Audio processing based on changed position or orientation of a portable mobile electronic apparatus

1. A method comprising;

receiving at least two audio signals based on acoustic energy captured from a target audio source by a portable electronic apparatus;

determining a change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus; and

processing the at least two audio signals dependent on the change in one or more of position and orientation to generate at least two output signals comprising a representation of acoustic energy from the direction of the target audio source;

wherein determining change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus comprises determining the change in one or more of position and orientation from a first time period to a second time period using a camera;

wherein determining the change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus using the camera comprises:

detecting an object of interest in a first image in the first time period; and

detecting a displacement of the object of interest in a later image in the second time period so as to track the object associated with the target audio source.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the change in one or more of position and orientation is at least one of:

a relative change in one or more of position and orientation with respect to the target audio source; and

an absolute change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the change in one or more of position and orientation comprises a change in rotational position of the apparatus.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

generating for each audio signal at least one signal processing parameter dependent on a first position of the apparatus;

processing the at least two audio signals to produce an initial output signal comprising a representation of acoustic energy from the direction of the target audio source.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein determining the change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus comprises:

determining whether the change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus is greater than at least one predefined value; and

generating at least one signal processing parameter dependent on the at least one predefined value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

converting a first format signal into a second format signal; and

wherein processing at least two audio signals dependent on the change in one or more of position and orientation to generate at least one output signal comprises applying a rotation vector to the second format signal, and the rotation vector further comprises an offset component dependent on the change in position of the apparatus.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two audio signals comprises at least one of:

at least four ambisonic type A-format signals;

at least four ambisonic type B-format signals; and

at least one audio signal captured from at least one microphone.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the direction of the target audio source is defined by an orientation and a gain profile.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein determining the change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus comprises determining a change in one or more of position and orientation from the first time period to the second time period using at least one of:

a digital compass;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope

an acoustic tracker; and

a camera.

10. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer program code that, when executed b the processor, causes the processor to cause the apparatus at least to:

receive at least two audio signals based on acoustic energy captured from a target audio source;

determine a change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus; and

process at least two audio signals dependent on the change in one or more of position and orientation to generate at least two output signals comprising a representation of acoustic energy from the direction of the target audio source;

wherein determining the change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus comprises determining the change in one or more of position and orientation from a first time period to a second time period using a camera;

wherein determining the change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus using the camera comprises:

detecting an object of interest in a first image in the first time period; and

detecting a displacement of the object of interest in a later image in the second time period so as to track the object associated with the target audio source.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the change in one or more of position and orientation is at least one of:

a relative change in one or more of position and orientation with respect to the target audio source; and

an absolute change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the change in one or more of position and orientation comprises a change in rotational position of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium containing the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to:

generate for each audio signal at least one signal processing parameter dependent on one or more of a first position and orientation of the apparatus;

process the at least two audio signals to produce an initial output signal comprising a representation of acoustic energy from the direction of the target audio source.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein causing the apparatus to determine the change in one or more of position and orientation causes the apparatus at least to:

determine whether the change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus is greater than at least one predefined value; and

generate at least one signal processing parameter dependent on the at least one predefined value.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium containing the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to:

convert a first format signal into a second format signal; and

wherein causing the apparatus to process at least two audio signals dependent on the change in one or more of position and orientation to generate at least one output signal causes the apparatus at least to apply a rotation vector to the second format signal, and the rotation vector further comprises an offset component dependent on the change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein at least one of the at least two audio signals comprises at least one of:

at least four ambisonic type A-format signals;

at least four ambisonic type B-format signals; and

at least one audio signal captured from at least one microphone.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the direction of the target audio source is defined by an orientation and a gain profile.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein causing the apparatus to determine a change in one or more of position and orientation of the apparatus causes the apparatus to further determine the change in one or more of position and orientations from a first time period to a second time period using at least one of:

a digital compass;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope

an acoustic tracker; and

a camera.