Systems and methods for determining sound of a moving object

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application serial No. 60/333,678, filed Nov. 26, 2001, entitled SOUND OF SPEED REMOTE DELIVERY SYSTEM and which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] A moving object generates sound. From the perspective of the moving object, externally generated sound is different from that the sound the object would hear if it was motionless. There is the need to know and better appreciate these sounds.

[0003] In the prior art, devices do exist for relaying sound from a moving object; but such devices do not accurately reproduce the sound. Accordingly, the vast majority of persons have little or no appreciation of the sounds of moving objects. By way of example, in car racing, a single microphone may be used to communicate voice data between the driver and the rest of the team. However, such a microphone device does not deliver high fidelity sound; it also does not correctly portray the sounds of or around the car. Accordingly, audiences and others cannot appreciate actual sounds associated with the racecar and/or driver.

[0004] The afore-mentioned problem exists in sporting and other activities. That is, heretofore, there is no technique to acquire and relay actual sounds to others and relating to a moving object.

[0005] In one aspect, a system provides for determining sound of a moving object by capturing and relaying sound therefrom. This sound may be surround sound so that a highly accurate reproduction of that sound may occur. The system has a plurality of microphone units; typically, four, five, or more microphone units are provided. Each microphone unit captures sound and generates signals representative of that sound. Each microphone unit may include a microphone, a battery and a microprocessor and/or other logic to accomplish the functions of the microphone unit. The sound signals may be communicated to one or more transmission units for wirelessly transmitting such signals to locations remote from the moving object.

[0006] In another aspect, the one or more transmission units are located on the moving object remote from the microphone units. The one or more transmission units may include one or more transmitters connected with an antenna to wirelessly communicate captured sound data to locations remote from the moving object.

[0007] In yet another aspect, wireless transmission of signals indicative of sounds captured by the microphone units may be by radio-frequency (RF) transmitters, telephones (e.g., cellular), or other wireless communicative means.

[0008] The microphone units may be attached to various locations on the moving object. By way of example, for a racecar, a microphone unit may be placed at each of four extremities of the racecar. (e.g., one for each comer, or one for each suitable location near to a wheel of the racecar). A fifth microphone unit may be co-located with a subjective point, such as with an ear of a driver of the racecar. According to one aspect, the one or more transmission units may be located on the moving object at a point to maximize the effective transmission of a wireless signal away from the moving object.

[0009] Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the system for determining sound of a moving object may apply to other sports and activity. By way of example, a plurality of units may attach with a canoe and another unit may attach to the canoeist's ear. A similar arrangement may occur in skiing or in other activity. The system may of course operate with or without an ear unit.

[0010] In another aspect, the microphone units are constructed and arranged to directionally capture sound. By way of example, using the racecar example, each of the four microphone units may capture sound at 90 degrees from the car's forward motion. Additionally, the fifth microphone unit may be omni-directional in nature, so that it captures sound from many directions and without directional preference. Alternatively, all five microphone units may be omni-directional in nature.

[0011] Still another feature of the system relates to transmitting data from the transmission units to a central receiving station for processing. The central receiving station may be a parametric electronics device that mixes the signals (e.g., the five signals from the microphone units in the race car example) and then broadcasts information to, for example, a television station that will air details about the captured sound. The television station may replay the sound, based on the information, so that an audience can hear and appreciate the full sound of the racecar. The information may also be processed to analyze certain characteristics of the sound.

[0012] Signals transmitted from the transmission units to the central receiving station may, in one aspect, travel directly therebetween, or alternatively may travel along relay antennas in order to boost the signal strength such that sufficiently strong signals reach the central receiving station, or such as to relay data long distances.

[0013] In another aspect, the central receiving station may perform certain other functions on received signals from the microphone units, including compressing and encoding such signals. These functions may include adjustable parameters that make the system more portable between several activities, e.g., car racing and boating.

[0014] According to another aspect, the one or more transmission units may further have one or more encoders. The encoders of the transmission units convert the signals generated by the transmitters to digital signals for wireless transmission.

[0015] In yet another aspect, the one or more transmission units may further have a processor. The processor receives the signals from the microphone units, preamplifies the signals, converts the signals from analog to digital signals and then encodes the signals into a digital stream for transmission by a transmitter through antenna to wirelessly communicate captured sound data.

