Information processing device and information processing method

Abstract

This system accurately removes echo components that occur when acquiring audio using multiple microphones. [Solution] The information processing device includes an acquisition means for acquiring multiple audio data picked up by multiple microphones, and a correction means for performing a correction to remove echo components corresponding to the audio data picked up by the second microphone from the audio data picked up by the first microphone when combining the audio data picked up by the first microphone and the audio data picked up by the second microphone, based on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone, information on the orientation of the first microphone and the second microphone, and information on the directivity of the first microphone and the second microphone.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, acquisition of multi-channel audio using a plurality of wireless microphones (hereinafter referred to as wireless mics) connected wirelessly has attracted attention. By using a wireless mic, a user does not need to adjust the cable length or worry about the cable getting tangled as in the case of using a wired microphone (hereinafter referred to as a mic), and can move easily. Therefore, wireless mics are used in applications such as video shooting.

[0003] The voice of a user recorded by one mic is also input to other mics with a time difference. Therefore, the voice recorded by other mics may include an echo component. Even when using a plurality of wireless mics, one wireless mic acquires the voice acquired by other wireless mics with a time difference. In this case, the audio data acquired by one wireless mic includes an echo component corresponding to the audio acquired by other wireless mics.

[0004] A wireless mic can acquire audio while moving, and there is freedom in the placement of the wireless mic. For example, even when a user wearing a wireless mic speaks while moving within the angle of view during video shooting with a digital camera, the wireless mic can clearly acquire the voice emitted by the user.

[0005] When a user wearing a wireless mic moves, the time for the voice emitted by the user to reach other wireless mics changes as the distance from other wireless mics changes. Due to the shift in the timing of echo generation in other wireless mics according to the movement of the user, it is difficult to remove the echo component uniformly.

[0006] Echo cancellation technology, implemented in PCs (Personal Computers) and web conferencing systems, primarily works by removing sound from speakers. However, implementing echo cancellation technology in embedded devices such as wireless microphones and digital cameras used for recording audio and video is difficult. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-100235 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for recording the voice of the person operating the video camera separately from the voice of the subject. Specifically, the video camera considers the audio signal acquired by a rearward-directive microphone installed at the rear as a noise signal, and superimposes the inverse phase waveform of the noise waveform onto the audio signal from a front-directive microphone installed at the front. However, when the user is wearing a wireless microphone and moving around, it is difficult to accurately remove the echo component from an audio signal that contains an echo component of the noise signal by uniformly superimposing the inverse phase waveform of the noise waveform onto the audio signal.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an information processing device that can accurately remove echo components that occur when sound is acquired using multiple microphones. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The information processing device according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring a plurality of audio data picked up by a plurality of microphones; and a correction means for performing a correction to remove echo components corresponding to the audio data picked up by the second microphone from the audio data picked up by the first microphone when combining the audio data picked up by the first microphone and the audio data picked up by the second microphone, based on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone, information on the orientation of the first microphone and the second microphone, and information on the directivity of the first microphone and the second microphone. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, echo components that occur when sound is acquired using multiple microphones can be accurately removed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This diagram illustrates the configuration of the imaging system. [Figure 2] This diagram illustrates the configuration of a position detection unit. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates a distance measurement method using a UWB device. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates a positioning (angle measurement) method using a UWB device. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart explaining the operation of a pair of wireless microphones. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the receiver and imaging device. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates an example of how to use a wireless microphone. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the audio signal waveform of sound picked up by a wireless microphone. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the relationship between the directivity of a wireless microphone and the amount of echo components.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A photographing system will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the photographing system.

[0014] The photographing system includes a wireless microphone 100a, a wireless microphone 100b, a receiver 200, and a camera 300. The reference numerals of each part of the wireless microphone 100a are given an "a" at the end. The reference numerals of each part of the wireless microphone 100b are given a "b" at the end. Hereinafter, the configuration of the wireless microphone 100a will be described. Since the configuration of the wireless microphone 100b is the same as that of the wireless microphone 100a, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0015] The wireless microphone 100a includes a microphone 101a, an audio processing unit 102a, an audio wireless communication unit 103a, a position detection unit 104a, an attitude detection unit 105a, and a backup unit 109a.

[0016] The microphone 101a picks up sound. The audio processing unit 102a performs various audio processes on the audio data (audio signal) picked up by the microphone 101a. The audio processing unit 102a adjusts, for example, the audio level of the audio signal picked up by the microphone 101. The audio processing unit 102a can convert the audio signal input as an analog signal into digital data. The audio processing unit 102a outputs the processed audio signal to the audio wireless communication unit 103a.

[0017] The audio wireless communication unit 103a performs wireless communication of audio data and the like with an external device . The audio wireless communication unit 103a includes an MPU unit 106a, a wireless control unit 107a, and an encoding unit 108a.

[0018] The position detection unit 104a can wirelessly detect the positions of other microphones such as the wireless microphone 100b. The position detection unit 104a can measure the relative positional relationship (distance and angle) between the wireless microphone 100a and the wireless microphone 100b. The position detection unit 104a can read the position information detected by the voice wireless communication unit 103a. Details of the position detection unit 104 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0019] The attitude detection unit 105a detects the attitude of the wireless microphone 100a. The voice wireless communication unit 103a can read the attitude information acquired by the attitude detection unit 105a. The attitude detection unit 105 includes, for example, an acceleration sensor capable of detecting gravitational acceleration and a magnetic sensor capable of detecting geomagnetism.

[0020] The MPU unit 106a includes a ROM (Read only memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) (registered trademark). The ROM stores a program for controlling the operation of the wireless microphone 100a. The RAM stores variables used when executing the program. The EEPROM stores various parameters. The MPU unit 106a is a microprocessor that controls the operation of the wireless microphone 100a by executing the program stored in the ROM. The MPU unit 106a can control the audio processing unit 102a, the position detection unit 104a, and the attitude detection unit 105a using a communication method such as SPI communication or I2C communication.

[0021] The wireless control unit 107a acquires the audio signal picked up by the microphone 101a via the audio processing unit 102a. The wireless control unit 107a transmits the acquired audio signal to the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200. The wireless control unit 107a receives notifications and instructions from the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200. The wireless control unit 107a can transmit attitude information acquired from the attitude detection unit 105a to the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200. The wireless control unit 107a can communicate with the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200 using communication methods such as Bluetooth® and Zigbee®.

[0022] The encoding unit 108a encodes the audio data. The encoding unit 108a can encode the audio signal input from the audio processing unit 102a into a format compatible with the audio wireless communication unit 103a and the audio wireless communication unit 201a of the receiver 200.

