AUDIO SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE CALIBRATION

• US 20140003635A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mohammad, Asif Iqbal, Kim, Lae-Hoon, Visser, Erik
• Application Number:
  US13/801,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20140003635A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/306
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/16 Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general G10K11/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02166 Microphone arrays; Beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/23 Direction finding using a sum-delay beam-former
• 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: H04R 3/02 for preventing acoustic reaction , i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/305 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

A method includes, while operating an audio processing device in a use mode, retrieving first direction of arrival (DOA) data corresponding to a first audio output device from a memory of the audio processing device and generating a first null beam directed toward the first audio output device based on the first DOA data. The method also includes retrieving second DOA data corresponding to a second audio output device from the memory of the audio processing device and generating a second null beam directed toward the second audio output device based on the second DOA data. The first DOA data and the second DOA data are stored in the memory during operation of the audio processing device in a calibration mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

while operating an audio processing device in a use mode, retrieving first direction of arrival (DOA) data corresponding to a first audio output device from a memory of the audio processing device;

generating a first null beam directed toward the first audio output device based on the first DOA data;

retrieving second DOA data corresponding to a second audio output device from the memory of the audio processing device; and

generating a second null beam directed toward the second audio output device based on the second DOA data;

wherein the first DOA data and the second DOA data were stored in the memory during operation of the audio processing device in a calibration mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio processing device is a component of a home theater system and the first audio output device and the second audio output device are a loudspeakers of the home theater system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein further comprising applying an estimated electric delay to received audio data before generating the first null beam in the received audio data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein further comprising applying an estimated electric delay to received audio data after generating the first null beam in the received audio data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein operation in the calibration mode includes:

sending a first calibration signal from the audio processing device to the first audio output device;

receiving a first acoustic signal at an audio input array of the audio processing device from the first audio output device, wherein the first acoustic signal is generated by the first audio output device in response to the first calibration signal;

determining the first DOA data based on the first acoustic signal; and

storing the first DOA data at the memory.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein operation in the calibration mode further includes:

sending a second calibration signal from the audio processing device to the second audio output device;

receiving a second acoustic signal at the audio input array of the audio processing device from the second audio output device, wherein the second acoustic signal is generated by the second audio output device in response to the second calibration signal;

determining the second DOA data based on the second acoustic signal; and

storing the second DOA data at the memory.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first calibration signal is sent during a first time period and the second calibration signal is sent during a second time period that is after the first time period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first null beam includes determining first beamforming parameters to suppress first audio data associated with the first audio output device based on the first DOA data, and generating the second null beam includes determining second beamforming parameters to suppress second audio data associated with the second audio output device based on the second DOA data.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

while operating in the use mode, receiving audio data at the audio processing device, wherein the audio data corresponds to a plurality of acoustic signals received at an audio input array from a plurality of audio output devices; and

applying the first and second beamforming parameters to the audio data to generate modified audio data.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising performing echo cancellation of the modified audio data.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising performing echo cancellation of the audio data before applying the beam forming parameters.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of audio output devices include the first audio output device, the second audio output device and one or more additional audio output devices, and wherein applying the beamforming parameters to the audio data suppresses a first portion of the audio data that is associated with the first audio output device, suppresses a second portion of the audio data that is associated with the second audio output device, and does not eliminate a third portion of the audio data that is associated with the one or more additional audio output devices.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising, while operating in the use mode:

determining a user DOA, wherein the user DOA is associated with an acoustic signal received at the audio input array from a user; and

determining target beamforming parameters to track user audio data associated with the user based on the user DOA.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, before generating the first null beam:

determining whether the user DOA is coincident with a DOA of a first acoustic signal from the first audio output device; and

in response to determining that the user DOA is coincident with the DOA of the first acoustic signal from the first audio output device, modifying the beamforming parameters before applying the beamforming parameters to the audio data, wherein the modified beamforming parameters do not suppress a first portion of the audio data that is associated with the first audio output device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending an indication that the first portion of the audio data has not been suppressed to a component of the audio processing device.

