EP3704869A1 - Konfigurierbares mikrofonarray und verfahren zum konfigurieren eines mikrofonarrays - Google Patents
Konfigurierbares mikrofonarray und verfahren zum konfigurieren eines mikrofonarraysInfo
- Publication number
- EP3704869A1 EP3704869A1 EP18748888.7A EP18748888A EP3704869A1 EP 3704869 A1 EP3704869 A1 EP 3704869A1 EP 18748888 A EP18748888 A EP 18748888A EP 3704869 A1 EP3704869 A1 EP 3704869A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- control
- microphone array
- signal
- sound
- microphone
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
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- 230000005236 sound signal Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 166
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 claims description 30
- 239000002775 capsule Substances 0.000 claims description 28
- 238000007493 shaping process Methods 0.000 claims description 20
- 230000007717 exclusion Effects 0.000 claims description 15
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 claims description 15
- 230000003321 amplification Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000003199 nucleic acid amplification method Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000003491 array Methods 0.000 abstract description 11
- 230000008030 elimination Effects 0.000 abstract description 4
- 238000003379 elimination reaction Methods 0.000 abstract description 4
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- 238000013016 damping Methods 0.000 abstract 1
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- 230000002596 correlated effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000002452 interceptive effect Effects 0.000 description 2
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Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
- H04R1/20—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics
- H04R1/32—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only
- H04R1/40—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only by combining a number of identical transducers
- H04R1/406—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only by combining a number of identical transducers microphones
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10K—SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10K11/00—Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
- G10K11/18—Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound
- G10K11/26—Sound-focusing or directing, e.g. scanning
- G10K11/34—Sound-focusing or directing, e.g. scanning using electrical steering of transducer arrays, e.g. beam steering
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R29/00—Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements
- H04R29/004—Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for microphones
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R3/00—Circuits for transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
- H04R3/005—Circuits for transducers, loudspeakers or microphones for combining the signals of two or more microphones
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10K—SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10K2210/00—Details of active noise control [ANC] covered by G10K11/178 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
- G10K2210/10—Applications
- G10K2210/11—Computers, i.e. ANC of the noise created by cooling fan, hard drive or the like
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R2430/00—Signal processing covered by H04R, not provided for in its groups
- H04R2430/20—Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R3/00—Circuits for transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
Definitions
- the invention relates to microphone arrays and in particular microphone arrays with automatic beam focusing (automatic beam focusing).
- Microphone arrays use a variety of microphone capsules and combine their output signals to achieve a specific directivity of the microphone array in a particular direction.
- the direction of a sound source can be detected by analyzing delays between the sound signals arriving at the microphone capsules. Accordingly, a directivity of a microphone array can be achieved by combining delayed output of the microphones. While directivity in a particular, unchanging direction is sufficient for some applications, other applications such as e.g. Conference phones multiple focus areas or even a variable directivity of the microphone array, the direction of increased sensitivity can be controlled by adjusting or changing the respective delays.
- Microphone arrays can also use automatic beam focusing to automatically adjust their directivity to a currently active speaker.
- the microphone array may detect the direction of a currently active speaker by detecting the direction of a sound signal having the maximum volume or energy among all the sound signals.
- the microphone array can scan sound signals from various predetermined directions of a given search area. It can detect and compare the respective energies of sound signals from these directions, determine a direction of maximum sound energy and adjust the delays for its microphone capsules in such a way that a directivity results in the direction determined.
- a microphone array is known, for example, from US 2017/164101 A1. It can be used, for example, for a conference telephone, which can focus on a speaker positioned anywhere in the room or moving and can follow him.
- the interfering sound sources can be electronic devices, such as beamer (or projectors), speakers, fans or air conditioning.
- the microphone array can perceive the source of interference.
- the background noise can even be the sound signal with the highest energy in the search range, so that the microphone array focuses on the source of interference.
- the focus of the microphone array between a speaker and the source of interference jump back and forth, which can degrade the signal quality of the speech signal. It is particularly disturbing when the microphone array receives and amplifies the sound of the interference source.
