Capturing Sound

• US 20180206039A1
• Filed: 07/05/2016
• Published: 07/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: VILERMO, Miikka, LAITINEN, Mikko-Ville, OZCAN, Koray
• Granted Patent: US 11,115,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/005 using digitally weighted transducing elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/401 2D or 3D arrays of transducers
• 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 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/15 Aspects of sound capture and related signal processing for recording or reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/01 Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

An apparatus including a body, a plurality of microphones arranged in a predetermined geometry relative to the body such that the apparatus is configured to capture sound substantially from all directions around the body to produce direction and ambience information for the captured sound, and electronics for processing signals from the plurality of microphones.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising

a body,

a plurality of microphones arranged in a predetermined geometry relative to the body such that the apparatus is configured to capture sound substantially from all directions around the body to produce direction and ambience information for the captured sound, and

electronics for processing signals from the plurality of microphones.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microphones are arranged such that a predefined minimum number of microphones is visible from any direction.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least eight microphones arranged such that sound from any direction is captured by at least four of the microphones.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of second type of sensors, wherein the geometry and/or number of microphones forming the geometry depends on location and/or number of the second type of sensors.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second type of sensors comprise cameras and/or motion sensors.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body has a substantially spherical outer shape.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microphones are arranged symmetrically around the body.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microphones are arranged by at least one of:

identical manner relative to the body such that sound is captured in the same manner by each microphone;

identical manner relative to the electronics such that sound signals from each microphone is subjected to a similar disturbance cause by other components and/or delays within the apparatus; and

no directing of the body is required in use.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a protruding element extending from the body at a location where the element and/or use of the element causes least interference for the sound capture.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronics is configured to at least one of:

produce a predetermined number of sound channels for reproduction based on signals from the microphones;

generate at least one signal for reproduction device is included in the body of the apparatus; and

at least in part to generate at least one signal for reproduction device is external to the body of the apparatus.

23. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined geometry is at least one of:

formed by at least eight microphones; and

substantially a cube geometry and each microphone is located at a corner of the cube geometry.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the output signals of the eight microphones are processed to determine a directional information of at least one sound source in a sound field.

25. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the output signals of the eight microphones are processed to determine an ambient information of a sound field.

9-10. -10. (canceled)

14-22. -22. (canceled)

26. A method for capturing sound, comprising:

capturing sound by a plurality of microphones located in a predetermined geometry relative to a body of a capture apparatus substantially from all directions around the body, and

producing direction and ambience information for the captured sound.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the microphones are arranged such that a predefined minimum number of microphones is visible from any direction.

28. A method according to claim 26, comprising capturing sound from a direction by at least four of eight microphones arranged on the body of the apparatus.

29. A method according to claim 26, comprising capturing information by a plurality of second type of sensors, wherein the geometry and/or number of microphones forming the geometry depends on location and/or number of the second type of sensors.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the second type of sensors comprise cameras and/or motion sensors.

31. A method according to claim 27, comprising capturing the sound in one of:

the same manner by each microphone; and

different directions and/or from moving sources of sound without changing the direction and/or position of the body.