Device adjustment based on laser microphone feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10855901-B2
Application number	US-201815913716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2018
Priority date	Mar 6, 2018
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A method of capturing video includes instructing a microphone to initiate an audio scan of different areas of interest to detect audio activity. The method also includes receiving a feedback signal from the microphone in response to initiating the audio scan. The feedback signal indicates audio activity in a particular area of interest. The method further includes adjusting targeting characteristics of a device based on the feedback signal to focus the device on the particular area of interest.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a microphone;
a capture device; and
a processor coupled to the microphone and to the capture device, the processor configured to:
instruct the microphone to initiate an audio scan of different areas of interest to detect audio activity, the different areas of interest comprising:
a first area of interest; and
a second area of interest; and

receive a first feedback signal from the microphone in response to initiating the audio scan of the first area of interest, the first feedback signal generated based on a first comparison of an energy metric detected from the audio scan of the first area of interest and an energy threshold, and the first feedback signal indicating audio activity below an audio threshold in the first area of interest;
initiate a second audio scan of the second area responsive to the first feedback signal;
receive a second feedback signal from the microphone in response to initiating the second audio scan of the first area of interest, the second feedback signal generated based on a comparison of an energy metric detected from the second audio scan of the second area of interest and the energy threshold, and the second feedback signal indicating audio activity in the second area of interest; and
adjust targeting characteristics of the capture device based on the second feedback signal to focus the capture device on the second area of interest.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the targeting characteristics include at least one of an angle of rotation of the capture device, a tilt of the capture device, a zoom level of the capture device, a position of the capture device, or a focus metric of the capture device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microphone is a laser microphone configured to:
generate a first beam of light at the laser microphone;
split the first beam of light into a first reference beam and into a first incident beam that is directed towards a first target surface associated with the first area of interest, the first reference beam and the first incident beam having similar properties;
receive a first reflected beam from the first target surface, the first reflected beam corresponding a reflected version of the first incident beam, and the first reflected beam and the first incident beam having different properties;
perform a superposition operation on the first reflected beam and the first reference beam to generate a first demodulated output signal;
generate first audio based on the first demodulated output signal; and
determine whether audio activity is present in the first area of interest based on the first audio.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the laser microphone is configured to:
generate a second beam of light at the laser microphone;
split the second beam of light into a second reference beam and into a second incident beam that is directed towards a second target surface associated with the second area of interest, the second reference beam and the second incident beam having similar properties;
receive a second reflected beam from the second target surface, the second reflected beam corresponding a reflected version of the second incident beam, and the second reflected beam and the second incident beam having different properties;
perform a superposition operation on the second reflected beam and the second reference beam to generate a second demodulated output signal;
generate second audio based on the second demodulated output signal; and
determine whether audio activity is present in the second area of interest based on the second audio.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microphone includes a vibrometer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the capture device includes a video camera, a drone, or a mobile robot.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to identify the different areas of interest based on image data captured by the capture device.

8. A method of capturing video with a capture device, the method comprising:
instructing a microphone to initiate an audio scan of different areas of interest to detect audio activity, the different areas of interest comprising:
a first area of interest; and
a second area of interest;

receiving a first feedback signal from the microphone in response to initiating the audio scan of the first area of interest, the first feedback signal generated based on a first comparison of an energy metric detected from the audio scan of the first area of interest and an energy threshold, and the first feedback signal indicating audio activity below an audio threshold in the first area of interest;
initiating a second audio scan of the second area responsive to the first feedback signal;
receiving a second feedback signal from the microphone in response to initiating the second audio scan of the first area of interest, the second feedback signal generated based on a comparison of an energy metric detected from the second audio scan of the second area of interest and the energy threshold, and the second feedback signal indicating audio activity in the second area of interest; and
adjusting targeting characteristics of the capture device based on the second feedback signal to focus the capture device on the second area of interest.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the targeting characteristics include at least one of an angle of rotation of the capture device, a tilt of the capture device, a zoom level of the capture device, a position of the capture device, or a focus metric of the capture device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the microphone is a laser microphone, and wherein performing the audio scan comprises performing an audio scan of the first area of interest by:
generating a first beam of light at the laser microphone;
splitting the first beam of light into a first reference beam and into a first incident beam that is directed towards a first target surface associated with the first area of interest, the first reference beam and the first incident beam having similar properties;
receiving a first reflected beam from the first target surface, the first reflected beam corresponding a reflected version of the first incident beam, and the first reflected beam and the first incident beam having different properties;
performing a superposition operation on the first reflected beam and the first reference beam to generate a first demodulated output signal;
generating first audio based on the first demodulated output signal; and
determining whether audio activity is present in the first area of interest based on the first audio.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein performing the second audio scan further comprises performing an audio scan of the second area of interest by:
generating a second beam of light at the laser microphone;
splitting the second beam of light into a second reference beam and into a second incident beam that is directed towards a second target surface associated with the second area of interest, the second reference beam and the second incident beam having similar properties;
receiving a second reflected beam from the second target surface, the second reflected beam corresponding a reflected version of the second incident beam, and the second reflected beam and the second incident beam having different properties;
performing a superposition operation on the second reflected beam and the second reference beam to generate a second demodulated output signal;
generating second audio based on the second demodulated output signal; and
determining whether audio activity is present in the second area of interest based on the second audio.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Dewasurendra Duminda
• Rajendran Vivek
• Sinder Daniel Jared

Classifications

• H04R23/008 Primary

  using optical signals for detecting or generating sound · CPC title

• H04N23/66 Primary

  Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices · CPC title

• H04N23/695

  Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects · CPC title

• H04N23/69

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title

• G10L25/78

  Detection of presence or absence of voice signals (switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10) · CPC title