- An underlying problem of the invention is therefore to prevent a microphone array with multiple focus areas or with automatic beam focusing focusing on sources of acoustic interference.
- the problem is to be solved flexibly for different types of acoustic interference sources, namely those whose spatial position relative to the fixed microphone array is known only with the installation of the microphone array, and at least over a certain period of time (eg the typical length of a telephone call ) or permanently immobile, such as a fan.
- the problem is also to be solved for temporarily occurring sources of interference, the spatial position is indeed fixed, but only prove during a telephone call as sources of interference, such. an open window.
- the problem is also to be solved for mobile, so not fixed microphone array.
- the microphone array according to the invention can detect a predefined, automatically generated control beacon signal which is played from a direction in which a disturbing sound source is located and which configure according to the direction and the detected control sound signal.
- the control sound signal may include, for example, an audio signature.
- the invention relates to a method in which the microphone array searches a defined search area for sound sources that are being played back detects predefined control sound signal, determines the direction from which it comes, and then configures the microphone array according to the control sound signal and the direction determined
- the configuration may include, for example, a special gain / attenuation or the elimination of the detected direction from the search area, or the cancellation of a previously configured special gain / attenuation or elimination of a direction.
- a configurable microphone array includes a plurality of microphone capsules, a configurable directivity beamforming unit, at least one directional control unit for automatically controlling and adjusting the configurable directivity, and a configuration control unit having a control signal detector capable of detecting one of the microphone capsules - To detect tes Schalisignal as a predefined control sound signal and its receive direction and to generate at least one of the control sound signal corresponding control signal. With the control signal, the direction control unit is configured according to the control sound signal.
- both the beamforming unit and the directional control unit and the configuration control unit may receive input signals directly from the microphone capsules.
- the directional control unit may also be integrated into the beamforming unit in some embodiments.
- An advantage of the invention is that it provides a convenient and user-friendly solution to support a quick, flexible and easy configuration of microphone arrays.
- regions of the search area can be marked so that the microphone array can process signals from the different regions differently. The number of these regions is variable.
- the solution according to the invention is intuitive and easy to use.
- Another advantage is that the configuration does not require a defined position or orientation of the microphone array in space, i.
- the microphone array can be positioned as desired or even contained in a mobile device. The configuration can then be adapted to the current situation. Eliminating regions of the search range can significantly reduce microphone array error rates and improve audio quality.
- FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a microphone array according to a first embodiment
- FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a microphone array according to a second embodiment.
- FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a microphone array according to a third embodiment
- Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the beam shaping unit in the third embodiment
- Fig. 7 exemplary sound sequences as a control Schallsigna! E.
- FIG. 1 shows by way of example a conference room with a ceiling-mounted configurable microphone array 100 and with a plurality of acoustic interference sources, for example a projector 120, an air-conditioning system 130 and a pair of loudspeakers 140, 140 '.
- the microphone array 100 in this example is mounted centrally in the room, above a table 150.
- Fig. 1 a) is a schematic side view of the conference room
- Fig. 1 b) is a schematic top view.
- the microphone array 100 may initially search for sound sources in all directions of its search range or detection range, detect one or more dominant sound sources, and record and output their sound signals.
- the sound sources may be speakers, eg participants of a telephone conference, sitting at the table 150, standing in the conference room or moving in it.
- the search area can extend to the entire room. Different techniques can be used for the search for sound sources, eg a predefined grid of test points 107. It is also possible for a region 105 of the room to be fundamentally excluded from the search range, eg. B. structurally conditioned by the microphone array. While conventional microphone arrays can be disturbed by unwanted noise from various sources of interference 120, 130, 140, the invention provides an easy way to hide one or more specific sources of interference from the detection range of the microphone array: A user can use a portable electronic device 110 that is capable of reproducing sound suitable, such as a smartphone or an acoustic remote control, place between the configurable microphone array 100 and the interference source 30, and can play with the portable electronic device 110 a specific control sound signal.