[0023] The backup unit 109a is a storage unit capable of backing up various data output from the voice wireless communication unit 103a. The backup unit 109a may be a recording medium that can be removed from the wireless microphone 100a, such as an SD card or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) flash memory.

[0024] The backup unit 109a may acquire and store various backed-up data from the receiver 200 and terminals such as the PC (personal computer) used by the user via the voice wireless communication unit 103. The backup unit 109a records voice data processed by the voice processing unit 102a, attitude information of the wireless microphone 100a acquired by the attitude detection unit 105a, and positional relationship information with the wireless microphone 100b detected by the position detection unit 104a. The positional relationship information is recorded between the wireless microphone 100a and the wireless microphone 100b. This includes the distance to the wireless microphone 100b (distance information) and the direction (angle) of the wireless microphone 100b relative to the wireless microphone 100a (positioning information).

[0025] In the following description, the configurations of the two wireless microphones 100a and 100b will be denoted by the symbols a and b when described separately from each other, and will not be denoted by the symbols a and b when described in common without distinction.

[0026] The receiver 200 comprises an audio wireless communication unit 201 and an interface unit 202. The receiver 200 is described as a separate device from the camera 300, but it may be integrated with the camera 300.

[0027] The voice wireless communication unit 201 can transmit and receive voice data and various information wirelessly. The interface unit 202 can transmit voice data and various information to the camera 300 and receive instructions from the camera 300.

[0028] The voice wireless communication unit 201 comprises a wireless control unit 203 and a decoding unit 204. The wireless control unit 203 receives voice data and attitude detection result information transmitted from the voice wireless communication unit 103a of the wireless microphone 100a. The wireless control unit 203 transmits notifications and instructions to the voice wireless communication unit 103a. The wireless communication method of the wireless control unit 203 of the voice wireless communication unit 201 is the same as that of the wireless control unit 107a of the voice wireless communication unit 103a.

[0029] The decoding unit 204 can decode the encoded audio data received from the audio wireless communication unit 103a into a format usable by the camera 300.

[0030] The interface unit 202 converts the audio data decoded by the decoding unit 204 into a signal so that it can communicate with the camera 300. The interface unit 202 only needs to support standards such as USB and PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express).

[0031] Camera 300 is an example of an information processing device according to the present invention. Camera 300 comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 301, an interface unit 302, an MPU 303, an operation unit 304, an imaging unit 305, a lens control unit 306, a display unit 307, and a storage unit 308.

[0032] The CPU 301 includes an imaging processing unit 309, a display control unit 310, and an audio processing unit 311. The CPU 301 controls the entire camera 300 by controlling the other components.

[0033] The interface unit 302 is an interface for communication between the camera 300 and the receiver 200. The interface unit 302 outputs audio data received from the interface unit 202 of the receiver 200 to the CPU 301. The interface unit 302 transmits control commands (instructions) output from the CPU 301 to the receiver 200. The interface unit 302 can communicate using the same communication standard as the interface unit 202. For example, the interface unit 302 only needs to support standards such as USB and PCIe.

[0034] The MPU303 includes ROM, RAM, and EEPROM. ROM stores the program for controlling the operation of the camera 300. RAM is used to load the program read from ROM and to temporarily store variables used when executing the program. The EEPROM stores various parameters.

[0035] The imaging unit 305 includes an image sensor and performs photoelectric conversion of the signal received through the optical system. The imaging unit 305 performs signal processing such as correlated double sampling and AGC (Auto Gain Control) on the photoelectrically converted signal. The imaging unit 305 digitizes the processed signal by AD conversion and outputs the generated imaging data to the imaging processing unit 309. The image sensor is an area image sensor, such as a CMOS sensor or a CCD sensor.

[0036] The lens control unit 306 can control the drive of the lens by controlling an actuator mounted in the camera 300 or the lens. The lens control unit 306 can be controlled by the user operating the operation unit 304. The lens control unit 306 can drive a zoom lens actuator that changes the focal length of the lens in order to adjust the shooting angle of view in response to the user's operation. In addition, the lens control unit 306 can control the focus by driving the lens to focus on the desired subject in response to the user's operation.

[0037] The display unit 307 includes, for example, an LCD and an OLED. The display unit 307 is controlled by the display control unit 310 and can display input display image data to the user.

[0038] The imaging processing unit 309 performs image processing on the imaging data acquired from the imaging unit 305 to generate still image data or video data. The imaging processing unit 309 is equipped with a conversion processing unit that can convert still image data to a format such as JPEG, and video image data to a format such as h264.

[0039] The display control unit 310 generates image data to be displayed on the display unit 307 and outputs it to the display unit 307. The data displayed on the display unit 307 includes image data generated by the imaging processing unit 309, and menu screens that display various settings of the camera 300.

[0040] The audio processing unit 311 performs various audio processing and adjusts the audio level on the audio signal acquired by the built-in microphone (not shown) mounted on the camera 300. The audio processing unit 311 can also perform various audio signal processing and adjust the audio level on the audio data received by the interface unit 302 from the receiver 200.

[0041] The storage unit 308 is a storage unit that records still image data and moving image data processed by the various parts of the CPU 301. The storage unit 308 is a removable recording medium that can be connected to the camera 300, such as an SD card and a USB flash memory. The still image data recorded in the storage unit 308 is, for example, image data in a file format compliant with JPEG. The moving image data recorded in the storage unit 308 is, for example, video data in a format compliant with MPEG.

[0042] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the position detection unit 104. The position detection unit 104 shown in Figure 2 is a UWB (Ultra Wide Band) communication device (hereinafter also referred to as a UWB device) that uses UWB technology and can detect the positional relationship with other UWB devices. The position detection unit 104 comprises a CPU 2103, a first antenna control unit 2104, a first UWB antenna 2105, a second UWB antenna 2106, a second antenna control unit 2107, and a BLE antenna 2108.

[0043] The CPU 2103 performs logical control of the UWB device, including data processing, execution of control sequences, and management of communication protocols. The first antenna control unit 2104 controls the output and directivity of the first UWB antenna 2105 and the second UWB antenna 2106. In UWB communication, the proper directivity of the antenna is directly related to communication quality. UWB antennas are capable of transmitting and receiving wideband signals. UWB antennas using UWB technology are specialized for transmitting and receiving short pulse signals, enabling high-precision localization.