[0016] Each of the microphone units may be mounted within a recessed area of the moving object. The recessed areas may be, for example, located on the front and rear aerodynamic wings of the racecar, and may serve to at least partially shield the microphone units from the direct airflow over the car. The shielding reduces unwanted sounds generated by the microphone units when directly encountering high-speed airflow, so that pure sounds are captured from the moving object.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a system for determining sound, and in use with a racecar;

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the system of FIG. 1 coupled with one central receiving station and television network;

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of one microphone unit;

[0020] FIG. 4A shows a broken perspective view of an aerodynamic wing of the racecar with one microphone unit mounted therein; FIG. 4B shows a broken top view of the aerodynamic wing of FIG. 4A with the microphone unit and associated wiring;

[0021] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of one transmission station having a plurality of transmitters;

[0022] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of another transmission station having a plurality of telephones;

[0023] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of another transmission station having a plurality of transmitters and a pair of encoders;

[0024] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of another transmission station having a plurality of transmitters and an encoder;

[0025] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of another transmission station having a processor and a transmitter.

[0026] FIG. 10 shows a diagram of the system of FIG. 1 coupled with relay antennas and one central receiving station;

[0027] FIG. 11 shows a diagram of the system of FIG. 1 utilizing the transmission station of FIG. 6 coupled with relay antennas and one central receiving station;

[0028] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of one central receiving station;

[0029] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of signals handled by a crossover of the central receiving station of FIG. 12; and

[0030] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of signals handled by an encoder of the central receiving station of FIG. 12.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a system 10 for determining sound of a moving object, and in use with a racecar 12. System 10 has a plurality of microphone units 14(1)-14(5). Microphone units 14(1)-14(4) may be located at four extremities of car 12, such as near opposite lateral ends of front and rear aerodynamic wings 36, 38, to capture varying sounds encountered by different regions of car 12. However, there may be any number of microphone units 14 positioned on car 12, such as five or more. Each microphone unit 14(1)-14(4) may capture sound at a direction 20 that is perpendicular to forward motion 22 of car 12. Microphone unit 14(5), on the other hand, may captures omni-directional sound; microphone unit 14(5) may for example reside with a helmet 24 of a driver 26 of car 12. Alternatively, all or any number of microphone units 14(1)-14(5) may be omni-directional in nature.

[0032] Each microphone unit 14 is preferably mounted within a recessed area, such as a hosting bore 18 as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. Microphone unit 14(5) may also be mounted near a centerpoint 28 of car 12. Optionally, system 10 includes a camera 30 to capture pictures and/or video from racecar 12. Each of the microphone units 14(1)-14(5) generates a signal based on the sound captured and preferably communicates such signal to a transmission station 32. One transmission station 32 may be provided for each microphone unit 14(1)-14(5), but preferably microphone units 14(1)-14(5) all communicate signals to a single transmission station 32. Transmission station 32 transmits a wireless signal 104 containing information about the captured sounds to a location remote from car 12. Transmission station 32 may be mounted onto a shell 13 of car 12, or mounted in a cavity formed within shell 13 of car 12. Camera 30 may transmit captured images directly to a remote location, or may likewise communicate signals to transmission station 32 to be transmitted along with the sound signals to the remote location. Each microphone unit 14, and optionally camera 30, may communicate sound or picture/video signals along hard wiring 34 to transmission station 32; however, units 14(1)-14(5) and camera 30 may each be provided with a wireless transmitter for communicating such signals to transmission station 32. Hard wiring 34 may be any type of wiring or cabling for transporting communications signals.

[0033] Each of the microphone units 14(1)-14(5) capture sounds at locations such as those shown in FIG. 1. However, those skilled in the art should appreciate that microphone units 14 may be placed at other locations. For example, microphone units 14(1)-14(4) may be placed at locations near to wheels 19 of car 12, or at some other location such that sounds that would be encountered by varying regions of car 12 are captured.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows system 10, FIG. 1, coupled with a central receiving station 100 and television network 102. Central receiving station 100 may processes wireless signals 104 generated from transmission station 32 representative of sound captured by microphone units 14(1)-14(5), as well as picture/video signals from camera 30, and may send a signal 106 to network 102. Network 102 may for example include a television truck 102(1) that is local to the race, to receive signal 106, and a satellite 102(2) or ground-based antenna network 102(3) that receives signal 106(1) from truck 102(1). Signal 106(1) may for example include audio and video signals from microphone units 14(1)-14(5) and camera 30. Satellite 102(2) or ground-based antenna network 102(3) may then send broadcast signals 108 to various homes 110 of an audience or television viewers, who may then enjoy the information provided in signal 106(1).

[0035] It should also be understood that television network 102 may alternatively be, for example, a radio network for broadcastings the audio signals over radio frequencies. Both television and radio network signals may also be broadcast over the internet or other communications network.

