Adaptive 3D Microphone Beam Tracking for Noise and Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional beamforming systems in microphone arrays for voice conferences are sub-optimal due to their inability to dynamically adjust to changes in the number of speakers and their positions, and they often suffer from noise interference and feedback issues, as they primarily operate in a single azimuth dimension with limited elevation angles and fixed configurations.
Innovation Solution
The system initializes a microphone array with a preliminary beamform tracking configuration, detects sound instances, modifies the configuration based on speaker locations, and saves the modified configuration to optimize voice acquisition. It also designates sub-regions, assigns them to microphone arrays, and creates beamform tracking configurations to minimize noise and feedback by incorporating 3D beamforming with azimuth, elevation, and distance coordinates, and uses a central controller to manage microphone arrays and loudspeakers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fixed beamforming configurations are used, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to changing speaker positions and numbers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beamforming configurations that automatically adjust to changing speaker positions and numbers in real-time. The system transitions from static pre-programmed beam directions to dynamic adaptive beamforming that continuously tracks and responds to environmental changes, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity through automated adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The beamforming system performs self-configuration and self-optimization without requiring manual reconfiguration. The system automatically detects speaker positions, determines optimal beam directions, and adjusts beamforming parameters autonomously, eliminating the need for administrator intervention while maintaining high adaptability to environmental changes.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional single-azimuth beamforming is used, then device complexity is reduced, but voice acquisition quality deteriorates due to limited coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends beamforming from single-azimuth (2D) to full 3D spatial coverage by incorporating elevation and distance dimensions. This multi-dimensional beamforming approach creates comprehensive spatial coverage throughout the conference room volume, significantly improving voice acquisition quality for speakers at various positions and heights while managing the increased complexity through systematic parameter organization.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If fixed beamforming zones are used, then ease of operation is improved, but noise reduction capability deteriorates when noise sources move
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the acoustic environment for noise sources and dynamically adjusts beamforming zones to maintain optimal noise rejection. The feedback mechanism tracks moving noise sources and automatically reconfigures beam patterns to exclude them, preserving noise reduction capability without requiring manual configuration changes even as environmental conditions evolve.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If mix-minus configurations are manually set up, then feedback minimization is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to tedious setup
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically configures mix-minus settings by analyzing the acoustic environment, identifying feedback paths between loudspeakers and microphones, and optimizing attenuation parameters without manual intervention. This self-configuration capability eliminates the tedious manual setup process while maintaining effective feedback minimization through automated acoustic analysis and parameter optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
An example method of operation may include detecting an acoustic stimulus via active beams associated with at least one microphone disposed in a defined space, detecting loudspeaker characteristic information of at least one loudspeaker providing the acoustic stimulus, transmitting acoustic stimulus information based on the acoustic stimulus to a central controller, and modifying, via a central controller, at least one control function associated with the at least one microphone and the at least one loudspeaker to minimize acoustic feedback produced by the loudspeaker.