IP Library Granted Patent US 10,708,702
Granted Patent B2
US 10,708,702 · App. 16/543,047 · Granted Jul 7, 2020

Signal processing method and signal processing device

Inventors: Shinichi Yuzuriha (Osaka, JP); Takeo Kanamori (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
H04R29/005H04R1/406H04R3/005H04R3/04H04R2430/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,708,702
App. No.
16/543,047
Granted
Jul 7, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A signal processing method includes: multiplying at least one of M signals output from M microphones by a gain so as to equalize sound pressure levels of the M signals, the M signals representing sounds that arrive at the M microphones from a sound source located within a predetermined distance from the M microphones, M being an integer equal to or greater than two; delaying at least one of the M signals so as to resolve time discrepancies between the M signals, the time discrepancies being caused by differences in arrival time between sounds that arrive at the M microphones from the sound source; and applying a filter so as to suppress a signal which is included in the M signals obtained through the multiplying and the delaying and which represents a sound output from the sound source located within the predetermined distance.

Claims (21)

1. A signal processing method, comprising:

multiplying at least one of M signals output from M microphones by a gain so as to equalize sound pressure levels of the M signals, the M signals representing sounds that arrive at the M microphones from a sound source located within a predetermined distance from the M microphones, M being an integer equal to or greater than two;

delaying at least one of the M signals so as to resolve time discrepancies between the M signals, the time discrepancies being caused by differences in arrival time between sounds that arrive at the M microphones from the sound source; and

applying a filter to the M signals that are obtained through the multiplying and the delaying, so as to generate a signal in which a sound output from the sound source located within the predetermined distance is suppressed, wherein

the sound source is located within the predetermined distance from a microphone included in the M microphones which is located closest to the sound source.

2. The signal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined distance is a distance at most three times a longest spatial interval of spatial intervals between the M microphones.

3. The signal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined distance is a distance that makes a sound pressure level of a sound arriving, from the sound source, at the microphone located closest to the sound source at least 4/3 times higher than a sound pressure level of a sound arriving, from the sound source, at a microphone included in the M microphones which is located farthest from the sound source.

4. The signal processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating a spatial position at which the sound source is located.

5. The signal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein

the multiplying, the delaying, and the applying are performed in a frequency domain.

6. The signal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein

the multiplying, the delaying, and the applying are performed in a time domain.

7. A signal processing device, comprising:

a gain controller configured to multiply at least one of M signals output from M microphones by a gain so as to equalize sound pressure levels of the M signals, the M signals representing sounds that arrive at the M microphones from a sound source located within a predetermined distance from the M microphones, M being an integer equal to or greater than two;

a delayer configured to delay at least one of the M signals so as to resolve time discrepancies between the M signals, the time discrepancies being caused by differences in arrival time between sounds that arrive at the M microphones from the sound source; and

a filtering processor configured to apply a filter to the M signals that are obtained by the gain controller and the delayer, so as to generate a signal in which a sound output from the sound source located within the predetermined distance is suppressed, wherein

the sound source is located within the predetermined distance from a microphone included in the M microphones which is located closest to the sound source.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for use in a computer, the recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon for causing the computer to execute the signal processing method according to claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2019
From: YUZURIHA, SHINICHI; KANAMORI, TAKEO
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 051255/0429 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-078676 · Apr 17, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62724234 · Aug 29, 2018
Related Publication 20200077214A1 · Mar 5, 2020
Cited By (5)
US 12,192,737 US 12,267,655 US 12,289,085 US 12,294,342 US 12,316,293