- a portable electronic device 110 that is capable of reproducing sound suitable, such as a smartphone or an acoustic remote control, place between the configurable microphone array 100 and the interference source 30, and can play with the portable electronic device 110 a specific control sound signal.
- the microphone array 100 detects sound signals and the spatial direction from which it receives the sound signals. For this purpose, the direction of the highest volume of all sound signals can be detected. In this case, in one embodiment, only a portion of the existing microphone capsules is used, whereby the processing cost is reduced. In another embodiment, all microphone capsules are used.
- the search for a dominant sound source can be repeated at regular intervals, eg. B. every 30 ms, or be performed permanently.
- the beamforming of the microphone array is focused on it in the present or the next time period, and its sound signal is picked up and output.
- the direction can be detected, for example, as a pair of elevation and azimuth angles.
- the microphone array 100 uses a grid of test points 107, it can also detect the direction of incidence of the sound signal through the particular test point or points instead of the angles. In this case it is also possible to interpolate between several test points in order to detect a direction lying between test points.
- several or all test points of the grid may be analyzed simultaneously or at least within the above-mentioned time period.
- the raster contains only a few test points corresponding to known positions of potential sound sources.
- the pair of elevation and azimuth angles or the detected or interpolated test point represents a spatial sector whose magnitude corresponds to a spatial resolution of the microphone array as the direction of incidence of the sound signal.
- This method for the detection of a sound signal can be used both for useful signals, ie for example speech signals which are output for further processing, as well as for the specific control sound signal, which are used according to the invention for controlling the microphone array.
- These are specific in that they contain coded information or signature. This can be eg a simple tone sequence or melody, a sound signal with a certain modulation or a special audio watermark.
- the control sound signal may be in the audible frequency range or at least partially in the ultrasonic range. An example will be described below in connection with FIG. 7.
- the microphone array 100 can detect the control sound signals and decouple to obtain the information contained therein by comparing the received sound signal with one or more predefined control sound signals.
- the microphone array 100 performs a corresponding configuration, for example with regard to its beam control and spatial directivity.
- the received control sound signal since it is a sound signal, can be output via the normal audio output of the microphone array.
- the microphone array suppresses the output of the control sound signal after it has detected that the received control sound signal corresponds to a predefined control sound signal and therefore is not a voice signal.
- the detection of the control sound signal occurs simultaneously with the search for the dominant sound signal and independently, so that the control sound signal can be detected even if it is not the dominant sound signal. Both processes are similar and can use the same microphone signals as described below. Different types of configuration are possible.
- the detected spatial direction from which a control sound signal was received can be excluded from the search range of the microphone array.
- the user can hold the portable device 110, for example, between the microphone array 100 and the air conditioning system 130.
- the microphone array detects the control sound signal and its direction, internally decodes the information contained therein to an electrical control signal with the meaning "Close this Direction out "and configures itself by excluding the corresponding direction from its search range, at least useful signals from this direction are then ignored
- the direction to be excluded is a spatial direction, ie it can be defined by an angle pair of an elevation angle e Azimuth angle ⁇ j> a or, for example, as a test point or a group of test points 137.
- the microphone array 100 stores this information until it is overwritten or deleted, for example, by another configuration.
- adjacent sectors or directions may be excluded from the search area if the microphone array receives sound therefrom during the described configuration. It is also possible to change the size of the exclusion Sector by the portable electronic device 110 is placed closer to the microphone array 100 (to enlarge the sector) or further away from the microphone array (to reduce the sector) when playing the control sound signal. The user can repeat the process for one or more other sources of interference.
- the micro- phone array will then exclude all of them from the search area by generating and storing respective exclusion sectors, eg in Fig. 1 a first exclusion sector 125 for a projector 120, a second exclusion sector 135 for an air conditioner 130 and a third and fourth dispatch sector 145 , 145 'for a wall-hung pair of speakers 140, 140'.
- FIG. 1 b) shows their azimuth angle ⁇ 8 .
- the third and fourth exclusion sectors 145, 145 have the same elevation angle for the speakers hanging on the wall, but different azimuth angles. Due to the limited spatial resolution, the term "angle" or "direction" always means angle ranges.
