Rotatable Microphone Arrays for Noise-Saturated Audio Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio capture technologies face challenges in effectively reducing noise, particularly when noise saturation occurs, preventing the detection of additional signals in audio scenes captured by microphones.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that dynamically adjust the physical rotation angles and configurations of multiple microphones to find optimal settings that minimize noise, using a combination of microphone sets and rotation angles to capture audio scenes with acceptable noise levels, while also considering visual scene prioritization and noise reduction algorithms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If noise reduction algorithms are used to process the audio scene, then noise is reduced and signal quality is improved, but the algorithms are not effective when noise saturation occurs and cannot detect additional signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the microphone arrangement physically rotatable to change its orientation relative to the noise source. Instead of relying solely on static digital processing, the system dynamically adjusts the physical configuration of the microphones by rotating the arrangement to positions where noise saturation is reduced, enabling effective signal detection in previously unusable noisy conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of microphone orientation by rotating the microphone arrangement to different angles. This parameter change allows the system to transition from a saturated state where noise reduction algorithms fail to a state where the same algorithms can effectively process the audio scene, thereby resolving the reliability issue.
2Measurement precision
If the microphone arrangement is rotated to find optimal noise reduction positions, then noise levels are reduced and signal quality is improved, but the time required to capture acceptable audio increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a search through different rotation angles to identify optimal positions before actual audio capture begins. The system预先 determines which orientations will provide acceptable noise levels, so that when capture starts, the microphones are already positioned optimally, minimizing the time loss during the capture process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback by continuously monitoring the audio scene for noise saturation conditions and using this information to determine when rotation is needed. The system captures audio, evaluates noise levels, and only rotates when necessary, creating a feedback loop that optimizes the balance between audio quality and time consumption.
3Measurement precision
If multiple microphone sets and rotation angles are searched to find optimal noise reduction, then noise is effectively reduced, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single rotatable microphone arrangement that can serve multiple functions: capturing audio from different orientations, adapting to various noise environments, and providing versatile noise reduction capabilities. This single multi-functional structure replaces what would otherwise require multiple fixed microphone arrays positioned at different locations.
Data Source
Figure 1A~4C
Figure 4D~8
Figure 9A~13B
AI summary
An apparatus comprising means for: capturing an audio scene using multiple microphones; determining that the captured audio scene has unacceptable detected noise; in dependence upon determining that the captured audio scene has unacceptable detected noise, searching both different sets of one or more microphones and different physical rotation angles of the microphones to find a combination of a first set of one or more microphones and a first physical rotation angle of the microphones that captures the audio scene with acceptable detected noise; and controlling the physical rotation angle of the microphones to be the first physical rotation angle of the microphones and capturing the audio scene using the combination of the first set of one or more microphones and the first physical rotation angle of the microphones.