# US 2020/0288237 A1 · Array microphone system and method of assembling the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0288237 A1 - Document ID: US20200288237A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/598,918 - Filed: 2019-10-10 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-30 - Assignees: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc. - Applicants: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc. - Inventors: Mathew T. Abraham; David Grant Cason; John Casey Gibbs; Gregory William Lantz; Albert Francis McGovern, JR.; Brent Robert Shumard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200288237A1 ## CPC - H04R 1/406: {microphones} - H04R 1/02: Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075}) - H04R 31/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor {(manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182)} - H04R 2201/021: Transducers or their casings adapted for mounting in or to a wall or ceiling - H04R 2201/40: Details of arrangements for obtaining desired directional characteristic by combining a number of identical transducers covered by H04R1/40 but not provided for in any of its subgroups - H04R 2201/401: 2D or 3D arrays of transducers - H04R 2201/405: Non-uniform arrays of transducers or a plurality of uniform arrays with different transducer spacing - 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 Embodiments include a microphone assembly comprising an array microphone and a housing configured to support the array microphone and sized and shaped to be mountable in a drop ceiling in place of at least one of a plurality of ceiling tiles included in the drop ceiling. A front face of the housing includes a sound-permeable screen having a size and shape that is substantially similar to the at least one of the plurality of ceiling tiles. Embodiments also include an array microphone system comprising a plurality of microphones arranged, on a substrate, in a number of concentric, nested rings of varying sizes around a central point of the substrate. Each ring comprises a subset of the plurality of microphones positioned at predetermined intervals along a circumference of the ring. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-40. (canceled) ### Claim 41 A microphone system comprising: a housing; an array microphone comprising a plurality of microphones, the array microphone disposed within the housing and configured to simultaneously form a plurality of lobes at various angles; an audio processor disposed within the housing and electrically coupled to the array microphone, the audio processor configured to process audio signals captured by the plurality of microphones and generate at least one audio output; and an external port disposed within and accessible external to the housing and electrically connected to the audio processor, the external port being configured to: electrically couple a cable received therein to the audio processor and, via the cable, receive control signals from an external control system, transmit the audio output to an external audio component, and receive power from an external power supply. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The microphone system of claim 41, wherein the audio processor is configured to perform digital signal processing including at least one of gain control and audio mixing. ### Claim 43 (depends on 41) The microphone system of claim 41, wherein the audio processor is further configured to enable steering of a selected one of the lobes towards a desired location. ### Claim 44 (depends on 41) The microphone system of claim 41, wherein the audio processor is further configured to enable adjustment of a beamwidth of a selected lobe. ### Claim 45 (depends on 14) The microphone system of claim 14, wherein the audio processor is further configured to generate multiple audio outputs based on the audio signals captured by the plurality of microphones, each audio output corresponding to a respective one of the lobes. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The microphone system of claim 45, wherein the multiple audio outputs are transmitted to the external audio component via the external port. ### Claim 47 (depends on 45) The microphone system of claim 45, wherein the audio processor is further configured to simultaneously provide each of the multiple audio outputs as an individually-routed channel. ### Claim 48 (depends on 45) The microphone system of claim 45, wherein the audio processor is further configured to provide an auto-mixed output based on the audio signals captured by the plurality of microphones. ### Claim 49 (depends on 41) The microphone system of claim 41, further comprising an indicator visible externally of the housing and configured to indicate an operating mode of the array microphone. ### Claim 50 (depends on 41) The microphone system of claim 41, wherein the plurality of microphones are micro-electrical mechanical system (MEMS) microphones. ### Claim 51 (depends on 41) The microphone system of claim 41, wherein the power received at the external port is for powering the array microphone. ### Claim 52 (depends on 41) The microphone system of claim 41, wherein the control signals received at the external port are for controlling the audio processor. ### Claim 53 (depends on 41) The microphone system of claim 41, wherein the plurality of microphones are arranged in a number of concentric, nested groups. ### Claim 54 (depends on 53) The microphone system of claim 53, wherein the concentric, nested groups are rotationally offset from each other. ### Claim 55 (depends on 54) The microphone system of claim 54, wherein each group is rotationally offset from a central axis by a different number of degrees. ### Claim 56 (depends on 53) The microphone system of claim 53, wherein the groups are positioned at different radial distances from a central point of the array microphone to form a nested configuration. ### Claim 57 (depends on 53) The microphone system of claim 53, wherein each group comprises a predetermined number of microphones, the predetermined number being selected from a group consisting of numbers that are multiples of an odd integer greater than one. ### Claim 58 (depends on 41) The microphone system of claim 41, wherein the housing is substantially square-shaped. ### Claim 59 A microphone system comprising: a microphone assembly comprising an array microphone and an audio processor electrically coupled to the array microphone; a housing configured to support the microphone assembly, the housing being sized and shaped to be mountable in a drop ceiling in place of at least one of a plurality of ceiling tiles included in the drop ceiling, wherein a front face of the housing includes a sound-permeable screen having a size and shape that is substantially similar to the at least one of the plurality of ceiling tiles; and an external port disposed within and accessible external to the housing and electrically connected to the microphone assembly, the external port being configured to electrically couple a cable received therein to the microphone assembly and, via the cable, receive control signals from an external control system, transmit an audio output to an external audio component, and receive power from an external power supply. ### Claim 60 (depends on 59) The microphone system of claim 59, wherein the array microphone comprises a plurality of microphones configured to simultaneously form a plurality of lobes at various angles. ### Claim 61 (depends on 60) The microphone system of claim 60, wherein the audio processor is configured to process audio signals captures by the plurality of microphone and generate at least one audio output, said at least one output being transmitted to the external audio component via the cable coupled to the external port. ### Claim 62 (depends on 61) The microphone system of claim 61, wherein the audio processor is configured to perform digital signal processing including at least one of gain control and audio mixing. ### Claim 63 (depends on 59) The microphone system of claim 59, wherein the housing comprises a back surface positioned opposite the front face, the back surface being positioned inside the drop ceiling when the housing is mounted to the drop ceiling.