16. An apparatus comprising:

an audio processing device including;

a memory to store direction of arrival (DOA) data that is determined while the audio processing device is operating in a calibration mode; and

a beamforming device, wherein, while the audio processing device is operating in a use mode, the beamforming device performs operations including;

retrieving first DOA data corresponding to a first audio output device from the memory;

generating a first null beam directed toward the first audio output device based on the first DOA data;

retrieving second DOA data corresponding to a second audio output device from the memory; and

generating a second null beam directed toward the second audio output device based on the second DOA data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the audio processing device is a component of a home theater system and the first and second audio output devices are loudspeakers of the home theater system.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising an audio input array including multiple microphones associated with the home theater system.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the audio processing device is configured to send a first calibration signal to the first audio output device while the audio processing device is operating in the calibration mode, wherein a first acoustic signal is generated by the first audio output device in response to the first calibration signal, and wherein the first DOA data is determined based on the first acoustic signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first calibration signal is sent to the first audio output device during a first time period, and wherein the audio processing device is further configured to, after the first time period and while operating in the calibration mode, send a second calibration signal to the second audio output device, wherein a second acoustic signal is generated by the second audio output device in response to the second calibration signal, and wherein the second DOA data is determined based on the second acoustic signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the audio processing device generates the first null beam by determining beamforming parameters to suppress audio data associated with the first audio output device based on the first DOA data.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the beamforming device generates the first null beam while operating in the use mode by:

receiving third audio data, wherein the third audio data corresponds to an acoustic signal received from the first audio output device at an audio input array of the audio processing device; and

applying the beamforming parameters to the third audio data to generated modified third audio data.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the audio processing device is configured to perform echo cancellation of the modified third audio data.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the audio processing device is configured to perform echo cancellation of the third audio data before applying the beam forming parameters.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the third audio data corresponds to acoustic signals received at the audio input array from the first audio output device and from one or more additional audio output devices, and wherein applying the beamforming parameters to the third audio data suppresses a first portion of the third audio data that is associated with the first audio output device and does not eliminate a second portion of the third audio data that is associated with the one or more additional audio output devices.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the audio processing device is configured to, while operating in the use mode:

determine a user DOA, wherein the user DOA is associated with an acoustic signal received from a user at the audio input array of the audio processing device; and

determine target beamforming parameters to track user audio data associated with the user based on the user DOA.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the audio processing device is configured to:

determine whether the user DOA is coincident with the DOA of the acoustic signal from the first audio output device; and

in response to determining that the user DOA is coincident with the DOA of the acoustic signal from the first audio output device, modify the beamforming parameters before applying the beamforming parameters to the third audio data, wherein the modified beamforming parameters do not suppress a first portion of the third audio data that is associated with the first audio output device.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the audio processing device is configured to send an indication that the first portion of the third audio data has not been suppressed to a component of the audio processing device.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the audio processing device is configured to send an indication that the first portion of the third audio data has been suppressed to a component of the audio processing device.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that are executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

while operating an audio processing device in a use mode, retrieving first direction of arrival (DOA) data corresponding to a first audio output device from a memory;

generating a first null beam directed toward the first audio output device based on the first DOA data;

retrieving second DOA data corresponding to a second audio output device from the memory of the audio processing device; and

generating a second null beam directed toward the second audio output device based on the second DOA data;

wherein the first DOA data and the second DOA data were stored in the memory during operation of the audio processing device in a calibration mode.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the operations further include:

while operating in the calibration mode, causing a first calibration signal to be sent to the first audio output device from the audio processing device, wherein a first acoustic signal is generated by the first audio output device in response to the first calibration signal;

receiving first audio data from an audio input array of the audio processing device, wherein the first audio data corresponds to the first acoustic signal received from the first audio output device at two or more elements of the audio input array; and