- Each test point 107, 137, 147 in Figure 1 a) represents a beam having a particular elevation and azimuth angle range or beam through the microphone array and the test point, and the portable device 110 may be placed anywhere along that beam. The detected or excluded area, however, may be smaller with greater distance of the portable device 110 from the microphone array due to the spatial resolution.
- the microphone array 00 may recognize and distinguish a plurality of different predefined control sound signals reproduced by the portable device 110 that correspond to various control commands.
- the microphone array 100 may decode them to receive and implement the respective control command, ie to configure themselves accordingly. For example, an earlier configuration of an exclusion sector can be overridden. This can be a control sound signal! This is useful, for example, when a source of interference has been moved or when a false exclusion sector has been inadvertently defined, and such control is easier to implement in embodiments where the search is done after a dominant sound source and the detection of control sound signals are separate concurrent processes, as described below In other embodiments, it may happen that the microphone array does not receive the control sound signal because it comes from a direction excluded from the search area.
- the control information may be "clear the exclusion of adjacent sectors" and from an adjacent, not excluded sector.
- a special control sound signal is defined for deleting all exclusion sectors.
- the microphone array may store one or more configurations for later retrieval, e.g. B. for several different conference rooms.
- the microphone array may be configured by a control command to modify the processing of sound signals from the corresponding spatial direction, eg, a particular gain factor may be applied thereto. This direction is referred to below as a marking sector.
- this control command can be canceled by another control command.
- the control sound signal reproduced by the portable electronic device 110 is preferably not a voice signal but in one embodiment a synthesized or electronically generated acoustic signal. This makes it easier to distinguish between useful (speech) signals that can be recorded simultaneously. In particular, no speech recognition is then necessary for decoding, which is usually very complicated.
- the microphone array 100 includes an array 200 of a plurality of microphone capsules 210 that has a configurable directivity.
- the arrangement 200 also contains control electronics (not shown), for. B. Analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and adjustable delay elements.
- the microphone array 100 further includes a direction control unit 250 and a configuration control unit 240.
- the direction control unit 250 is adapted to control the configurable directivity of the microphone array 200, eg, to adjust the adjustable delay elements.
- the configuration control unit 240 is adapted to determine whether a sound signal detected by the microphone assembly 200 is a control sound signal and corresponds to a predefined control sound signal.
- the configuration control unit 240 is further adapted to send one or more control signals CTR to the direction control unit 250 to configure it in accordance with the detected sound signal and the predefined control sound signal, respectively.
- the configuration control unit 240 and / or the direction control unit 250 may be implemented by one or more processors, eg, signal processor units.
- the microphone assembly 200 includes delay elements for microphone signals received by the microphone capsules 210, and therefore has a directivity in itself.
- the Delay elements configurable, and the direction control unit 250 generates control signals 255 for their configuration.
- the recorded sound signals, and thus the output signal 230 of the microphone arrangement 200 contain not only control signals, but also voice signals which are received from one or more directions determined by the beam focusing. These are output at an output 220 for voice output and further processing such as filtering (not shown).
- the configuration control unit 240 in one embodiment, may detect a dominant sound source and align the directivity of the microphone array with beam shaping using the direction control unit 250, as described above.
- the configuration control unit 240 includes a comparator 241, a control signal generator 242, and a direction detector 243.
- the direction detector 243 is adapted to detect a first direction from which the microphone assembly 200 received a sound signal.
- the comparator 241 is adapted to compare the received sound signal with at least a first predefined control sound signal and to detect that the received sound signal corresponds to the control sound signal.
- the control signal generator 242 is adapted to generate at least one electrical control signal CTR according to the type and direction of the received control sound signal. If the comparator 241 no predefined Kontroli-sound signal! detected, the received sound signal can be considered as a useful signal and output at the output 220. However, if the comparator 241 is e.g.
- the control signal generator 242 outputs the information corresponding to the control sound signal by means of the electrical control signal CTR.
