Patent GB-1426604-A (GB)
Title: Acoustic measurements
IPC: H04R29/00
Filed: 1973-07-06
Abstract: 1426604 Testing microphones POST OFFICE 27 June 1974 [6 July 1973] 32370/73 Heading H4J [Also in Division G1] The frequency response of an acousticelectric transducer and associated circuitry (e.g. a telephone microphone and the line to the exchange) is measured by feeding an acoustic signal comprising a plurality of discrete sinusoidal frequencies into the acoustic electric transducer and sampling an electrical signal derived from the transducer to produce a sequential series of samples of the electric signal. The sequential series of samples is converted into a sequence of numbers representative of amplitude. The sequence of numbers is Fourier analysed to produce a sequence of numbers representing the frequency response. This sequence of numbers may be multiplied in a digital computer by a weighting factor to produce a sequence of weighted numbers and the sequence of weighted numbers integrated to produce a number representing a send loudness rating for the transducer. The transducer output may be stored in a tape recorder before being fed to the analyser. The plurality of discrete sinusoidal frequencies is generated in a pseudo-random binary sequence generator consisting of flip-flops 40 (Fig. 7) forming an N-stage shift register (Fig. 7). The outputs 44 are connected to logic gates 41 including exclusive OR gates and flip-flops. The output of the logic gates 41 is fed back on line 42 to the first flip-flop 40. The shift register is clocked by a clock pulse generator 8 (Fig. 3) of an acoustic generator applied to input 43. The pseudo random binary sequence is generated at the output of any stage 44. This pseudorandom binary sequence generator (ref. 7, Fig. 3) is supplied by a battery 5 consisting of rechargeable nickel-cadmium cells. A battery state indicator (not shown) may be included. The acoustic generator transducer 10 is of moving coil type having a good response up to 8 kHz. It is mounted in an aluminium housing 17 (Fig. 2). A cylindrical tube 12 houses a circuit board 14 for the voltage regulator 6 and generator circuit 7. Charging terminals 11 are provided for the battery 5 and a switch 15 is provided. The cylinder 12 may be hand held. A sealing and spacing ring 16 enables the unit to be sealed to, and separated a predetermined distance from the microphone under test. The signal to be analysed is fed to a frequency analyser (Fig. 5) including an amplifier 20 having a low pass filter. An analogue to digital converter 21 has a sampling frequency controlled by a locking clock oscillator 23. The Fourier analyser 24 may include a digital computer. The locking clock oscillator 23 receives the amplified signal at an input 27 (Fig. 6). A sample and hold unit 28 samples at approx. 50 mS. intervals. Its output is compared in a comparator 30 with a reference signal from a generator 31. A difference signal proportional to any deviation from reference is applied to an oscillator 32 of frequency about 1À024 MHz. The oscillator output is applied to a divide by 51200 circuit 33. The output of circuit 33 controls a sampling pulse generator 29 which in turn controls the sample and hold unit 28. If the frequency of the clock 8 (Fig. 3) drifts, a voltage is produced at the output of comparator 30 which causes the frequency of oscillator 32 to follow the drift of clock 8. This causes the sampling rate of unit 28 to change until balance is restored. The output at terminal 34 is used to drive the sample and hold unit 22 (Fig. 5).