determining the first DOA based on the first audio data.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the first calibration signal is sent to the first audio output device during a first time period, and wherein the operations further include, after the first time period:

causing a second calibration signal to be sent to the second audio output device, wherein the first audio output device is a first loudspeaker of a home theater system and the second audio output device is a second loudspeaker of the home theater system;

receiving second audio data from the audio input array, wherein the second audio data corresponds to a second acoustic signal received from the second audio output device at the two or more elements of the audio input array; and

determining the second DOA based on the second audio data.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein generating the first null beam includes determining beamforming parameters to suppress audio data associated with the first audio output device based on the first DOA data.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein generating the null beam includes, after storing the DOA data:

while operating in the use mode, receiving third audio data, wherein the third audio data corresponds to a third acoustic signal received from the first audio output device at an audio input array; and

applying the beamforming parameters to the third audio data to generated modified third audio data.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operations further include performing echo cancellation of the modified third audio data.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operations further include performing echo cancellation of the third audio data before applying the beam forming parameters.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the third audio data corresponds to acoustic signals received at the audio input array from the first audio output device and from one or more additional audio output devices, and wherein applying the beamforming parameters to the third audio data suppresses a first portion of the third audio data that is associated with the first audio output device and does not eliminate a second portion of the third audio data that is associated with the one or more additional audio output devices.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operations further include, while operating in the use mode:

determining a user DOA, wherein the user DOA is associated with an acoustic signal received at the audio input array from a user; and

determining target beamforming parameters to track user audio data associated with the user based on the user DOA.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the operations further include:

determining whether the user DOA is coincident with the first DOA; and

in response to determining that the user DOA is coincident with the first DOA, modifying the beamforming parameters before applying the beamforming parameters to the third audio data, wherein the modified beamforming parameters do not suppress a first portion of the third audio data that is associated with the first audio output device.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the operations further include causing an indication that the first portion of the third audio data has not been suppressed to be sent to a component of the audio processing device.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the operations further include causing an indication that the first portion of the third audio data has been suppressed to be sent to a component of the audio processing device.

42. An apparatus comprising:

means for storing direction of arrival (DOA) data determined while an audio processing device operated in a calibration mode; and

means for generating a null beam based on the DOA data stored at the means for storing DOA data, wherein the means for generating a null beam is configured to, while the audio processing device is operating in a use mode;

retrieve first DOA data corresponding to a first audio output device from the means for storing DOA data and generate a first null beam directed toward the first audio output device based on the first DOA data; and

retrieve second DOA data corresponding to a second audio output device from the means for storing DOA data and generate a second null beam directed toward the second audio output device based on the second DOA data.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the audio processing device is a component of a home theater system and the first and second audio output devices are a loudspeakers of the home theater system.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising means for receiving acoustic data associated with the home theater system.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising means for calibrating the audio processing device, wherein the means for calibrating the audio processing device is operable in the calibration mode to send a first calibration signal to the first audio output device, wherein a first acoustic signal is generated by the first audio output device in response to the first calibration signal, and wherein the first DOA data is determined based on the first acoustic signal.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the means for calibrating the audio processing device sends the first calibration signal to the first audio output device during a first time period, and wherein the means for calibrating the audio processing device is further operable, while operating in the calibration mode and after the first time period, to send a second calibration signal to the second audio output device, wherein a second acoustic signal is generated by the second audio output device in response to the second calibration signal, and wherein the second DOA data is determined based on the first acoustic signal.

47. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for generating a null beam generates the first null beam by determining beamforming parameters to suppress audio data associated with the first audio output device based on the first DOA data.

48. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising echo cancelation means configured to perform echo cancellation with respect to received audio data.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the received audio data corresponds to acoustic signals received at an audio input array from the first audio output device and from one or more additional audio output devices.

50. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

means for determining a user DOA while operating in the use mode, wherein the user DOA is associated with an acoustic signal received at an audio input array of the audio processing device from a user; and

means for determining target beamforming parameters to track user audio data associated with the user based on the user DOA.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the means for generating a null beam is further configured to:

determine whether the user DOA is coincident with a DOA of a third audio output device; and

in response to determining that the user DOA is coincident with the DOA of the third audio output device, modify beamforming parameters before generating the first null beam and the second null beam, wherein the beamforming parameters are modified such that no null beam is associated with the third audio output device.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the means for generating a null beam is further configured to, after determining that the user DOA is coincident with the DOA of the third audio output device, send an indication that audio data associated with the third audio output device has not been suppressed to a component of the audio processing device.

53. A method of using an audio processing device during a conference call, the method comprising:

delaying, by a delay amount, application of a signal to an echo cancelation device of an audio processing device, wherein the delay amount is determined based on an estimated electric delay between an audio output interface of the audio processing device and a second device of a home theater system, wherein the estimated electric delay is obtained during operation of the audio processing device in a calibration mode.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the delay amount is independent of changes in acoustical delay of a microphone array coupled to the audio processing device.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the changes in the acoustic delay correspond to changes in orientation of the microphone array, changes in orientation of a speaker of the home theater system, or both.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein an amount of change in the acoustical delay resulting from changes in the orientation of the microphone array, changes in the orientation of the speaker of the home theater system, or both, is less than 30 milliseconds.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein the second device includes one of an audio receiver, a set top box, a television, or a combination thereof.

58. The method of claim 53, wherein the audio processing device is a component within a television and the home theater system includes an audio output device, the audio output device including one or more speakers that are remote from the television.

59. The method of claim 53, further comprising initiating operation of the audio processing device in the calibration mode in response to detecting a configuration change associated with the home theater system.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the configuration change is detected automatically by the audio processing device.

61. The method of claim 53, further comprising initiating operation of the audio processing device in the calibration mode in response to detecting a configuration change associated with the audio processing device, in response to detecting a configuration change associated with a speaker, or a combination thereof.

62. The method of claim 53, further comprising, during operation of the audio processing device in the calibration mode:

sending a calibration signal from the audio output interface of the audio processing device to the second device; and

receiving, at the audio processing device from the second device, a second signal based on the calibration signal; and

determining the estimated electric delay based on the second signal.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the second signal is an electric signal.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein the second signal is an acoustic signal with embedded timing information.

65. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

determining a plurality of sub-bands of the calibration signal;

determining a plurality of corresponding sub-bands of the second signal; and

determining sub-band delays for each of the plurality of sub-bands of the calibration signal and each of the corresponding sub-bands of the second signal, wherein the estimated electric delay is determined based on the sub-band delays.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the estimated electric delay is determined as an average of the sub-band delays.

67. An apparatus comprising:

means for reducing echo in a second signal based on a first signal; and

means for delaying, by a delay amount, application of the first signal to the means for reducing echo, wherein the delay amount is determined based on an estimated electric delay between an audio output interface of an audio processing device and a second device of a home theater system, wherein the estimated electric delay is obtained during operation of the audio processing device in a calibration mode.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, further comprising means for receiving the second signal from a microphone array, wherein the delay amount is independent of changes in acoustical delay associated with the microphone array.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the changes in the acoustic delay correspond to changes in orientation of the microphone array, changes in orientation of a speaker of the home theater system, or both.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein an amount of change in the acoustical delay resulting from changes in the orientation of the microphone array, changes in the orientation of the speaker of the home theater system, or both, is less than 30 milliseconds.

71. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the second device includes one of an audio receiver, a set top box, a television, or a combination thereof.

72. The apparatus of claim 67, integrated within a television, wherein the home theater system includes an audio output device, the audio output device including one or more speakers that configured to be positioned remote from the television.