- the control signal generator 242 may output the information corresponding to the control sound signal as a separate control signal.
- the electrical control signal CTR, and possibly also the separate control signal is output to the direction control unit 250 to control the microphone array 200 in accordance with the received (useful) sound signal and if necessary, to configure according to the received control sound signal with respect to the first direction.
- the microphone array 100 includes an electronic memory 500 or is connected to such a memory in which data is stored that defines one or more predefined control circuit signals and their meaning or configuration commands.
- the configuration control unit 240 may record the recorded Sound signal, or certain derived parameters, with the one or more stored in the memory 500 predefined control sound signals or their parameters compare and detect that the recorded sound signal with one of the predefined control Schalisignale matches, for example, the first control Schallsig - no. This can be done in the comparator 241. Thereafter, the configuration control unit 240 may generate the electrical control signal CTR in accordance with the detected control sound signal. With the aid of the electrical control signal CTR, the direction control unit 250 can be configured.
- the search for sound signals in the direction detector 243 and the receipt of sound signals formerly found or firmly defined sound sources as useful signals, which are then output, may require focusing in different directions for the beam shaping. This can be done alternately in time multiplex or simultaneously. In the first case, short pauses can be used for the search. In the second case, for example, one part of the microphone capsules 210 can be used for the search and another part for the reception of the useful signals. Alternatively, in the second case, at least a portion of the microphone capsules 210 may have two or more different, individually configurable delay elements, so that these microphone capsules can be used simultaneously for both processes. Preferably, fewer microphone capsules are used for the search than for receiving the useful signals.
- the direction control unit 250 may be configured to produce a directivity for the microphone assembly 200 in which the first direction is suppressed. This means that sound signals from the direction from which the control sound signal was received are ignored.
- the search for a dominant sound source and the detection of control sound signals are separate, concurrent processes, at least the search for a dominant sound source in the first direction is then omitted or suppressed. In a variant, this may also mean that no sound is picked up at all from the first direction, while in another variant the detection of control sound signals continues to be possible also from the first direction.
- the direction control unit 250 may be configured to disable the search for a dominant sound source.
- a current focus can be maintained or a default configuration can be set, eg an omnidirectional sensitivity or a agreed directivity.
- a previously made configuration of the direction control unit 250 may be reversed, such as the suppression of a first direction or the suppression of a second direction deviating from the first direction.
- the first and second directions represent spatial regions and may be considered as marker sectors.
- Another possible application for tag sectors is speaker recognition or identification of speakers or participants in a telephone conference. For example, marks or labels may be inserted into the audio signal 220 as metadata.
- 3 shows a block diagram of a microphone array according to a second embodiment.
- the output signals 315 of an array of microphone capsules 310 are output to a sound signal direction detector 350, a control signal detector 30 and a beam shaping unit 320. Digitization by means of analog-to-digital converters (ADC) can take place directly on the microphone capsules 310 or in the other blocks 320, 30, 350.
- the beam-shaping unit 320 contains, for example, adjustable delay elements in order to be able to obtain a microphone signal with a specific directivity.
- the delay elements within the beamforming unit 320 are controlled in accordance with a direction signal 355 indicating the current direction of a dominant speech signal to be detected and output by the beamforming unit 320.
- the direction signal 355 is generated by the sound signal direction detector 350 scanning different directions simultaneously or sequentially for a dominant sound source.
- the output signals 315 from different microphone capsules are correlated in pairs and the results analyzed (GCC, Generalized Cross Correlation).
- GCC Generalized Cross Correlation
- SRP-PHAT Stepered Response Power - PHAse Transform
- the output signals from less than half of the existing microphone capsules are used for direction detection. By specifying fixed grid points, the associated signal delays are also fixed, so that the signals for different directions can be queried, accumulated and compared simultaneously.
- each halftone dot can be omitted one at a time in this search by the sound signal direction detector 350 deactivating it or ignoring the corresponding measured value.
- each disabled Halftone dot an exclusion sector.
- one marker can also be set individually for each grid point, thereby defining a marker sector.
