Microphone with advanced features

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a microphone device with advanced functionality. The microphone device includes one or more microphone units, one or more sensor units, and an automatic control system. The one or more sensor units are configured to obtain contextual information indicating one or more real-time conditions of an environment of the microphone device. The automatic control system is configured to detect one or more real-time changes to the environment of the microphone device based on the contextual information, invoke a display of a graphical user interface (GUI) including information indicating the one or more real-time changes, and adjust one or more settings for the microphone device in response to the one or more real-time changes.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 110,255, filed on November 5, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] One or more embodiments of the present invention relate generally to audio systems, and particularly to microphones with advanced functionality. Background Art

[0004] Microphones are used to capture audio, such as in some activities / events. In such situations, microphones are usually placed in difficult-to-reach locations, so that the microphones are located once and are not easily reconfigured. In addition, the traditional array microphones used in such situations cannot dynamically adapt or respond to conditions in their environment other than audio conditions. Since professionals (such as broadcast engineers and field production personnel) usually control the broadcast of the activity / event from a remote location (i.e., a location far away from the activity / event), any changes to the microphones used in the event cannot be achieved if the changes cannot be made remotely. In addition, even if the microphone includes internal / on-board digital signal processing (DSP), the microphone must be called or configured via manual interaction with the software to achieve any changes to the microphone.

[0005] Some conventional Ethernet-based array microphones allow a user to remotely control or modify audio parameters of the microphone via Ethernet, but the microphone does not provide the user with information about environmental conditions other than the audio conditions (i.e., what the user hears). For example, a microphone may allow control of a pickup pattern, but does not utilize a sensor device to obtain information / provide feedback indicative of specific conditions of its environment (such as the position or positioning of the microphone). Some conventional smart microphones are remotely controlled via a plug-in or software application (e.g., operating on a remote device) for a digital audio workstation (DAW), which requires manual interaction from the user to effectuate any changes to the microphone. Summary of the invention

[0006] Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to audio systems, and particularly to microphones with advanced functionality.

[0007] One embodiment provides a microphone device with advanced functionality. The microphone device includes one or more microphone units, one or more sensor units, and an automatic control system. The one or more sensor units are configured to obtain contextual information indicating one or more real-time conditions of the environment of the microphone device. The automatic control system is configured to detect one or more real-time changes to the environment of the microphone device based on the contextual information, call for the display of a graphical user interface (GUI) including information indicating the one or more real-time changes, and adjust one or more settings for the microphone device in response to the one or more real-time changes. Other embodiments include methods for providing a microphone device with advanced functionality. These features bring the advantages of providing feedback or information indicating the real-time condition of the environment of the microphone device (such as the position or location of the microphone device), and enabling the microphone device to be set and monitored from the perspective of the condition of the environment.

[0008] Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. In some embodiments, the adjustment includes dynamically adjusting one or more settings of the microphone arrangement using artificial intelligence. These optional features bring the advantage of dynamically adjusting the microphone arrangement from the perspective of environmental conditions.

[0009] In some embodiments, in response to one or more sensor units reading an identifier of a user from a near field communication (NFC) enabled device, a digital signal processing (DSP) configuration corresponding to the user is automatically set. Digital signal processing is applied to each output channel of the microphone device according to the DSP configuration. These optional features bring the advantage of dynamically setting the microphone device using user-specific information when the user is detected in the vicinity of the microphone device.

[0010] In some embodiments, in response to one or more sensor units reading an identifier of a user from a near field communication (NFC) enabled device, one or more output channels of the microphone device are automatically configured with one or more tags. The one or more tags are based on the identifier. These optional features bring the advantage of dynamically configuring the microphone device with user-specific information when a user is detected in the vicinity of the microphone device.

[0011] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0013] Figure 1An example professional audio system including a microphone device with advanced functionality in one or more embodiments is shown;

[0014] Figure 2 Some components of a microphone device in one or more embodiments are shown;

[0015] Figure 3 A table describing different predefined mono virtual polar patterns in one or more embodiments is shown;

[0016] Figure 4 A table describing different predefined stereovirtual polar patterns in one or more embodiments is shown;

[0017] Figure 5A An example GUI including settings for a microphone device in one or more embodiments is shown;

[0018] Figure 5B shows an example user interaction with a GUI for selecting a particular output channel of a microphone device to change in one or more embodiments;

[0019] Figure 5C Additional exemplary user interactions with a GUI to change output-related settings for a selected output channel in one or more implementations are shown;

[0020] Figure 6 Another example GUI including settings for a microphone device in one or more embodiments is shown;

[0021] Figure 7 shows an example mechanical design of a microphone arrangement in one or more embodiments;

[0022] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating an example process for providing a microphone device with advanced functionality in one or more embodiments; and

[0023] Fig. 9 A schematic block diagram of an information processing system including a computer system for implementing the disclosed embodiments is shown.

[0024] The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] One or more embodiments relate generally to audio systems, and in particular, to microphones with advanced features. One embodiment provides a microphone device with advanced features. The microphone device includes one or more microphone units, one or more sensor units, and an automatic control system. The one or more sensor units are configured to obtain situational information indicating one or more real-time conditions of an environment in which the microphone device is located. The automatic control system is configured to detect one or more real-time changes of the environment in which the microphone device is located based on the situational information, invoke a display of a graphical user interface (GUI) including information indicating the one or more real-time changes, and adjust one or more settings of the microphone device in response to the one or more real-time changes. Other embodiments include methods for providing a microphone device with advanced features.

[0026] For purposes of explanation, the term "audio system" as used herein generally refers to a system configured to receive one or more audio data streams from one or more sources (e.g., microphone devices), process the data streams, and distribute one or more resulting processed data streams to one or more devices (e.g., recording devices, speaker devices, storage devices, etc.) for audio reproduction, recording, and / or storage.

[0027] One or more embodiments provide a microphone with advanced functionality, including providing feedback or information indicative of real-time conditions of its environment (such as the position or location of the microphone), and enabling setup and monitoring of the microphone from the perspective of the conditions of its environment.

