Device and method for voice activity detection based on the direction from which sound signals emanate

1. A device for voice activity detection, comprising:

a sound signal analyser configured to determine whether a sound signal comprises speech, comprising:

a microphone system configured to discriminate sounds emanating from sources located in different directions from the microphone system, wherein the microphone system is configured to determine the direction of a sound source causing a sound signal, is configured to further analyse the sound signal to determine whether the sound signal comprises speech when the sound signal emanates from a first range of directions, and is configured to determine that the sound signal does not comprise speech and perform no frequency spectral processing of the sound signal when the sound signal emanates from a second, different range of directions;

wherein the first range of directions is directed in a direction of an intended user's mouth.

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the microphone system comprises two microphone elements separated a distance and located on a line directed in the direction of an intended user's mouth.

3. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the first range of directions is defined as an area falling inside a cone with a cone angle α, wherein 10°<α<30°.

4. A device according to claim 3 , wherein α is approximately 25°.

5. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the microphone system comprises three microphone elements separated a distance and located in a plane directed in the direction of an intended user's mouth.

6. A device according to claim 5 , wherein two of said three microphone elements are separated a distance and located on a line directed perpendicular to the direction of an intended user's mouth.

7. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the microphone system comprises four microphone elements, located such that the fourth microphone is not located in the same plane as the three others.

8. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the microphone elements are directional with a pattern having maximal sensitivity in the direction of an intended user's mouth.

9. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the microphone system comprises one directional microphone element together with one or more other microphone elements configured to remove the uncertainty in the direction of the sound source.

10. A device according to claim 9 , wherein the directional microphone element is configured to measure a sound pressure level relative to the other microphone elements.

11. A device according to claim 9 , wherein the device is a mobile apparatus.

12. A mobile apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the microphone elements are located at a lower edge of the apparatus.

13. A mobile apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a plurality of microphone elements are located at the lower edge of the apparatus and at least one microphone element is located at a distance from the lower edge.

14. A mobile apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the mobile apparatus comprises a mobile radio terminal, a pager, a communicator, an electric organiser and/or a smartphone.

15. An accessory for a mobile apparatus, comprising:

a microphone system configured to discriminate sounds emanating from sources located in different directions from the microphone system, wherein the microphone system is configured to determine the direction of a sound source causing sound a sound, is configured to further analyse the sound signal to determine whether the sound signal comprises speech when the sound signal emanates from a first range of directions, and is configured to determine that the sound signal does not comprise speech and perform no frequency spectral processing of the sound signal when the sound signal emanates from a second, different range of directions;

wherein the direction of the first range of directions is adjustable.

16. An accessory according to claim 15 , wherein the accessory is a hands-free kit.

17. An accessory according to claim 15 , wherein the accessory is a telephone conference microphone.

18. A method for voice activity detection, comprising performing operations as follows such that at least a portion of at least one of the operations is performed on at least one processor:

receiving sound signals from a microphone system configured to discriminate sounds emanating from sources located in different directions from the microphone system;

determining the direction of the sound source causing the sound signals;

analyzing the sound signals to determine whether the sound signals comprise speech when the sound signals emanate from a first range of directions

determining that the sound signals to do not comprise speech and performing no frequency spectral processing of the sound signals when the sound signals emanate from a second, different range of directions;

wherein the first range of directions is directed in the direction of an intended user's mouth.

19. A method according to claim 18 , wherein the first range of directions is defined as an area falling inside a cone with a cone angle α, wherein 10°<α<30°.

20. A method according to claim 19 , wherein α is approximately 25°.

21. A method according to claim 19 , wherein the microphone system comprises at least two microphone elements located at a distance d from each other and located on a line directed in the direction of an intended user's mouth, wherein the direction to the sound source θ is calculated as

θ

=

arc

⁢

⁢

cos

⁢

Δ

⁢

⁢

t

·

v

2

·

d

where

Δt is a time difference between the sounds from the two microphone elements,

v is a velocity of sound.

22. A method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

using one directional microphone element together with one or more other microphone elements to reduce uncertainty in the direction of the sound source.

23. A method according to claim 22 , further comprising:

using the directional microphone element to measure a sound pressure level relative to the other microphone element.