2013年4月26日 星期五

STMicroelectronics的麥克風是Nokia的

根據新聞的描述,Nokia委託麥克風供應商STMicroelectronics製造其中含有Nokia專利技術的麥克風模組,但hTC拿來用,Nokia提出告訴,使得hTC遭受荷蘭法院(阿姆斯特丹地方法院)的"初步禁令(preliminary injunction)",禁止STMicroelectronics供貨給hTC。

告訴中明令STMicroelectronics不得出售麥克風模組給hTC,但特別的是,根據FOSS Patents的報導,Nokia有關這個麥克風的專利申請案尚未獲准專利,因此本案並非是一個專利侵權的官司(但美國案已經獲准專利),因此並非是以專利侵權的事實發出"海關"禁令,而是法院認為STMicroelectronics違反與Nokia的合約未經授權販售相關物品給hTC。


尚在審理中的歐洲專利應該是這件:EP2389770
此件揭示一種高能音訊多薄膜麥克風(Multi-membrane microphone for high-amplitude audio capture)。



(換能器就是薄膜!)
經過簡單的搜尋,判斷就是這件系爭專利,相對美案為US8,233,637


專利範圍如下,比歐洲/PCT專利初步規劃的範圍稍微有不同的描述,在沒有任何前案核駁的情況下獲准,顯然有一定的創新,獨立項為一個方法,包括:接收一個聲音訊號,根據此訊號輸出由第一輸入音訊換能器與第二輸入音訊換能器的電訊號;其中第二輸入音訊換能器為較低敏感度的元件,將根據電訊號選擇所要輸出的音訊。
1. A method, comprising: 
receiving an acoustic signal; 
in response to the received acoustic signal, outputting electrical signals from a first input audio transducer and a second input audio transducer, 
where the second input audio transducer is less sensitive than the first input audio transducer and selecting one of either the electrical signal from the first input audio transducer or the electrical signal from the second input audio transducer based on an analysis of the electrical signals.


另有一項裝置範圍,即包括有第一輸入音訊換能器與第二輸入音訊換能器。
11. An apparatus comprising: 
a substrate; 
a first input audio transducer mounted over the substrate and configured to output an electrical signal from an acoustic signal; and 
a second input audio transducer mounted over the substrate and configured to output an electrical signal from an acoustic signal, 
where the second input audio transducer is less sensitive than the first input audio transducer, where a difference in the sensitivity of the second input transducer is due at least in part to a configuration of a membrane of the second input audio transducer or a difference in the sensitivity of the second input audio transducer is due at least in part to a capacitive gap between the second input audio transducer and a back-plate of the substrate.

需要高效能的麥克風的廠商,趕快迴避吧!

Ron
參考資料:FOSS Patents
參考新聞:
http://www.ithome.com.tw/itadm/article.php?c=79948

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