Multi-Microphone Audio Processing With Diffuseness Weighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio processing systems with multiple microphones struggle to enhance sound perception by effectively managing diffuse sound, leading to suboptimal clarity and spatiality in audio signals, particularly in devices with non-ideal microphone arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that receive audio signals from multiple microphones, estimate the diffuseness of sound, and adjust the audibility of diffuse sound to form a final audio signal, improving sound perception by weighting audio signals based on estimated diffuseness in each frequency bin, thereby enhancing clarity or spaciousness as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple microphones are used to capture audio signals, then the quantity of captured sound information increases, but the clarity of direct sound deteriorates due to increased diffuse sound
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is segmented into direct sound and diffuse sound components through diffuseness estimation. By separating these components in the frequency domain, the system can process them differently to maintain clarity while preserving spatial information.
Solution Approach 2:
Different frequency bins are treated with different quality adjustments. The system applies frequency-dependent diffuseness weighting, where each frequency bin can have its own attenuation factor, allowing local optimization of clarity versus spatiality trade-offs across the frequency spectrum.
2Measurement precision
If diffuse sound is reduced to improve clarity, then the clarity of audio signal improves, but the spatiality of sound deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the balance between clarity and spatiality by calculating diffuseness metrics in real-time and applying frequency-dependent weighting factors. This dynamic adjustment allows the audio signal to adapt to different acoustic environments and listening preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuseness weighting factor is used as a controllable parameter that can be adjusted to change the balance between direct and diffuse sound. By modifying this parameter, the system can shift the audio output between clarity-optimized and spatiality-optimized modes.
3Quantity of substance
If audio signals from multiple microphones are combined without adjustment, then the quantity of audio information increases, but the perception of sound quality deteriorates due to improper diffuse sound management
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses diffuseness estimation as a feedback mechanism to monitor the acoustic environment and adjust the audio signal processing accordingly. By continuously estimating diffuseness and applying appropriate weighting, the system maintains optimal sound quality perception.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes multiple parameters including diffuseness weighting factors, frequency bin adjustments, and microphone signal gains to optimize the combination of multiple audio signals. These parameter changes enable the system to manage diffuse sound properly while preserving audio information.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus receives a first audio signal captured by a first microphone of a device and at least a second audio signal captured by at least a second microphone of the device. The apparatus estimates a diffuseness of sound based on the received first and at least second audio signals. The apparatus may then form at least one final audio signal based on at least one of the received first audio signal and the received at least second audio signal by adjusting an audibility of diffuse sound for the final audio signal in response to the estimated diffuseness, in order to enable an enhanced perception of sound with respect to at least one criterion with the at least one final audio signal.