Sound Beam Processing Using Microphone Array Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current sound capturing devices, such as microphones, are inadequate in capturing high-quality audio in dynamic environments like sporting events, struggling to track moving subjects and providing balanced sound quality with high-definition visuals.
Innovation Solution
A sound processing system comprising a plurality of microphones, a beam synthesizer, and a sound analyzer that generates filtered sound signals and manipulated sound beams, using a generalized side lobe canceller algorithm to isolate desired audio sources by reducing side lobe noise and allowing for dynamic adjustment of filters to enhance sound capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large microphone boom is used to move the microphone around, then the ability to capture sound from moving players improves, but the complexity and difficulty of operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the sound capture function across multiple fixed microphones arranged in an array, rather than using a single mobile microphone. Each microphone captures sound from a specific spatial region, and the system combines these segmented signals to track moving sound sources, eliminating the need for complex mechanical positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical microphone boom system with a digital signal processing system. Instead of physically moving the microphone to track players, the system uses beam forming algorithms to electronically steer and focus sound capture on moving targets, substituting mechanical motion with computational processing.
2Device complexity
If current microphones are used, then the device complexity remains low, but the sound quality in dynamic environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a single fixed microphone array that performs multiple functions: capturing sound from various directions simultaneously, tracking moving sources through beam forming, and separating multiple sound sources. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for multiple specialized microphones and complex mechanical systems while achieving superior sound quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts beam forming parameters such as beam width, direction, and gain to adapt to changing acoustic environments and moving sound sources. By continuously modifying these parameters, the system maintains optimal sound quality without requiring physical repositioning of microphones, thus avoiding increased mechanical complexity.
3Reliability
If multiple microphones are used to capture sound from different directions, then the sound quality improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the outputs of multiple microphones through beam forming algorithms to create a single manipulated sound beam. Rather than processing each microphone signal separately through complex individual circuits, the system merges all inputs into a unified spatial filter, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high sound quality through coherent signal combination.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for processing sounds. The sound processing system includes a sound sensing unit including a plurality of microphones, wherein each microphone is configured to capture non-manipulated sound signals; a beam synthesizer including a plurality of first modules, each first module corresponding to one of the plurality of microphones, wherein each first module is configured to filter the non-manipulated sound signals captured by the corresponding microphone to generate filtered sound signals; and a sound analyzer communicatively connected to the sound sensing unit and to the beam synthesizer, wherein the sound analyzer is configured to generate a manipulated sound beam based on the filtered sound signals.