Control Parameter Dependent Audio Signal Processing

• US 20170069336A1
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Karkkainen, Asta M., Virolainen, Jussi
• Granted Patent: US 10,657,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/403 Linear arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2203/12 Beamforming aspects for stereophonic sound reproduction with loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/01 Noise reduction using microphones having different directional characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• 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 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/007 in which the audio signals are in digital form data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/15 Aspects of sound capture and related signal processing for recording or reproduction

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 processing at least one control parameter dependent on at least one sensor input parameter, processing at least one audio signal dependent on the processed at least one control parameter, and outputting the processed at least one audio signal.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. An apparatus comprising:

at least one ear worn speaker configured to be worn by a user;

at least two microphones on the at least one ear worn speaker, where the at least two microphones form at least one array of beamforming microphones; and

a controller comprising a processor, where the controller is configured to receive audio signals from the at least two microphones, based upon sound received at the at least two microphones while the user is talking, and at least partially cancel out noise in the audio signals from the at least two microphones.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17 where the controller is configured to determine that the user wishes to talk to another person.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18 where the controller is configured to determine that the user wishes to talk to another person based upon the audio signals from the at least two microphones while the user is talking.

20. An apparatus as in claim 17 where the controller is further configured to receive a sensor input signal comprising a sound pressure level output signal.

21. An apparatus as in claim 17 where the controller is configured to perform context sensitive beamforming on the audio signals from the at least two microphones.

22. An apparatus as in claim 17 where the apparatus further comprises sensors, where the sensors comprise an optical sensor and a motion sensor, where the sensors are connected to the controller, and where, based upon the audio signals from at least one of the microphones and signals from the sensors, the controller is configured to control rendering of audio signals to the user by the at least one ear worn speaker.

23. An apparatus as in claim 22 where the optical sensor comprises at least one of a camera, an image sensor and a light sensor.

24. An apparatus as in claim 22 where the motion sensor comprises at least one of a speed sensor, a velocity sensor, a direction sensor, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope.

25. An apparatus as in claim 17 where the sensors comprise a mechanical sensor configured to sense at least one of mechanical stepping motion, oscillation movement, periodic back and forth motion, and pulsations movement.

26. An apparatus comprising:

at least one ear worn speaker configured to be worn by a user;

at least two microphones on the at least one ear worn speaker, where the at least two microphones form at least one array of beamforming microphones;

a controller comprising a processor, where the at least one ear worn speaker and the at least two microphones are connected to the controller; and

sensors comprising an optical sensor and a motion sensor, where the sensors are connected to the controller,

where, based upon audio signals from at least one of the microphones and signals from the sensors, the controller is configured to control rendering of the audio signals to the user by the at least one ear worn speaker.

27. An apparatus as in claim 26 where the sensors further comprise a mechanical sensor configured to sense at least one of mechanical stepping motion, oscillation movement, periodic back and forth motion, and pulsations movement.

28. An apparatus as in claim 26 where the optical sensor comprises at least one of a camera, an image sensor, and a light sensor.

29. An apparatus as in claim 26 where the motion sensor comprises at least one of a speed sensor, a velocity sensor, a direction sensor, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope.

30. An apparatus as in claim 26 where the controller is configured to receive audio signals from the at least two microphones, based upon sound received at the at least two microphones while the user is talking, and at least partially cancel out noise in the audio signals from the at least two microphones.

31. An apparatus as in claim 26 where the controller is configured to determine that the user wishes to talk to another person.

32. An apparatus as in claim 31 where the controller is configured to determine that the user wishes to talk to another person based upon the audio signals from the at least two microphones while the user is talking.

33. An apparatus as in claim 26 where the controller is further configured to receive a sensor input signal comprising a sound pressure level output signal.

34. An apparatus as in claim 26 where the controller is configured to perform context sensitive beamforming on the audio signals from the at least two microphones.

35. An apparatus as in claim 26 where the at least two microphones form the at least one array of beamforming microphones in a first context when speech is detected, and where, based upon the audio signals from the at least one microphone and the signals from the sensors, the controller is configured to control rendering of the audio signals to the user by the at least one ear worn speaker in a second context when speech is not detected.