Directional sound capture using image-based object tracking

A directional sound capture controller, comprising:

• a computer processor;
• and
• memory coupled to the computer processor and storing instructions, when executed, causing the computer processor to:
• capture, using a camera device, a sequence of images of a scene comprising a light source attached to a sound source object;
• detect, based on a pattern of local light change across the sequence of images, the light source in the scene;
• determine a direction of the sound source object by at least determining a location of the light source in at least one image of the sequence of images;
• generate, based on the direction of the sound source object, a control signal for directing a sensitivity direction of a microphone towards the sound source object;
• and
• capture, using the microphone and in response to the control signal, sound emitted from the sound source object.

A system for directional sound capture, comprising:

• a light source attached to a sound source object in a scene;
• a camera device configured to capture a sequence of images of the scene;
• a microphone for the directional sound capture;
• a direction control device coupled to the camera device and the microphone;
• and
• a directional sound capture controller configured to:
• detect, based on a pattern of local light change across the sequence of images, the light source in the scene;
• determine a direction of the sound source object by at least determining a location of the light source in at least one image of the sequence of images;
• generate, based on the direction of the sound source object, a control signal for directing a sensitivity direction of a microphone towards the sound source object;
• and
• capture, using the microphone and in response to the control signal, sound emitted from the sound source object.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for analyzing a sound source object in a scene, the instructions, when executed by a computer processor, comprising functionality for:

• capturing, using a camera device, a sequence of images of a scene comprising a light source attached to a sound source object;
• detecting, based on a pattern of local light change across the sequence of images, the light source in the scene;
• determining a direction of the sound source object by at least determining a location of the light source in at least one image of the sequence of images;
• transmitting, to a direction control device coupled to a microphone, a control signal to direct a sensitivity direction of the microphone towards the sound source object;
• and
• capturing, using the microphone and in response to directing the sensitivity direction of the microphone towards the sound source object, the sound emitted from the sound source object.