[0028] One or more embodiments provide a microphone with advanced functionality for use in different audio systems, such as, but not limited to, wireless systems, such as wireless microphone systems, public address (PA) systems, studio audio systems, broadcast audio systems, audio-visual (AV) systems, and systems used by broadcasters (e.g., radio broadcasters, television broadcasters, etc.), festivals, trade shows, film studios, conferences, corporate events, classrooms, sports leagues, schools, recording studios (i.e., facilities for recording, mixing, and audio production), facilities for audio post-production, program networks, theaters, venues (e.g., sports stadiums, music venues, etc.), and the like.

[0029] Figure 1 1 is an example professional audio system 10 including a microphone device 100 with advanced features in one or more embodiments. The microphone device 100 includes one or more microphone units 110. Each microphone unit 110 is configured to acquire or pick up sound as an analog signal. In one embodiment, the microphone unit 110 includes one or more types of microphone heads ("mic capsules").

[0030] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 includes a microphone front-end amplifier 120 (or head amplifier), which is configured to amplify each analog signal from the microphone unit 110 by providing a gain. For example, in one embodiment, the front-end amplifier 120 provides a gain optimized for the microphone unit 110 under a maximum sound pressure level (SPL) condition.

[0031] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 130 configured to convert each amplified analog signal from the front-end amplifier 120 into a digital signal (i.e., analog-to-digital conversion). The ADC 130 performs the analog-to-digital conversion at a sampling rate, buffer size, and bit depth specified during configuration.

[0032] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 includes a microphone buffer 140, the buffer size being specified during configuration. During analog-to-digital conversion, the ADC 130 samples the analog signal at a sampling rate and writes the resulting audio samples to the buffer 140. The sampling rate of the ADC 130 may vary. For example, in one embodiment, the ADC 130 includes a high-quality, four-channel ADC that provides transparent 24-bit conversion at a sampling rate of up to 48 kHz (i.e., bit depth: minimum 24 bits, sampling rate: minimum 48 kHz, dynamic range: 114 dB). As another example, in one embodiment, the ADC 130 provides a sampling rate of up to 192 kHz.

[0033] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 includes one or more input / output (I / O) units 180 integrated in or coupled to the microphone device 100. In one embodiment, the I / O unit 180 includes, but is not limited to, a physical user interface (PUI) and / or a graphical user interface (GUI), such as a touch interface (e.g., a touch pad or a touch screen), a control knob, a button, a dial mechanism (e.g., a rotating dial), an LED system 181 ( Figure 2 )、Display screen 182( Figure 2 ), a keypad, a tactile feedback device, etc. In one embodiment, a user can utilize at least one I / O unit 180 to configure one or more user preferences, configure one or more parameters, provide user input, etc.

[0034] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 includes computing resources, such as one or more digital signal processors 150 and one or more storage units 160. One or more software modules 170 can be executed / operated on the microphone device 100 using the computing resources. The software modules 170 include (but are not limited to) the following: (1) an internal / onboard digital signal processing (DSP) system 171 ( Figure 2), which is configured to provide digital signal processing from ADC 130; (2) a capsule mixing system 172 ( Figure 2 ), which is configured to combine digital signals from the DSP system 171 to create / generate independent virtual polar patterns; (3) GUI system 173 ( Figure 2 ), which is configured to generate one or more GUIs for display (e.g., on display screen 182, on NFC-enabled device 60, in a web browser, etc.); and (4) automatic control system 174 ( Figure 2 ) is configured to provide advanced functionality. As described in detail later herein, the advanced functionality includes providing feedback or information indicative of real-time conditions of the environment of the microphone device 100 (e.g., the position or location of the microphone device 100), and dynamically adjusting one or more settings of the microphone device 100 and / or one or more virtual directions created / generated by the microphone device 100 based on the conditions.

[0035] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 includes one or more sensor units 190 integrated in or coupled to the microphone device 100. The sensor unit 190 is configured to acquire contextual information indicating real-time conditions of the environment of the microphone device 100. In one embodiment, the sensor unit 190 includes but is not limited to a near field communication (NFC) sensor 191 ( Figure 2 )(e.g., NFC antenna), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) / Global Positioning System (GPS) 192 ( Figure 2 )、Motion sensor 193( Figure 2 ) etc. As described in detail later herein, the automatic control system 174 dynamically adjusts the settings of the microphone device 100 and / or the virtual orientation created / generated by the microphone device 100 based in part on the contextual information acquired by the sensor unit 190 .

[0036] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 is configured to exchange data with the NFC-enabled device 60 via the NFC sensor 191. Specifically, the NFC sensor 191 is activated in response to the NFC sensor 191 detecting that the NFC-enabled device 60 is located within a close range (e.g., 4 cm) of the microphone device 100 / NFC sensor 191. As described in detail later herein, the NFC sensor 191 enables the NFC-enabled device 60 to read data from and write data to the microphone device 100 via NFC. In one embodiment, the NFC-enabled device 60 includes a software application configured to exchange data with some of the software modules 170 executed / operated on the microphone device 100.

[0037] Examples of NFC-enabled devices 60 include, but are not limited to, NFC cards (e.g., ID tags, access cards), mobile electronic devices (e.g., smart phones, laptops, tablets, etc.), wearable devices (e.g., smart watches, smart bands, etc.), desktop computers, smart appliances (e.g., smart speakers, smart TVs, etc.), Internet of Things (IOT) devices, etc.

[0038] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 includes one or more communication units 200. Each communication unit 200 enables the microphone device 100 to exchange data with different components of the professional audio system 10, such as the main processing system 70, through a wired connection (e.g., a network cable) and / or to exchange data with a remote computing environment 80 through a communication network / connection 50 (e.g., a wireless connection, such as a Wi-Fi connection or a cellular data connection, a wired connection, or a combination of both). The communication unit 200 may include any suitable communication circuitry that is operable to connect to a communication network and exchange communication operations and media between the microphone device 100 and other components of the professional audio system 10. The communication unit 200 may be operable to interface with the communication network using any suitable communication protocol, such as Wi-Fi (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocol), high frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems), infrared, GSM plus EDGE, CDMA, Quadband and other cellular protocols, VOIP, TCP-IP, or any other suitable protocol.

