Microphone Beamformer Alignment for Mispositioning Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional microphone apparatuses lack directional sensitivity, leading to interference from ambient sounds and poor audio quality, especially when mispositioned relative to the sound source.

Innovation Solution

A microphone apparatus comprising a main microphone array, an adaptive beamformer, and a fixed beamformer, with an analyzer to determine a relative score indicating misalignment, enabling correction of mispositioning and optimizing directional sensitivity for improved speech quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If beamforming is used to achieve directional sensitivity, then speech quality is improved, but the system complexity increases due to multiple beamformers and analyzers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirectional sensitivityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the beamforming function into two separate beamformers (fixed beamformer and adaptive beamformer) that operate in parallel, each handling specific aspects of directional sensitivity. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each beamformer while maintaining overall system performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system combines a fixed beamformer with predetermined directional sensitivity and an adaptive beamformer that dynamically adjusts its parameters based on real-time analysis of the audio signals. The analyzer continuously monitors the signals and adjusts the adaptive beamformer's weights to optimize performance while the fixed beamformer maintains stable baseline performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If microphones are moved away from the mouth (e.g., in earbuds), then device comfort is improved, but audio quality deteriorates due to increased distance from sound source

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice comfortVSAvoidaudio quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces mechanical proximity-based audio capture with signal processing-based beamforming. Instead of requiring physical closeness to the mouth for good audio quality, the system uses multiple microphones with beamforming algorithms to electronically focus on the speech source, enabling comfortable wear positions while maintaining high audio quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If adaptive beamforming is used to optimize speech quality, then processing flexibility is improved, but computational requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing flexibilityVSAvoidcomputational requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements adaptive beamforming selectively rather than continuously. The analyzer determines when adaptive processing is needed by analyzing the audio signals and only applies full adaptive processing when beneficial, otherwise relying on the fixed beamformer. This partial application reduces computational load while maintaining adaptability when required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 apparatus effectively compensates for mispositioning and enhances speech quality by aligning beamformers, ensuring focused audio capture and reduced ambient noise interference.

Implementation Method 1

Beamforming is a technique for further processing audio signals picked up by an array of microphones. Beamforming relies on the fact, that a soundwave created by a source in space surrounding the microphone array will have a different incidence time for different microphones of the microphone array, consequently, the phase of the soundwave picked up by the different microphones will differ from each other.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBeamforming:

Implementation Method 2

the fixed beamformer is configured to: based on the main input vector, provide a second directional audio signal, wherein a directional sensitivity of the second directional audio signal is predetermined

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBeamforming:

Implementation Method 3

the analyzer is configured to: based on the first directional audio signal and the second directional audio signal, determine a first relative score indicating a difference between the first directional audio signal and the second directional audio signal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSignal comparison:

Data Source

PatentUS12389160B2Microphone apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.08.12 GN HEARING AS

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a microphone apparatus and an associated computer implemented method. The microphone apparatus comprising a main microphone array, an adaptive beamformer, a fixed beamformer, and an analyzer. The analyzer is configured to determine a first relative score based on the output of the fixed beamformer and the adaptive beamformer. The first relative score indicating a difference between the adaptive beamformer and the fixed beamformer.