Vertical Microphone Array Tilt Angle Noise Muting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio and video conferencing systems lack a reliable method to distinguish between speech and background noises, leading to unnecessary muting of speech during keyboard sounds or paper rustling, which disrupts conferences.
Innovation Solution
A vertical microphone array is used to measure the tilt angle of sound sources, muting audio only when the angle is close to horizontal, indicating noise from the table, while allowing speech to be transmitted unmutted when the angle is above a certain threshold, indicating a person speaking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the microphone is muted when keyboard sounds are detected, then keyboard noises are eliminated, but speech occurring at the same time is also muted causing gaps and disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal processing into multiple independent analysis channels: one for detecting keyboard noise characteristics and another for detecting speech characteristics. By analyzing these segments separately and making independent decisions for each, the system avoids muting speech when only keyboard noise is present, thus resolving the contradiction between eliminating keyboard noise and maintaining speech transmission reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary decision-making system that receives inputs from both keyboard noise detection and speech detection modules. This intermediary analyzes the combined information and makes an informed muting decision, preventing the direct and erroneous action of muting whenever keyboard noise is detected, thereby protecting speech transmission while still eliminating keyboard noise when appropriate
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a keyboard signal is used to control microphone muting, then keyboard noises are eliminated, but other environmental noises such as paper rustling or cell phone ringing are not eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal noise detection system that can identify multiple types of unwanted noises including keyboard sounds, paper rustling, and cell phone ringing. By making the system multi-functional in detecting various noise sources rather than being limited to keyboard detection only, it achieves broader adaptability while maintaining the ability to eliminate keyboard noise specifically
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameters from keyboard-specific signals to general acoustic characteristics that can identify multiple noise types. By monitoring parameters such as frequency spectrum, amplitude patterns, and temporal characteristics of sounds, the system becomes versatile in detecting and eliminating various environmental noises while still effectively targeting keyboard noise
3Speed
If the microphone is continuously monitored for noise, then noise elimination responsiveness is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic noise detection at strategically chosen intervals rather than continuous monitoring. By detecting noises at regular intervals and using predictive logic to determine when muting is necessary, the system achieves fast noise elimination responsiveness while significantly reducing the computational complexity and processing load compared to continuous monitoring
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
This approach effectively eliminates background noises like keyboard clicks and paper rustling while ensuring uninterrupted speech transmission, even when speech and noise occur simultaneously, by accurately differentiating between table noise and human speech based on tilt angle measurements.
Implementation Method 1
A vertical microphone array is used to measure the tilt angle of sound sources
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for cancellation of table noise in a speaker system used for video or audio conferencing are disclosed. Table noise is cancelled by using a vertical microphone array to distinguish the tilt angle of sound received by a microphone. If the sound is close to horizontal, the audio is muted. If the sound is above a given angle from horizontal, it is not muted, as this indicates a person speaking. This eliminates paper rustling, keyboard clicks and the like.