Multi-Sensor Beamforming for Audio Direction Accuracy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beamforming systems often rely solely on audio data for beam selection and steering, which can lead to mistakes in identifying the direction of a desired audio source, especially when noise sources resemble the desired audio in terms of sound.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a combination of audio data with data from multiple sensors, such as cameras and other image capture devices, to estimate the position of a user with higher confidence, thereby improving beamforming accuracy by using computer vision data for beam steering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If beamforming systems rely solely on audio data for beam selection and steering, then the system complexity is reduced, but the accuracy of identifying the direction of desired audio source deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines audio data from microphone arrays with visual data from cameras and other sensor data to perform beamforming. This multi-sensor fusion approach merges different data types to improve direction identification accuracy while maintaining manageable system complexity through integrated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces computer vision data as an intermediary to assist audio-based beamforming. The visual data acts as a mediator that helps disambiguate between desired audio sources and noise sources, improving directional accuracy without requiring the audio system to work alone.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensor data are used for beamforming, then the accuracy of beam selection and steering is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements multi-functional processing where a unified beamforming framework handles both audio and visual data. The same computational infrastructure processes multiple data types, reducing overall device complexity despite the increased accuracy requirements from using multiple sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts processing parameters based on the availability and quality of different sensor data. By changing parameters such as data fusion weights and processing intensity based on environmental conditions, the system maintains high accuracy while adapting complexity to actual needs rather than operating at maximum complexity constantly.
3Ease of operation
If audio data alone is used for beamforming, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the reliability of noise filtering deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensors to continuously refine beamforming decisions. Visual and sensor data provide feedback that validates or corrects audio-based direction estimates, improving noise filtering reliability while maintaining automated operation that preserves ease of use.
Data Source
AI summary
A device capable of using data from multiple sensors to determine an estimated position/direction of a user with respect to the device. The device may use estimated position data, along with confidence data, that originated from a plurality of sensors to fuse the data to determine the user's estimated position and comprehensive confidence of the estimated position. The system may use the location information to perform beamforming/beam steering and/or other downstream operations using the comprehensive estimated position.