System and method for utilizing omni-directional microphones for speech enhancement
US8194880B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 29, 2007 |
| Grant date | Jun 5, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 13, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04R3/005
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Systems and methods for utilizing inter-microphone level differences (ILD) to attenuate noise and enhance speech are provided. In exemplary embodiments, primary and secondary acoustic signals are received by omni-directional microphones, and converted into primary and secondary electric signals. A differential microphone array module processes the electric signals to determine a cardioid primary signal and a cardioid secondary signal. The cardioid signals are filtered through a frequency analysis module which takes the signals and mimics a cochlea implementation (i.e., cochlear domain). Energy levels of the signals are then computed, and the results are processed by an ILD module using a non-linear combination to obtain the ILD. In exemplary embodiments, the non-linear combination comprises dividing the energy level associated with the primary microphone by the energy level associated with the secondary microphone. The ILD is utilized by a noise reduction system to enhance the speech of the primary acoustic signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.