[0039] In one embodiment, the main processing system 70 is configured to output to the professional audio system 10 and interface with one or more other components thereof for additional processing and output, such as an audio processing device, an audio playback / output device, etc. The audio processing device is configured for audio processing (e.g., an audio mixer for audio mixing, a recording device for recording, an audio mastering device for audio mastering, etc.). The audio playback / output device is configured for audio playback / output (e.g., a speaker for playing back audio, etc.).

[0040] In one embodiment, the remote computing environment 80 includes computing resources, such as one or more servers and one or more storage units. One or more applications providing higher-level services can execute / operate on the remote computing environment 80 using the computing resources of the remote computing environment 80. For example, in one embodiment, the remote computing environment 80 provides an online platform for hosting one or more online services (e.g., audio streaming services, etc.) and / or distributing one or more updates / upgrades. For example, the remote computing environment 80 can maintain and distribute updates / upgrades, such as but not limited to updated audio plug-ins, firmware upgrades, software updates for software modules 170 (e.g., automatic control systems 174), etc. As another example, in one embodiment, the remote computing environment 80 may include a cloud computing environment that provides a shared pool of configurable computing system resources and higher-level services (e.g., a cloud application that provides professional-grade audio processing and production tools).

[0041] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 includes a networking circuit 210 configured to provide an audio over IP (AoIP) interoperability standard. For illustrative purposes, the terms "AoIP" and "network audio protocol" are used interchangeably in this specification. In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 uses a combination of a network audio protocol for networked audio and a DSP (via the DSP system 171) for microcontroller actions. Examples of one or more network audio protocols supported by the networking circuit 210 include (but are not limited to) Dante, RAVENNA, etc. For example, in one embodiment, the networking circuit 210 includes a hardware module or chip for Dante.

[0042] In one embodiment, the networking circuit 210 is configured to control one or more settings of the microphone device 100. For example, in one embodiment, the networking circuit 210 is configured to control one or more settings of the microphone device 100 in response to user input (e.g., received via an I / O unit 180 such as a PUI or GUI, a sensor unit 190 such as an NFC sensor 191, etc.). As another example, in one embodiment, the networking circuit 210 is configured to select one or more settings of the microphone device 100 using a control protocol (e.g., Ember+).

[0043] Figure 2Some components of the microphone device 100 in one or more embodiments are described. In one embodiment, the microphone unit 110 includes a microphone pickup head 111 ("pickup head array"). In one embodiment, the pickup head array 111 includes different types of microphone pickup heads, such as but not limited to the following: at least two large dual diaphragm pickup heads, a pickup head positioned coaxially, and a pickup head positioned 90° off-axis. The pickup head array 111 provides at least four independent cardioid outputs / signals. The at least four independent cardioid outputs / signals include but are not limited to the following output channels: channel 1 representing the MID front microphone, channel 2 representing the MID rear microphone, channel 3 representing the SIDE left microphone, and channel 4 representing the SIDE right microphone. In another embodiment, the microphone unit 110 includes one or more non-array microphones.

[0044] In one embodiment, some advanced functionality provided by the microphone device 100 involves utilizing real-time sensor readings from the NFC sensor 191. For example, in one embodiment, the NFC sensor 191 allows a user to confirm / view / change one or more settings of the microphone device 100 and / or view one or more real-time sensor readings / measurements acquired by the sensor unit 190 via the NFC enabled device 60. As another example, in one embodiment, the NFC sensor 191 allows a user to transfer data (e.g., presets) from the NFC enabled device 60 to the microphone device 100. This eliminates the need to store presets locally at the microphone device 100, thereby reducing memory / storage requirements.

[0045] As another example, in one embodiment, the microphone device 100 may automatically set a unique DSP configuration 161 (e.g., DSP curve settings) for a user in response to reading an identifier of the user (e.g., a name tag, identification (ID) tag, or a software application executing / operating on the NFC-enabled device 60) from the NFC-enabled device 60 via the NFC sensor 191 during an event / session involving the user. For example, in response to reading the ID of the user, the automatic control system 174 may retrieve the DSP configuration 161 (e.g., from the storage unit 160 of the microphone device 100, the remote computing environment 80, etc.), and load the DSP configuration 161 so that the microphone device 100 processes digital signals (via the DSP system 171) during the event / session according to the DSP configuration 161. Thus, the microphone device 100 is automatically set up with information specific to the user when the user is detected (via the NFC-enabled device) in the vicinity of the microphone device 100. For example, during a radio broadcast, the radio host's NFC-enabled ID tag may be tapped against the microphone device 100 / NFC sensor 191 to automatically set up the microphone device 100 with the radio host's unique DSP configuration 161 .

[0046] As another example, in one embodiment, in response to reading an identifier of a user (e.g., a user's name or ID) from an NFC-enabled device 60 (e.g., a name tag, an ID tag, or a software application executing / operating on the NFC-enabled device 60) via the NFC sensor 191, the microphone device 100 may automatically set an output channel of the microphone device 100 with a tag based on the identifier. For example, the output channel may be tagged with a tag indicating the user's name or the user's ID. This enables a professional (e.g., a microphone operator or a broadcast engineer) to easily determine which output channel of the microphone device 100 is acquiring the user's audio during an event / session involving the user. Thus, upon detecting that the user is in the vicinity of the microphone device 100 (via the NFC-enabled device), the microphone device 100 is automatically set with user-specific information. For example, during a live concert, a performer may tap their NFC-enabled ID tag against the microphone device 100 / NFC sensor 191 to automatically set the microphone device 100 to tag the output channel of the microphone device 100 with the performer's name or ID.

