Method and Apparatus for Microphone Beamforming

• US 20140029761A1
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Maenpaa, Ossi E., Tammi, Mikko T., Virolainen, Jussi, Makitalo, Kimmo, Kelloniemi, Antti P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,258,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/92
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/401 2D or 3D arrays of transducers
• 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 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a camera system and an optimization system. The optimization system is configured to communicate with the camera system. At least one microphone is connected to the optimization system. The optimization system is configured to adjust a beamform of the at least one microphone based, at least in part, on camera focus information of the camera system.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a camera system;

an optimization system, wherein the optimization system is configured to communicate with the camera system; and

at least one microphone connected to the optimization system;

wherein the optimization system is configured to adjust a beamform of the at least one microphone based, at least in part, on camera focus information of the camera system.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the camera focus information comprises a focus location relative to the camera system.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the optimization system is configured to estimate a distance between a sound source and the camera system.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the optimization system is configured to automatically adjust the beamform.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the focus information comprises a focus spot position on an image plane.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the optimization system comprises user selectable ranges for beam width adjustment of the beamform.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the optimization system is configured to produce an audio frame with a set directivity pattern.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the optimization system is configured to direct the beamform in a direction away from a center of an image capture area of the camera system.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the at least one microphone comprises at least one directional microphone, at least two omni-directional microphones, or an array of microphones.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein apparatus comprises a two camera system configured to capture a stereo image.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the camera system comprises at least one camera.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile phone.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving focus location information, wherein the focus location information corresponds to a focus location of a camera;

receiving zoom setting information, wherein the zoom setting information corresponds to a zoom setting information of the camera; and

controlling at least one microphone based, at least partially, on the focus location information and the zoom setting information.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein the focus location information comprises a focus location relative to the camera.

15. A method as in claim 13 further comprising estimating a distance between a sound source and the camera.

16. A method as in claim 13 wherein the controlling the at least one microphone further comprises automatically controlling the at least one microphone based, at least partially, on the focus location information and the zoom setting information, wherein the zoom setting information comprises a user selectable audio capture profile.

17. A method as in claim 13 wherein the focus location information comprises a focus spot position on an image plane.

18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:

code for processing focus location information, wherein the focus location information corresponds to a focus location of a camera;

code for processing zoom setting information, wherein the zoom setting information corresponds to a zoom setting information of the camera; and

code for controlling at least one microphone based, at least partially, on the focus location information and the zoom setting information.

19. A computer program product as in claim 18 further comprising code for estimating a distance between a sound source and the camera.

20. A computer program product as in claim 18 wherein the code for controlling further comprises code for automatically controlling the at least one microphone based, at least partially, on the focus location information and the zoom setting information.

21. A computer program product as in claim 18 wherein the focus location information comprises a focus spot position on an image plane.