Ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system

A method of manufacturing a ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system, comprising:

• providing a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array and used for beamforming processing, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations that produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern;
• coupling one or more separate processing devices to the microphone array where one of the separate processing devices further includes beamforming processing;
• combining the microphone array with a single ceiling tile as a single unit, the ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent;
• where the ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system is used in a drop ceiling mounting configuration, where the microphone array couples to the back side of the ceiling tile and all or part of the ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system is in the drop space of the drop ceiling.

A method of using a ceiling tile beamforming microphone system array, comprising:

• producing audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern with a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array and used for beamforming processing that are positioned at predetermined locations;
• providing one or more separate processing devices that couple to the microphone array where one of the separate processing devices further includes beamforming processing;
• providing a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array combines with the ceiling tile as a single unit;
• where the ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system is used in a drop ceiling mounting configuration, where the microphone array couples to the back side of the ceiling tile and all or part of the ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system is in the drop space of the drop ceiling.

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 ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system, comprising:

• producing audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern with a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array and used for beamforming processing that are positioned at predetermined locations;
• providing one or more separate processing devices that couple to the microphone array where one of the separate processing devices further includes beamforming processing;
• providing a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array combines with the ceiling tile as a single unit;
• where the ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system is used in a drop ceiling mounting configuration, where the microphone array couples to the back side of the ceiling tile and all or part of the ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system is in the drop space of the drop ceiling.

A ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system, comprising:

• means for producing audio signal using a directional pickup pattern formed by a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array and used for beamforming, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations;
• one or more separate processing devices that couple to the microphone array where one of the separate processing devices further includes beamforming processing;
• a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array combines with the ceiling tile as a single unit;
• wherein the ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system is used in a drop ceiling mounting configuration, where the microphone array couples to the back side of the ceiling tile and all or part of the ceiling tile beamforming microphone array system is in the drop space of the drop ceiling.