[0047] The GNSS / GPS sensor 192 is configured to acquire contextual information indicative of the position or location of the microphone device 100. In one embodiment, some advanced functionality provided by the microphone device 100 involves utilizing real-time sensor readings / measurements from the GNSS / GPS sensor 192. For example, in one embodiment, the GNSS / GPS sensor 192 allows a user to confirm / review the longitudinal and latitudinal readings / coordinates of the microphone device 100 via the NFC enabled device 60 or the I / O unit 180 of the microphone device 100.

[0048] The motion sensor 193 is configured to capture contextual information indicating internal motion (i.e., of the microphone device 100), including at least one of: (1) the real-time orientation of the microphone device 100 relative to a compass, (2) the real-time position of the microphone device 100 on three coordinate axes, and (3) whether the microphone device 100 has moved / displaced / tilted since it was locked in place ("locked position") (i.e., the position where the microphone device 100 was initially positioned when it was first deployed in an environment or in an initial / intended placement). In one embodiment, the motion sensor 193 includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and / or a magnetometer (e.g., a 6-9 axis gyroscope / magnetometer). In one embodiment, some advanced functionality provided by the microphone device 100 involves utilizing real-time sensor readings / measurements from the motion sensor 193. For example, in one embodiment, the motion sensor 193 allows a user to confirm / view the real-time orientation of the microphone device 100 relative to true north via the NFC-enabled device 60 or the I / O unit 180 of the microphone device 100. Using the real-time direction of the microphone device 100 relative to true north, it can be determined whether the microphone device 100 is pointing north, south, east, or west. As another example, in one embodiment, the motion sensor 193 allows a user to confirm / view the real-time position of the microphone device 100 on the X, Y, and Z coordinate axes. The microphone device 100 can determine its real-time orientation in space (e.g., via a gyroscope) using its real-time position on the X, T, and Z coordinate axes (i.e., whether the microphone device 100 is upright or positioned upside down, whether the microphone device 100 has been displaced from its locked position, etc.). For example, if wind or physical interaction (e.g., someone knocking the microphone device 100 off) causes the microphone device 100 to move / shift / tilt from its locked position, the motion sensor 193 enables a user (e.g., a professional such as a microphone operator, broadcast engineer, or live event production staff) to determine whether the microphone device 100 has been moved / shifted / tilted based on the real-time direction or real-time position of the microphone device 100.

[0049] In one embodiment, the LED system 181 includes an array of multiple LEDs ("LED array") and a driver for controlling / dimming the LED array (i.e., the driver is a controller / dimmer). For example, in one embodiment, the LED array includes a ring of 8-12 RGB LEDs. As another example, in one embodiment, the LED array includes a conspicuous (i.e., easily visible) LED lens provided with multi-color LEDs. In one embodiment, some advanced functionality provided by the microphone device 100 involves utilizing the LED system 181. For example, in one embodiment, the LED array is used to provide feedback or information about different real-time conditions of the environment of the microphone device 100 (e.g., conditions other than audio conditions), where the conditions are based on real-time sensor readings / measurements from the sensor unit 190.

[0050] Table 1 below provides examples of different types of feedback or information that can be provided by an LED array.

[0051] Table 1

[0052]

[0053]

[0054] In one embodiment, the DSP system 171 is used to provide onboard DSP for the digital signal from the ADC 130, which includes but is not limited to polarity, digital gain, high pass filter (HPF), low pass filter (LPF), etc. For example, in one embodiment, the DSP system 171 provides selectable polarity inversion (i.e., polarity inversion or phase inversion of the digital signal). As another example, in one embodiment, the DSP system 171 provides 48dB of digital gain in 6dB steps. As another example, in one embodiment, the DSP system 171 provides a selectable HPF in two states (e.g., 47Hz at 18dB / octave, 80Hz at 12dB / octave). As another example, in one embodiment, the DSP system 171 provides a selectable LPF in two states (e.g., 18kHz@18dB / octave, and 8.2kHz@6dB / octave).

[0055] In one embodiment, the pickup head mixing system 172 is configured to create / generate different predefined virtual directivities, each of which has its own adjustable gain, LPF, and HPF. For example, in one embodiment, the predefined virtual directivities include, but are not limited to, at least five single (mono) virtual directivities and at least two dual (stereo) virtual directivities. The at least five single virtual directivities include, but are not limited to, the following: omnidirectional, sub-cardioid / wide cardioid, cardioid, supercardioid, bidirectional ('8' shape), etc. The at least two dual virtual directivities include, but are not limited to, the following: wide stereo (i.e., 127 degrees between the microphone units 110), narrow stereo (i.e., 90 degrees between the microphone units 110), etc.

[0056] In one embodiment, the automatic control system 174 is configured to dynamically adjust one or more settings of the microphone device 100 and / or one or more virtual orientations created / generated by the microphone device 100 (via the DSP system 171 and the capsule mixing system 172) based on real-time sensor readings / measurements from the sensor unit 190 in response to one or more changes in one or more conditions of the environment of the microphone device 100. For example, in one embodiment, if the real-time contextual information acquired by the motion sensor 193 indicates that the orientation of the microphone device 100 in space has changed (e.g., the microphone device 100 has shifted due to wind, the microphone device 100 has been knocked out of its locked position, etc.), the automatic control system 174 triggers the GUI system 173 to generate a GUI including feedback or information indicating the change, wherein the GUI is provided for display so that a user can confirm / review / change one or more settings of the microphone device 100 via the GUI. As another example, in one embodiment, in response to a change in the orientation of the microphone device 100 in space, the automatic control system 174 triggers the DSP system 171 and / or the pickup head mixing system 172 to dynamically adjust / form one or more virtual orientations created / generated in response to the change. In one embodiment, artificial intelligence is used to adjust the one or more virtual orientations. For example, supervised machine learning is used to train the AI ​​engine 175 (e.g., a neural network) based on training data for obtaining different virtual orientations, gain settings, HPF, LPF, and other equalization settings suitable for different conditions of the environment of the microphone device 100, and the resulting trained AI engine 175 is deployed in the automatic control system 174 for determining one or more adjustments to the created / generated virtual orientations, gain settings, HPF, LPF, and other equalization settings of the microphone device 100 based on real-time conditions. In another embodiment, the AI ​​engine 175 is deployed on a remote computing environment 80 with which the microphone device 100 exchanges data.

