IP Library Granted Patent US 9,807,501
Granted Patent B1
US 9,807,501 · App. 15/396,379 · Granted Oct 31, 2017

Generating an audio signal from multiple microphones based on a wet microphone condition

Inventors: Erich Tisch (San Francisco, CA); Joyce Rosenbaum (Mountain View, CA); Magnus Hansson (Los Altos, CA); Ke Li (San Jose, CA); David Wurtz (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
H04R3/005H04R1/083H04R5/027H04R29/005G06F3/044G06K9/4671H04R2430/21
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,807,501
App. No.
15/396,379
Granted
Oct 31, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

An audio capture device selects between multiple microphones to generate an output audio signal depending on detected conditions. When the presence of wind noise or other uncorrelated noise is detected, the audio capture device selects, for each of a plurality of different frequency sub-bands, an audio signal having the lowest noise and combines the selected frequency sub-bands signals to generate an output audio signal. When wind noise or other uncorrelated noise is not detected, the audio capture device determines whether each of a plurality of microphones are wet or dry and selects one or more audio signals from the microphones depending on their respective conditions.

Claims (58)

1. A method for generating an output audio signal in an audio capture device having multiple microphones including at least a first reference microphone capturing a first audio signal, a second reference microphone capturing a second audio signal, and a drainage microphone capturing a third audio signal, the drainage microphone adjacent to a drainage channel for draining liquid away from the drainage microphone, the method comprising:

during a first time period, determining that both the first reference microphone and the second reference microphone are wet, selecting the third audio signal from the drainage microphone, and generating a first mono audio output signal corresponding to the first time period from the third audio signal;

during a second time period, determining that both the first reference microphone and the second reference microphone are dry, selecting the first audio signal from the first reference microphone and selecting the second audio signal from the second reference microphone, generating a stereo audio output signal corresponding to the second time period by processing the first and second audio signals;

during a third time period, determining that the first reference microphone is dry and the second reference microphone is wet, selecting the first audio signal from the first reference microphone, and generating a second mono audio output signal corresponding to the third time period from the first audio signal; and

during a fourth time period, determining that the second reference microphone is dry and the first reference microphone is wet, selecting the second audio signal from the second reference microphone, and generating a third mono output audio signal corresponding to the fourth time period from the second audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

during a fifth time period, determining that the audio capture device is submerged in liquid;

selecting the first audio signal from the first reference microphone and the second audio signal from the second reference microphone; and

generating a fourth mono audio output signal corresponding to the fifth time period from the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining that the audio capture device is submerged in liquid comprises:

performing an image analysis to detect visual features representative of the audio capture device being submerged.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining that the audio capture device is submerged in liquid comprises:

detecting, via a touch screen integrated with the audio capture device, a change in capacitance indicative of the audio capture device being submerged.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the both the first microphone and the second microphone are wet comprises:

detecting that a spectral response change over a predefined frequency range meets a predefined criteria.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the both the first microphone and the second microphone are wet comprises:

detecting a sound pattern indicative of a wet microphone condition.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating a stereo audio output signal comprises applying a beamforming process to the first and second audio signals.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for generating an output audio signal in an audio capture device having multiple microphones including at least a first reference microphone capturing a first audio signal, a second reference microphone capturing a second audio signal, and a drainage microphone capturing a third audio signal, the drainage microphone adjacent to a drainage channel for draining liquid away from the drainage microphone, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform steps including:

determining if each of the first reference microphone and the second microphone are wet or dry;

responsive to determining that both the first reference microphone and the second reference microphone are wet, selecting the third audio signal from the drainage microphone, and generating a first mono audio output signal corresponding to the first time period from the third audio signal;

responsive to determining that both the first reference microphone and the second reference microphone are dry, selecting the first audio signal from the first reference microphone and selecting the second audio signal from the second reference microphone, generating a stereo audio output signal corresponding to the second time period by processing the first and second audio signals;

responsive to determining that the first reference microphone is dry and the second reference microphone is wet, selecting the first audio signal from the first reference microphone, and generating a second mono audio output signal corresponding to the third time period from the first audio signal; and

