Sound Pickup Device Camera-Microphone Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sound pickup systems require dedicated equipment and struggle to precisely capture target sound, especially in environments where the camera's optical axis is not aligned with the microphone array, leading to noise and reduced clarity.
Innovation Solution
A sound pickup device and system that includes a microphone array, a camera, and a communication unit, allowing an electronic device with a camera to be mounted on the sound pickup device, which generates an acoustic signal and image data used to determine the sound pickup direction, enabling precise capture of target sound without dedicated equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a dedicated sound pickup device with microphone array is used, then sound pickup precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling a general electronic device (smartphone, tablet, or PC) to serve dual purposes: its camera captures images while its processor performs sound source localization by integrating camera data with microphone array data. This eliminates the need for dedicated sound pickup equipment, reducing device complexity while maintaining sound pickup precision through multi-functional use of existing components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of camera imaging and sound source localization into a single integrated process. By combining camera captured images with microphone array acoustic signals, the system creates a unified sound pickup solution that leverages both visual and auditory data, thereby improving precision without requiring separate dedicated devices
2Adaptability or versatility
If camera optical axis is not aligned with microphone array, then adaptability to different orientations is improved, but sound pickup precision deteriorates due to noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using camera captured images to provide visual information about the sound source location, which is then fed back to the sound source localization algorithm. This feedback loop allows the system to compensate for misalignment between camera optical axis and microphone array, maintaining precision across different orientations by continuously adjusting based on visual-auditory correlation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces camera imaging as an intermediary that bridges the gap between visual and auditory data. When camera optical axis is not aligned with microphone array, the camera images serve as an intermediary reference that helps the processor correctly identify and localize sound sources, thereby maintaining precision despite orientation mismatches
Data Source
AI summary
A sound pickup device includes a sound pickup unit, a mounting part, and a communication unit. The sound pickup unit includes a microphone array including a plurality of microphones. The sound pickup unit generates an acoustic signal that corresponds to ambient sound that has been picked up by the microphone array. An electronic device is mounted on the mounting part and the electronic device includes a camera that generates image data by imaging surroundings. The communication unit transmits the acoustic signal to the electronic device.