[0036] FIG. 3 schematically shows the components of one exemplary microphone unit 14, such as one of units 14(1)-14(5) of FIG. 1. Microphone unit 14 may have a microphone 21 for capturing sound, a microprocessor 23 for converting captured sound into digital information, a transmitter 25 or bus driver for communicating the digital information, either wirelessly or along hard wiring 34, to transmission station 32, and a battery 27 for providing power for the various components of microphone unit 14. Alternatively, hard wiring 34 may provide power to microphone unit 14 such that battery 27 is not needed in microphone unit 14. In another embodiment, signals communicated along hard wiring 34 from microphone unit 14 to transmission station 32 are analog signals generated by microphone 21, such that microprocessor 23 and transmitter 25 are not needed in microphone unit 14.

[0037] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B show how microphone units 14(1)-14(4) are preferably mounted to racecar 12. Hosting bores 18 extend laterally inward from the sidewalls 40 of front and rear aerodynamic wings 36, 38 and are sized and configured to house microphone units 14(1)-14(4) therein such that the units are not exposed to direct airflow traveling over car 12 and thus face outwardly and perpendicular to forward motion 22 of car 12 (i.e., direction 20, FIG. 1). Microphone units 14(1)-14(4) may be secured within hosting bores 18 by various techniques, such as magnets, adhesives or brackets and mechanical fasteners (e.g., screws). Hosting bores 18 may be disposed at a variety of vertical and longitudinal positions along sidewalls 40 of aerodynamic wings 36, 38 as a matter of design choice, to capture sounds from desired locations. If microphone unit 14(5) for capturing omni-direction sound is not located on driver 26 (e.g., with helmet 24), a vertically extending hosting bore (not shown) may be disposed at, for example, centerpoint 28 of the car 12 for microphone unit 14(5). Hard wiring 34 may extend inside aerodynamic wings 36, 38 and/or inside shell 13 of the car 12 from hosting bores 18 to transmission station 32. Alternatively, hard wiring 34 may be secured to an outer surface 42 of the wings 36, 38 and shell 13 of car 12 by various techniques similar to that used to secure microphone units 14(1)-14(4), such as magnets, adhesives or brackets and mechanical fasteners (e.g., screws).

[0038] FIG. 5 shows one representative transmission station 32(1) suitable for use in system 10. Transmission station 32(1) has a number of transmitters 44(1)-44(5), preferably one for each of microphone units 14(1)-14(5), to transmit the signals generated by microphone units 14(1)-14(5) to central receiving station 100. Transmitters 44(1)-44(5) may convert the five output signals of microphone units 14(1)-14(5) to five radio-frequency (RF) signals 54(1)-54(5) for transmission to central receiving station 100. A number of connectors 46(1)-46(5) may be configured to interface with electrical wiring 34 from microphone units 14(1)-14(5) to communicate signals generated by microphone units 14(1)-14(5) to transmitters 44(1)-44(5). Transmitters 44(1)-44(5) are in electrical communication with an antenna 48 that relays wireless signals 104(1) to central receiving station 100. A power source, such as a battery 50, provides electrical power to transmitters 44(1)-44(5), and may be recharged through a DC plug 52. DC plug 52 may have a power inverter such that AC electrical power may be supplied through a standard electrical outlet of a buildings etc. Alternatively, battery 50 may be a battery powering the overall operation of car 12 such that a separate battery is unnecessary in transmission station 32(1). A transmitter may also be supplied with camera 30, or may reside with transmitters 44(1)-44(5) within transmission station 32(1).

[0039] Another configuration for a transmission station 32(2) is shown in FIG. 6. Transmission station 32(2) is similar to transmission station 32(1) and may have the same connectors 46(1)-46(5), antenna 48, battery 50, and DC plug 52, but instead of transmitters 44(1)-44(5) has telephones 56(1)-56(5), such as cellular telephones, to communicate signals 104(2) wirelessly to central receiving station 100. Telephones 56(1)-56(5) receive the five signals generated by microphone units 14(1)-14(5) and convert such signals into telephonic signals 58(1)-58(5). Telephones 56(1)-56(5) are in electrical communication with antenna 48 for transporting the telephonic signals 58(1)-58(5) thereto. Antenna 48 then relays wireless signals 104(2) (e.g., as cellular signals) based on telephonic signals 58(1)-58(5) over a telephone network 200 (e.g., relay antennas and/or satellites) to central receiving station 100, as seen in FIG. 11. Telephones 56(1)-56(5) are programmed to dial telephone numbers corresponding to five telephones 114(1)-114(5) located within central receiving station 100 to communicate signals 104(2) related to the sounds captured by units 14(1)-14(5) telephonically.