responsive to determining that the second reference microphone is dry and the first reference microphone is wet, selecting the second audio signal from the second reference microphone, and generating a third mono output audio signal corresponding to the fourth time period from the second audio signal.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , the instructions when executed further causing the processor to perform steps including:

determining if the audio capture device is submerged in liquid;

responsive to determining that the audio capture device is submerged in liquid, selecting the first audio signal from the first reference microphone and the second audio signal from the second reference microphone, and generating a fourth mono audio output signal corresponding to the fifth time period from the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein determining that the audio capture device is submerged in liquid comprises:

performing an image analysis to detect visual features representative of the audio capture device being submerged.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein determining that the audio capture device is submerged in liquid comprises:

detecting, via a touch screen integrated with the audio capture device, a change in capacitance indicative of the audio capture device being submerged.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein determining that the both the first microphone and the second microphone are wet comprises:

detecting that a spectral response change over a predefined frequency range meets a predefined criteria.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein determining that the both the first microphone and the second microphone are wet comprises:

detecting a sound pattern indicative of a wet microphone condition.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein generating a stereo audio output signal comprises applying a beamforming process to the first and second audio signals.

15. An audio capture device comprising:

a first reference microphone capturing a first audio signal;

a second reference microphone capturing a second audio signal;

a drainage microphone capturing a third audio signal;

a drainage channel adjacent to the drainage microphone for draining liquid away from the drainage microphone;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for generating an output audio signal in an audio capture device having multiple microphones the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform steps including:

determining if each of the first reference microphone and the second microphone are wet or dry;

responsive to determining that both the first reference microphone and the second reference microphone are wet, selecting the third audio signal from the drainage microphone, and generating a first mono audio output signal corresponding to the first time period from the third audio signal;

responsive to determining that both the first reference microphone and the second reference microphone are dry, selecting the first audio signal from the first reference microphone and selecting the second audio signal from the second reference microphone, generating a stereo audio output signal corresponding to the second time period by processing the first and second audio signals;

responsive to determining that the first reference microphone is dry and the second reference microphone is wet, selecting the first audio signal from the first reference microphone, and generating a second mono audio output signal corresponding to the third time period from the first audio signal; and

responsive to determining that the second reference microphone is dry and the first reference microphone is wet, selecting the second audio signal from the second reference microphone, and generating a third mono output audio signal corresponding to the fourth time period from the second audio signal.

16. The audio capture device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed further causing the processor to perform steps including:

determining if the audio capture device is submerged in liquid;

responsive to determining that the audio capture device is submerged in liquid, selecting the first audio signal from the first reference microphone and the second audio signal from the second reference microphone, and generating a fourth mono audio output signal corresponding to the fifth time period from the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

17. The audio capture device of claim 16 , wherein determining that the audio capture device is submerged in liquid comprises:

performing an image analysis to detect visual features representative of the audio capture device being submerged.

18. The audio capture device of claim 16 , wherein determining that the audio capture device is submerged in liquid comprises:

detecting, via a touch screen integrated with the audio capture device, a change in capacitance indicative of the audio capture device being submerged.

19. The audio capture device of claim 15 , wherein determining that the both the first microphone and the second microphone are wet comprises:

detecting that a spectral response change over a predefined frequency range meets a predefined criteria.

20. The audio capture device of claim 15 , wherein generating a stereo audio output signal comprises applying a beamforming process to the first and second audio signals.

Assignments (9)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2025
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 072358/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2025
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: FARALLON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.L.C., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 072340/0676 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2021
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: GOPRO, INC.
Reel/Frame 055106/0434 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SCHEDULE TO REMOVE APPLICATION 15387383 AND REPLACE WITH 15385383 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 042665 FRAME 0065. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Oct 23, 2019
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 050808/0824 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2018
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 044983/0718 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2017
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 042665/0065 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2017
From: TISCH, ERICH; ROSENBAUM, JOYCE; HANSSON, MAGNUS
To: GOPRO, INC.
Reel/Frame 042035/0049 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2017
From: DSP CONCEPTS, LLC
To: GOPRO, INC.
Reel/Frame 042270/0737 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2017
From: LI, KE; WURTZ, DAVID
To: DSP CONCEPTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 042035/0053 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62396002 · Sep 16, 2016