[0057] In one embodiment, the automatic control system 174 is configured to compare the real-time latitude, longitude and / or altitude readings of the microphone device 100 with a database of different latitude, longitude and / or altitude readings, and determine (via the AI ​​engine 175) one or more recommendations for pointing (e.g., pattern direction), gain settings, and equalization settings for the microphone device 100 based on the comparison.

[0058] In one embodiment, if the microphone device 100 shifts by a known value (i.e., a predetermined threshold) in the X, Y, and Z coordinates and the GNSS / GPS coordinates relative to its lock position (i.e., where the microphone device 100 was initially positioned when initially deployed in the environment or initially / expected to be placed), the automatic control system 174 triggers the DSP system 171 and / or the capsule mixing system 172 to "re-aim" toward the lock position by dynamically adjusting one or more virtual directivities, gains, HPFs, LPFs, or other equalizations created / generated. In one embodiment, these adjustments are determined using the AI ​​engine 175.

[0059] In one embodiment, the automatic control system 174 is configured to record or maintain a cache of sensor readings / measurements taken during a predetermined time window or the entirety of an event / session. The cache enables the automatic control system 174 to detect when the position or orientation of the microphone device 100 has moved sufficiently to affect its audio quality.

[0060] In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 is configured to learn preferred operating modes for different scenarios / environments. For example, in a learning phase, audio and sensor readings / measurements acquired via the microphone device 100 are analyzed (e.g., on a remote computing environment) to determine baseline settings for use in similar scenarios / environments. In one embodiment, the AI ​​engine 175 is trained to learn the baseline settings. In another embodiment, the baseline settings are stored on the microphone device 100 as callable presets. After the learning phase, when the automatic control system 174 (via the AI ​​engine 175) detects that the microphone device 100 is deployed in a similar scenario / environment, the automatic control system 174 is configured to automatically set the microphone device 100 with the baseline settings or provide a recommendation for using the baseline settings (e.g., providing a recommendation via the I / O unit 180, on the NFC-enabled device 60, in a web browser, etc.). For example, the baseline settings may be tailored to a scenario / environment involving a live sporting event (e.g., optimizing the equalization of some output channels of the microphone device 100 for crowd noise on one side of the microphone device 100, and optimizing the equalization (EQ) of other output channels of the microphone device 100 for conversations between players, coaches, and others at a table on the other side of the microphone device 100).

[0061] In one embodiment, based on the real-time GPS coordinates of the microphone device 100, the automatic control system 174 retrieves data related to weather conditions at the environment of the microphone device 100, such as wind speed and other weather information, and determines (via the AI ​​engine 175) whether to send an alert or notification to a professional (e.g., a microphone operator) regarding the weather conditions. The alert or notification may include a recommendation to consider alternative EQ settings for the microphone device 100 or to add additional windshield protection to the microphone device 100.

[0062] In one embodiment, the communication unit 200 includes an Ethernet cable connector 201 configured to connect the microphone device 100 to a network cable 90. For example, in one embodiment, the microphone device 100 is wired back to the main processing system 70 via the network cable 90. Examples of different types of network cables 90 include, but are not limited to, CAT5 cables, fiber optic cables, or other standard cables used for data transmission.

[0063] In one embodiment, the GUI system 173 is configured to generate a GUI that includes at least one of the following: (1) one or more output-related settings for the microphone device 100 (e.g., directivity, gain, HPF, LPF, other equalization settings), and (2) one or more global settings / parameters for the microphone device 100. Each GUI generated by the GUI system 173 is provided for display (e.g., on the display screen 182, on the NFC-enabled device 60, in a web browser, etc.) for user confirmation / viewing. In one embodiment, the GUI generated by the GUI system 173 operates as a control panel, thereby providing the user with control and status monitoring of the output channels of the microphone device 100. For example, in one embodiment, the GUI generated by the GUI system 173 is implemented as a web server GUI that is accessible to the user. As another example, in one embodiment, the GUI generated by the GUI system 173 is displayed within a software application executed / operated on an electronic device (e.g., the NFC-enabled device 60).

[0064] Table 2 provides examples of output-related settings of the microphone device 100 and corresponding controls included in the GUI.

[0065] Table 2

[0066]

[0067] Table 3 provides an example of global settings / parameters of the microphone device 100 and corresponding feedback / information included in the GUI.

[0068] Table 3

[0069]

[0070] Figure 3 Table 300 shows different predefined single virtual directivities that the pickup head mixing system 172 is configured to create / generate in one or more embodiments. Figure 3 , the polarity (ie, output phase) of the digital signal (from ADC 130 ) converted from the cardioid output / signal of each output channel of microphone device 100 is negative (NEG).

[0071] To create / produce directivity in all directions ("omni"), the digital signals (from ADC 130) converted from the cardioid output / signals of Channel 1 and Channel 2 (i.e., MID front and MID rear microphones) are processed by the DSP system 171 as follows: polarity inversion is selected (i.e., phase inversion is set to ON) to invert the polarity of the digital signal from negative to positive (POS), and the digital signal is passed without changing the level (i.e., unity gain - no amplification or attenuation). The resulting processed digital signals (from the DSP system 171) are then combined by the capsule mixing system 172 to create / produce mono (i.e., monophonic sound).

