Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110317041 | ELECTRONIC APPARATUS HAVING MICROPHONES WITH CONTROLLABLE FRONT-SIDE GAIN AND REAR-SIDE GAIN - An electronic apparatus is provided that has a rear-side and a front-side, a first microphone that generates a first signal, and a second microphone that generates a second signal. An automated balance controller generates a balancing signal based on an imaging signal. A processor processes the first and second signals to generate at least one beamformed audio signal, where an audio level difference between a front-side gain and a rear-side gain of the beamformed audio signal is controlled during processing based on the balancing signal. | 12-29-2011 |
20120013768 | ELECTRONIC APPARATUS FOR GENERATING MODIFIED WIDEBAND AUDIO SIGNALS BASED ON TWO OR MORE WIDEBAND MICROPHONE SIGNALS - At least two microphones generate wideband electrical audio signals in response to incoming sound waves, and the wideband audio signals are filtered to generate low band signals and high band signals. From the low band signals, low band beamformed signals are generated, and the low band beamformed signals are combined with the high band signals to generate modified wideband audio signals. In one implementation, an electronic apparatus is provided that includes a microphone array, a crossover, a beamformer module, and a combiner module. The microphone array has at least two pressure microphones that generate wideband electrical audio signals in response to incoming sound waves. The crossover generates low band signals and high band signals from the wideband electrical audio signals. The beamformer module generates low band beamformed signals from the low band signals. The combiner module combines the high band signals and the low band beamformed signals to generate modified wideband audio signals. | 01-19-2012 |
20120019689 | ELECTRONIC APPARATUS FOR GENERATING BEAMFORMED AUDIO SIGNALS WITH STEERABLE NULLS - An electronic apparatus is provided having a front side and a rear side oriented in opposite directions along a first axis, and a right-side and a left-side oriented in opposite directions along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. A null control signal is generated based on an imaging signal. A first microphone located near the right-side of an electronic apparatus generates a first signal and a second microphone located near the left-side of the electronic apparatus generates a second signal. The first and second signals are processed, based on the null control signal, to generate a right beamformed audio signal having a first directional pattern having at least one first null, and a left beamformed audio signal having a second directional pattern having at least one second null. A first angular location (α) of the at least one first null and a second angular location (β) of the at least one second null are steered based on the null control signal. | 01-26-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140270202 | Apparatus with Adaptive Audio Adjustment Based on Surface Proximity, Surface Type and Motion - A method includes detecting a surface in proximity to a mobile device using sensor data and determining an acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity of the surface using the sensor data. The method may further compensate for the acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity by controlling a configurable group of microphones of the mobile device. Compensating for the surface acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity may include beamforming the outputs of the configurable group of microphones to obtain one of an omnidirectional beamform pattern or a directional beamform pattern. An apparatus that performs the method include a configurable group of microphones, a signal conditioner, and a surface compensator. The surface compensator is operative to detect a surface in proximity to the apparatus and determine a surface acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity. | 09-18-2014 |
20140270217 | Apparatus with Adaptive Microphone Configuration Based on Surface Proximity, Surface Type and Motion - An apparatus includes a group of microphones and a surface compensator that is operatively coupled to switch logic and to a signal conditioner that provides a control channel to voice recognition logic. The surface compensator may detect surfaces in proximity to the apparatus as well as the surface's acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity and may accordingly configure the group of microphones including selecting appropriate signal conditioning and beamforming based on the surface acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity and the orientation of the apparatus. Voice recognition performance is thus improved when microphones are impeded or occluded by proximate surfaces. A group of sensors of the apparatus is used by the surface compensator to detect surfaces and surface type, and to determine apparatus orientation and motion. | 09-18-2014 |
20140278395 | Method and Apparatus for Determining a Motion Environment Profile to Adapt Voice Recognition Processing - A method and apparatus for determining a motion environment profile to adapt voice recognition processing includes a device receiving an acoustic signal including a speech signal, which is provided to a voice recognition module. The method also includes determining a motion profile for the device, determining a temperature profile for the device, and determining a noise profile for the acoustic signal. The method further includes determining, from the motion, temperature, and noise profiles, a motion environment profile for the device and adapting voice recognition processing for the speech signal based on the motion environment profile. | 09-18-2014 |