Systems, methods, and apparatus for spatially directive filtering

• US 9,291,697 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Lae-Hoon, Visser, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai N
• Application Number:
  US13/835,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20130272539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 381/92, 381/356, 381/58, 381/91, 381/122, 381/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/00 Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/876 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S15/872 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/80 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8006 Multi-channel systems specially adapted for direction-finding, i.e. having a single aerial system capable of giving simultaneous indications of the directions of different signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8083 determining direction of source
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/186 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02166 Microphone arrays; Beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• 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: H04S 7/40 Visual indication of stereophonic sound image

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are described for applying, based on angles of arrival of source components relative to the axes of different microphone pairs, a spatially directive filter to a multichannel audio signal to produce an output signal.

Claims

1. A method of processing a multichannel audio signal, said method comprising:

calculating, by an apparatus, a first angle of arrival, relative to an axis of a first pair of microphones, for a first source component;

calculating, by the apparatus, a second angle of arrival, relative to an axis of a second pair of microphones, for the first source component;

based on said first angle of arrival and said second angle of arrival, applying, by the apparatus, a spatially directive filter, based on a first pairwise steering vector formed by the calculated first angle of arrival relative to the axis of the first pair of microphones and a second pairwise steering vector formed by the calculated second angle of arrival relative to the axis of the second pair of microphones, to the multichannel audio signal to produce an output signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said calculated first angle of arrival for the first source component is different than said calculated second angle of arrival for the first source component.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said axis of the first pair of microphones is neither parallel to nor coincident with said axis of the second pair of microphones.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said calculating the first angle of arrival is based on information from a first pair of channels of the multichannel audio signal and said calculating the second angle of arrival is based on information from a second pair of channels of the multichannel audio signal, and

wherein each channel of said first pair of channels is based on a signal produced by a corresponding microphone of the first pair of microphones and each channel of said second pair of channels is based on a signal produced by a corresponding microphone of the second pair of microphones.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a direction of arrival of the first source component is outside a plane defined by the axis of the first pair of microphones and the axis of the second pair of microphones.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein one microphone of said first pair of microphones is also included in said second pair of microphones.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, for each channel of the multichannel audio signal, a proportion of energy of the first source component, relative to energy of a second source component, is greater in the output signal than in said channel of the multichannel audio signal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said applying the spatially directive filter includes selecting the spatially directive filter, based on said calculated first angle of arrival and said calculated second angle of arrival, from among a plurality of spatially directive filters.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said applying the spatially directive filter includes calculating a plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter, based on said calculated first angle of arrival and said calculated second angle of arrival.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said calculating the plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter comprises inverting a matrix that is based on the first pairwise steering vector and the second pairwise steering vector, wherein said plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter is based on the inverted matrix.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said first pairwise steering vector indicates a propagation delay of the first source component at the first pair of microphones and said second pairwise steering vector indicates a propagation delay of the first source component at the second pair of microphones.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said method comprises calculating an array steering matrix such that a first column of the array steering matrix includes the first pairwise steering vector and the second pairwise steering vector, and wherein said matrix that is based on the first pairwise steering vector and the second pairwise steering vector is based on the array steering matrix.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a first row of the array steering matrix corresponds to one microphone of the first pair of microphones, a second row of the array steering matrix corresponds to the other microphone of the first pair of microphones, and a third row of the array steering matrix corresponds to one microphone of the second pair of microphones.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said spatially directive filter comprises a plurality of frequency-domain filters, and

wherein each of the plurality of frequency-domain filters is based on a corresponding array steering matrix, and

wherein said applying the spatially directive filter to the multichannel audio signal comprises applying each of at least some of the plurality of frequency-domain filters to a corresponding frequency component of the multichannel audio signal, and

wherein said calculating the plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter comprises determining, for each of at least some of the plurality of frequency-domain filters, whether a matrix that is based on the corresponding array steering matrix is ill-conditioned.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said spatially directive filter comprises a plurality of frequency-domain filters, and

wherein said applying the spatially directive filter to the multichannel audio signal comprises, for each of at least some of the plurality of frequency-domain filters, applying the frequency-domain filter to a corresponding frequency component of the multichannel audio signal.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first pair of microphones and the second pair of microphones are part of a multi-dimensional array of microphones, wherein a first dimension of the multi-dimensional array of microphones is formed by the axis of the first pair of microphones and a second dimension of the multi-dimensional array of microphones is formed by the axis of the second pair of microphones.