- the marking may cause special processing of sound signals of the corresponding marking sector, eg an increased or reduced amplification, activation of speech recognition and / or automatic translation.
- a control signal corresponding to the marking may be output together with the direction control signal 355 to the beam shaping unit or to a subsequent further unit (not shown). For an exclusion sector, it is not necessary for the sound signal direction detector 350 to output a particular control signal.
- the sound signal direction detector 350 receives a direction signal XS which indicates the direction of reception of the control sound signal and thus the direction concerned. If a plurality of different configuration commands are possible, for example in the case of a marker sector several different markers, the sound signal direction detector 350 may receive in addition to the direction signal XS a control signal indicating the type of mark, eg "gain.” But it may also be a control signal CS directly be given to the beam shaping unit 320 or to other external units.
- a control signal CS directly be given to the beam shaping unit 320 or to other external units.
- This also gets the (possibly digitized) output signals 315 of the microphone capsules to detect whether and from which direction control sound signals are received , Again, it is possible to use the output signals of only a portion of the existing microphone capsules 310, and / or perform the detection of control signals only at certain grid points. However, a better detection of the control sound signal and / or the reception direction can be achieved if the output signals of all existing microphone capsules 310 are used.
- control signal detector 30 may, for example, contain a plurality of individual detectors 330 which detect the reception of a control sound signal by means of cross-correlation of the received signal of a respective microphone capsule with a predefined control sound signal.
- the detection signals 335 of the individual detectors 330 are correlated with one another in a correlation unit 340 in order to determine the reception direction XS of the control sound signal.
- One or more control sound signals or their parameters may be stored in a memory 500 for providing to the individual detectors.
- the control signal detector 30 may also successively check the input sound signal 315 in a time-division multiplexing manner for a plurality of different control sound signals, and / or there may be a plurality of control signal detectors 30 which output separate direction signals XS and control signals CS.
- the detection of the control sound signals in the control signal detector 30 occurs simultaneously with the audio output at the output 325 of the beam shaping unit 320, and regardless of their orientation. Therefore, the con- trast sound signal, if it has a certain minimum volume, can be played from any direction of the search range to be recognized, and it does not have to be the highest energy sound signal in the search range.
- the search area includes a plurality of detection sectors S1, S2. S3, which are not mobile, but permanent or at least fixed for a certain period of time, eg for the typical duration of a telephone call.
- each detection sector S1, S2, S3 can point to a participant in a telephone conference.
- the detection sectors can also be programmed in and exist until their reprogramming or up to a reconfiguration. This feature is useful for detecting only sound sources whose directions are temporarily fixed but not yet known when installing the microphone array.
- There is also one or more control signal detectors 40 which in one embodiment are the same control Isig na I detectors 30 as above. In this case, control sound signals can be received from all directions.
- each Kontrolisignai detector 40 is aligned only to one of the detection sectors S1, S2, S3, so that its output signal S1x, S2x, S3x refers only to the respective detection sector.
- Each control signal detector 40 includes a plurality of individual detectors 430, each of which detects a control sound signal, and a correlation unit 440 which calculates the reception direction of the control sound signal from the output signals 435 of the individual detectors and / or a detected control sound signal to one of the detection sectors S1, S2, S3 assigned.
- the beam-shaping unit 420 contains in each case one sub-module 421, 422, 423 per detection sector S1, S2, S3, which focuses on the respective detection sector and picks up sound signals from there.
- the output signals of the sub-modules 421, 422, 423 are combined, superimposed or added together in a combiner 424 to obtain an audio output signal 425 of the microphone array.
- Each of the sub-modules 421, 422, 423 can be configured, modified and / or switched on or off by the corresponding output signal S1 x, S2x, S3x for the respective detection sector.
- both the correlation units 440 and the submodules 421, 422, 423 of the beamforming unit are programmed accordingly.
- the control by means of control sound signals is independent of whether the position of the detection sectors S1, S2, S3 is fixed or changeable.