[0040] FIG. 7 shows another representative transmission station 32(3). Transmission station 32(3) is likewise similar to transmission station 32(1) and may have the same transmitters 44(1)-44(5), connectors 46(1)-46(5), antenna 48, battery 50, and DC plug 52; but additionally, station 32(3) has a pair of encoders 60(1)-60(2). These encoders 60(1)-60(2) convert the output signals 54(1)-54(5) of transmitters 44(1)-44(5) to digitally encode signals, preferably into two digital streams 62(1)-62(2), for transmission as signals 104(3) through antenna 48 to central receiving station 100. The five signals 54(1)-54(5) of transmitters 44(1)-44(5) may be grouped into two pairs of signals, one pair having any three of signals 54(1)-54(5) and traveling to one encoder 60(1) and the other pair having the other two of signals 54(1)-54(5) and traveling to the other encoder 60(2). The digital streams 62(1)-62(2) may be decoded upon receipt by receiving station 100 back into signals 54(1)-54(5) for processing by station 100.

[0041] FIG. 8 presents a transmission station 32(4) similar to station 32(3), but instead merely has one encoder 64 for digitally encoding output signals 54(1)-54(5) of transmitters 44(1)-44(5). Encoder 64 converts signals 54(1)-54(5) into a single digitally encoded signal stream 66 for transmission through antenna 48 as signals 104(4) to central receiving station 100. The digital stream 66 may be decoded upon receipt by receiving station 100 back into signals 54(1)-54(5) for processing by station 100.

[0042] FIG. 9 shows another representative transmission station 32(5). Transmission station 32(5) shares some components with transmission station 32(1), such as connectors 46(1)-46(5), antenna 48, battery 50, and DC plug 52; but additionally has a processor 68 and, preferably, a single transmitter 70. Battery 50 may provide electrical power to processor 68 and transmitter 70. Processor 68 has a microphone preamp for preamplifying the five output sound signals received from microphone units 14(1)-14(5), an A/D (analog/digital) converter for digitizing the sound signals, and a multi-encoder for encoding the digitized sound signals into a digital stream 72 communicated to transmitter 70. Transmitter 70 then transmits signals 104(5) through antenna 48 to central receiving station 100. The digital stream 72 may be decoded upon receipt by receiving station 100 back into the analog sound signals generated by microphone units 14(1)-14(5) for processing by station 100.

[0043] As seen in FIG. 10, it should also be understood that one or more relay antennas 250 may be provided to boost the amplification of any of the output signals 104 traveling from transmission stations 32(1)-32(5) to central receiving station 100 to reduce loss of signal continuity. Relay antennas 250 may be ground-based, or positioned on a moving object such as a helicopter 252 or other aircraft.

[0044] FIG. 12 schematically shows the components of central receiving station 100 for readying signals to be sent over network 102 for broadcasting to an audience. Wireless signals 104 are received from the transmission stations by antenna 112 and communicated to receivers 115. For example, if transmission station 32(1) is implemented, then five receivers 115(1)-115(5) will be provided for receiving the five RF signals 104(6)-104(10) regarding sounds captured by microphone units 14(1)14(5). Receiving station 100 may also have a crossover 116, a compressor 118, a volume adjustor 120, and an encoder 122. FIG. 13 shows the details of the signals handled by crossover 116. Signals 104(6)-104(10) are divided by crossover 116 into high frequency signals 150(1)-150(5) and low frequency signals 152(1)-152(5). Low frequency signals 152(1)-152(5) are merged into a sub-signal 150a. High frequency signals 150(1)-150(5) then proceed along with sub-signal 150a to compressor 118. Signals 150(1)-150(5) and 150a from crossover 116 are compressed in compressor 118 in order to optimize the signal ratio and minimize noise in the signals, thus forming compressed high frequency signals 154(1)-154(5) and sub-signal 156a. These signals then travel to volume adjustor 120, where volumes for each of signals 154(1)-154(5) and 156a may be set individually according to the application. For example, the signal representing sounds captured by the omni-directional microphone unit 14(5) may be given a higher volume than the other signals such that the audience can better hear what driver 26 is hearing. The volume adjustment generates high frequency signals 158(1)-158(5) and sub-signal 160a which travel to encoder 122. FIG. 14 shows encoder 122 merging signals 158(1)-158(5) and 160a into a new digital signal 162 ready for broadcasting over communications network 102, such as a television network. Signal 162 represents both the high and low frequency sounds captured by microphone units 14(1)-14(5) and processed by receiving station 100. Additionally, because of the processing that takes place in central receiving station 100, a variety of parameters may be preset in station 100 such that a desired combination of settings (i.e., output sound characteristics for broadcasting) may be reproduced as sound signals vary.

[0045] Since certain changes may be made in the above methods and systems without departing from the scope hereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the following claims are to cover certain generic and specific features described herein.