Microphone Array Sound Pick-Up for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional area sound pick-up technologies using microphone arrays struggle to stably capture sounds in noisy environments, particularly in emergency communication scenarios, due to limited sound pick-up areas and distortion when the user's mouth deviates from the narrow pick-up area.
Innovation Solution
A sound pick-up apparatus and method utilizing multiple microphone arrays with different directionalities, forming combinations to expand the sound pick-up area and integrate outputs to maintain uniformity and stability, even when the user's mouth is not aligned with the microphone arrays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If two microphone arrays are installed around the mouthpiece of a handset to achieve area sound pick-up, then noise removal capability is improved, but the sound pick-up area becomes limited to a narrow area immediately close to the transmitter
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the sound pick-up function by using multiple microphone arrays (first and second arrays) with different directionalities. Each array captures sounds from different directions, and their outputs are combined to achieve both noise removal and expanded pick-up area. This segmentation allows the system to maintain directional noise rejection while covering a broader spatial area.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the outputs of multiple microphone arrays with different directionalities through integration processing. By combining the signals from arrays oriented in different directions, the system achieves a unified sound pick-up result that covers a wider area while maintaining the noise removal capabilities of individual arrays.
2Measurement precision
If the directionalities of microphone arrays are crossed to achieve area sound pick-up, then target area sounds can be extracted, but the sound pick-up area remains narrow and users must hold the handset in specific positions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic adaptability by providing multiple combinations of microphone array directionalities. The system can switch between different array configurations (e.g., first and second arrays, first and third arrays, second and third arrays) depending on the user's holding position and orientation. This dynamic reconfiguration maintains accurate target sound extraction regardless of handset positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the microphone array system universal by designing it to function effectively across multiple orientations and positions. The plurality of microphone arrays with different directionalities enables the system to adapt to various user behaviors and handset holding positions, making the noise removal and sound pick-up functions robust across diverse usage scenarios.
3Reliability
If conventional noise removal technology is used in handsets for emergency vehicles, then voice communication quality may be improved, but costs for introduction increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables the microphone array system to self-adjust and self-optimize by automatically selecting appropriate array combinations based on the acoustic environment and signal characteristics. The system performs self-diagnosis of sound sources and automatically configures the optimal microphone array configuration, eliminating the need for complex external control systems and reducing overall device complexity and cost.
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
The solution enables efficient and stable area sound pick-up over a wider range, reducing distortion and ensuring accurate voice communication in noisy environments, such as emergency situations.
Implementation Method 1
a microphone array unit capable of forming microphone arrays with three or more different directionalities
Implementation Method 2
The BF is technology of forming directionality with a time lag between signals arriving at the respective microphones
Data Source
AI summary
The sound pick-up apparatus has a first area sound pick-up unit configured to acquire, on a basis of an input signal from a microphone array unit capable of forming microphone arrays with three or more different directionalities, area sound pick-up outputs based on two or more patterns of combinations of the microphone arrays, and a second area sound pick-up unit configured to output, as an area sound pick-up result, a result obtained by integrating the area sound pick-up outputs of the respective patterns which are acquired by the first area sound pick-up unit.