Sound collecting device, and method of controlling sound collecting device

• US 10,237,648 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Takada, Naoki, Nakashima, Fumiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Jerez Lora, William A
• Application Number:
  US15/574,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20180295443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 381 56, 381 58, 381 711, 381 714, 381 718, 381 86, 381 91, 381 92, 381333, 381356, 381124
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/38 for the head adjustable coupled to reclining or easy chairs A47C1/036
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/80 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/90 Details or parts not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0232 Processing in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/025 Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/40 by combining a number of identical transducers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

An object is to provide a sound collecting device and a method of controlling a sound collecting device with which it is possible to easily obtain audio of a speaking person with a high level of precision while keeping the number of component parts small and preventing the structure from becoming complicated.

An audio processing unit 35 judges whether or not the current mode is an operation mode (a speech mode or a conversation mode) in which audio of an occupant of the vehicle serving as a speaking person is obtained (step S1A). When the current mode is another operation mode (an audio playback mode or a head position measuring mode), the audio processing unit 35 sets the directionality of a microphone array to be directed toward the outside of the occupant or to be non-directional (steps S4A and S5A) and obtains input audio of the microphone array. In contrast, when the current mode is an operation mode (the speech mode or the conversation mode) in which audio of the occupant is obtained, the audio processing unit 35 arranges the directionality of the microphone array to be directed toward the occupant (step S2A).

Claims

1. A sound collecting device comprising:

a microphone array structured by arranging a plurality of microphones; and

a CPU controlling directionality of the microphone array,

wherein the CPU, in predetermined operation modes, judges whether or not a current state is a first state in which audio of a speaking person is obtained,

when the current state is the first state, the CPU controls the directionality of the microphone array to be directed toward the speaking person,

when the current state is a second state different from the first state, input audio of the microphone array is obtained by the CPU setting the directionality of the microphone array to be directed away from the speaking person or to be non-directional,

the CPU is capable of outputting audio via a speaker, and

the CPU has, as the predetermined operation modes,

a speech mode in which audio of the speaking person is obtained and transmits information based on the obtained audio, and

a conversation mode in which audio is output via the speaker,

wherein the first state in the speech mode or the conversation mode is a state obtaining audio of the speaking person,

the second state includes

a state in which audio of the speaking person is not obtained and

includes a state after obtaining the audio of the speaking person and transmitting information based on the obtained audio in the speech mode; and

a state in which audio of the speaking person is not obtained and

includes a state after detecting that a conversation state of a predetermined device is cancelled in the conversation mode.

2. The sound collecting device according to claim 1, wherein

the microphone array is positioned behind the speaking person, and

when the current state is the first state, the CPU sets the directionality of the microphone array to be directed toward the speaking person.

3. The sound collecting device according to claim 1, wherein

the CPU obtains ambient noise on a basis of the input audio obtained in the second state and performs, when the current state is the first state, a noise eliminating process to eliminate the ambient noise from input audio of the microphone array,

wherein the ambient noise is obtained on the basis of the input audio obtained in the second state.

4. The sound collecting device according to claim 1, wherein

the sound collecting device has, as another one of the operation modes, a position identifying mode in which a reflected sound that is a sound output from the speaker and is reflected by the speaking person is obtained and a position of the speaking person is identified on a basis of the reflected sound,

the second state includes a state of being in the position identifying mode, and

when the current state is the first state, the directionality of the microphone array is controlled in accordance with the position of the speaking person identified in the position identifying mode.

5. The sound collecting device according to claim 1, wherein

when a current mode is an audio output mode in which audio is output via the speaker, the CPU performs a position identifying process of outputting an ultrasound wave signal from the speaker, obtaining a reflected sound of the ultrasound wave signal, and identifying a position of the speaking person on the basis of the reflected sound.

6. The sound collecting device according to claim 1, wherein

the microphone array and the speaker are disposed in a casing positioned behind the speaking person.

7. The sound collecting device according to claim 6, wherein

the casing is a headrest.

8. A method of controlling a sound collecting device capable of controlling directionality of a microphone array structured by arranging a plurality of microphones, the method comprising the steps of:

judging, by a CPU, whether or not a current state is a first state in which audio of a speaking person is obtained in predetermined operation modes;

arranging, when the current state is the first state, the directionality of the microphone array to be directed toward the speaking person by the CPU; and

obtaining, when the current state is a second state different from the first state, input audio of the microphone array by the CPU setting the directionality of the microphone array to be directed away from the speaking person or to be non-directional,

wherein the predetermined operation modes in the step of judging include

a speech mode in which audio of the speaking person is obtained and transmits information based on the obtained audio, and

a conversation mode in which audio is output via a speaker,

wherein the first state in the speech mode or the conversation mode in the step of arranging is a state obtaining audio of the speaking person,

the second state in the step of obtaining includes

a state in which audio of the speaking person is not obtained and

includes a state after obtaining the audio of the speaking person and transmitting information based on the obtained audio in the speech mode; and

a state in which audio of the speaking person is not obtained and

includes a state after detecting that a conversation state of a predetermined device is cancelled in the conversation mode.

9. A sound collecting device comprising:

a microphone array structured by arranging a plurality of microphones;

a speaker outputting sound or audio of a speaking person; and

an audio processing circuit including a controlling circuit and a judging circuit,

wherein the controlling circuit controls directionality of the microphone array,

the judging circuit, in predetermined operation modes, judges whether or not a current state is a first state in which audio of the speaking person is obtained,

wherein when the current state is the first state, the controlling circuit controls the directionality of the microphone array to be directed toward the speaking person,

when the current state is a second state different from the first state, the controlling circuit obtains input audio of the microphone array by setting the directionality of the microphone array to be directed away from the speaking person or to be non-directional,

wherein the predetermined operation modes include

a speech mode in which audio of the speaking person is obtained and transmits information based on the obtained audio,

a conversation mode in which audio is output via the speaker, and

a position identifying mode in which a reflected sound that is a sound output from the speaker and is reflected by the speaking person is obtained and a position of the speaking person is identified on a basis of the reflected sound,

wherein the second state includes a state of being in the position identifying mode, and

when the current state is the first state, the directionality of the microphone array is controlled in accordance with the position of the speaking person identified in the position identifying mode.

10. The sound collecting device according to claim 9, wherein in the position identifying mode, a position identifying process is performed by outputting an ultrasound wave signal from the speaker, obtaining a reflected sound of the ultrasound wave signal, and identifying a position of the speaking person on the basis of the reflected sound.

11. The sound collecting device according to claim 9, wherein the microphone array and the speaker are disposed in a casing positioned behind the speaking person.

12. The sound collecting device according to claim 11, wherein the casing is a headrest.