AUDIO PROCESSING USING AN INTELLIGENT MICROPHONE

• US 20170243577A1
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: WINGATE, DAVID
• Granted Patent: US 10,269,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/01 Assessment or evaluation of speech recognition systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/20 Speech recognition techniques specially adapted for robustness in adverse environments, e.g. in noise, of stress induced speech G10L21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02166 Microphone arrays; Beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0216 characterised by the method used for estimating noise
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0272 Voice signal separating
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/84 for discriminating voice from noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/00 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/01 Noise reduction using microphones having different directional characteristics
• 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 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• 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

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to improving audio processing using an intelligent microphone and, more particularly, to techniques for processing audio received at a microphone with integrated analog-to-digital conversion, digital signal processing, acoustic source separation, and for further processing by a speech recognition system. Embodiments of the present disclosure include intelligent microphone systems designed to collect and process high-quality audio input efficiently. Systems and method for audio processing using an intelligent microphone include an integrated package with one or more microphones, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital signal processors (DSPs), source separation modules, memory, and automatic speech recognition. Systems and methods are also provided for audio processing using an intelligent microphone that includes a microphone array and uses a preprogrammed audio beamformer calibrated to the included microphone array.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit for providing advanced speech processing as a single package, comprising:

a microphone array for generating respective analog audio signals corresponding to distinct microphones in the microphone array;

circuitry for processing the one or more respective analog audio signals comprising;

source separation module for separating sources present in the respective analog audio signals and generating one or more improved audio signals; and

automatic speech recognition module for extracting speech information in the one or more improved audio signals.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for processing the one or more respective analog audio signals further comprises beamforming module for adaptively steering a beam of the microphone.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for processing the one or more respective analog audio signals further comprises noise reduction module for reducing noise in the one or more respective analog audio signals.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for processing the one or more respective analog audio signals further comprises includes voice activity detecting module for detecting voice activity in the one or more respective analog audio signals.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the automatic speech recognition module determines confidence level of extracted speech information; and

the integrated circuit further includes a feedback path for the confidence level to control one or more parameters affecting the source separation module.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein:

the automatic speech recognition module determines confidence level of extracted speech information;

the integrated circuit further includes a feedback path for the confidence level to control one or more parameters affecting sensitivity of the noise reduction module.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 3, wherein:

the automatic speech recognition module determines confidence level of extracted speech information;

the integrated circuit further includes a feedback path for the confidence level to control one or more parameters affecting a beam being formed by the beamforming module.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein:

the source separation module determines a level of noise in the respective analog audio signal;

the integrated circuit further includes a feedback path for the level of noise to control one or more parameters affecting sensitivity of the noise reduction module.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 3, wherein:

the source separation module determines a level of noise in the respective analog audio signal; and

the integrated circuit further includes a feedback path for the level of noise to control one or more parameters affecting a beam being formed by the beamforming module.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the circuitry for processing the one or more respective analog audio signals further comprises beamforming module for adaptively steering a beam of the microphone and a noise reduction module determines a level of noise in the respective analog audio signals; and

the integrated circuit further includes a feedback path for the level of noise to control one or more parameters affecting a beam being formed by the beamforming module.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the source separation module determines a level of noise in the respective analog audio signals; and

the integrated circuit includes a feedforward path for the level of the noise to control the automatic speech recognition module.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein:

the noise reduction module determines a level of noise in the respective analog audio signals; and

the integrated circuit includes a feedforward path for the level of the noise to control the automatic speech recognition module.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensors for sensing a source near the microphone;

wherein the integrated circuit includes a control path for an output of the sensor to control the automatic speech recognition module.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 3, further comprising:

one or more sensors for sensing a source near the microphone;

wherein the integrated circuit includes a control path for an output of the sensor to control one or more parameters affecting a beam being formed by the beamforming module.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 5, wherein

the integrated circuit includes a control path for an output of the voice activity detecting module to control the automatic speech recognition module.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 3, wherein:

the circuitry for processing the one or more respective analog audio signals further comprises includes voice activity detecting module for detecting voice activity in the one or more respective analog audio signals.

the integrated circuit includes a control path for an output of the voice activity detecting module to control one or more parameters affecting a beam being formed by the beamforming module.

2. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. An electronic device comprising:

a motion sensing module for sensing movement of the electronic device;

a microphone array for generating respective analog audio signals corresponding to distinct microphones in the microphone array; and

circuitry for processing the respective analog audio signals and movement information from the motion sensing module, the circuitry comprising a beamforming module for adaptively steering a beam of the microphone.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the beamforming module determines changes in position or orientation of the microphone array relative to an audio source of interest based on the respective analog audio signals and movement information from the motion sensing module and adjusts beamforming functionality in response to the changes.

22. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the microphone array is a quad microphone comprising four microphone elements arranged in a geometric configuration.

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

generating analog audio signals by microphones of a microphone array;

converting the analog audio signals to digital audio signals by one or more analog to digital converters in a same integrated circuit as the microphone array;

processing the digital audio signals by a digital signal processor in the same integrated circuit as the microphone array and the one or more analog-to-digital converters, wherein the processing includes one or more of the following;

adaptive beamforming, noise reduction, source separation, and voice activity detection; and

transmitting over a network interface the processed digital audio signals to a remote automatic speech recognition service over a network.