17. An apparatus for processing a multichannel audio signal, said apparatus comprising:

means for calculating a first angle of arrival, relative to an axis of a first pair of microphones, for a first source component;

means for calculating a second angle of arrival, relative to an axis of a second pair of microphones, for the first source component;

means for applying, based on said first angle of arrival and said second angle of arrival, a spatially directive filter, based on a first pairwise steering vector formed by the calculated first angle of arrival relative to the axis of the first pair of microphones and a second pairwise steering vector formed by the calculated second angle of arrival relative to the axis of the second pair of microphones, to the multichannel audio signal to produce an output signal.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said calculated first angle of arrival for the first source component is different than said calculated second angle of arrival for the first source component.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said axis of the first pair of microphones is neither parallel to nor coincident with said axis of the second pair of microphones.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said means for calculating the first angle of arrival is configured to calculate the first angle of arrival based on information from a first pair of channels of the multichannel audio signal, and

wherein said means for calculating the second angle of arrival is configured to calculate the second angle of arrival based on information from a second pair of channels of the multichannel audio signal, and

wherein each channel of said first pair of channels is based on a signal produced by a corresponding microphone of the first pair of microphones and each channel of said second pair of channels is based on a signal produced by a corresponding microphone of the second pair of microphones.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a direction of arrival the first source component is outside a plane defined by the axis of the first pair of microphones and the axis of the second pair of microphones.

22. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein one microphone of said first pair of microphones is also included in said second pair of microphones.

23. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, for each channel of the multichannel audio signal, a proportion of energy of the first source component, relative to energy of a second source component, is greater in the output signal than in said channel of the multichannel audio signal.

24. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said means for applying the spatially directive filter includes means for selecting the spatially directive filter, based on said calculated first angle of arrival and said calculated second angle of arrival, from among a plurality of spatially directive filters.

25. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said means for applying the spatially directive filter includes means for calculating a plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter, based on said calculated first angle of arrival and said calculated second angle of arrival.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said means for calculating the plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter comprises means for inverting a matrix that is based on the first pairwise steering vector and the second pairwise steering vector, wherein said plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter is based on the inverted matrix.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said first pairwise steering vector indicates a propagation delay of the first source component at the first pair of microphones and said second pairwise steering vector indicates a propagation delay of the first source component at the second pair of microphones.

28. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said apparatus comprises means for calculating an array steering matrix such that a first column of the array steering matrix includes the first pairwise steering vector and the second pairwise steering vector, and wherein said matrix that is based on the first pairwise steering vector and the second pairwise steering vector is based on the array steering matrix.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein a first row of the array steering matrix corresponds to one microphone of the first pair of microphones, a second row of the array steering matrix corresponds to the other microphone of the first pair of microphones, and a third row of the array steering matrix corresponds to one microphone of the second pair of microphones.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said spatially directive filter comprises a plurality of frequency-domain filters, and

wherein each of the plurality of frequency-domain filters is based on a corresponding array steering matrix, and

wherein said means for applying the spatially directive filter to the multichannel audio signal comprises means for applying each of at least some of the plurality of frequency-domain filters to a corresponding frequency component of the multichannel audio signal, and

wherein said means for calculating the plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter comprises means for determining, for each of at least some of the plurality of frequency-domain filters, whether a matrix that is based on the corresponding array steering matrix is ill-conditioned.

31. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said spatially directive filter comprises a plurality of frequency-domain filters, and

wherein said means for applying the spatially directive filter to the multichannel audio signal comprises means for applying, for each of at least some of the plurality of frequency-domain filters, the frequency-domain filter to a corresponding frequency component of the multichannel audio signal.

32. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the first pair of microphones and the second pair of microphones are part of a multi-dimensional array of microphones, wherein a first dimension of the multi-dimensional array of microphones is formed by the axis of the first pair of microphones and a second dimension of the multi-dimensional array of microphones is formed by the axis of the second pair of microphones.