[0072] To create / generate a sub-cardioid / wide cardioid polar pattern, the digital signals (from ADC 130) converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 1 and 2 (i.e., MID front and MID rear microphones) are processed by the DSP system 171 as follows: polarity inversion is selected (i.e., Reverse is set to On) to invert the polarity of the digital signal from negative to positive (POS), a -10 dB gain is applied only to the digital signal converted from the cardioid output / signal of channel 2, and the remaining digital signal converted from the cardioid output / signal of channel 1 is passed without level change (i.e., unity gain). The capsule mixing system 172 then combines the resulting processed digital signals (from the DSP system 171) to create / generate mono.

[0073] To create / generate a cardioid polar pattern, the digital signal converted from the cardioid output / signal of channel 1 (from ADC 130) is processed by DSP system 171 as follows: polarity inversion is selected (i.e., phase inversion is set to ON) to invert the polarity of the digital signal from negative to positive (POS), and the digital signal is passed without changing the level (i.e., unity gain). The resulting processed digital signals (from DSP system 171) are then combined by capsule mixing system 172 to create / generate a monophonic sound.

[0074] To create / generate a hypercardioid polar pattern, the digital signals (from ADC 130) converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 1 and 2 (i.e., the MID front and MID rear microphones) are processed via the DSP system 171 as follows: polarity inversion is selected only for the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signal of channel 1 (i.e., phase inversion is set to ON) to invert the polarity of the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signal of channel 1 from negative to positive (POS), a -10 dB gain is applied only to the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signal of channel 2, and the remaining digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signal of channel 1 are passed without level change (i.e., unity gain). The capsule mixing system 172 then combines the resulting processed digital signals (from the DSP system 171) to create / generate mono.

[0075] To create / produce a bidirectional (figure-of-8) directivity using only the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 1 and 2 (i.e., the MID front and MID rear microphones), the digital signals are processed by the DSP system 171 as follows: polarity inversion is selected only for the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channel 1 (i.e., phase inversion is set to ON) to invert the polarity of the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channel 1 from negative to positive (POS), and the digital signals are passed without changing the level (i.e., unity gain). The capsule mixing system 172 then combines the resulting processed digital signals (from the DSP system 171) to create / produce a mono channel.

[0076] In order to create / produce a bidirectional (figure-of-8) directivity using only the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 3 and 4 (i.e., SIDE-left and SIDE-right microphones), the digital signals are processed as follows via the DSP system 171: polarity inversion is selected only for the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channel 3 (i.e., phase inversion is set to ON) to invert the polarity of the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channel 3 from negative to positive (POS), and the digital signals are passed without changing the level (i.e., unity gain). The capsule mixing system 172 then combines the resulting processed digital signals (from the DSP system 171) to create / produce a monophonic sound.

[0077] Figure 4 The table 350 describes different predefined dual virtual directivities that the pickup head mixing system 172 is configured to create / generate in one or more embodiments. Figure 4 , the polarity (ie, output phase) of the digital signal (from ADC 130 ) converted from the cardioid output / signal of each output channel of microphone device 100 is negative (NEG).

[0078] In one embodiment, selecting Dual Virtual Pointing for either channel 1 or 2 links channels 1 and 2 together, while selecting Dual Virtual Pointing for either channel 3 or 4 links channels 3 and 4 together.

[0079] In order to create / generate wide stereo directivity when channels 1 and 2 are linked together, the digital signals (from ADC 130) converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 1, 3, and 4 (i.e., the microphones of the MID front end, SIDE left, and SIDE right) are processed via the DSP system 171 as follows: polarity inversion is selected only for the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 1 and 3 (i.e., phase inversion is set to ON) to invert the polarity of the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 1 and 3 from negative to positive (POS), and the digital signals are passed without changing the level (i.e., unity gain). The capsule mixing system 172 then combines the resulting processed digital signals (from the DSP system 171) to create / generate stereo sound (i.e., left (L) channel and right (R) channel).

[0080] In order to create / produce narrow stereo directivity when channels 1 and 2 are linked together, the digital signals (from ADC 130) converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 1, 3, and 4 (i.e., the microphones at the MID front end, SIDE left, and SIDE right) are processed via the DSP system 171 as follows: polarity inversion is selected only for the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 1 and 3 (i.e., phase inversion is set to ON) to invert the polarity of the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 1 and 3 from negative to positive (POS), -6 dB gain is applied only to the digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signals of channels 3 and 4, and the remaining digital signals converted from the cardioid output / signal of channel 1 are passed without level change (i.e., unity gain). The capsule mixing system 172 then combines the resulting processed digital signals (from the DSP system 171) to create / produce stereo.

[0081] Figure 5A An example GUI 400 generated by the GUI system 173 in one or more embodiments is illustrated, where the GUI 400 includes settings for the microphone device 100. Figure 5A , GUI 400 includes global settings / parameters for microphone device 100. Global settings / parameters include feedback or information indicating real-time conditions of the environment of microphone device 100, such as real-time latitude and longitude readings / coordinates (from motion sensor 193), real-time altitude readings (from motion sensor 193), and real-time position on three coordinate axes X, Y, and Z (from motion sensor 193).

[0082] If the automatic control system 174 detects that the microphone device 100 has been moved / shifted / tilted from its locked position, the GUI 400 highlights how the microphone device 100 has been moved / shifted / tilted. For example, if the real-time position on the X, Y axis is the same as the locked position, but the real-time position on the Z axis is different from the locked position, the GUI 400 indicates that the microphone device 100 has moved relative to the Z axis.

[0083] like Figure 5A As shown in , the GUI 400 further includes output-related settings for each output channel of the microphone device 100 .

[0084] Figure 5B An example user interaction with the GUI 400 is described in one or more embodiments to select a particular output channel of the microphone device 100 to make changes thereto. Figure 5B As shown in , the user interaction includes selecting channel 1 to enable the user to make changes to the output-related settings of channel 1.

[0085] Figure 5C Additional user interaction examples with GUI 400 for changing output-related settings of a selected output channel in one or more embodiments are described. Figure 5C , additional user interactions include selecting different values ​​for output-related settings of channel 1, such as increasing the digital / input gain of channel 1, selecting polarity inversion to invert the polarity of the digital signal converted from the cardioid output / signal of channel 1, selecting a HPF of 47 Hz at 18 dB / octave for channel 1, and selecting a LPF of 18 kHz at 18 dB / octave for channel 1. Additional user interactions further include changing the polar pattern of channel 1 from down / wide cardioid to bi-directional (figure-8).

