Variable beamforming with a mobile platform

• US 9,066,170 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Forutanpour, Babak, Schevciw, Andre Gustavo P., Visser, Erik, Momeyer, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US13/954,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20130316691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 455/418, 381/92
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/40 Details of arrangements for obtaining desired directional characteristic by combining a number of identical transducers covered by H04R1/40 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/01 Noise reduction using microphones having different directional characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/25 Array processing for suppression of unwanted side-lobes in directivity characteristics, e.g. a blocking matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A mobile platform includes a microphone array and is capable of implementing beamforming to amplify or suppress audio information from a sound source. The sound source is indicated through a user input, such as pointing the mobile platform in the direction of the sound source or through a touch screen display interface. The mobile platform further includes orientation sensors capable of detecting movement of the mobile platform. When the mobile platform moves with respect to the sound source, the beamforming is adjusted based on the data from the orientation sensors so that beamforming is continuously implemented in the direction of the sound source. The audio information from the sound source may be included or suppressed from a telephone or video-telephony conversation. Images or video from a camera may be likewise controlled based on the data from the orientation sensors.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

pointing a mobile platform towards a sound source to select a direction of the sound source with respect to the mobile platform for amplification or suppression of audio information;

implementing beamforming with the mobile platform in the direction of the sound source to amplify or suppress audio information from the sound source;

determining movement of the mobile platform with respect to the sound source; and

using the determined movement to adjust the beamforming to continue to implement beamforming in the direction of the sound source after the mobile platform has moved with respect to the sound source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sound source is a first sound source in a first direction, the method further comprising:

indicating a second direction of a second sound source with respect to the mobile platform;

implementing beamforming with the mobile platform in the second direction of the second sound source to amplify or suppress audio information from the sound source; and

using the determined movement to adjust the beamforming to continue to implement beamforming in the first direction of the first sound source and in the second direction of the second sound source after the mobile platform has moved.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein indicating the second direction of the second sound source with respect to the mobile platform comprises:

pointing the mobile platform towards the second sound source to select the second direction of the second sound source with respect to the mobile platform for amplification or suppression of audio information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein indicating the second direction of the second sound source is performed after implementing beamforming in the first direction of the first sound source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the direction of the sound source with respect to the mobile platform for amplification or suppression of audio information is further selected using movement of the mobile platform.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the direction of the sound source with respect to the mobile platform for amplification or suppression of audio information is further selected using a display on the mobile platform.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing beamforming comprises processing a multichannel signal from a microphone array on the mobile platform.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly transmitting audio information from the direction of the sound source after implementing beamforming.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the audio information is wirelessly transmitted in a telephone call.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining a translation of audio information from the direction of the sound source after implementing beamforming.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling a camera on the mobile platform to capture at least one of video and images from the direction of the sound source; and

using the determined movement to adjust control of the camera to continue to capture at least one of video and images from the direction of the sound source after the mobile platform has moved with respect to the sound source.

12. A mobile platform comprising:

a microphone array;

orientation sensors;

a processor connected to the microphone array and the orientation sensors;

the processor configured to select a direction of a sound source for amplification or suppression of audio information based on the mobile platform being pointed in the direction of the sound source, to implement beamforming to amplify or suppress audio information received by the microphone array in the direction of the sound source, to determine movement of the mobile platform using data provided by the orientation sensors, and to use the determined movement to adjust the beamforming to continue to implement beamforming in the direction of the sound source after the mobile platform has moved with respect to the sound source.

13. The mobile platform of claim 12, wherein the sound source is a first sound source in a first direction and wherein the processor is further configured to select a second direction of a second sound source based on user input, to implement beamforming to amplify or suppress audio information received by the microphone array in the second direction of the second sound source, and to use the determined movement to adjust the beamforming to continue to implement beamforming in the first direction of the first sound source and in the second direction of the second sound source after the mobile platform has moved.

14. The mobile platform of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to select the direction of the sound source for amplification or suppression of audio information based on movement of the mobile platform.

15. The mobile platform of claim 12, further comprising a touch screen display coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to select the direction of the sound source for amplification or suppression of audio information is further selected based on data provided by the touch screen display.

16. The mobile platform of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to implement beamforming by processing a multichannel signal from the microphone array.

17. The mobile platform of claim 12, further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to control the wireless transceiver to transmit audio information obtained from the direction of the sound source after beamforming is implemented.

18. The mobile platform of claim 17, wherein the audio information is transmitted in a telephone call.

19. The mobile platform of claim 17, wherein in response to the transmitted audio information, the wireless transceiver receives a translation of the audio information.

20. The mobile platform of claim 12, further comprising a camera coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to capture at least one of video and images from the direction of the sound source, and to adjust the control of the camera to continue to capture at least one of video and images from the direction of the sound source after the mobile platform has moved with respect to the sound source.

21. A system comprising:

means for selecting a direction of a sound source with respect to a mobile platform for amplification or suppression of audio information based on the mobile platform being pointed in the direction of the sound source;

means for implementing beamforming with the mobile platform in the direction of the sound source to amplify or suppress audio information from the sound source;

means for determining movement of the mobile platform with respect to the sound source; and

means for using the determined movement to adjust the beamforming to continue to implement beamforming in the direction of the sound source after the mobile platform has moved with respect to the sound source.

22. A computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising:

program code to select a direction of a sound source for amplification or suppression of audio information based on a microphone array being pointed in the direction of the sound source;

program code to implement beamforming to amplify or suppress audio information received by the microphone array in the direction of the sound source;

program code to determine movement of the microphone array; and

program code to use the determined movement to adjust the beamforming to continue to implement beamforming in the direction of the sound source after the microphone array has moved with respect to the sound source.