Electronic device with wind resistant audio

• US 9,781,499 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Kar, Swarnendu
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Julie X
• Application Number:
  US14/672,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20160286295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 381359, 381321, 381313, 381361
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/086 Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/07 Mechanical or electrical reduction of wind noise generated by wind passing a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers

Abstract

Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that includes a plurality of audio acquisition areas. Each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas can include a microphone element to detect audio data, an audio opening that allows the audio data to travel to the microphone element, and a windscreen that covers at least the audio opening. An audio module can be configured to receive the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas and enhance the audio data.

Claims

1. A wearable apparatus comprising:

a plurality of audio acquisition areas included in the apparatus, wherein the plurality of audio acquisition areas are at different orientations to capture sound from a different direction and each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas includes;

a directional microphone element located on a front area of the apparatus to detect audio data;

an audio opening that allows the audio data to travel to the microphone element; and

a windscreen that covers at least the audio opening wherein the windscreen can diffuse pressure fluctuations created by wind; and

an audio module configured to receive the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas, wherein the audio module is configured to filter the audio data received from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas and determine an audio data from a specific audio acquisition area that includes a least amount of wind noise.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio module is configured to assign a weighting factor to the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is eyewear.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio data is voice data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio module is configured to combine the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas to create a composite audio data.

6. At least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising one or more instructions that when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to:

receive audio data from a plurality of audio acquisition areas included in a wearable apparatus, wherein the plurality of audio acquisition areas are at different orientations to capture sound from a different direction and each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas includes;

a directional microphone element located on a front area of the apparatus to detect audio data;

an audio opening that allows the audio data to travel to the microphone element; and

a windscreen that covers at least the audio opening, wherein the windscreen can diffuse pressure fluctuations created by wind;

filter the audio data received from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas; and

determine an audio data from a specific audio acquisition area that includes a least amount of wind noise.

7. The at least one machine readable storage medium of claim 6, comprising one or more instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the processor to:

assign a weighting factor to the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas.

8. The at least one machine readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is eyewear.

9. The at least one machine readable storage medium of claim 6, comprising one or more instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the processor to:

combine the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas to create a composite audio data.

10. A method comprising:

receiving audio data from a plurality of audio acquisition areas included in a wearable apparatus, wherein the plurality of audio acquisition areas are at different orientations to capture sound from a different direction and each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas includes;

a directional microphone element located on a front area of the apparatus to detect audio data;

an audio opening that allows the audio data to travel to the microphone element; and

a windscreen that covers at least the audio opening, wherein the windscreen can diffuse pressure fluctuations created by wind;

filtering the audio data received from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas; and

determining an audio data from a specific audio acquisition area that includes a least amount of wind noise.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

assigning a weighting factor to the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is eyewear.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

combining the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas to create a composite audio data.

14. A wearable system comprising:

an audio module configured for;

receiving audio data from a plurality of audio acquisition areas included in the system, wherein the plurality of audio acquisition areas are at different orientations to capture sound from a different direction and each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas includes;

a directional microphone element located on a front area of the system to detect audio data;

an audio opening that allows the audio data to travel to the microphone element; and

a windscreen that covers at least the audio opening wherein the windscreen can diffuse pressure fluctuations created by wind; and

filtering the audio data received from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas; and

determining an audio data from a specific audio acquisition area that includes a least amount of wind noise.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the audio module is further configured to assign a weighting factor to the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the audio data is voice data.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the audio module is further configured to combine the audio data from each of the plurality of audio acquisition areas to create a composite audio data.