[0044] The second antenna control unit 2107 adjusts the position and directivity of the BLE antenna 2108 to optimize communication. BLE is used for pairing between UWB devices (position detection units 104) and for short-range communication with surrounding Bluetooth devices. The second antenna control unit 2107 works in conjunction with the first antenna control unit 2104 to optimize the transmission and reception of signals for the entire UWB device.

[0045] The acceleration sensor 2109 detects the movement of the UWB device (position detection unit 104) and acquires position information and vibration information. The acquired position information and vibration information are used to locate the UWB device and trigger its operation. By coordinating the configurations shown in Figure 2, the position detection unit 104 (UWB device) can achieve high-precision positioning and communication. The wireless microphones 100a and 100b are equipped with position detection units 104a and 104b, respectively, and can communicate with each other via UWB.

[0046] Figure 3 illustrates a distance measurement method using UWB devices. The distance between the initiator and the responder is measured by utilizing communication between two UWB devices, the initiator and the responder.

[0047] The process flow for position measurement is explained below. The initiator 3101 is a UWB device that transmits UWB pulses. The responder 3102 is a UWB device that receives and sends back UWB pulses. The initiator 3101 and responder 3102 are equipped with a UWB communication module and a clock synchronization mechanism. The initiator 3101 and responder 3102 correspond to the position detection unit 104 described in Figure 1. In the description of Figure 3, the two position detection units 104 (UWB devices) are referred to as initiator 3101 and responder 3102.

[0048] The measurement of the distance between initiator 3101 and responder 3102 begins when initiator 3101 is activated. The UWB communication modules of initiator 3101 and responder 3102 are capable of generating and receiving UWB pulse signals. A clock synchronization mechanism is operating in initiator 3101 and responder 3102.

[0049] In step S3101, the initiator 3101 generates a UWB pulse signal and transmits it to the responder 3102. In step S3102, the responder 3102 records the time it received the pulse signal. The responder 3102 transmits information about the time the pulse signal was received and the response time to the initiator 3101 back to the initiator 3101.

[0050] The initiator 3101 sends a pulse signal to the responder 3102 and measures the time T3103 until it receives information about the reception time and response time from the responder 3102. Based on the information received from the responder 3102, the initiator 3101 calculates the time T3102 from when the responder 3102 receives the pulse signal until it responds.

[0051] The initiator 3101 calculates the time T3101 from the time it transmitted the pulse signal to the time the pulse signal reached the responder 3102. From the time the responder 3102 transmitted a response pulse signal to the initiator 3101, the initiator 3101 receives a response pulse The time until the signal arrives is time T3101. Time T3101 is half the time it takes for the pulse signal to travel back and forth between the initiator 3101 and the responder 3102, and is expressed by the following equation 1.

number

[0052] The initiator 3101 can calculate the distance between itself and the responder 3102 using time T3101 and the speed of light (c) by the following equation 2. The speed of light (c) is approximately 299,792,458 meters / second.

number

[0053] As described above, the position detection unit 104, which is the initiator 3101, can measure the distance between two UWB devices (the initiator 3101 and the responder 3102). Although the description has been given for the case of two wireless microphones 100 equipped with UWB devices, there may be three or more wireless microphones 100. If there are three or more wireless microphones 100, the position detection unit 104 (UWB device) of any two wireless microphones 100 can measure the distance between those two wireless microphones 100.

[0054] Figure 4 illustrates a positioning (angle measurement) method using UWB devices. Figure 4 schematically shows how two UWB devices (initiator 4102 and responder 4101) are used to detect the angle of arrival of a signal from a tag using the phase difference of the signal received by the responder. The tag acts as the initiator 4102.

[0055] The following describes the processing flow for angle measurement. The initiator 4102 is a UWB device that transmits UWB pulses. The responder 4101 is a UWB device that receives and sends back UWB pulses. The initiator 4102 and responder 4101 are equipped with a UWB communication module and a clock synchronization mechanism. The initiator 4102 and responder 4101 correspond to the position detection unit 104 described in Figure 1. In the description of Figure 4, the two position detection units 104 (UWB devices) are referred to as initiator 4102 and responder 4101.

[0056] The measurement of the angle (direction) of the initiator 4102 relative to the responder 4101 begins when the initiator 4102 is activated. The responder 4101 is equipped with two UWB antennas (corresponding to the first UWB antenna 2105 and the second UWB antenna 2106). Each UWB antenna and UWB communication module communicates with the initiator 4102 and exchanges information to determine its location.

[0057] The initiator 4102 generates a UWB signal 4103 and transmits it to two UWB antennas (antenna 1 and antenna 2). Antennas 1 and 2 of the responder 4101 record the arrival time of the UWB signal 4103 from initiator 4102.

[0058] Antennas 1 and 2 receive a UWB signal 4103 from initiator 4102 in order to calculate the phase difference φ of the received signals. The phase difference between the UWB signal 4103 received by antenna 1 and the UWB signal 4103 received by antenna 2 is used to determine the angle of the tag (initiator 4102).

[0059] Since the wavelength λ of the UWB signal 4103 is known, we can use the phase difference φ to obtain the following equation 3. The tag direction θ can be derived using equation 4.

number

[0060] Although the two UWB devices were described as initiator 4102 and responder 4101, there may be three or more UWB devices. If there are three or more UWB devices, any two can be designated as initiator 4102 and responder 4101, allowing each UWB device to measure the angle between itself and the others.

[0061] The initiator 4102 and responder 4101 may be determined by instructions from the receiver 200 or camera 300 before UWB communication is initiated. The means of communication between the initiator 4102 and responder 4101 may differ for each combination of initiator 4102 and responder 4101.

[0062] Each of the two wireless microphones 100 has a UWB device (position detection unit 104) that can detect the position of the other by measuring the distance and angle between them. The wireless microphones 100 are not limited to detecting each other's positions by communicating with other wireless microphones 100, but may also detect each other's positions by communicating with a receiver 200 or camera 300 that is equipped with a UWB device.

[0063] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a pair of wireless microphones 100 (wireless microphone 100a and wireless microphone 100b). The components of the two wireless microphones 100a and 100b are designated a and b when described separately, and not designated a and b when described in common without distinction. The operation of the wireless microphones 100 from startup to communication termination will be explained with reference to Figure 5.

[0064] In step S501, when the power button is turned on, the MPU unit 106 of the wireless microphone 100 performs initial setup. The MPU unit 106 sets the memory contents and execution program to an initialized state and performs preparatory operations such as supplying power to the voice wireless communication unit 103, the position detection unit 104, and the attitude detection unit 105.

