Conference system with a microphone array system and a method of speech acquisition in a conference system

A microphone array unit mountable on or in a ceiling of a conference room, the microphone array unit comprising:

• a sound-reflecting carrier board comprising an upper side or ceiling side directed to a ceiling when mounted on the ceiling and a lower side or surface side directed opposite to the ceiling side, wherein the sound-reflecting carrier board is adapted for being flush-mounted in the ceiling of the conference room;
• a plurality of microphone capsules arranged in or on the sound-reflecting carrier board, wherein the microphone capsules are configured to acquire sound coming from the lower side or surface side;
• and
• a processing unit configured to receive output signals of the microphone capsules and to execute audio beam forming based on the received output signals of the microphone capsules for predominantly acquiring sound coming from an audio source in a given direction on the surface side of the carrier board;
• wherein the processing unit comprises:
• a delay control unit;
• and
• a delay unit for each of the output signals of the microphone capsules, each delay unit configured to receive input from the delay control unit;
• wherein the delay control unit calculates individual delay values for each of the delay units according to said given direction.

A microphone array unit mountable on or in a ceiling of a conference room, the microphone array unit comprising:

• a sound-reflecting carrier board comprising an upper side or ceiling side directed to a ceiling when mounted on the ceiling and a lower side or surface side directed opposite to the ceiling side;
• a plurality of microphone capsules arranged in or on the sound-reflecting carrier board, wherein the microphone capsules are configured to acquire sound coming from the lower side or surface side, wherein the microphone capsules are arranged in a two-dimensional configuration, wherein the carrier board has a substantially square shape and the two-dimensional configuration comprises two diagonals of the carrier board;
• and
• a processing unit configured to receive output signals of the microphone capsules and to execute audio beam forming based on the received output signals of the microphone capsules for predominantly acquiring sound coming from an audio source in a given direction on the surface side of the carrier board;
• wherein the processing unit comprises:
• a delay control unit;
• and
• a delay unit for each of the output signals of the microphone capsules, each delay unit configured to receive input from the delay control unit;
• wherein the delay control unit calculates individual delay values for each of the delay units according to said given direction.