Orthogonal Microphone Beamforming for Stereo Audio Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional beam forming techniques for audio recording in camera systems with multiple microphones are hindered by non-optimal microphone placements due to design limitations, leading to distorted spatial and temporal characteristics of audio signals during playback.
Innovation Solution
A camera system with microphones on orthogonal surfaces employs a processor to apply tuned beam forming parameters, adjusting delay and gain for each microphone channel to generate virtual microphone channels that accurately represent the audio source, thereby improving stereo audio playback by compensating for the camera's shape and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If microphones are placed on orthogonal surfaces of the camera body, then the camera design flexibility is improved, but the spatial and temporal characteristics of audio signals become distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies tuned beam forming parameters including delay and gain adjustments specifically tailored for microphones on orthogonal surfaces. The processor modifies audio signal parameters (delay values, gain factors) to compensate for the non-optimal orthogonal positioning, transforming the distorted spatial-temporal characteristics into accurate representations of the audio source.
2Device complexity
If traditional beam forming techniques are used with non-optimal microphone locations, then device complexity is reduced, but audio signal accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pre-determined tuned beam forming parameters (delay and gain values) that are specifically optimized for orthogonal microphone configurations. By applying these tuned parameters, the system achieves accurate audio source representation without requiring complex adaptive algorithms, thus maintaining relatively simple device complexity while improving audio signal accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A camera system capable of capturing images of an event in a dynamic environment includes two microphones configured to capture stereo audio of the event. The microphones are on orthogonal surfaces of the camera system. Because the microphones are on orthogonal surfaces of the camera system, the camera body can impact the spatial response of the two recorded audio channels differently, leading to degraded stereo recreation if standard beam forming techniques are used. The camera system includes tuned beam forming techniques to generate multi-channel audio that more accurately recreates the stereo audio by compensating for the shape of the camera system and the orientation of microphones on the camera system. The tuned beam forming techniques include optimizing a set of beam forming parameters, as a function of frequency, based on the true spatial response of the recorded audio signals.