33. An apparatus for processing a multichannel audio signal, said apparatus comprising:

a calculator configured to calculate;

a first angle of arrival, relative to an axis of a first pair of microphones, for a first source component; and

a second angle of arrival, relative to an axis of a second pair of microphones, for the first source component; and

a discriminator configured to apply, based on said first angle of arrival and said second angle of arrival, a spatially directive filter, based on a first pairwise steering vector formed by the first angle of arrival relative to the axis of the first pair of microphones and a second pairwise steering vector formed by the second angle of arrival relative to the axis of the second pair of microphones, to the multichannel audio signal to produce an output signal.

34. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said calculated first angle of arrival for the first source component is different than said calculated second angle of arrival for the first source component.

35. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said axis of the first pair of microphones is neither parallel to nor coincident with said axis of the second pair of microphones.

36. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said calculator is configured to calculate the first angle of arrival based on information from a first pair of channels of the multichannel audio signal and to calculate the second angle of arrival based on information from a second pair of channels of the multichannel audio signal, and

wherein each channel of said first pair of channels is based on a signal produced by a corresponding microphone of the first pair of microphones and each channel of said second pair of channels is based on a signal produced by a corresponding microphone of the second pair of microphones.

37. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein a direction of arrival the first source component is outside a plane defined by the axis of the first pair of microphones and the axis of the second pair of microphones.

38. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein one microphone of said first pair of microphones is also included in said second pair of microphones.

39. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein, for each channel of the multichannel audio signal, a proportion of energy of the first source component, relative to energy of a second source component, is greater in the output signal than in said channel of the multichannel audio signal.

40. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said discriminator includes a selector configured to select the spatially directive filter, based on said calculated first angle of arrival and said calculated second angle of arrival, from among a plurality of spatially directive filters.

41. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said discriminator includes a second calculator configured to calculate a plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter, based on said calculated first angle of arrival and said calculated second angle of arrival.

42. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said second calculator is configured to invert a matrix that is based on the first pairwise steering vector and the second pairwise steering vector, wherein said plurality of filter coefficients of the spatially directive filter is based on the inverted matrix.

43. The apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said first pairwise steering vector indicates a propagation delay of the first source component at the first pair of microphones and said second pairwise steering vector indicates a propagation delay of the first source component at the second pair of microphones.

44. The apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said apparatus comprises a matrix calculator configured to calculate an array steering matrix such that a first column of the array steering matrix includes the first pairwise steering vector and the second pairwise steering vector, and wherein said matrix that is based on the first pairwise steering vector and the second pairwise steering vector is based on the array steering matrix.

45. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein a first row of the array steering matrix corresponds to one microphone of the first pair of microphones, a second row of the array steering matrix corresponds to the other microphone of the first pair of microphones, and a third row of the array steering matrix corresponds to one microphone of the second pair of microphones.

46. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said spatially directive filter comprises a plurality of frequency-domain filters, and

wherein each of the plurality of frequency-domain filters is based on a corresponding array steering matrix, and

wherein said discriminator is configured to apply each of at least some of the plurality of frequency-domain filters to a corresponding frequency component of the multichannel audio signal, and

wherein said second calculator is configured to determine, for each of at least some of the plurality of frequency-domain filters, whether a matrix that is based on the corresponding array steering matrix is ill-conditioned.

47. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said spatially directive filter comprises a plurality of frequency-domain filters, and

wherein said discriminator is configured to apply, for each of at least some of the plurality of frequency-domain filters, the frequency-domain filter to a corresponding frequency component of the multichannel audio signal.

48. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the first pair of microphones and the second pair of microphones are part of a multi-dimensional array of microphones, wherein a first dimension of the multi-dimensional array of microphones is formed by the axis of the first pair of microphones and a second dimension of the multi-dimensional array of microphones is formed by the axis of the second pair of microphones.

49. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising code for causing an apparatus to:

calculate, by the apparatus, a first angle of arrival, relative to an axis of a first pair of microphones, for the first source component;

calculate, by the apparatus, a second angle of arrival, relative to an axis of a second pair of microphones, for the first source component; and

based on said first angle of arrival and said second angle of arrival, apply, at the apparatus, a spatially directive filter, based on a first pairwise steering vector formed by the first angle of arrival relative to the axis of the first pair of microphones and a second pairwise steering vector formed by the second angle of arrival relative to the axis of the second pair of microphones, to the multichannel audio signal to produce an output signal.