Video Audio Recording System Dynamic Microphone Directivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video audio recording systems face challenges in accurately capturing audio signals while minimizing unwanted noise by adjusting the microphone's directivity based on the relative position and video recording direction, especially when the video and audio recording devices are moved or their positions change relative to each other.

Innovation Solution

A video audio recording system that includes a video acquisition unit, an audio acquisition unit, a video recording parameter acquisition unit, and an audio emphasis unit, which estimate the positional relationship and video recording direction to emphasize audio signals arriving from a predetermined direction using beam forming with a microphone array or switching between microphones with different directivity patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the microphone's directivity is adjusted based on the relative position and video recording direction, then the accuracy of capturing audio signals from the intended direction is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for position estimation and dynamic directivity adjustment mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio signal capture accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical position adjustment mechanisms with electronic signal processing. The audio emphasis unit electronically adjusts microphone directivity patterns based on video recording parameters, substituting mechanical repositioning with computational audio processing to reduce device complexity while maintaining audio capture accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an audio emphasis unit as an intermediary component that receives video recording parameters and translates them into directivity adjustments for the microphone array. This intermediary layer simplifies the control architecture by centralizing the coordination between video direction and audio capture characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the video and audio recording devices are moved or their positions change relative to each other, then the adaptability of the system is improved, but the reliability of audio recording deteriorates due to the difficulty of maintaining accurate position estimation and directivity alignment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem adaptabilityVSAvoidaudio recording reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic directivity adjustment where the microphone's pickup pattern is continuously adapted based on real-time video recording direction and positional data. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to maintain reliable audio recording despite changes in device positions or orientations, as the audio emphasis unit continuously optimizes the directivity pattern to match the current recording geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback mechanisms where the audio emphasis unit continuously receives updated video recording parameters and adjusts the microphone directivity accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that even when devices are moved, the system maintains accurate alignment between the intended recording direction and the microphone's sensitive axis, preserving audio recording reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Effectively captures audio signals from the intended direction while reducing noise from other areas, ensuring accurate audio recording even when the relative positions of the video and audio recording devices change, by dynamically adjusting the microphone's directivity based on the estimated video recording parameters.

Implementation Method 1

emphasize audio signals arriving from a predetermined direction using beam forming with a microphone array

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBeam forming:

Implementation Method 2

switching between microphones with different directivity patterns

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDirectivity patterns:

Data Source

PatentUS9794685B2Video audio recording system, video audio recording device, and video audio recording method

Publication Date: 2017.10.17 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A video audio recording system includes a video acquisition unit, an audio acquisition unit, a video recording parameter acquisition unit, and an audio emphasis unit. The video acquisition unit acquires a video signal by recording video of a subject. The audio acquisition unit acquires an audio signal by recording a sound. The video recording parameter acquisition unit acquires first information representing a video recording direction of the video acquisition unit and second information representing a positional relationship between the video acquisition unit and the audio acquisition unit. The audio emphasis unit emphasizes, based on the acquired first and second information, the acquired audio signal of the sound arriving in a predetermined direction.