System and method for dynamic optical microphone

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10796711-B2
Application number	US-201715720562-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 29, 2017
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A dynamic optical microphone system may include an acoustic microphone that receives an audio signal and a laser microphone that transmits a laser beam and receives optical feedback from a human struck by the laser beam. The system may include a depth sensor that determines a distance to the human and a camera that tracks human faces. A processor may be communicatively coupled to the acoustic microphone, laser microphone, depth sensor, camera, and a memory storing computer executable instructions. The processor may determine a direction to a human, direct the laser beam at a voice box of the human, determine a distance to the human using the depth sensor, adjust an intensity of the laser beam based on the distance, receive optical feedback and isolate a voice signal through the optical feedback from background noise in the audio signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for receiving a voice signal, comprising:
an acoustic microphone;
a laser microphone;
a depth sensor;
a camera; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the acoustic microphone, laser microphone, depth sensor, camera, and a memory storing computer executable instructions, wherein the processor:
determines, a direction to a human speaker;
directs a laser beam emitted from the laser microphone at a voice box of the human speaker;
determines a distance to the human speaker using the depth sensor;
adjusts an intensity of the laser beam emitted from the laser microphone based on the distance to the human speaker determined by the depth sensor;
receives optical feedback from the laser beam striking the human speaker; and
isolates a voice signal through the optical feedback from the laser microphone from background noise in an audio signal received by the acoustic microphone.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines the direction to the human speaker by identifying a human form in an image.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor directs the laser beam at a voice box of the human speaker using facial recognition to track a face, of the human speaker in the image.

4. The system of, claim 3 , wherein the processor angles the laser beam downward from the face of the human speaker based on the distance to the human speaker.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the depth sensor determines a horizontal distance to a body of the human speaker, and the processor adjusts the horizontal distance based on an angle to the voice box of the human speaker relative to a horizontal line from the depth sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor:
detects movement of the optical microphone relative to the human speaker;
updates the distance to the human speaker; and
adjusts the intensity of the laser beam emitted from the laser microphone based on the distance.

7. The system of claim 1 , comprising a robot on which the acoustic microphone, laser microphone, depth sensor, and camera are mounted.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the robot comprises means for locomotion and the processor controls the robot to move relative to the human speaker.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the robot comprises means for rotation, wherein the processor controls the means for rotation to direct the laser beam at the voice box of the human speaker.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor interprets the voice signal as a voice command and controls the robot to, execute the voice command.

11. A method of receiving a voice signal comprising:
determining a direction to a human speaker;
directing a laser beam emitted from a laser microphone at a voice box of the human speaker;
determining, by a processor, a distance to the human speaker using a depth sensor;
adjusting an intensity of the laser beam emitted from the laser microphone based on the distance determined by the depth sensor;
receiving optical feedback from the laser beam striking the human speaker; and
isolating a voice signal through the optical feedback from the laser microphone from background noise in an audio signal received by an acoustic microphone.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the direction to the human speaker comprises identifying a human form in an image.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein directing the laser beam at a voice box of the human speaker comprises tracking a face of the human in the image.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein directing the laser beam at the voice box of the human speaker comprises angling the laser beam downward from the face of the human speaker based on the distance to the human speaker.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the distance to the human speaker using a depth sensor comprises:
determining a horizontal distance to a body of the human speaker using the depth sensor; and
adjusting the horizontal distance based on an angle, to the voice box of the human speaker relative to a horizontal line from the depth sensor.

16. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
moving relative to the human speaker;
updating the distance to the human speaker; and
adjusting the intensity of the laser beam emitted from the laser microphone based on the distance.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein moving relative to the human speaker includes moving a robot on which the laser beam is mounted.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising interpreting a voice command from the voice signal.

19. A robot for receiving a voice signal, comprising:
an acoustic microphone;
a laser microphone;
a depth sensor;
a camera; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the acoustic microphone, laser microphone, depth sensor, camera, and a memory storing computer executable instructions, wherein the processor:
determines a direction to a human speaker;
directs a laser beam emitted from the laser microphone at a voice box of the human speaker;
determines a distance to the human speaker using the depth sensor;
adjusts an intensity of the laser beam emitted from the laser microphone based on the distance determined by the depth sensor;
receives optical feedback from the laser beam striking the human speaker; and
isolates a voice signal through the optical feedback from the laser microphone from background noise in an audio signal received by the acoustic microphone.

20. The robot of claim 19 , wherein the processor controls the robot to:
move relative to the human speaker;
update the distance to the human speaker; and
adjust the intensity of the laser beam based on the distance.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jiang James
• Khanna Rahul

Classifications

• H04R23/008 Primary

  using optical signals for detecting or generating sound · CPC title

• H04M3/40

  Applications of speech amplifiers · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04N13/243

  using three or more two-dimensional [2D] image sensors · CPC title

• G01H9/00

  Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by using radiation-sensitive means, e.g. optical means · CPC title