Microphone Gating in Multi-Pod Conference Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conferencing systems face challenges in effectively managing echo and microphone noise, particularly in multi-pod setups where participants are distant from the device, leading to suboptimal audio feedback and interference.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a method of using multiple bi-polar microphones positioned at 120-degree intervals, forming virtual microphones to reduce common-mode noise, and implementing echo cancellation techniques, including dynamic filters and microphone gating to determine the best microphone to activate based on loudness and noise floor values, ensuring clear communication between local and remote participants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple microphones are used in multi-pod conferencing systems, then audio coverage and noise reduction capability are improved, but echo interference and common-mode noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful common-mode noise captured by multiple microphones into a useful signal for cancellation. By identifying and subtracting the common-mode component present in all microphone signals, the system transforms the noise that was previously harmful into a benefit for improving audio quality. The virtual microphones are specifically designed to capture and cancel common-mode noise while preserving desired speech signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful echo and common-mode noise components from the microphone signals. The echo cancellation mechanism separately identifies and removes echo components, while the virtual microphone system extracts and cancels common-mode noise, leaving only the clean desired speech signals from local participants.
2Measurement precision
If microphone gating is implemented to select the best microphone, then audio clarity is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically evaluating and selecting the best microphone based on acoustic conditions without requiring manual intervention. The microphone gating mechanism continuously monitors signal quality metrics and autonomously determines which microphones should be active, simplifying operation while maintaining high audio quality through dynamic adaptation to changing acoustic environments.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If virtual microphones are formed to reduce common-mode noise, then noise rejection capability is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple physical microphone signals to create virtual microphones with enhanced noise rejection capabilities. By combining signals from multiple physical microphones in specific configurations, the system creates virtual microphones that inherently reject common-mode noise while preserving desired speech signals, achieving superior noise rejection without requiring separate dedicated hardware for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes a method of gating a multi-pod conferencing system for local conference participants to communicate with remote conference participants that includes providing a plurality of pods where an individual pod connects to one or more plurality of pods through a data communication means. The individual pods further include: pod processor means, digital to analog converter means, analog to digital converting means, virtual microphone means, pod echo cancellation means, and microphone gating means. The disclosed method further includes providing a base unit that uses data communication means and base controller means. The disclosed method further includes the computed values of the pod gating means being distributed to other pods to gate the pods on and or off.