Audio Signal Level Estimation in Cameras

Abstract

A camera system includes a first microphone, a second microphone, and a microphone controller. The first microphone and the second microphone are configured to capture audio over a time interval to produce a first captured audio signal and a second captured audio signal, respectively. The second captured audio signal is dampened relative to the first captured audio signal by a dampening factor. The microphone controller is configured to store the first captured audio signal in response to a determination that the first captured audio signal does not clip. In response to a determination that the first captured audio signal clips, the microphone controller is configured to identify a gain between the first captured audio signal and the second captured audio signal representative of the dampening factor, amplify the second captured audio signal based on the identified gain, and store the amplified second captured audio signal.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]1. Technical Field[0002]This disclosure relates to a camera system, and more specifically, to the selection of a microphone in a multiple-microphone camera system.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Digital cameras are increasingly used in outdoors and sports environments. In such environments, the magnitude of audio captured (for instance, by a camera in conjunction with captured video) can often exceed a microphone's capabilities, causing the captured audio to clip. As used herein, “clipped audio” refers to an audio signal captured by a microphone in which the magnitude of the audio signal exceeds the capabilities of the microphone (such as an audio threshold), resulting in captured audio data that does not represent the portions of the audio signal that exceed the audio threshold of the microphone. Such clipped audio has a lower signal-to-noise ratio (“SNR”) than the captured audio signal, decreasing the quality of the clipped audio as compared to the ori...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a camera system that uses multiple microphones to capture audio in outdoor and sports environments. The system includes a camera and a camera housing that encases the camera. The camera system uses multiple microphones to increase the dynamic range of the microphones and capture more of the audio signal without clipping. The system also includes various indicators and input mechanisms for capturing images and performing other functions. The technical effect of the patent text is to provide a camera system that effectively uses multiple microphones to capture more of the audio signal without clipping, resulting in a higher quality audio signal.

Problems solved by technology

In such environments, the magnitude of audio captured (for instance, by a camera in conjunction with captured video) can often exceed a microphone's capabilities, causing the captured audio to clip.

Such clipped audio has a lower signal-to-noise ratio (“SNR”) than the captured audio signal, decreasing the quality of the clipped audio as compared to the original captured audio signal.

Clipped audio can diminish a user's experience during playback of the captured audio, and accordingly can diminish a user's experience with a device (such as a camera) used to capture the audio.

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