Image Capturing Apparatus Sound Extraction Threshold
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital still cameras that record both images and sounds often capture unwanted surrounding noise, making it difficult to isolate and reproduce the desired sound effectively, especially when capturing images of birds, as other noises are recorded simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
An image capturing apparatus that includes a sound recording section, a threshold sound volume storage section, a sound extraction section, and a data storage section to associate and synchronize images with extracted sounds, allowing for selective recording and output of sounds based on volume thresholds and environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sound recording is performed continuously during image capture, then all sounds including desired sounds are recorded, but surrounding noise is also recorded making it difficult to isolate the desired sound
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the desired sound components from the recorded audio by comparing sound volumes and identifying sounds that exceed a threshold. The sound extraction section isolates target sounds (e.g., bird chirps) from surrounding noise by selecting only those sound segments that meet specific volume criteria, thereby removing unwanted information while preserving the desired sound.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of sound volume threshold to differentiate between desired and undesired sounds. By setting a threshold sound volume and comparing recorded sounds against it, the system dynamically selects which sound segments to retain, transforming the raw continuous audio into a filtered set of meaningful sound events.
2Reliability
If all recorded sounds are reproduced with images, then complete audio-visual coverage is achieved, but the reproduction becomes complicated requiring editing work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by automatically extracting and selecting appropriate sound segments based on pre-set volume thresholds without requiring user intervention. The sound extraction section autonomously identifies and isolates desired sounds from the recorded audio, and the data storage section automatically associates these extracted sounds with corresponding images, eliminating the need for manual editing while maintaining complete audio-visual coverage.
3Loss of information
If sound extraction based on volume threshold is performed, then surrounding noise is eliminated, but the threshold setting requires optimization to accurately capture desired sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the threshold sound volume parameter to balance noise elimination and desired sound capture. By adjusting this parameter, the system can selectively retain sound segments that exceed the threshold while filtering out lower-volume background noise, achieving effective noise elimination without requiring complex processing.
Data Source
AI summary
An image capturing apparatus or reproducing apparatus which allows a user to easily obtain a desirable sound and image is provided. The image capturing apparatus or reproducing apparatus includes: an image capturing section for capturing an image of a subject; a recording section for recording a sound surrounding the image capturing section; a threshold sound volume storage section for storing a specified threshold sound volume; a sound extraction section for extracting the sound within a part of period including the sound having the volume larger than the threshold sound volume stored in the threshold sound volume storage section among the sound recorded by the recording section; a data storage section for associating each of a plurality of images captured by the image capturing section with each of a plurality of sounds extracted by the sound extraction section in the order of capturing and recording, and for storing the same; and a data output section for synchronizing the captured image with the sound which are associated and stored in the data storage section and outputting the same.