Band-limited beamforming microphone array with acoustic echo cancellation

A method to manufacture a band-limited microphone array with beamforming and acoustic echo cancellation, comprising:

• providing a plurality of first microphones as a microphone array used for beamforming processing to resolve first audio input signals within a first frequency range, the microphone array further includes acoustic echo cancellation, the plurality of microphones of the microphone array are positioned at predetermined locations, the microphone array picks up audio input signals;
• coupling one or more additional non-beamforming microphone(s) to the microphone array such that the additional non-beamforming microphone(s) are configured to resolve second audio input signals within a restricted second frequency range;
• providing augmented beamforming that processes audio signals from the microphone array and the additional non-beamforming microphone(s) where the augmented beamforming further includes:
• receiving the resolved first audio signals from the microphone array, receiving the resolved and restricted second audio input signals, performing beamforming on the received and resolved first audio input signal, combining the beamformed first audio input signal with the resolved and restricted second audio input signals to create an audio signal within a band-limited frequency range.

A method to use a band-limited microphone array with beamforming and acoustic echo cancellation, comprising:

• resolving first audio input signals within a first frequency range with a plurality of first microphones configured as a microphone array and used for beamforming, the microphone array includes acoustic echo cancellation, the plurality of microphones of the microphone array are positioned at predetermined locations, the microphone array picks up audio input signals;
• resolving second audio input signals within a restricted second frequency range with one or more additional non-beamforming microphone(s) coupled to the microphone array;
• executing software program steps using augmented beamforming that processes audio signals from the microphone array and the additional non-beamforming microphone(s) where the augmented beamforming further includes:
• receiving the resolved first audio signals from the microphone array, receiving the resolved and restricted second audio input signals, performing beamforming on the received and resolved first audio input signal, combining the beamformed first audio input signal with the resolved and restricted second audio input signals to create an audio signal within a band-limited frequency range.

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 a band-limited microphone array with beamforming and acoustic echo cancellation, comprising:

• resolving first audio input signals within a first frequency range with a plurality of first microphones configured as a microphone array used for beamforming processing, the microphone array further includes acoustic echo cancellation, the plurality of microphones of the microphone array are positioned at predetermined locations, the microphone array picks up audio input signals;
• resolving second audio input signals within a restricted second frequency range with one or more non-beamforming additional microphone(s) coupled to the microphone array;
• executing software program steps using augmented beamforming that processes audio signals from the microphone array and the additional non-beamforming microphone(s) where the augmented beamforming further includes:
• receiving the resolved first audio signals from the microphone array, receiving the resolved and restricted second audio input signals, performing beamforming on the received and resolved first audio input signal, combining the beamformed first audio input signal with the resolved and restricted second audio input signals to create an audio signal within a band-limited frequency range.