[0065] Furthermore, the wireless control unit 107 performs wireless settings for wireless connection with external devices. For example, when the wireless microphone 100 uses Wi-Fi to wirelessly connect with an external device, the wireless control unit 107 performs initial settings such as MAC address, SSID, encryption method, password, data channel, and transmission rate. By performing these initial settings, the wireless control unit 107 can detect a wirelessly connectable receiver 200 and establish a wireless connection with the receiver 200.

[0066] In step S502, the MPU unit 106 instructs the attitude detection unit 105 to detect the attitude of the wireless microphone 100. The attitude detection unit 105 is, for example, a 3-axis accelerometer, which can estimate the tilt of the sensor by determining the direction of gravitational acceleration and detect the attitude of the sensor. The attitude detection unit 105 is not limited to acceleration, but may also detect the attitude in more detail by detecting changes in angular velocity using a gyroscope or by detecting the direction of the Earth's magnetic field using a magnetic sensor. The wireless microphone 100 is, for example, The shape may be a hexahedron or other shape with sound-collecting holes on any of its faces. In this case, the attitude detection unit 105 may acquire as attitude information which direction (up, down, left, or right) the sound holes are facing.

[0067] In step S503, the MPU unit 106 sets the audio channel number. The MPU unit 106 can either assign an audio channel number specific to the wireless microphone 100, or it can assign an audio channel number that is not being used for other communications via the wireless connection.

[0068] As a method for assigning audio channels via wireless connection, the MPU unit 106 may assign audio channel numbers in the order in which the wireless control unit 107 initiated the wireless connection. When the MPU unit 106 connects to multiple wireless microphones 100, for example, it may assign CH1 to the first wireless microphone 100 to connect wirelessly, and CH2 to the second wireless microphone 100 to connect wirelessly.

[0069] In step S504, the MPU unit 106 instructs the audio processing unit 102 to configure settings related to audio processing. The audio processing unit 102 performs tasks such as adjusting the audio level, setting the frequency characteristics of the equalizer, and setting the filter for wind noise reduction. The audio processing unit 102 has registers that can configure the operation of various audio processing circuits. The audio processing unit 102 can change settings related to audio processing by changing the settings of the registers based on instructions from the MPU unit 106.

[0070] In step S505, the MPU unit 106 instructs the wireless control unit 107 to transmit audio data to the camera 300. The wireless control unit 107 transmits the audio data (audio signal) encoded by the encoding unit 108 to the camera 300 via the receiver 200.

[0071] The encoding unit 108 converts the audio signal received from the audio processing unit 102 into a predetermined format by encoding it. The encoding unit 108 can perform encoding processes such as SBC (Subband Codec), AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), and LC3 (Low Complexity Communication Codec). The encoding unit 108 only needs to encode the audio signal into a format that the receiver 200 can receive. The wireless microphone 100 transmits the encoded audio data to the receiver 200, which is wirelessly connected to the wireless microphone 100.

[0072] In step S506, the MPU unit 106 determines whether multiple wireless microphones 100 are wirelessly connected to the camera 300. The MPU unit 106 can obtain information from the camera 300 via the receiver 200 regarding whether multiple wireless microphones 100 are wirelessly connected.

[0073] The MPU 303 of the camera 300 notifies the audio wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200 that multiple wireless microphones 100 are wirelessly connected to the camera 300, if there are multiple wireless microphones 100 wirelessly connected to the camera 300. The audio wireless communication unit 201 notifies the wireless control unit 107 of the wireless microphone 100 that multiple wireless microphones 100 are wirelessly connected to the camera 300. Based on the notification from the audio wireless communication unit 201 to the wireless control unit 107, the MPU 106 can determine whether or not multiple wireless microphones 100 are wirelessly connected to the camera 300.

[0074] If multiple wireless microphones 100 are wirelessly connected to camera 300, processing The process proceeds to step S507. If no multiple wireless microphones 100 are wirelessly connected to the camera 300, the process proceeds to step S509.

[0075] In step S507, the MPU unit 106 instructs the position detection unit 104 to perform distance measurement and positioning. The position detection unit 104 starts wireless communication to perform distance measurement and positioning. The position detection unit 104 measures the distance between the two wireless microphones 100a and 100b by performing UWB distance measurement between the initiator 3101 and responder 3102 as described in Figure 3. The position detection unit 104 also measures the angle of wireless microphone 100b relative to wireless microphone 100a by detecting the angle between the initiator 4102 and responder 4101 as described in Figure 4 using UWB.

[0076] Based on the distance and angle between the initiator and the responder, the attitude detection unit 105 can determine the relative position of the responder wireless microphone 100 with respect to the initiator wireless microphone 100. The positional relationship between the initiator and the responder can be obtained from both the initiator and the responder.

[0077] The MPU unit 106 of the wireless microphone 100, which acts as either an initiator or responder, acquires distance measurement and positioning information, that is, information indicating the positional relationship between the two wireless microphones 100a and 100b, from the position detection unit 104. The MPU unit 106 transmits the distance measurement and positioning information acquired from the position detection unit 104 to the camera 300 via the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200.

[0078] In step S508, the MPU unit 106 transmits the attitude information of the wireless microphone 100 acquired by the attitude detection unit 105 in step S502 to the camera 300 via the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200. The attitude information of the wireless microphone 100 transmitted to the camera 300 is used to remove echo components corresponding to the sound picked up by other wireless microphones 100 from the sound picked up by multiple wireless microphones 100.

[0079] In step S509, if no multiple wireless microphones 100 are connected to the camera 300, the MPU unit 106 determines whether or not to terminate the wireless connection with the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200. If voice wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201 is still connected, the MPU unit 106 returns to step S506 without terminating the wireless connection.

[0080] On the other hand, if voice wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201 has ended, the MPU unit 106 determines to terminate the wireless connection with the voice wireless communication unit 201. In this case, the MPU unit 106 instructs the wireless control unit 107, the position detection unit 104, and the attitude detection unit 105 to terminate processing and stops supplying power to each of them.

[0081] In step S510, the MPU unit 106 determines whether or not to terminate the wireless communication for distance measurement and positioning processing between position detection unit 104a and position detection unit 104b. The MPU unit 106 checks the wireless communication status with other wireless microphones 100 with position detection unit 104.

[0082] If the wireless connection of the position detection unit 104 has been terminated, the MPU unit 106 determines that it will terminate wireless communication with the other wireless microphone 100 and proceeds to step S511. On the other hand, if the position detection unit 104 is still wirelessly connected, the MPU unit 106 maintains wireless communication between the wireless microphones 100a and 100b for distance measurement and positioning and proceeds to step S512.

