IP Library Granted Patent US 12,231,843
Granted Patent B2
US 12,231,843 · App. 17/819,093 · Granted Feb 18, 2025

Wideband DOA improvements for fixed and dynamic beamformers

Inventor: Trisha Batzer (North Salt Lake, UT)
Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
H04R1/406H04R3/005H04R2201/401
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,231,843
App. No.
17/819,093
Granted
Feb 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

This disclosure describes an apparatus and method of an embodiment of an invention that is improves Direction of Arrival (DOA) determinations. This embodiment of the apparatus includes a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array used for beamforming, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations and produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern; a processor, memory, storage, and a power supply operably coupled to the microphone array, the processor configured to execute the following steps: processing an algorithm for a Direction of Arrival (DOA) determination; supplemental processing that improves the DOA processing.

Claims (40)

1. An apparatus that improves Direction of Arrival (DOA) determinations, comprising:

a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array used for beamforming, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations and produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern;

a processor, memory, storage, and a power supply operably coupled to the microphone array, the processor configured to execute the following steps:

processing an algorithm for a Direction of Arrival (DOA) determination;

supplemental processing that improves the DOA processing that includes:

de-noising the audio signal that further includes using one or more of the following: (a) deep learning networks (DLN), (b) artificial intelligence (AI), or (c) machine learning (ML):

Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) processing the audio signal;

one or more of the following: frequency band scoring the audio signal or energy weighting the audio signal;

one or more of the following: (a) noise suppression, (b) noise cancellation of in-band noise, or (c) second order IIR filter of the audio signal.

2. The Claim of claim 1 where a known and unwanted noise source is excluded from the DOA determination.

3. A method to make an apparatus that improves Direction of Arrival (DOA) determinations, comprising:

coupling a plurality of microphones together as a microphone array used for beamforming, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations and produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern;

operably coupling a processor, memory, storage, and a power supply to the microphone array, the processor configured to execute the following steps:

processing an algorithm for a Direction of Arrival (DOA) determination;

supplemental processing that improves the DOA processing that includes:

de-noising the audio signal that further includes using one or more of the following: (a) deep learning networks (DLN), (b) artificial intelligence (AI), or (c) machine learning (ML);

Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) processing the audio signal:

one or more of the following: frequency band scoring the audio signal or energy weighting the audio signal;

one or more of the following: (a) noise suppression, (b) noise cancellation of in-band noise, or (c) second order IIR filter of the audio signal.

4. The Claim of claim 3 where a known and unwanted noise source is excluded from the DOA determination.

5. A method to use an apparatus that improves Direction of Arrival (DOA) determinations, comprising:

beamforming using a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations and produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern;

providing a processor, memory, storage, and a power supply operably coupled to the microphone array, the processor configured to execute the following steps:

processing an algorithm for a Direction of Arrival (DOA) determination;

supplemental processing that improves the DOA processing that Includes:

de-noising the audio signal that further includes using one or more of the following: (a) deep learning networks (DLN), (b) artificial intelligence (AI), or (c) machine learning (ML);

Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) processing the audio signal:

one or more of the following, frequency band scoring the audio signal or energy weighting the audio signal;

one or more of the following: (a) noise suppression, (b) noise cancellation of in-band noise, or (c) second order IIR filter of the audio signal.

6. The Claim of claim 5 where a known and unwanted noise source is excluded from the DOA determination.

7. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a computing device that tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by the computing device to perform a method to use an apparatus that improves Direction of Arrival (DOA) determinations, comprising:

beamforming using a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations and produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern;

providing a processor, memory, storage, and a power supply operably coupled to the microphone array, the processor configured to execute the following steps:

processing an algorithm for a Direction of Arrival (DOA) determination;

supplemental processing that improves the DOA processing that includes:

de-noising the audio signal that further includes using one or more of the following: (a) deep learning networks (DLN), (b) artificial intelligence (AI), or (c) machine learning (ML),

Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) processing the audio signal:

one or more of the following, frequency band scoring the audio signal or energy weighting the audio signal:

one or more of the following: (a) noise suppression, (b) noise cancellation of in-band noise, or (e) second order IIR filter of the audio signal.

8. The Claim of claim 7 where a known and unwanted noise source is excluded from the DOA determination.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2025
From: CLEARONE, INC.
To: CLEARONE HOLDING, LLC
Reel/Frame 073179/0609 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 30, 2025
From: CLEARONE HOLDING, LLC
To: BIAMP SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 073144/0390 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2022
From: BATZER, TRISHA
To: CLEARONE INC.
Reel/Frame 060937/0475 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63260270 · Aug 14, 2021
Related Publication 20230050677A1 · Feb 16, 2023
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