- 5 shows, in one embodiment, a block diagram of the beam shaping unit 420 for a microphone array of the third embodiment.
- the beam-shaping unit 420 can be regarded as a multi-focus beamforming unit and contains one or more submodules 421, 422, 423, each receiving a plurality or all of the microphone signals 315 as input signals.
- Each submodule 421, 422, 423 in this example is connected via a configuration bus CFB to a controller 4201, eg a processor, by means of which the respective configuration of each submodule can be read out or changed.
- a controller 4201 eg a processor
- each submodule has the same structure and contains a single-focus beamforming unit 421 b and a configuration control unit 421 d.
- the single-focus beam shaping unit 421 b forms a directional characteristic from the microphone signals 315, whereby the first detection sector S1 is covered and sound signals can be picked up from there and output at the output of the submodule.
- each detection sector S1, S2, S3, ie the directional characteristics of the single-focus beamforming units and also of the correlation unit 440, and other parameters can be programmed by means of the controller 4201. This can be arranged inside or outside the multi-focus beam shaping unit 420.
- the configuration control unit 421 d receives the output signal S1 x, S2x, S3x of the respective control signal detector 40.
- the control signal contains information according to a control sound signal received in the respective detection sector. This can e.g. a gain or attenuation factor to be applied to (useful) sound signals received in this sector, or a turn-off signal by which the respective detection sector becomes an exclusion sector.
- the configuration control unit 421d stores this configuration and generates a control signal DC1 for the single-focus beamforming unit 421b to shape the beam accordingly.
- the configuration control unit 421 d can be configured or read out by the controller 4201 via the bus CFB. However, this is normally only a safety or backup access, since the type of configuration of the microphone array according to the invention in operation is easier and quicker to perform than a configuration via the controller 4201.
- FIG. 6 shows, in one embodiment of the invention, a flowchart of a method for configuring a microphone array.
- the method 600 is performed automatically by the microphone array 600 and includes (simultaneously) searching 610 a plurality of directions for sound signals by arranging a plurality of microphone capsules, detecting 620 a sound signal from a first direction, and detecting 625 the first direction, determining 630 that detected sound signal to a first predefined Nominated Kontroil sound signal corresponds to generating 640 a first electrical control signal according to the first predefined control sound signal, and configuring 650 of the microphone array according to the first predefined control sound signal.
- the search 610 of the search range for sound signals or sound sources can take place in several directions simultaneously or successively.
- determining 630 that the detected sound signal corresponds to a first predefined control sound signal may also include the detection of a signature.
- the first electrical control signal is generated by the portable electronic device 110 according to the first predefined control sound signal.
- configuring 650 includes excluding the first direction from the search area. In another embodiment, configuring 650 includes limiting the search range to the first direction so that sounds other than the first direction are not scanned for sound signals. In one embodiment, configuring 650 includes deleting or undoing a current configuration or setting a default configuration. In a further embodiment, in addition, a computer with a user interface (e.g., a screen and input keys) and control programs may also be used to clear or revise a previously made configuration.
- a user interface e.g., a screen and input keys
- method 600 further includes determining 660 that the detected sound signal! a second predefined control sound signal that differs from the first predefined control sound signal, also generating 670 a second electrical control signal according to the second control sound signal, and the configuring 680 of the microphone array according to the second electrical control signal.
- the configuring 680 of the microphone array according to the second electrical control signal may include storing a current configuration or modifying processing for sound signals received from the first direction, eg, modifying a gain value for sound signals from the first direction.
- determining 660 that the detected sound signal corresponds to a second predefined control sound signal comprises detecting a signature in a sound signal.
- determining 630, 660 includes the received sound signal corresponding to a predefined control sound signal, comparing parameters of the received sound signal with stored parameters corresponding to the predefined control sound signal.
- the portable electronic device is a portable computer or a smartphone.
- the control sound signal or the control sound signals can be generated automatically by an algorithm or program, eg in an app.
- a user may use a sound generating device, such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, to broadcast structured audible signals. This can receive and translate a microphone array to mark areas of its search range.