[0083] In step S511, the MPU unit 106 determines whether to terminate the voice wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200 if the wireless communication for distance measurement and positioning between the wireless microphones 100a and 100b has been terminated. If the voice wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200 is still connected, the MPU unit 106 determines not to terminate the wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200 and returns to step S506.

[0084] On the other hand, if the voice wireless communication between the receiver 200 and the voice wireless communication unit 201 has ended, the MPU unit 106 determines that it will terminate the wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201. In this case, the MPU unit 106 instructs the wireless control unit 107, the position detection unit 104, and the attitude detection unit 105 to terminate processing and stops supplying power to each of them.

[0085] In step S512, the MPU unit 106 determines whether to terminate the voice wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200 if the wireless communication for distance measurement and positioning between the wireless microphones 100a and 100b has not been terminated. If the voice wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200 is still connected, the MPU unit 106 determines not to terminate the wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200 and returns to step S510.

[0086] On the other hand, if the voice wireless communication between the receiver 200 and the voice wireless communication unit 201 has ended, the MPU unit 106 determines that it will terminate the wireless communication with the voice wireless communication unit 201. In this case, the MPU unit 106 instructs the wireless control unit 107, the position detection unit 104, and the attitude detection unit 105 to terminate processing and stops supplying power to each of them.

[0087] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the receiver 200 and camera 300. Referring to Figure 6, the flow of operations from the startup of the camera 300 to the start of voice wireless communication with the wireless microphone 100 will be explained.

[0088] In step S601, when the power button is turned on, the MPU 303 performs initial setup. The MPU 303 sets the memory contents and the running program to an initialized state. The MPU 303 performs preparatory operations such as supplying power to the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200, the CPU 301, imaging unit 305, lens control unit 306, display unit 307, and storage unit 308 of the camera 300.

[0089] The MPU303 instructs the receiver 200's wireless control unit 203 to configure the wireless settings via the receiver 200's interface unit 202. The wireless control unit 203 performs initial settings such as MAC address, SSID, data channel, and transmission rate, similar to the wireless control unit 107 of the wireless microphone 100. By performing these initial settings, the wireless control unit 203 can detect the wireless microphone 100 that is capable of wireless connection and establish a wireless connection with the receiver 200.

[0090] In step S602, the MPU 303 determines whether the camera 300 is wirelessly connected to multiple wireless microphones 100 via the receiver 200. If the camera 300 is wirelessly connected to two or more wireless microphones 100, the process proceeds to step S603. If there are fewer than two wireless microphones 100 wirelessly connected to the camera 300, the process proceeds to step S606. In other words, the correction in step S604 is performed when there are two or more wireless microphones 100 connected to the camera 300, and the correction in step S604 is not performed when there are fewer than two wireless microphones 100 connected to the camera 300.

[0091] In step S603, the MPU 303 instructs the wireless control unit 203 to notify the voice wireless communication unit 103 that there are two or more wireless microphones 100 that are wirelessly connected to the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200.

[0092] In step S604, the MPU303 performs echo correction using the attitude information of the wireless microphone 100, the distance information between wireless microphones 100a and 100b, and positioning (angle) information. Echo correction is the process of removing echo components contained in the audio data. The distance information and positioning information are the attitude information of the wireless microphone 100 and the positional relationship information between wireless microphones 100a and 100b. Using the distance information and positioning information between wireless microphones 100a and 100b, each wireless microphone 100 can obtain information about its relative position to the other.

[0093] The MPU 303 acquires attitude information of the wireless microphone 100 received by the voice wireless communication unit 201, as well as distance information and positioning information between wireless microphones 100a and 100b. The MPU 303 can acquire attitude information, distance information, and positioning information from the wireless microphone 100 via the voice wireless communication unit 201 of the receiver 200. The voice wireless communication unit 201 may also acquire attitude information, distance information, and positioning information recorded in the backup unit 109 of the wireless microphone 100. The audio processing unit 311 of the camera 300 removes echo components contained in the audio data received from the wireless microphone 100 based on the various information acquired from the voice wireless communication unit 201.

[0094] The audio processing unit 311 removes echo components from the audio data received from the wireless microphone 100 based on the distance measurement information and positioning information between the wireless microphones 100a and 100b. Details of echo correction to remove echo components from the audio data will be described later with reference to Figures 8(A) to 8(C). Details of adjusting echo correction using polar pattern information will be described later with reference to Figures 9(A) and 9(B).

[0095] In step S605, the MPU 303 instructs the audio processing unit 311 to process the audio data collected by the multiple wireless microphones 100. The audio data collected by the multiple wireless microphones 100 is encoded by the encoding unit 108 and then transmitted to the receiver 200. The decoding unit 204 of the audio wireless communication unit 201 decodes the encoded audio data received from each of the multiple wireless microphones 100. The audio processing unit 311 acquires the decoded audio data from the audio wireless communication unit 201 as audio data collected by the multiple wireless microphones 100.

[0096] The audio processing unit 311 adjusts the gain of the audio data received from each wireless microphone 100 based on the relative sound pressure level information of the audio picked up by the multiple wireless microphones 100. By performing gain adjustment, the audio processing unit 311 can suppress the effects of duplicate recording of the same audio by multiple wireless microphones 100.

[0097] In step S606, there is one wireless microphone 100 that is wirelessly connected to the voice wireless communication unit 201, and the MPU 303 instructs the voice processing unit 311 to process the single audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100. The audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100 is encoded by the encoding unit 108 and then transmitted to the receiver 200. The decoding unit 204 of the voice wireless communication unit 201 decodes the encoded audio data received from the wireless microphone 100. The voice processing unit 311 acquires the decoded audio data from the voice wireless communication unit 201.

[0098] In step S607, the MPU 303 instructs the imaging processing unit 309 to perform imaging. The imaging processing unit 309 performs imaging processing on the imaging data acquired from the imaging unit 305. The imaging processing unit 309 generates a video recording file based on a known data format by performing imaging processing on the image data.

[0099] Figure 7 illustrates an example of the use of the wireless microphone 100. Refer to Figure 7 to explain the echo that occurs between wireless microphones and the correction of the echo. Figure 7 shows an example of a scene using the wireless microphones 100a and 100b, receiver 200, and camera 300 described in Figure 1.