73. The apparatus of claim 67, further comprising means for initiating operation of the audio processing device in the calibration mode in response to detecting a configuration change associated with the home theater system.

74. The apparatus of claim 73, further comprising means for detecting the configuration change.

75. The apparatus of claim 67, further comprising:

means for sending a first calibration signal, during operation of the audio processing device in the calibration mode, from the audio output interface of the audio processing device to the second device;

means for receiving a second calibration signal, during operation of the audio processing device in the calibration mode, wherein the second calibration signal is based on the first calibration signal; and

means for determining the estimated electric delay based on the second calibration signal.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the second calibration signal is an electric signal.

77. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the second calibration signal is an acoustic signal with embedded timing information.

78. The apparatus of claim 75, further comprising:

means for determining a plurality of sub-bands of the first calibration signal;

means for determining a plurality of corresponding sub-bands of the second calibration signal; and

means for determining sub-band delays for each of the plurality of sub-bands of the first calibration signal and each of the corresponding sub-bands of the second calibration signal, wherein the estimated electric delay is determined based on the sub-band delays.

79. The apparatus of claim 78, wherein the estimated electric delay is determined as an average of the sub-band delays.

80. An apparatus comprising:

an audio processing device including;

an audio input interface to receive a first signal an audio output interface to send the first signal to a second device of a home theater system;

an echo cancellation device coupled to the audio output interface and the audio input interface, the echo cancellation device configured to reduce echo associated with an acoustic signal generated by an acoustic output device of the home theater system and received at an input device coupled to the audio processing device; and

a delay component coupled between the audio output interface and the echo cancellation device, the delay component configured to delay, by a delay amount, application of the first signal to the echo cancelation device, wherein the delay amount is determined based on an estimated electric delay between the audio output interface of the audio processing device and the second device of the home theater system, wherein the estimated electric delay is obtained during operation of the audio processing device in a calibration mode.

81. The apparatus of claim 80, further comprising a second audio input configured to couple to a microphone array, wherein the acoustic signal generated by the acoustic output device is received from the microphone array, and wherein the delay amount is independent of changes in acoustical delay associated with the microphone array.

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the changes in the acoustic delay correspond to changes in orientation of the microphone array, changes in orientation of a speaker of the home theater system, or both.

83. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein an amount of change in the acoustical delay resulting from changes in the orientation of the microphone array, changes in the orientation of the speaker of the home theater system, or both, is less than 30 milliseconds.

84. The apparatus of claim 80, wherein the second device includes one of an audio receiver, a set top box, a television, or a combination thereof.

85. The apparatus of claim 80, wherein the audio processing device is integrated within a television, wherein the home theater system includes an audio output device, the audio output device including one or more speakers that configured to be positioned remote from the television.

86. The apparatus of claim 80, wherein the audio processing device is configured to automatically initiate operation of the audio processing device in the calibration mode in response to detecting a configuration change associated with the home theater system.

87. The apparatus of claim 86, wherein the audio processing device is further configured to detect the configuration change.

88. The apparatus of claim 80, further comprising:

a calibration signal generator to send a first calibration signal, during operation of the audio processing device in the calibration mode, from the audio output interface of the audio processing device to the second device;

a receiver to receive a second calibration signal, during operation of the audio processing device in the calibration mode, wherein the second calibration signal is based on the first calibration signal; and

a delay processing component to estimated electric delay based on the second calibration signal.

89. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the second calibration signal is an electric signal.

90. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the second calibration signal is an second acoustic signal that includes embedded timing information.

91. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the delay processing component is further configured to:

determine a plurality of sub-bands of the first calibration signal;

determine a plurality of corresponding sub-bands of the second calibration signal; and

determine sub-band delays for each of the plurality of sub-bands of the first calibration signal and each of the corresponding sub-bands of the second calibration signal; and

determine the estimated electric delay based on the sub-band delays.

92. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein the estimated electric delay is determined as an average of the sub-band delays.