Utilizing Digital Microphones for Low Power Keyword Detection and Noise Suppression

• US 20160196838A1
• Filed: 01/06/2016
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Audience Corporation
• Inventors: Rossum, David P., Warren, Niel D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,045,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/01 Noise reduction using microphones having different directional characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/05 Noise reduction with a separate noise microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/004 for microphones H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Provided are systems and methods for utilizing digital microphones in low power keyword detection and noise suppression. An example method includes receiving a first acoustic signal representing at least one sound captured by a digital microphone. The first acoustic signal includes buffered data transmitted with a first clock frequency. The digital microphone may provide voice activity detection. The example method also includes receiving at least one second acoustic signal representing the at least one sound captured by a second microphone, the at least one second acoustic signal including real-time data. The first and second acoustic signals are provided to an audio processing system which may include noise suppression and keyword detection. The buffered portion may be sent with a higher, second clock frequency to eliminate a delay of the first acoustic signal from the second acoustic signal. Providing the signals may also include delaying the second acoustic signal.

Claims

1. A method for audio processing, the method comprising:

receiving a first acoustic signal representing at least one sound captured by a digital microphone, the first acoustic signal including buffered data transmitted on a single channel with a first clock frequency;

receiving at least one second acoustic signal representing the at least one sound captured by at least one second microphone, the at least one second acoustic signal including real-time data; and

providing the first acoustic signal and the at least one second acoustic signal to an audio processing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing includes sending the buffered data with a second clock frequency for eliminating a delay of the first acoustic signal from the at least one second acoustic signal, the second clock frequency being higher than the first clock frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing includes delaying the at least one second acoustic signal by a pre-determined time period.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the pre-determined time period is determined based on one or more characteristics of the digital microphone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more characteristics includes latency of the digital microphone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the latency includes delay due to buffering for the buffered data.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the pre-determined time period is determined based on comparing the first acoustic signal and the at least one second acoustic signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the comparing comprises comparing sampling rates of the first acoustic signal and the at least one second acoustic signal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the providing, receiving an indication that voice activity has been detected.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication is provided by a voice activity detector associated with the digital microphone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second microphone is an analog microphone.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio processing system provides noise suppression based on the first acoustic signal and the at least one second acoustic signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the noise suppression is based on level difference between the first acoustic signal and the at least one second acoustic signal.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first acoustic signal includes a pulse-density modulation (PDM) signal.

15. A system for audio processing, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled with the processor, the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, perform a method comprising;

receiving a first acoustic signal representing at least one sound captured by a digital microphone, the first acoustic signal including buffered data transmitted on a single channel with a first clock frequency;

receiving at least one second acoustic signal representing the at least one sound captured by at least one second microphone, the at least one second acoustic signal including real-time data; and

providing the first acoustic signal and the at least one second acoustic signal to an audio processing system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the audio processing system includes at least one of noise suppression and keyword detection based on the first acoustic signal and the at least one second acoustic signal.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the providing includes sending the buffered data with a second clock frequency for eliminating a delay of the first acoustic signal from the at least one second acoustic signal, the second clock frequency being higher than the first clock frequency.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the providing includes delaying the at least one second acoustic signal by a pre-determined time period.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the pre-determined time period is determined based on one or more characteristics of the digital microphone.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the pre-determined time period is determined by comparing the first acoustic signal and the at least one second acoustic signal.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising, prior to the providing, receiving an indication that voice activity has been detected.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the indication is provided by a voice activity detector associated with the digital microphone.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one second microphone is an analog microphone.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, perform steps of a method, the method comprising:

receiving a first acoustic signal representing at least one sound captured by a digital microphone, the first acoustic signal including buffered data transmitted on a single channel with a first clock frequency;

receiving at least one second acoustic signal representing the at least one sound captured by at least one second microphone, the at least one second acoustic signal including real-time data; and

providing the first acoustic signal and the at least one second acoustic signal to an audio processing system.