[0100] Figure 7 shows a scene in which camera 300 is recording video of subject A, who is wearing a wireless microphone 100a, and subject B, who is wearing a wireless microphone 100b. The sound emitted by subject A is input to the wireless microphone 100a worn by subject A. In addition, the sound emitted by subject A is input to wireless microphone 100b, after being delayed and attenuated according to the distance to wireless microphone 100b.

[0101] Wireless microphone 100a is positioned near subject A's mouth to capture subject A's voice. Wireless microphone 100b is positioned at a distance from subject A, near subject B's mouth to capture subject B's voice.

[0102] The receiver 200 is wirelessly connected to the wireless microphones 100a and 100b and inputs the audio signals (audio data) picked up by the wireless microphones 100a and 100b into a storage medium. The receiver 200 may be attached to the camera 300 or placed inside the camera 300. The distance between the wireless microphones 100a and 100b is distance d. The user, who is the photographer, holds the camera 300 so that subjects A and B are within the field of view.

[0103] The sound emitted by subject A is picked up by wireless microphone 100a, and the picked-up audio data is transmitted to receiver 200. In addition, subject A's sound is attenuated and delayed by air propagation at a distance d and is also picked up by wireless microphone 100b, and the picked-up audio data is transmitted to receiver 200. Wireless microphone 100b picks up the sound of subject B and the echo sound of subject A's sound, which is attenuated and delayed.

[0104] Camera 300 acquires multiple audio data points picked up by wireless microphones 100a and 100b via receiver 200. Camera 300 combines the audio data picked up by wireless microphone 100a and the audio data picked up by wireless microphone 100b. The audio data picked up by wireless microphone 100b (corresponding to the first microphone) contains an echo component corresponding to the audio data picked up by wireless microphone 100a (corresponding to the second microphone). Therefore, when the two audio data points are combined, the voice of subject A becomes a double voice with a time difference, which sounds like an echo.

[0105] The correction of echo sounds picked up by the wireless microphone 100b will be explained with reference to Figures 8(A) and 8(B). Figure 8(A) shows an example of the audio signal waveform of subject A's voice sampled by the wireless microphone 100a. Figure 8(B) shows an example of the audio signal waveform of subject A's voice sampled by the wireless microphone 100b.

[0106] Figure 8(A) shows the audio signal captured by a wireless microphone 100a positioned near the mouth of subject A, which is the sound emitted by subject A. Figure 8(B) shows the audio signal captured by a wireless microphone 100b located at a distance d from wireless microphone 100a, which is the sound emitted by subject A.

[0107] The time difference Δt between the waveform in Figure 8(A) and the waveform in Figure 8(B) is given by the wireless microphone 100a. This is a timing difference caused by the distance d between 100a and 100b. The timing difference Δt in voice acquisition can be calculated based on the distance d between wireless microphones 100a and 100b and the propagation speed of the sound emitted by subject A. The distance d between wireless microphones 100a and 100b can be obtained by position detection units 104a and 104b using the distance measurement method of the UWB device described in Figure 3. The time difference Δt is a parameter for determining the timing of echo correction.

[0108] The amplitude Vtx of the audio signal waveform shown in Figure 8(A) indicates the audio level of the sound emitted by subject A, which is input to the wireless microphone 100a. The amplitude Vrx of the audio signal waveform shown in Figure 8(B) indicates the audio level of the sound emitted by subject A, which is input to the wireless microphone 100b.

[0109] Since the sound emitted by subject A, which is the sound source, spreads out in a spherical shape, the sound level of amplitude Vrx in Figure 8(B) is attenuated according to the distance between the sound source and the observation point (wireless microphone 100b). The amount of attenuation Vd [dB] from amplitude Vtx to amplitude Vrx can be approximated by the following equation 5, using the distance L [m] between subject A and the mounting position of wireless microphone 100a, and the distance d between wireless microphones 100a and 100b.

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[0110] The audio processing unit 311 of the camera 300 delays the audio signal from subject A input to the wireless microphone 100a at time t by a time difference Δt, and subtracts the attenuated audio signal (attenuated according to the attenuation amount Vd [dB]) from the audio signal of the wireless microphone 100b. This allows the audio processing unit 311 to perform a correction to remove the echo component corresponding to the audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100a from the audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100b.

[0111] If we represent the audio signal from wireless microphone 100a as function fa(t) and the echo audio signal generated in wireless microphone 100b as function fbe(t), then the function fbe(t) of the echo audio signal can be expressed using function fa(t) as shown in equation 6 below.

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[0112] To reduce the echo component corresponding to the sound input to the wireless microphone 100b as an echo, the audio processing unit 311 can, for example, subtract the echo component derived from Equation 6 from the audio signal of the wireless microphone 100b. Alternatively, the audio processing unit 311 may, for example, use the spectrum obtained by performing a Fourier transform on fbe(t) in Equation 6 to subtract and correct the echo component in the audio signal of the wireless microphone 100b.

[0113] Figure 8(C) shows the audio signal waveform obtained by combining audio data received from wireless microphones 100a and 100b in the camera 300 and applying echo correction. In step S604 of Figure 6, the audio processing unit 311 of the camera 300 performs echo correction when combining the audio signal waveforms shown in Figures 8(A) and 8(B). Based on the distance d between wireless microphones 100a and 100b, the audio processing unit 311 can acquire the audio level of the echo of the sound emitted by subject A that is input to wireless microphone 100b. The audio processing unit 311 can obtain the combined signal waveform shown in Figure 8(C) by correcting the audio data from wireless microphone 100b according to the audio level of the echo based on the distance d. In this way, the audio processing unit 311 can acquire the audio level of the echo of the sound emitted by subject A that is input to wireless microphone 100b based on the distance d between wireless microphones 100a and 100b It is possible to correct the audio data captured by the 100b by removing the echo component corresponding to the audio data captured by the wireless microphone 100a.

[0114] Similarly, when the voice emitted by subject B, who is wearing the wireless microphone 100b, is input to the wireless microphone 100a, the audio signal from the wireless microphone 100a will include an echo component corresponding to the audio signal from the wireless microphone 100b. In this case, the audio processing unit 311 can perform a correction based on the distance d between the wireless microphones 100a and 100b, by removing the echo component corresponding to the audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100b from the audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100a.

[0115] Figures 8(A) to 8(C) show an example where the sensitivities of the wireless microphones 100a and 100b are equivalent. If the sensitivities of the wireless microphones 100a and 100b differ, each device notifies the camera 300 of its own sensitivity information via the receiver 200. The audio processing unit 311 of the camera 300 can perform correction to accurately remove the echo component by adjusting the echo audio waveform signal to be removed based on the received sensitivity information.