[0086] Figure 6 Another example GUI 410 generated by the GUI system 173 in one or more embodiments is illustrated, where the GUI 410 includes settings for the microphone device 100. Figure 6 As shown in , Output Channel 1 and Output Channel 2 are linked together to create / generate a wide stereo directivity.

[0087] Figure 7 An example mechanical design of the microphone device 100 in one or more embodiments is described. In one embodiment, the microphone device 100 is implemented as a multi-output, multi-mode AoIP condenser microphone for broadcast and live sound applications.

[0088] Figure 8is a flow chart of an example process 500 for providing advanced functionality for a microphone device in one or more embodiments. Process block 501 includes acquiring, via one or more sensor units of the microphone device, contextual information indicating one or more real-time conditions of an environment of the microphone device. Process block 502 includes detecting one or more real-time changes to the environment of the microphone device based on the contextual information. Process block 503 includes invoking display of a graphical user interface (GUI) including information indicating the one or more real-time changes. Process block 504 includes adjusting one or more settings for the microphone device in response to the one or more real-time changes.

[0089] In one embodiment, process blocks 501 - 504 may be performed using one or more components of microphone device 100 (eg, automated control system 174 ).

[0090] Fig. 9 600 is a high-level block diagram showing an information processing system including a computer system 600 for implementing the disclosed embodiments. The computer system 600 includes one or more processors 601 and may also include an electronic display device 602 (for displaying video, graphics, text, and other data), a main memory 603 (e.g., random access memory (RAM)), a storage device 604 (e.g., a hard disk drive), a removable storage device 605 (e.g., a removable storage drive, a removable memory module, a tape drive, an optical drive, a computer-readable medium having computer software and / or data stored therein), a user interface device 606 (e.g., a keyboard, a touch screen, a keypad, a pointing device), and a communication interface 607 (e.g., a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communication port, or a PCMCIA slot and card). The main memory 603 may store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors 601, cause the one or more processors 601 to perform one or more process blocks of the process 500.

[0091] The communication interface 607 allows software and data to be transferred between the computer system and external devices. The system 600 also includes a communication infrastructure 608 (eg, a communication bus, crossbar, or network) to which the above-described devices / modules 601 to 607 are connected.

[0092] The information transmitted via the communication interface 607 may be in the form of a signal that can be received by the communication interface 607 via a communication link carrying a signal, such as an electronic, electromagnetic, optical or other signal, and may be implemented using wire or cable, optical fiber, telephone line, cellular telephone link, radio frequency (RF) link and / or other communication channels. The computer program instructions representing the block diagrams and / or flow charts herein may be loaded onto a computer, programmable data processing device or processing device to cause a series of operations to be performed thereon, thereby producing a computer-implemented process. In one embodiment, the process 500 ( Figure 8 ) can be stored as program instructions in the memory 603, the storage device 604 and the removable storage device 605 for execution by the processor 601.

[0093] Embodiments have been described with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, devices (systems) and computer program products. Each frame of such diagrams / graphs or combinations thereof may be implemented by computer program instructions. When provided to a processor, the computer program instructions produce a machine so that the instructions executed via the processor create a device for implementing the functions / operations specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram. Each frame in the flowchart / block diagram may represent hardware and / or software modules or logic. In alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the frame may not occur in the order indicated in the figure, may occur concurrently, etc.

[0094] The terms "computer program medium", "computer usable medium", "computer readable medium" and "computer program product" are used to generally refer to media such as main memory, secondary memory, removable storage drives, hard disks installed in hard drives, and signals. These computer program products are devices for providing software to computer systems. Computer readable media allow computer systems to read data, instructions, messages or message packets, and other computer readable information from computer readable media. Computer readable media may include, for example, non-volatile memory such as floppy disks, ROMs, flash memory, disk drive memory, CD-ROMs, and other permanent storage devices. For example, it is useful for transmitting information such as data and computer instructions between computer systems. Computer program instructions may be stored in a computer readable medium, which may direct a computer, other programmable data processing device, or other device to operate in a specific manner so that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions that implement the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0095] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, aspects of the embodiments may be embodied as systems, methods, or computer program products. Thus, aspects of the embodiments may take the form of full hardware embodiments, full software embodiments (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or embodiments combining software and hardware aspects, which may all be generally referred to herein as "circuits," "modules," or "systems." Additionally, aspects of the embodiments may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program code embodied thereon.

[0096] Any combination of one or more computer-readable media may be utilized. A computer-readable medium may be a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device, or apparatus, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) would include the following: an electrical connection with one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that may contain or store a program that is used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device, or apparatus.

[0097] The computer program code for performing the operations of various aspects of one or more embodiments can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as an independent software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or completely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer through any type of network (including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)), or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0098] The above reference method, device (system) and computer program product flowchart and / or block diagram describe various aspects of one or more embodiments. It will be understood that each frame of the flowchart and / or block diagram and the combination of frames in the flowchart and / or block diagram can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a special-purpose computer or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device create a device for implementing the function / action specified in one or more frames of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0099] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable medium, which may instruct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0100] The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device, so that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, so that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide a process for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0101] The flow chart and block diagram in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, function and operation of the system, method and computer program product according to various embodiments.In this regard, each square frame in the flow chart or block diagram can represent a part of a module, program segment or instruction, and the part of the module, program segment or instruction comprises one or more executable instructions for realizing the logical function of the specification.In some alternative implementations, the function marked in the square frame can also be different from the order marked in the accompanying drawings.For example, two continuous square frames can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can also be executed in the opposite order sometimes, depending on the function involved.It should also be noted that each square frame in the block diagram and / or flow chart, and the combination of the square frames in the block diagram and / or flow chart can be realized by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the function or action of the specification or performs the combination of special hardware and computer instructions.

