Method and apparatus for microphone beamforming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9258644-B2
Application number	US-201213560015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2012
Priority date	Jul 27, 2012
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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 automatically adjust a beamform of the at least one microphone based, at least in part, on focus location information of the camera system and zoom setting information of the camera system, wherein the zoom setting information is associated with an audio capture profile.

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

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

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

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

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

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

12. 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;
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 is associated with an audio capture profile.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the focus location information comprises a focus location relative to the camera.

14. A method as in claim 12 further comprising estimating a distance between a sound source and the camera.

15. A method as in claim 12 wherein the zoom setting information comprises a user selectable audio capture profile.

16. A method as in claim 12 wherein the focus location information comprises a focus spot position on an image plane.

17. 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 automatically controlling at least one microphone based, at least partially, on the focus location information and the zoom setting information, wherein the zoom setting information is associated with an audio capture profile.

18. A computer program product as in claim 17 further comprising code for estimating a distance between a sound source and the camera.

19. A computer program product as in claim 17 wherein the focus location information comprises a focus spot position on an image plane.

Assignees

• Maenpaa Ossi E
• Makitalo Kimmo
• Tammi Mikko T
• Virolainen Jussi
• Kelloniemi Antti P
• Nokia Technologies Oy

Inventors

• Maenpaa Ossi E
• Makitalo Kimmo
• Tammi Mikko T
• Virolainen Jussi
• Kelloniemi Antti P

Classifications

• H04R1/028

  associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles · CPC title

• H04R1/406

  microphones · CPC title

• H04R2201/401

  2D or 3D arrays of transducers · CPC title

• H04R3/005 Primary

  for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407) · CPC title

• H04R2499/11

  Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's · CPC title