Dynamic Microphone Selection for Directional Audio Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blind source separation methods for mixed audio signals, particularly in over-determined cases, fail to provide optimal results due to the need for well-separated microphones and equal numbers of microphones to sources, leading to poor audio separation and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that dynamically select a set of microphones based on the number, direction, and positional information of active audio sources, along with audio parameters, to record and reproduce directional audio, optimizing microphone selection for improved separation in both under-determined and over-determined scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If blind source separation methods are used with well-separated microphones and equal numbers of microphones to sources, then audio separation quality is improved, but device complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically selects microphones based on the number of active audio sources detected in real-time. The system adapts the microphone subset configuration according to whether the scenario is under-determined, determined, or over-determined, rather than requiring a fixed well-separated microphone array. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by maintaining good separation quality without the rigid structural requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of microphone selection criteria based on the detected number of audio sources. When fewer sources are detected, different microphones are selected compared to when more sources are present. This parameter change allows the system to achieve effective separation without requiring microphones to be well-separated in all configurations.
2Measurement precision
If algorithms such as beam-forming and independent vector analysis are used for determined cases, then audio separation is optimized, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using all microphones for processing in all cases, the patent selectively uses only the necessary subset of microphones based on the number of active sources. This partial action approach reduces computational load and processing time while maintaining separation quality, avoiding the excessive processing required by beam-forming and IVA algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and uses only the relevant microphones needed for the current number of audio sources, rather than processing signals from all microphones. This extraction of necessary components reduces processing time while maintaining separation effectiveness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic microphone allocation is used to handle varying numbers of audio sources, then adaptability is improved, but processing complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary classification of the audio scenario into under-determined, determined, or over-determined cases based on the number of active sources. Once classified, the system directly applies the appropriate pre-determined processing strategy, avoiding time-consuming iterative searches for active sources and reducing overall processing time while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for recording mixed audio signal and reproducing directional audio. A method includes receiving a mixed audio signal via plurality of microphones; determining an audio parameter associated with the mixed audio signal received at each of the plurality of microphones; determining active audio sources and a number of the active audio sources from the mixed audio signal; determining direction and positional information of each of the active audio source; dynamically selecting a set of microphones from the plurality of microphones based on at least one of the number of the active audio sources, the direction of each of the active audio sources, the positional information of each of the active audio sources, the audio parameter, or a predefined condition; and recording, based on the selected set of microphones, the mixed audio signal for reproducing directional audio.