Array microphone module and system

A modular array microphone system comprising:

• an array processor;
• an audio bus;
• N microphone modules, where N is at least 2;
• wherein each of the N microphone modules comprises:
• a housing;
• a plurality of microphones supported by the housing;
• and
• a module processor in communication with the plurality of microphones and the audio bus;
• wherein the audio bus connects the array processor and the N microphone modules such that the plurality of microphones in each of the N microphone modules is in communication with the array processor;
• wherein the array processor and the module processors in the N microphone modules are configured to:
• (i) detect a quantity and a connection order of the N microphone modules;
• and
• (ii) in response to detecting the quantity and the connection order of the N microphone modules, configure the audio bus to route audio signals from the plurality of microphones in each of the N microphone modules to the array processor.

A microphone module comprising:

• a housing, having a length, a first end and a second end;
• an audio bus;
• a plurality of microphones arranged along the length of the housing, each of the plurality of microphones positioned generally in a direction transverse to the length, each of the plurality of microphones in communication with the audio bus;
• and
• a module processor in communication with the plurality of microphones and the audio bus, the module processor configured to:
• detect the presence of an array processor in communication with the audio bus;
• detect the presence of at least one other microphone module in communication with the audio bus;
• and
• in response to detecting the presence of the array processor and the presence of the at least one other microphone module, detecting a quantity and a connection order of the microphone module and the at least one other microphone module in order to configure the audio bus to pass audio from both (i) the plurality of microphones and (ii) the at least one other microphone module to the array processor.