[0102] Unless explicitly stated as such, reference to an element in the singular in a claim is not intended to mean "one and only" but rather "one or more." All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described exemplary embodiments that are currently known or later come to be known to one of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Unless expressly stated using the phrase "means for" or "step for," claim elements herein are not to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph.

[0103] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to also include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the terms "comprise" and / or "include" when used in this specification specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0104] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the following claims are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the embodiments is presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments in the disclosed form. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

[0105] Although the embodiments have been described with reference to certain versions thereof; however, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.

Claims

1. A microphone device with advanced functions, comprising: One or more microphone units, provided with one or more output channels; one or more sensor units configured to acquire contextual information indicative of one or more real-time conditions of an environment of the microphone arrangement; an automatic control system configured to automatically set up digital signal processing (DSP) for the one or more output channels; as well as a capsule mixing system configured to combine processed digital signals generated from the DSP to create one or more directivity of the one or more output channels; Wherein, the automatic control system is also configured to: detecting real-time movement of the microphone arrangement from a locked position based on the contextual information, wherein the locked position is an initial position at which the microphone arrangement is initially deployed in an environment; invoking display of a graphical user interface (GUI), the graphical user interface including information indicative of the detected real-time movement; as well as In response to the detected real-time movement, the one or more directivities are adjusted by a capsule mixing system.

2. The microphone device of claim 1, wherein the adjusting further comprises dynamically adjusting one or more settings of the DSP using an artificial intelligence (AI) engine, wherein The AI ​​engine is trained based on training data indicating different settings and different directions suitable for different conditions of the environment.

3. The microphone arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting further comprises: determining, using an AI engine, one or more recommendations for one or more settings of the DSP, displaying, via the GUI, the one or more recommendations, receiving user input comprising one or more user interactions with the GUI; and The one or more settings are adjusted based on the user input.

4. The microphone device according to claim 1, wherein: The automatic control system is further configured to send an alert to an operator of the microphone arrangement regarding one or more real-time conditions of the environment.

5. The microphone device of claim 4 , wherein for each output channel, the one or more settings of the DSP include at least one of: a setting indicating a directionality to be created, a setting indicating an amount of digital gain to be applied, a setting indicating a high-pass filter to be applied, a setting indicating a low-pass filter to be applied, and a setting indicating whether polarity inversion is applied.

6. The microphone arrangement of claim 4, wherein the automatic control system is further configured to: In response to the one or more sensor units reading an identifier of a user from a device with near field communication (NFC) capability, automatically setting a DSP configuration corresponding to the user, wherein, The DSP is automatically configured according to the DSP configuration.

7. The microphone arrangement of claim 4, wherein the automatic control system is further configured to: In response to the one or more sensor units reading an identifier of a user from a device with near field communication (NFC) capabilities, one or more output channels are automatically established with one or more tags, wherein the one or more tags are based on the identifier. 8 . The microphone device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensor units include at least one of: a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), a Global Positioning System (GPS), and a motion sensor.

9. The microphone device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more real-time conditions of the environment include at least one of the following: real-time latitude and longitude coordinates of the microphone device, real-time altitude of the microphone device, real-time direction of the microphone device relative to a compass, and real-time position of the microphone device on three coordinate axes, namely, X, Y, and Z.

10. The microphone arrangement of claim 1, wherein the detected real-time movement indicates that at least one of a position and an orientation of the microphone arrangement has changed.

11. The microphone device of claim 1, wherein the GUI is displayed on one of a display screen of the microphone device, a device with a near field communication (NFC) function, a web browser, or a host processing system connected to the microphone device.

12. A method for implementing advanced functions of a microphone device, comprising: acquiring, via one or more sensor units of the microphone device, contextual information indicating one or more real-time conditions of an environment in which the microphone device is located, the microphone device being provided with one or more output channels; automatically setting digital signal processing (DSP) for the one or more output channels; combining processed digital signals generated from the DSP to create one or more directions of the one or more output channels; detecting real-time movement of the microphone arrangement from a locked position based on the contextual information, wherein the locked position is an initial position at which the microphone arrangement is initially deployed in an environment; invoking display of a graphical user interface (GUI), the graphical user interface including information indicative of the detected real-time movement; as well as The one or more orientations are adjusted in response to the detected real-time movement.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the adjusting further comprises dynamically adjusting one or more settings of the DSP using an artificial intelligence (AI) engine, wherein: The AI ​​engine is trained based on training data indicating different settings and different directions suitable for different conditions of the environment.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the adjusting further comprises: determining, using an AI engine, one or more recommendations for one or more settings of the DSP, displaying, via the GUI, the one or more recommendations, receiving user input comprising one or more user interactions with the GUI; and The one or more settings are adjusted based on the user input.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises sending an alert to an operator of the microphone arrangement regarding one or more real-time conditions of the environment.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein: For each output channel, the one or more settings of the DSP include at least one of: a setting indicating the direction to be created, a setting indicating the amount of digital gain to be applied, a setting indicating the high-pass filter to be applied, a setting indicating the low-pass filter to be applied, and a setting indicating whether polarity inversion is applied.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: In response to the one or more sensor units reading an identifier of a user from a device with near field communication (NFC) capabilities: automatically setting a DSP configuration corresponding to the user, wherein the DSP is automatically set according to the DSP configuration; as well as One or more output channels are automatically created with one or more labels based on the identifier.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more sensor units include at least one of: a near field communication (NFC) sensor, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), a global positioning system (GPS), and a motion sensor.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more real-time conditions of the environment include at least one of the following: real-time latitude and longitude coordinates of the microphone device, real-time altitude of the microphone device, real-time direction of the microphone device relative to a compass, and real-time position of the microphone device on three coordinate axes: X, Y, and Z.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the detected real-time movement indicates that at least one of a position and an orientation of the microphone arrangement has changed.

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