Hybrid Microphone Array for Noise-Resistant Spatial Audio Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated microphones within electronic devices, such as image capturing devices, often suffer from reduced audio signal quality due to noise interference from internal components, limiting the effectiveness of audio capture.
Innovation Solution
Utilize a first set of microphones within the device and a second set of external microphones with a higher signal-to-noise ratio, leveraging spatial information from the internal microphones to process audio signals from the external set, optimizing their positioning and configuration for improved audio quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If microphones are integrated within the electronic device, then the device structure is simplified and compact, but the audio signal quality deteriorates due to noise interference from internal components
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the microphone functionality into two separate sets: internal microphones integrated within the electronic device for spatial information capture, and external microphones positioned outside the device for high-quality audio capture. This segmentation allows each set to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between compact integration and audio quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the audio capture function from the internal device structure and positions it externally. The external microphones are placed outside the electronic device to eliminate noise interference from internal components, while the internal microphones remain for spatial information. This extraction resolves the quality degradation caused by integration.
2Measurement precision
If external microphones with higher signal-to-noise ratio are used, then audio signal quality is improved, but the device requires additional external components and increased complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The internal microphones serve a dual function: they capture spatial information for beamforming and also contribute to the overall audio capture. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated external microphones, thereby simplifying the system configuration while maintaining high audio quality through the external microphone array.
3Measurement precision
If spatial information is obtained from internal microphones and used to process external microphone signals, then spatial audio quality is enhanced, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary spatial analysis using the internal microphones to determine the direction of arrival and spatial characteristics of sound sources before processing the external microphone signals. This preliminary action enables targeted beamforming and signal processing, enhancing spatial audio quality while managing processing complexity through efficient pre-computation.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus, electronic device, method and computer program wherein the apparatus comprises: processing circuitry; and memory circuitry including computer program code, the memory circuitry and the computer program code configured to, with the processing circuitry, enable the apparatus to perform: obtaining spatial information relating to a captured sound field from a first set of microphones; obtaining one or more signals from a second set of microphones where the one or more signals relate to the captured sound field; and using the obtained spatial information from the first set of microphones to process the one or more signals obtained from the second set of microphones;wherein the first set of microphones is provided within an electronic device and the second set of microphones is provided external to the electronic device.