Self-descriptive microphone array
First Claim
1. A microphone array, comprising:
- an array of at least one microphone;
a memory contained within the array, said memory including parametric information which defines operational characteristics and configuration of the array;
an array interface for connecting the array to an external computing device;
wherein the parametric information included in the memory is reported to the external computing device via the array interface upon connection of the array to the external computing device; and
wherein audio signals captured by the microphone array are transmitted from the microphone array to the external computing device via the array interface, said external computing device performing all audio processing of the captured audio signals in accordance with the parametric information reported to the external computing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A self-descriptive microphone array includes a microphone array memory, such as, for example a ROM, EEPROM, or other conventional memory, which contains a microphone array device description. This device description includes parametric information which defines operational characteristics and configuration of the microphone array. In further embodiments, the microphone array uses any of a variety of conventional wired or wireless computer interfaces, including serial, IEEE 1394, USB, Bluetooth™, etc., to connect to a computing device. Once connected, the microphone array provides its device description to the computing device. Sound processing software residing within the computing device is then automatically configured for optimally interacting with one or more analog or digital audio signals provided by the microphone array. In another embodiment, the microphone array performs integrated self calibration for automatically updating the device description. The self calibration is performed either upon connection to the computing device, or upon regular or user-specified intervals.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A microphone array, comprising:
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an array of at least one microphone; a memory contained within the array, said memory including parametric information which defines operational characteristics and configuration of the array; an array interface for connecting the array to an external computing device; wherein the parametric information included in the memory is reported to the external computing device via the array interface upon connection of the array to the external computing device; and wherein audio signals captured by the microphone array are transmitted from the microphone array to the external computing device via the array interface, said external computing device performing all audio processing of the captured audio signals in accordance with the parametric information reported to the external computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for automatically adapting audio processing software for optimally processing audio signals captured by a microphone array, comprising using a computing device to:
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automatically configure audio processing software operating within an external computing device to reflect a current configuration of a microphone array; wherein the automatically configured audio processing software operating within the external computing device is used for processing audio signals captured by the microphone array and transmitted to the external computing device; said microphone array including at least one microphone, and said microphone array being coupled to the external computing device via any of a wired and a wireless computer interface; wherein the microphone array automatically determines the current configuration upon being coupled to the external computing device via the computer interface; and wherein the microphone array automatically reports the current configuration to the external computing device via the computer interface after the microphone array automatically determines the current configuration. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for automatically providing device configuration information of a microphone array to an external computing device, comprising:
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a microphone array including at least one microphone, each microphone having a predetermined position in a three-dimensional space relative to the microphone array; said microphone array further including at least one addressable memory, said addressable memory storing parametric information detailing device configuration information of the microphone array; wherein the microphone array automatically reads the parametric information from the addressable memory and reports the parametric information to the external computing device via a computer interface, said external computing device being remotely coupled to the microphone array via the computer interface; and wherein audio signals captured by the microphone array are transmitted from the microphone array to the external computing device via the computer interface, said external computing device performing all audio processing of the captured audio signals in accordance with the parametric information reported to the external computing device. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification