim 1, wherein;
the adding task compares levels of sound signals based on each of the plurality of microphones, the sound signals having been output from the first gain controlling task; and
the predetermined gain is set based on a comparing result of the levels.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sound pickup device according to claim 1, comprising:
a plurality of first housings; and
a second housing communicable with each of the plurality of first housings.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sound pickup device according to claim 3, wherein:
each of the plurality of microphones is provided in each of the plurality of first housings; and
the first gain controlling task, the adding task, the second gain controlling task, and the gain setting task are provided in the second housing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The sound pickup device according to claim 3, wherein:
the plurality of tasks includes a plurality of the first gain controlling tasks;
each of the plurality of microphones and each of the plurality of first gain controlling tasks are provided in each of the plurality of first housings; and
the adding task, the second gain controlling task, and the gain setting task are provided in the second housing.

### Claim 6

A sound pickup device, comprising:
a plurality of microphones;
a first gain controller controlling a first gain of each of the plurality of microphones;
an adder adding a sound signal to be output from the first gain controller with a predetermined gain;
a second gain controller controlling a second gain of the sound signal to be output from the adder; and
a gain setter setting each first gain of the first gain controller based on gain setting in the second gain controller.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The sound pickup device according to claim 6, wherein the adder compares levels of sound signals based on each of the plurality of microphones, the sound signals having been output from the first gain controller; and
the predetermined gain is set based on a comparing result of the levels.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The sound pickup device according to claim 6, comprising:
a plurality of first housings; and
a second housing communicable with each of the plurality of first housings.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The sound pickup device according to claim 8, wherein:
each of the plurality of microphones is provided in each of the plurality of first housings; and
the first gain controller, the adder, the second gain controller, and the gain setter are provided in the second housing.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The sound pickup device according to claim 8, comprising a plurality of the first gain controllers, wherein:
each of the plurality of microphones and each of the plurality of first gain controllers are provided in each of the plurality of first housings; and
the adder, the second gain controller, and the gain setter are provided in the second housing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The sound pickup device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of first housings and the second housing are connected with an analog audio line.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The sound pickup device according to claim 11, wherein:
the gain setter transmits gain setting information set to the first gain controller by a modulation signal; and
the first gain controller demodulates the modulating signal and sets a gain of the first gain controller.

### Claim 13 (depends on 6)

The sound pickup device according to claim 6, wherein the adder selects a sound signal of a highest level and outputs the sound signal that has been selected.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The sound pickup device according to claim 6, comprising a plurality of the first gain controllers, wherein the plurality of the first gain controllers correspond one-to-one to the plurality of microphones.

### Claim 15

A sound pickup method comprising the steps of:
picking up sound by each of a plurality of microphones;
controlling a first gain of each of the plurality of microphones in a first gain controller;
adding each sound signal that has been controlled in the first gain controller, in an adder, with a predetermined gain;
controlling a second gain of the sound signal that has been added in the adder, in a second gain controller; and
setting gain setting in the first gain controller based on gain setting in the second gain controller, in a gain setter.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The sound pickup method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
comparing levels of sound signals based on each of the plurality of microphones, the sound signals having been output from the first gain controller, wherein the predetermined gain is set based on a comparing result of the levels.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The sound pickup method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
picking up the sound by the microphone provided in each of a plurality of first housings; and
in a second housing,
controlling a gain of the microphone provided in each of the plurality of first housings, in the first gain controller,
adding each sound signal that has been controlled in the first gain controller, in the adder,
controlling a gain of the sound signal that has been added in the adder, in the second gain controller, and
setting gain setting in the first gain controller based on gain setting in the second gain controller, in the gain setter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The sound pickup method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
in the plurality of first housings,
picking up each sound by the microphone provided in each of a plurality of first housings, and
controlling a gain of the microphone provided in each of the plurality of first housings, in the first gain controller; and
in a second housing,
adding each sound signal that has been controlled in the first gain controller, in the adder,
controlling a gain of the sound signal that has been added in the adder, in the second gain controller, and
setting gain setting in the first gain controller based on gain setting in the second gain controller, in the gain setter.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The sound pickup method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
transmitting gain setting information that has been set in the gain setter, to the first gain controller by a modulation signal through an analog audio line; and
demodulating the modulation signal and setting a gain in the first gain controller.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The sound pickup method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
selecting a sound signal of a highest level and outputting the sound signal that has been selected, in the adder.