IP Library Granted Patent US 10,667,049
Granted Patent B2
US 10,667,049 · App. 16/341,983 · Granted May 26, 2020

Detecting the presence of wind noise

Inventors: Koray Ozcan (Hampshire, GB); Miikka Vilermo (Siuro, FI)
Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
H04R3/005H04R1/04H04R1/1083H04R2410/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,667,049
App. No.
16/341,983
Granted
May 26, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method comprising: receiving a first microphone signal from a first microphone having a first frequency response characteristic ( 110 1 , 112 1 ) at frequencies ( 114 ) associated with wind noise; receiving a second microphone signal from a second microphone having a second frequency response characteristic ( 110 2 , 112 2 ) at frequencies ( 114 ) associated with wind noise, wherein the first frequency response characteristic ( 110 1 , 112 1 ) provides less gain than the second frequency response characteristic ( 110 2 , 112 2 ) over the range of frequencies ( 114 ) associated with wind noise; and processing the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal to detect the presence of wind noise.

Claims (36)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first microphone signal from a first microphone having a first frequency response characteristic at frequencies associated with wind noise;

receiving a second microphone signal from a second microphone having a second frequency response characteristic at the frequencies associated with the wind noise, the second frequency response characteristic at the frequencies associated with wind noise being different from the first frequency response characteristic at the frequencies associated with wind noise due to an introduced difference in mechanical design between the first microphone and the second microphone;

determining a difference between the first frequency response characteristic and the second frequency response characteristic; and

processing the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal by comparing the first microphone signal characteristic to the second microphone signal characteristic, at frequencies associated with wind noise, to detect presence of the wind noise.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the difference between the first frequency response characteristic and the second frequency response characteristic results from a relative attenuation at the frequencies associated with the wind noise wherein the first frequency response characteristic has less gain than the second frequency response characteristic.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first frequency response characteristic has less gain than the second frequency response characteristic when the wind noise is greater than 6 dB.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first microphone comprises a cover having multiple apertures.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first microphone has a tuned first frequency response characteristic at the frequencies associated with the wind noise by controlling one or more of:

diameter of each aperture;

pitch between apertures;

depth of each aperture;

number of apertures; and

area of coverage of apertures.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising as least one of:

wherein the multiple apertures have a hydrophobic or oleophobic surface treatment; and

wherein the cover defining the multiple apertures has a surface treated to increase surface roughness.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first microphone and the second microphone are microphones of a spatial audio system associated with a wide field of view camera system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first microphone and the second microphone are microphones integral to an electronic device.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

receive a first microphone signal from a first microphone having a first frequency response characteristic at frequencies associated with wind noise;

receive a second microphone signal from a second microphone having a second frequency response characteristic at the frequencies associated with the wind noise, the second frequency response characteristic at the frequencies associated with wind noise being different from the first frequency response characteristic at the frequencies associated with wind noise based on an introduced difference in mechanical design between the first microphone and the second microphone;

determine a difference between the first frequency response characteristic and the second frequency response characteristic; and

process the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal by comparing the first microphone signal characteristic to the second microphone signal characteristic, at frequencies associated with wind noise, to detect presence of the wind noise.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first frequency response characteristic provides less gain than the second frequency response characteristic over a range of frequencies associated with the wind noise.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to compare the first microphone signal with a reference and the second microphone signal with the reference to detect the presence of the wind noise.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to compare energy of the first microphone signal and energy of the second microphone signal to detect the presence of the wind noise.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to compare the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal to detect the presence of wind noise, wherein at least one of the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal is normalised before comparison to enable the comparison.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the normalised at least one of the first microphone signal and second microphone signal comprises adjusting the first microphone signal at a range of frequencies and/or the second microphone signal at the range of frequencies in dependence upon a comparison between the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal at a higher range of frequencies not associated with the wind noise.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein, when wind noise is detected, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to at least one of:

select at least one of the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal for suppression of wind noise; and

select at least one of the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal for use.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is caused to select at least one of the first and second microphone signals for use based on a lower threshold for strength of the wind noise and wherein the apparatus is caused to select at least one of the first and second microphone signals for suppression of the wind noise based on a higher threshold for strength of the wind noise.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein, when wind noise is detected, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to control an output from one or more audio algorithms based on a number of microphones and/or a microphone at a location.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2019
From: OZCAN, KORAY; VILERMO, MIIKKA TAPANI
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 048882/0226 →
Priority Claims (1)
GB 1617854.3 · Oct 21, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190253795A1 · Aug 15, 2019