Patent · US Active

Apparatus with adaptive microphone configuration based on surface proximity, surface type and motion

US9351091B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 31, 2013
Grant dateMay 24, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 17, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04R2499/11
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus includes a group of microphones and a surface compensator that is operatively coupled to switch logic and to a signal conditioner that provides a control channel to voice recognition logic. The surface compensator may detect surfaces in proximity to the apparatus as well as the surface's acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity and may accordingly configure the group of microphones including selecting appropriate signal conditioning and beamforming based on the surface acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity and the orientation of the apparatus. Voice recognition performance is thus improved when microphones are impeded or occluded by proximate surfaces. A group of sensors of the apparatus is used by the surface compensator to detect surfaces and surface type, and to determine apparatus orientation and motion.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.