Microphone array with automated adaptive beam tracking
View Patent ↗An example method of operation may include designating sub-regions which collectively provide a defined reception space, receiving audio signals at a controller from the microphone arrays in the defined reception space, configuring the controller with known locations of each of the microphone arrays, assigning each of the sub-regions to at least one of the microphone arrays based on the known locations, and creating beamform tracking configurations for each of the microphone arrays based on their assigned sub-regions.
1. A method, comprising:
designating a plurality of sub-regions which collectively provide a defined reception space;
receiving audio signals at a controller from a plurality of microphone arrays in the defined reception space;
configuring the controller with known locations of each of the plurality of microphone arrays;
assigning each of the plurality of sub-regions to at least one of the plurality of microphone arrays based on the known locations; and
creating beamform tracking configurations for each of the plurality of microphone arrays based on their assigned sub-regions.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming one or more beamformed signals according to the beamform tracking configurations for each of the plurality of microphone arrays.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
combining, via the controller, the one or more beamformed signals from each of the plurality of microphone arrays.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
emitting the audio signals as an audio calibration signal from a known position; and
receiving the audio calibration signal at each of the microphone arrays.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein creating the beamform tracking configurations for each of the plurality of microphone arrays further comprises combining beamformed signals from each of the plurality of the microphone arrays into a single joint beamformed signal, and wherein the audio calibration signal comprises one or more of a pulsed tone, a pseudorandom sequence signal, a chirp signal and a sweep signal.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the audio calibration signals are emitted from each of the microphone arrays.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying beam zone and microphone array locations on a user interface.
8. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor configured to
designate a plurality of sub-regions which collectively provide a defined reception space;
a receiver configured to receive audio signals at a controller from a plurality of microphone arrays in the defined reception space; and wherein the processor is further configured to
configure the controller with known locations of each of the plurality of microphone arrays;
assign each of the plurality of sub-regions to at least one of the plurality of microphone arrays based on the known locations; and
create beamform tracking configurations for each of the plurality of microphone arrays based on their assigned sub-regions.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to
form one or more beamformed signals according to the beamform tracking configurations for each of the plurality of microphone arrays.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to
combine, via the controller, the one or more beamformed signals from each of the plurality of microphone arrays.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to
emit the audio signals as an audio calibration signal from a known position, and wherein the receiver is further configured to receive the audio calibration signal at each of the microphone arrays.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor creates the beamform tracking configurations for each of the plurality of microphone arrays by further being configured to combine beamformed signals from each of the plurality of the microphone arrays into a single joint beamformed signal, and wherein the audio calibration signal comprises one or more of a pulsed tone, a pseudorandom sequence signal, a chirp signal and a sweep signal.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the audio calibration signals are emitted from each of the microphone arrays.
14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to display beam zone and microphone array locations on a user interface.
15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:
designating a plurality of sub-regions which collectively provide a defined reception space;
receiving audio signals at a controller from a plurality of microphone arrays in the defined reception space;
configuring the controller with known locations of each of the plurality of microphone arrays;
assigning each of the plurality of sub-regions to at least one of the plurality of microphone arrays based on the known locations; and
creating beamform tracking configurations for each of the plurality of microphone arrays based on their assigned sub-regions.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
forming one or more beamformed signals according to the beamform tracking configurations for each of the plurality of microphone arrays.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
combining, via the controller, the one or more beamformed signals from each of the plurality of microphone arrays.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
emitting the audio signals as an audio calibration signal from a known position; and
receiving the audio calibration signal at each of the microphone arrays.
19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein creating the beamform tracking configurations for each of the plurality of microphone arrays further comprises combining beamformed signals from each of the plurality of the microphone arrays into a single joint beamformed signal, and wherein the audio calibration signal comprises one or more of a pulsed tone, a pseudorandom sequence signal, a chirp signal and a sweep signal.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
displaying beam zone and microphone array locations on a user interface, and wherein the audio calibration signals are emitted from each of the microphone arrays.