Audio source position estimation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9351071-B2
Application number	US-201314372073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2013
Priority date	Jan 17, 2012
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus for determining a position estimate for an audio source comprises two microphones (M 1 , M 2 ) and an acoustic element ( 203 ) providing an acoustic effect to sound from sound source positions to the first microphone (M 1 ). The acoustic effect is asymmetric with respect to an axis ( 201 ) between the microphones (M 1 , M 2 ). A position circuit ( 305 ) estimates two possible positions on different sides of the axis for the sound source in response to time of arrivals at the microphones (M 1 , M 2 ). An estimator ( 307 ) determines an acoustic effect measure being indicative of a degree to which an acoustic effect of the first microphone signal matches an expected characteristic of the acoustic effect for sound sources on one side of the axis ( 201 ). Another circuit ( 309 ) determines the position estimate by selecting between the two possible positions in response to the acoustic effect measure. The approach may resolve ambiguities in position determination associated with position determination based on time of arrival at two microphones.

First claim

The invention claimed:

1. An apparatus for determining a position estimate for an audio source, the apparatus comprising:
a first microphone for generating a first microphone signal;
a second microphone for generating a second microphone signal;
an acoustic element providing an acoustic effect to sound from sound source positions to the first microphone, the acoustic effect being asymmetric with respect to an axis between the first and the second microphones;
a position processor comprising:
a first position circuit for estimating a first possible position and a second possible position for a sound source in response to time of arrivals at the first microphone and the second microphone for audio from the sound source, the first possible position being a position in a first area on one side of the axis and the second possible position being a position in a second area on an opposite side of the axis;
an estimator for determining a first acoustic effect measure for the first microphone signal, the first acoustic effect measure being indicative of a degree to which an acoustic effect of the first microphone signal matches an expected characteristic of the acoustic effect for sound sources in the first area;
a second position circuit for determining the position estimate for the sound source by selecting between the first possible position and the second possible position in response to the first acoustic effect measure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first acoustic effect measure is indicative of the degree to which the acoustic effect of the first microphone signal matches the expected acoustic effect of the acoustic element for sound sources in the first area relative to a degree to which the acoustic effect of the first microphone signal matches an expected characteristic of the acoustic effect for sound sources in the second area.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic effect is asymmetrically frequency dependent with respect to the axis, and the estimator is arranged to generate the first acoustic effect measure in response to a determination of a degree of correlation between a frequency response of the first signal and an expected frequency response for a sound source in the first area.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic effect is asymmetrically frequency dependent; and wherein the estimator comprises a filter for filtering the first microphone signal to generate a first filtered microphone signal, and is arranged to determine the first acoustic effect measure in response to the first filtered microphone signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic element is arranged to cause the first microphone to receive reflections from sound sources in the first area but not from sound sources in the second area.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the expected characteristic is an interference effect resulting from interference between direct and reflected sound components from sound sources in the first area.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the expected characteristic is an interference frequency response.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic element is present only on one side of the axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the estimator is arranged to determine the first acoustic effect measure in response to a comparison of the first microphone signal to the second microphone signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second acoustic element providing a second acoustic effect for sound from sound sources positions to the second microphone, the second acoustic effect being asymmetric with respect to the axis; and wherein the position processor comprises:
a second estimator for determining a second acoustic effect measure for the second microphone signal, the second acoustic effect measure being indicative of a degree to which an acoustic effect of the second microphone signal matches an expected characteristic of the second acoustic effect for sound sources in the second area; and wherein
the second position circuit is arranged to determine the position estimate for the sound source by further selecting between the first possible position and the second possible position in response to the second acoustic effect measure.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second position circuit is arranged to select the first possible position if the first acoustic effect measure exceeds the second acoustic effect measure and to select the second possible position if the second acoustic effect measure exceeds the first acoustic effect measure.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a closest point of the acoustic element is positioned no more than 10 cm from the first microphone.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a distance between the first microphone and the second microphone is no less than 1 cm and no more than 50 cm.

14. A method for determining from a first microphone signal from a first microphone and a second microphone signal from a second microphone a position estimate for an audio source in an audio environment comprising an acoustic element providing an acoustic effect to sound from sound source positions to the first microphone (M1), the acoustic effect being asymmetric with respect to an axis between the first microphone (M1) and the second microphone (M2), the method comprising:
receiving the first microphone signal;
receiving the second microphone signal;
estimating a first possible position and a second possible position for a sound source in response to time of arrivals at the first microphone and the second microphone for audio from the sound source, the first possible position being a position in a first area on one side of the axis and the second possible position being a position in a second area on an opposite side of the axis;
determining an acoustic effect measure for the first microphone signal, the acoustic effect measure being indicative of a degree to which an acoustic effect of the first microphone signal matches an expected characteristic of the acoustic effect for sound sources in the first area; and
determining the position estimate for the sound source by selecting between the first possible position and the second possible position in response to the first acoustic effect measure.

Assignees

• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Kechichian Patrick
• Ouweltjes Okke

Classifications

• H04R1/34

  by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/402)} · CPC title

• H04R1/08

  Mouthpieces; {Microphones;} Attachments therefor · CPC title

• G01S3/8083

  determining direction of source · CPC title

• H04R3/005 Primary

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

• H04R2430/20

  Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic (H04R2203/12 takes precedence) · CPC title