[0116] Figures 9(A) and 9(B) illustrate the relationship between the directivity of wireless microphones 100a and 100b and the amount of echo components. If the wireless microphone 100 is omnidirectional, then, assuming a constant distance between subject A and the wireless microphone 100, the input audio level of subject A's voice will be the same regardless of the relative positions of subject A and the wireless microphone 100, and the orientation of the wireless microphone 100. The relative positions of subject A and the wireless microphone 100 refer here to the orientation of the wireless microphone 100 relative to subject A.

[0117] On the other hand, if one or both of the wireless microphones 100a and 100b exhibit a directional pattern called unidirectional, the input audio level of subject A's voice will vary depending on the position of the wireless microphone 100 and its position relative to subject A, which is the sound source.

[0118] Figures 9(A) and 9(B) show polar patterns representing the distribution of relative sound pressure levels picked up by multiple wireless microphones 100a and 100b from a sound source. The sound source is assumed to be a point source. The relative value (sound attenuation) of the sound pressure level picked up by wireless microphone 100b to the sound pressure level picked up by wireless microphone 100a is calculated using Equation 7 below, with respect to the distances r1 and r2 between wireless microphones 100a and 100b and the sound source, respectively.

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[0119] It is known that the sound pressure level picked up by a directional microphone changes depending on the orientation and position of the microphone relative to the sound source. The audio processing unit 311 can correct the difference in sound level based on the microphone's orientation information relative to the sound source and polar pattern information, which is information about its directivity. Microphone directivity is mainly classified into unidirectional, bidirectional, and omnidirectional.

[0120] The wireless microphone 100 retains its own directional and sensitivity information. The receiver 200 or camera 300 can acquire the directional and sensitivity information of the wireless microphone 100 via the audio wireless communication unit 103.

[0121] The receiver 200 or camera 300 may also store information on the directivity and sensitivity of each of the various wireless microphones 100 in advance as table data. The receiver 200 or camera 300 communicates with the voice wireless communication unit 103 of the wireless microphone 100. The system then acquires identification information or model information for the wireless microphone 100. The receiver 200 or camera 300 can then obtain information on the directivity and sensitivity of the wireless microphone 100 corresponding to the acquired identification information or model information from the table data.

[0122] Figure 9(A) shows the polar patterns of wireless microphones 100a and 100b when the highly sensitive side of the wireless microphone 100b worn by subject B is pointed towards subject A, which is the sound source. Figure 9(B) shows the polar patterns of wireless microphones 100a and 100b when the orientation of the wireless microphone 100b worn by subject B is different from that in Figure 9(A), with the less sensitive side pointed towards the sound source.

[0123] If subject A emits sound at the same volume in the states shown in Figure 9(A) and Figure 9(B), the level of the audio signal picked up by the wireless microphone 100b worn by subject B is expected to be, for example, about 6 dB lower in the state shown in Figure 9(B). When the orientation of the wireless microphone 100b is as shown in Figure 9(B), the amount of echo sound (audio level) picked up by the wireless microphone 100b is lower than in the state shown in Figure 9(A). If echo correction for the audio signal of the wireless microphone 100b is applied with the same correction amount as in the case of Figure 9(A), it will result in overcorrection. The audio processing unit 311 adjusts the correction amount based on the orientation and directivity information of the wireless microphones 100a and 100b so as not to affect the sound of subject B that the wireless microphone 100b is originally intended to pick up.

[0124] The audio processing unit 311 corrects the audio data from wireless microphone 100b based on the distance between wireless microphones 100a and 100b, information on the orientation of wireless microphones 100a and 100b, and information on the directivity of wireless microphones 100a and 100b. The distance between wireless microphones 100a and 100b is obtained in step S507 of Figure 5. Information on the orientation of wireless microphones 100a and 100b is obtained in step S508. Information on the directivity of wireless microphones 100a and 100b is, for example, polar pattern information, which may be obtained from wireless microphones 100a and 100b, or the camera 300 may hold it as table data.

[0125] Using the directivity coefficient k(θ) due to the angular difference θ between wireless microphones 100a and 100b, the echo component contained in the audio data from wireless microphone 100b is expressed by the following equation 8.

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[0126] The directivity coefficient k(θ) based on the angular and orientation differences between wireless microphone 100b and wireless microphone 100a is set based on the polar pattern of wireless microphone 100b. The audio processing unit 311 should apply the directivity coefficient k(θ) when processing the audio signal from wireless microphone 100b.

[0127] For example, if wireless microphones 100a and 100b are facing each other (θ=0 degrees), the directivity coefficient k(0) is set to 80%. If wireless microphones 100a and 100b are facing opposite directions (θ=180 degrees), the directivity coefficient k(180) is set to 20%. The directivity coefficient k(θ) can be set within the range of 0 to 100%, and should be set based on the polar pattern of wireless microphone 100.

[0128] Furthermore, if the wireless microphone 100b is pointed in a direction with sufficiently low sensitivity relative to subject A, the sound emitted by subject A that is input to the wireless microphone 100b will be sufficiently quiet. For example, if the directivity coefficient k(θ) = 0.05, the amount of echo component will be small, and the echo The amount of correction will also be smaller. If the amount of echo correction becomes smaller than a predetermined amount, echo correction does not need to be performed on the audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100b. In this way, the audio processing unit 311 may determine whether or not to perform echo correction based on the directivity information of the wireless microphones 100a and 100b.

[0129] Furthermore, the audio processing unit 311 may determine whether or not to perform echo correction based on the distance between the wireless microphone 100a and the wireless microphone 100b. If the wireless microphones 100a and 100b are sufficiently far apart, the amount of echo component generated by each wireless microphone 100 will be small. If the distance between the wireless microphones 100a and 100b is longer than a predetermined distance, echo correction does not need to be performed on the audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100b.

[0130] The wireless microphone 100a is affected by the sound emitted by subject B, which is picked up by the wireless microphone 100b. The positional relationship information (distance measurement information and positioning information) between wireless microphones 100a and 100b is the same as when the wireless microphone 100b is affected by the sound emitted by subject A. Depending on the orientation of the wireless microphone 100a, the level of the sound of subject B being picked up will differ. For this reason, the audio processing unit 311 can obtain a correction amount for the audio data of the wireless microphone 100a based on the orientation of the wireless microphone 100a detected by the orientation detection unit 105a and the polar pattern information of the wireless microphone 100a.

