Sound Source Direction Estimation via Phase Difference Quantization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sound source direction estimation methods using phase difference distributions require high calculation amounts, making real-time estimation challenging with equipment of low calculation capacity.
Innovation Solution
A sound source direction estimation apparatus that acquires acoustic signals from multiple microphones, calculates phase differences, quantizes the phase difference distribution, and compares it with pre-generated templates to estimate the sound source direction, reducing the calculation load by using a quantizer and score calculator to determine similarity scores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If phase difference distribution is used for sound source direction estimation, then measurement precision is improved, but calculation amount increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores template phase difference distributions for various directions and distances before actual sound source estimation. These templates are generated offline and stored in a database, so during real-time operation, the system only needs to compare acquired phase differences against these pre-computed templates rather than performing full calculations, dramatically reducing real-time computational load while maintaining accurate direction estimation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies of the complex phase difference distribution data by organizing it into template structures that represent typical directional patterns. Instead of processing the full complex acoustic data, the system uses these template copies that capture the essential directional characteristics, enabling fast comparison and estimation without reproducing the full computational complexity of the original data processing
2Measurement precision
If phase difference distribution processing is performed, then sound source direction estimation accuracy is improved, but real-time processing capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the computationally intensive phase difference distribution calculations in advance during an offline preparation phase. The results are stored as templates representing different directional patterns. During real-time operation, the system only performs lightweight template matching and comparison operations, enabling real-time processing speed while maintaining the accuracy benefits of full phase difference analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sound source estimation problem into two distinct phases: an offline preparation phase where complex calculations are performed once to generate templates, and an online real-time phase where simple template comparisons are performed repeatedly. This temporal segmentation allows computationally expensive operations to be separated from time-critical operations, achieving both accuracy and real-time performance
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment, a sound source direction estimation apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a generator, a comparator, and an estimator. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire acoustic signals of a plurality of channels from a plurality of microphones. The generator is configured to calculate a phase difference of the acoustic signals of the plurality of channels for each predetermined frequency bin to generate a phase difference distribution. The comparator is configured to compare the phase difference distribution with a template generated in advance for each direction, and calculate a score in accordance with similarity between the phase difference distribution and the template for each direction. The estimator is configured to estimate a direction of a sound source based on the scores calculated.