Apparatus for processing of audio signals based on device position

• US 10,271,135 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kvist, Preben, Kielsholm-Ribalaygua, Bjarne
• Primary Examiner(s): Monikang, George C
• Application Number:
  US13/511,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20130083944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,437 Days
• Field of Search: 381 91, 381 92, 381 97, 381104, 381105, 381107, 381 58, 381 59
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02165 Two microphones, one receiving mainly the noise signal and the other one mainly the speech signal
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02166 Microphone arrays; Beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0216 characterised by the method used for estimating noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform determining a change of position of the apparatus, and processing at least one audio signal dependent on the change in position.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determine a change of position of an apparatus, wherein the change in position is determined with at least one non-audio sensor of the apparatus, wherein the at least one non-audio sensor is connected to a housing of the apparatus, and wherein the change in position is determined while the apparatus is in a mode of operation;

processing at least one of at least two microphone audio signals dependent on the change in position of the apparatus during the mode of operation;

wherein the at least two microphone audio signals are provided with at least two microphones of the apparatus configured to form an output microphone audio for the mode of operation, wherein the at least two microphones are positioned inside the apparatus, wherein processing the at least one of the at least two microphone audio signals comprises adjusting an audio profile for the output microphone audio dependent on the change of position, wherein the audio profile comprises a directionality adjustment for the output microphone audio for capturing acoustic waves and eliminating at least in part ambient noise around the apparatus when the directionality adjustment comprises a direction from which the acoustic waves are captured, wherein processing the at least one of the at least two microphone audio signals comprises adjusting the directionality to capture the acoustic waves in the direction or to have no directionality for the output microphone audio dependent on the change in position of the apparatus, and wherein the change in position of the apparatus comprises a relative change of position with respect to an object or an absolute change of position during the mode of operation, and wherein the apparatus is a portable electronic device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the audio profile further comprises at least one adjustable parameter comprising at least one of:

sensitivity, or noise cancellation.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the change in position comprises at least one of:

a change in translational position;

or

a change in rotational position.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a first position of the apparatus;

receiving at the least one microphone audio signal; and

generating for each microphone audio signal at least one signal processing parameter dependent on the first position of the apparatus.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein generating for each microphone audio signal at least one signal processing parameter dependent on the first position of the apparatus comprises generating at least one of:

gain;

or

delay.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

generating for each microphone audio signal at least one further signal processing parameter dependent on the detected change of the first position of the apparatus.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the generating for each microphone audio signal at least one further signal processing parameter comprises:

determining whether the change of the first position of the apparatus is greater than at least one predefined value; and

generating the at least one further signal processing parameter for each microphone audio signal dependent on the at least one predefined value.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein processing the at least one microphone audio signal dependent on the change in position comprises selecting at least one of the at least one microphone audio signal to output dependent on the change of position.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein processing the at least one microphone audio signal dependent on the change in position, comprises beamforming the at least one microphone audio signal to maintain beam focus on the object.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a camera module, and wherein the camera module is configured to determine the change of position relative to a user of the apparatus.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining of the change of position of the apparatus further comprises determining a change of at least one of position and motion of the apparatus.

12. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, causes the apparatus at least to:

determine a change of position of the apparatus, wherein the change in position is determined with at least one non-audio sensor of the apparatus, wherein the at least one non-audio sensor is connected to a housing of the apparatus, and wherein the change in position is determined while the apparatus is in a mode of operation; and

process at least one of at least two microphone audio signals dependent on the change in position of the apparatus during the mode of operation;

wherein the at least two microphone audio signals are provided with at least two microphones of the apparatus configured to form an output microphone audio for the mode of operation, wherein the at least two microphones are positioned inside the apparatus, wherein processing the at least one of the at least two microphone audio signals comprises adjusting an audio profile for the output microphone audio dependent on the change of position, wherein the audio profile comprises a directionality adjustment for the output microphone audio for capturing acoustic waves and eliminating at least in part ambient noise around the apparatus when the directionality adjustment comprises a direction from which the acoustic waves are captured, wherein processing the at least one of the at least two microphone audio signals comprises adjusting the directionality to capture the acoustic waves in the direction or to have no directionality for the output microphone audio dependent on the change in position of the apparatus, and wherein the change in position of the apparatus comprises a relative change of position with respect to an object or an absolute change of position during the mode of operation, and wherein the apparatus is a portable electronic device.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the audio profile further comprises at least one adjustable parameter comprising at least one of:

sensitivity, or noise cancellation.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the change in position comprises at least one of:

a change in translational position;

or

a change in rotational position.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to:

detect a first position of the apparatus;

receive the at least one microphone audio signal; and

generate for each microphone audio signal at least one signal processing parameter dependent on the first position of the apparatus.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one signal processing parameter comprises:

a gain coefficient; and

a delay coefficient.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to:

generate for each microphone audio signal at least one further signal processing parameter dependent on the detected change of position of the apparatus.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein causing the apparatus to generate for each microphone audio signal at least one further signal processing parameter causes the apparatus at least to:

determine whether the change of position of the apparatus is greater than at least one predefined value; and

generate the at least one further signal processing parameter for each microphone audio signal dependent on the at least one predefined value.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein causing the apparatus to process the at least one microphone audio signal dependent on the change in position causes the apparatus at least to select at least one of the at least one microphone audio signal to output dependent on the change of position.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein causing the apparatus to process the at least one microphone audio signal dependent on the change in position causes the apparatus at least to beamform the at least one microphone audio signal to maintain beam focus on the object.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a camera module, and wherein the camera module is configured to determine the change of position relative to a user of the apparatus.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein determining the change of position of the apparatus further comprises determining a change of at least one of position and motion of the apparatus.