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US 11,457,308 B2Granted
Microphone device to provide audio with spatial context
AssigneeSonova AG
InventorsMarc Secall, Benjamin Heldner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosed technology generally relates to a microphone device configured to receive sound from different beams, where each beam has a different spatial orientation and is configured to receive sound from different directions. The microphone device is also configured to process the received sound using a generic or specific head related transfer function (HRTF) to generate processed audio and transmit the processed audio to hearing devices worn by a hearing-impaired user. Additionally, the microphone device can use a reference line and/or reference point when processing the received audio.
Claims25
A microphone device comprising:
- a first and second microphone configured to individually or in combination form a sound receiving beam or beams;
- a processor electronically coupled to the first and second microphones, the processor configured to apply a digital signal processing algorithm to received sound at the sound receiving beam or beams based on an orientation of the sound receiving beam or beams based on a reference point to generate a multichannel output audio signal;
- and
- a transmitter configured to transmit the multichannel output audio signal generated by the processor, wherein the reference point is associated with a location on the microphone device,
- wherein the microphone device is configured to determine a location of the reference point based on an own voice detection signal received from a hearing device and one of the sound receiving beams receiving sound.
2 more elements
A microphone device comprising:
- a first and second microphone configured to individually or in combination form a sound receiving beam or beams;
- a processor electronically coupled to the first and second microphones, the processor configured to apply a digital signal processing algorithm to received sound at the sound receiving beam or beams based on an orientation of the sound receiving beam or beams based on a reference point to generate a multichannel output audio signal;
- and
- a transmitter configured to transmit the multichannel output audio signal generated by the processor, wherein the reference point is associated with a location on the microphone device,
- wherein the microphone device is configured to determine a location of the reference point based on receiving an own voice detection signal received from a hearing device, receive sound at one of the sound receiving beams, generate a voice fingerprint of a wearer's own voice from the receiving sound at the microphone device, and to determine that the wearer's own voice is detected at one of the sound receiving beams based on the generated voice fingerprint.
2 more elements
A method for using a microphone device, the method comprising:
- forming, by the microphone device, sound receiving beams,
- wherein each of the sound receiving beams is configured to receive sound arriving from a different direction;
- processing, by the microphone device, received sound from one of the sound receiving beams based on a digital signal processing algorithm and a reference point to generate a multichannel output audio signal;
- determining a location of the reference point based on receiving an own voice detection signal received from one of the hearing devices and the microphone device detecting sound in one of the sound receiving beams;
- and
- transmitting the multichannel output audio signal to hearing devices.
3 more elements
A method for using a microphone device, the method comprising:
- forming, by the microphone device, sound receiving beams,
- wherein each of the sound receiving beams is configured to receive sound arriving from a different direction;
- processing, by the microphone device, received sound from one of the sound receiving beams based on a digital signal processing algorithm and a reference point to generate a multichannel output audio signal;
- determining a location of the reference point based on receiving detected characteristics of a wearer's own voice from one of the hearing devices and determining whether a wearer's own voice is detected at one of the sound receiving beams based on the detected characteristics;
- and
- transmitting the multichannel output audio signal to hearing devices.
3 more elements
A method for using a microphone device, the method comprising:
- forming, by the microphone device, sound receiving beams,
- wherein each of the sound receiving beams is configured to receive sound arriving from a different direction;
- processing, by the microphone device, received sound from one of the sound receiving beams based on a digital signal processing algorithm and a reference point to generate a multichannel output audio signal;
- determining a location of the reference point based on receiving an own voice detection signal received from one of the hearing devices;
- receiving sound at one of the sound receiving beams;
- generating a voice fingerprint of a wearer's own voice from the receiving sound at the microphone device;
- determining that the wearer's own voice is detected at one of the sound receiving beams based on the generated voice fingerprint;
- and
- transmitting the multichannel output audio signal to hearing devices.
6 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by a processor, that cause a microphone device to perform operations, the operations comprising:
- forming, by the microphone device, sound receiving beams,
- wherein each of the sound receiving beams is configured to receive sound arriving from a different direction;
- processing, by the microphone device, received sound from one of the sound receiving beams based on a digital signal processing algorithm and a reference point to generate a multichannel output audio signal;
- determining a location of the reference point based on receiving an own voice detection signal received from one of the hearing devices and the microphone device detecting sound in one the sound receiving beams;
- and
- transmitting the multichannel output audio signal to hearing devices.
3 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by a processor, that cause a microphone device to perform operations, the operations comprising:
- forming, by the microphone device, sound receiving beams, wherein each of the sound receiving beams is configured to receive sound arriving from a different direction;
- processing, by the microphone device, received sound from one of the sound receiving beams based on a digital signal processing algorithm and a reference point to generate a multichannel output audio signal;
- determining a location of the reference point based on receiving detected characteristics of a wearer's own voice from one of the hearing devices and determining whether a wearer's own voice is detected at one of the sound receiving beams based on the detected characteristics;
- and
- transmitting the multichannel output audio signal to hearing devices.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.