- a structured audible signal may include a signature meaning "mark this area.”
- Another structured audible signal may include a signature meaning "delete the mark of that area” or "store the current configuration.”
- the control sound signal may also contain variable, non-predetermined information, such as a name under which a configuration is to be stored.
- FIG. 7 shows frequency profiles of two exemplary tone sequences, which may be contained as structured audible signals in a control sound signal or a signature.
- Each tone sequence begins in this example with an identifier that makes the sound signal more easily detectable as a control sound signal.
- the identifier consists of a tone of a fixed frequency for a time duration of ti-to, which serves to synchronize the following tone sequence. Then follows a sequence of four tones with different frequencies, each of which has a given length (in this case about the same length) and contains the actual information.
- the tone sequence has the frequencies f3-fs-f4-f3, in the second case the frequencies f2-f3-fi-f ⁇ .
- the sequences can be recognized by the microphone array and assigned to control commands or control signals.
- the tone sequence can be very short, e.g. 30 ms or 100 ms, and only needs to be long enough for the microphone array to identify and locate it.
- the frequencies lie in a range detectable by the microphone array, typically between 16 Hz and 20 kHz or slightly higher. Higher frequencies over 12-15 kHz have the advantages that they are better to locate and for many people are barely or no longer audible and therefore less disturbing.
- the sequence may also be hidden as an audio watermark in another audio signal that serves as a carrier. It should be noted that the illustrated sound sequences can be greatly simplified to explain the principle.
- the control sound signals may also contain longer sequences with more information, e.g. can also be encrypted.
- the invention facilitates and improves the operation and configuration of microprocessor arrays compared to conventional solutions, such as graphical input using a site plan. According to the invention, no site plan is necessary.
- the solution according to the invention unlike, for example, GPS-based solutions, can also be used in closed spaces, and the probability of errors is reduced.
- Another advantage of the invention is that a return channel from the microphone array to the electronic portable device 110 used for configuration is not necessarily needed.
- the invention relates to a non-transient computer-mountable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, when executed by a computer performing a method of configuring a microphone array as described above.
- the invention is advantageously applicable to configurable microphone arrays, especially those using automatic beam focusing.
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Abstract
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US15/800,864 US10171906B1 (en) | 2017-11-01 | 2017-11-01 | Configurable microphone array and method for configuring a microphone array |
PCT/EP2018/070382 WO2019086151A1 (de) | 2017-11-01 | 2018-07-27 | Konfigurierbares mikrofonarray und verfahren zum konfigurieren eines mikrofonarrays |
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CN113766409A (zh) * | 2021-09-07 | 2021-12-07 | 深圳创维-Rgb电子有限公司 | 麦克风阵列的调节方法、智能终端和可读存储介质 |
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US20120134507A1 (en) * | 2010-11-30 | 2012-05-31 | Dimitriadis Dimitrios B | Methods, Systems, and Products for Voice Control |
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US6842647B1 (en) | 2000-10-20 | 2005-01-11 | Advanced Bionics Corporation | Implantable neural stimulator system including remote control unit for use therewith |
US7251339B2 (en) | 2003-04-01 | 2007-07-31 | Gennum Corporation | Wireless remote control for a hearing instrument |
US7940897B2 (en) * | 2005-06-24 | 2011-05-10 | American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. | Word recognition system and method for customer and employee assessment |
US9460732B2 (en) * | 2013-02-13 | 2016-10-04 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Signal source separation |
US20160012827A1 (en) | 2014-07-10 | 2016-01-14 | Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited | Smart speakerphone |
US9666175B2 (en) * | 2015-07-01 | 2017-05-30 | zPillow, Inc. | Noise cancelation system and techniques |
US20170135407A1 (en) * | 2015-11-17 | 2017-05-18 | Lunatech, Llc | Voice responsive electronic vapor system |
US9894434B2 (en) | 2015-12-04 | 2018-02-13 | Sennheiser Electronic Gmbh & Co. Kg | Conference system with a microphone array system and a method of speech acquisition in a conference system |
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