Four-Microphone Audio Processing for Beamforming and Immersive Audio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Augmented reality (AR) glasses with a single channel microphone suffer from noise susceptibility and low voice recognition rates, and immersive 3D audio processing is difficult with single channel recording.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with multiple microphones positioned at strategic locations (left front, left rear, right front, and right rear) for enhanced sound collection, preprocessing, and operation modes for immersive audio recording and beamforming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single channel microphone is used in AR glasses, then the device complexity is reduced, but the noise susceptibility increases and voice recognition rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single microphone into multiple microphones positioned at different locations (left front, left rear, right front, right rear). This segmentation allows the system to collect sound from multiple directions simultaneously, improving noise rejection and voice recognition while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple microphones serve multiple functions: they collectively perform noise reduction, enable voice recognition, and provide immersive 3D audio processing. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the microphone system capable of handling various audio tasks that a single microphone cannot perform effectively.
2Device complexity
If a single channel microphone is used, then the device structure is simplified, but immersive 3D audio processing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-channel (one-dimensional) microphone to a multi-channel spatial arrangement. By positioning microphones at left front, left rear, right front, and right rear locations, the system adds spatial dimensions to audio collection, enabling immersive 3D audio processing while keeping the physical structure relatively compact.
3Reliability
If multiple microphones are positioned at strategic locations, then noise reduction and voice recognition improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places microphones at specific strategic locations (left front, left rear, right front, right rear) rather than using a uniform distribution. This local quality approach optimizes noise reduction and voice recognition performance at each position while maintaining overall system simplicity. Each microphone's position is carefully chosen to maximize its contribution to the overall audio processing capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Improves noise reduction, voice recognition, and enables immersive 3D audio processing by effectively collecting and processing sound from multiple directions.
Implementation Method 1
a first microphone disposed at a left front surface thereof to collect a sound of a first input channel, a second microphone disposed at a left rear surface thereof to collect a sound of a second input channel, a third microphone disposed at a right front surface thereof to collect a sound of a third input channel, and a fourth microphone disposed at a right rear surface thereof to collect a sound of a fourth input channel
Implementation Method 2
operate in a second mode that receives a sound of a designated direction using beamforming based on the preprocessed sound of the first input channel, the preprocessed sound of the second input channel, the preprocessed sound of the third input channel, and the preprocessed sound of the fourth input channel
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first microphone disposed on the left front surface of the electronic device to collect sound of a first input channel, a second microphone disposed on the left rear surface of the electronic device to collect sound of a second input channel, a third microphone disposed on the right front surface of the electronic device to collect sound of a third input channel, a fourth microphone disposed on the right rear surface of the electronic device to collect sound of a fourth input channel, memory storing one or more computer programs, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the first microphone, the second microphone, the third microphone, the fourth microphone, and the memory, wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to preprocesses the sound of the first input channel, the sound of the second input channel, the sound of the third input channel, and the sound of the fourth input channel, and operate in a first mode that records immersive audio based on the preprocessed sound of the first input channel, the preprocessed sound of the second input channel, the preprocessed sound of the third input channel, and the preprocessed sound of the fourth input channel or operate in a second mode that receives a sound of a designated direction using beamforming based on the preprocessed sound of the first input channel, the preprocessed sound of the second input channel, the preprocessed sound of the third input channel, and the preprocessed sound of the fourth input channel.