[0131] In the above embodiment, the camera 300 performs a correction to remove the echo component corresponding to the audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100a from the audio data picked up by the wireless microphone 100b. The camera 300 acquires information on the distance between the wireless microphones 100a and 100b, their respective attitudes, and their respective directivity (polar patterns) via the receiver 200. Based on the information acquired from the wireless microphones 100a and 100b, the camera 300 determines the amount of correction for the audio data of the wireless microphone 100b and applies it to the audio data of the wireless microphone 100b. As a result, the camera 300 can accurately remove the echo component from the audio data of the wireless microphone 100b.

[0132] Although the present invention has described the case where the information processing device is a camera 300, the information processing device may also be a receiver 200. That is, the receiver 200 only needs to be equipped with an audio processing unit that performs the same functions as the audio processing unit 311 of the camera 300. In this case, a camera that does not have the functions of the audio processing unit 311 can achieve the functions described in the above embodiment by being connected to the receiver 200.

[0133] The various controls described above may or may not be performed by a single piece of hardware (e.g., a processor or circuit). Multiple pieces of hardware (e.g., multiple processors, multiple circuits, or a combination of one or more processors and one or more circuits) may share the processing to control the entire device.

[0134] Furthermore, the above-mentioned processors are processors in a broad sense, including general-purpose processors and specialized processors. General-purpose processors include, for example, CPUs (Central Processing Units), MPUs (Micro Processing Units), and DSPs (Digital Signal Processors). Specialized processors include, for example, GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), and PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices). Programmable logic devices include, for example, FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices). Examples include gic Device.

[0135] Furthermore, the embodiments described above (including modified examples) are merely examples, and configurations obtained by appropriately modifying or changing the above-described configurations within the scope of the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. Configurations obtained by appropriately combining the above-described configurations are also included in the present invention.

[0136] <Other Embodiments> The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit that implements one or more functions.

[0137] This embodiment includes the following configurations, methods, and programs. (Composition 1) An acquisition means for acquiring multiple audio data recorded by multiple microphones, Correction means for performing correction to remove echo components corresponding to the audio data picked up by the second microphone from the audio data picked up by the first microphone when combining audio data picked up by the first microphone and audio data picked up by the second microphone, based on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone, information on the orientation of the first microphone and the second microphone, and information on the directivity of the first microphone and the second microphone. An information processing device characterized by having the following features. (Configuration 2) The correction means determines whether or not to perform the correction based on the directivity information of the first microphone and the second microphone. The information processing device according to configuration 1, characterized by the above. (Composition 3) The correction means determines whether or not to perform the correction based on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone. An information processing device according to configuration 1 or 2, characterized by the above. (Composition 4) Each of the aforementioned multiple microphones records information about the distance between itself and other microphones, and the orientation of itself, in its own storage unit. The correction means obtains information on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone, and the orientation of the first microphone and the second microphone, from the storage unit of the first microphone or the storage unit of the second microphone. An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, characterized by the above. (Composition 5) The correction means performs the correction when there are two or more microphones connected to the information processing device, and does not perform the correction when there are fewer than two microphones connected to the information processing device. An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized by the above. (Composition 6) The aforementioned multiple microphones are capable of communicating with each other using UWB (Ultra Wide Band). An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, characterized by the above. (Composition 7) The aforementioned directional information is polar pattern information. An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, characterized by the above. (Composition 8) The correction means acquires information about the directivity of the microphone from the microphone. An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, characterized by the above. (Composition 9) The correction means is The microphone's identification information or model information is obtained from the microphone. From the information processing device holding the directional information of each of the plurality of microphones, the directional information of the microphone corresponding to the identification information or the model information is acquired. An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, characterized by the above. (Composition 10) The information processing apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, further characterized in that the correction means performs a correction to remove echo components corresponding to the audio data picked up by the second microphone from the audio data picked up by the first microphone, based on the sensitivity information of the first microphone and the second microphone. (method) The steps include acquiring multiple audio data points, each captured by multiple microphones, and The process involves a step of performing a correction to remove echo components corresponding to the audio data picked up by the second microphone from the audio data picked up by the first microphone, based on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone, information on the orientation of the first microphone and the second microphone, and information on the directivity of the first microphone and the second microphone, when combining the audio data picked up by the first microphone and the audio data picked up by the second microphone. An information processing method characterized by having the following features. (program) A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of the information processing device described in any of configurations 1 to 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0138] 100: Wireless microphone, 300: Camera (information processing unit), 301: CPU, 303: MPU, 311: Audio processing unit

Claims

1. An acquisition means for acquiring multiple audio data recorded by multiple microphones, When combining audio data picked up by a first microphone and audio data picked up by a second microphone, a correction means performs a correction to remove echo components corresponding to the audio data picked up by the second microphone from the audio data picked up by the first microphone, based on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone, information on the orientation of the first microphone and the second microphone, and information on the directivity of the first microphone and the second microphone. An information processing device characterized by having the following features.

2. The correction means determines whether or not to perform the correction based on the directivity information of the first microphone and the second microphone. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

3. The correction means determines whether or not to perform the correction based on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

4. Each of the aforementioned multiple microphones records information about the distance between itself and other microphones, and the orientation of itself, in its own storage unit. The correction means obtains information on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone, and the orientation of the first microphone and the second microphone, from the storage unit of the first microphone or the storage unit of the second microphone. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

5. The correction means performs the correction when there are two or more microphones connected to the information processing device, and does not perform the correction when there are fewer than two microphones connected to the information processing device. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

6. The aforementioned multiple microphones are capable of communicating with each other using UWB (Ultra Wide Band) communication. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

7. The aforementioned directional information is polar pattern information. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

8. The correction means acquires information about the directivity of the microphone from the microphone. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

9. The correction means is The microphone's identification information or model information is obtained from the microphone. From the information processing device holding the directional information of each of the plurality of microphones, the directional information of the microphone corresponding to the identification information or the model information is acquired. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

10. The correction means further includes the first microphone and the second microphone. The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, based on sensitivity information, it performs a correction to remove echo components corresponding to audio data picked up by the second microphone from audio data picked up by the first microphone.

11. The steps include acquiring multiple audio data points, each captured by multiple microphones, and The process involves a step of performing a correction to remove echo components corresponding to the audio data picked up by the second microphone from the audio data picked up by the first microphone when combining audio data picked up by the first microphone and audio data picked up by the second microphone, based on the distance between the first microphone and the second microphone, information on the orientation of the first microphone and the second microphone, and information on the directivity of the first microphone and the second microphone. An information processing method characterized by having the following features.

12. A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of an information processing apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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