US 5,243,659 AGranted

Motorcycle stereo audio system with vox intercom

AssigneesJohn J. Lazzeroni, Melinda K. Carevich

InventorsLarry E. Stafford, John J. Lazzeroni

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Abstract

An improved motorcycle intercom communications system between the motorcycle driver and passenger providing for stereo of listening from a radio, cassette player, or the like in each of both right and left helmet speakers wherein intercom communications may be had through microphones always activated located proximate the mouth of both driver and passenger, where when initiating speaking over the microphone, the stereo output of both right and left speakers of the driver's and passenger's helmets is terminated completely and the intercom conversation is heard in full. Upon the termination of the intercom conversation, the invention circuitry returns both sides of speakers to the pre-existing level of stereo output. The above is accomplished by dividing all sounds which come in over the microphone into a low frequency range and an audio speaking range wherein the output of a low frequency range filter is constantly sampled and compared with the energy output of the audio speaking range of frequencies. When the energy in the speaking range of frequencies exceeds the energy in the low frequency range, such is indicative that a party is speaking into the microphone and the circuit automatically terminates the output to both helmet speakers and injects the intercom on the helmet speakers.

An improved motorcycle stereo audio system with VOX intercom for a rider and passenger comprising:

an intercom system adapted to receive a speaking voice and extraneous audio frequency noise, said intercom system outputting said speaking voice and a control signal when the speaking voice exceeds the extraneous audio frequency noise, said intercom system including:
a plurality of microphones to receive and convert said speaking voice and extraneous audio frequency noise to electrical signals,
a plurality of preamplifiers, one each of said plurality of preamplifiers operably attached to one each of said plurality of microphones,
a band pass filter and a low pass filter, said band pass filter and said low pass filter operably attached to each of said preamplifiers, said band pass filter adapted to segregate said electrical signals in said speaking voice and said low pass filter adapted to segregate said electrical signals of said extraneous audio frequency noise having a frequency below the speaking voice,
a comparator operably attached to said band pass filter and to said low pass filter, said comparator outputting said control signal, and;
a mute control and a manual control operably connected interposed said band pass filter and said comparator, said mute control inhibiting said comparator outputting said control signal, and said manual control compelling said comparator to output said control signal;
a left switch and amplifier system adapted to receive as an input the left stereo channel of an associated stereo audio signal and to output said left stereo channel to a left speaker, said left switch and amplifier system operably connected to said intercom system to receive said intercom system control signal and speaking voice;
and
a right switch and amplifier system adapted to receive as an input the right stereo channel of an associated stereo audio signal and to output said right stereo channel to a right speaker, said right switch and amplifier system also operably connected to said intercom system to receive said intercom system control signal and speaking voice whereby when the speaking voice exceeds the extraneous audio frequency noise, said intercom system comparator outputs said control signal, said control signal selectively switching on and off said left and right stereo channel from said left and right stereo channel output to said left and right speaker respectively and injecting said speaking voice into said left and right switch and amplifier systems to output said speaking voice in said left and right speaker.

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Abstract

Claims15