Direction of audio arrival from Ambisonics channels using azimuth and elevation segments

An image capture device, comprising:

• a plurality of microphones;
• and
• a processor configured to receive Ambisonics signals for a time interval from the plurality of microphones, wherein the processor is further configured to:
• divide the time interval into a plurality of blocks;
• determine an azimuth angle estimate and an elevation angle estimate for the time interval when a subset of blocks in the plurality of blocks are valid;
• identify the azimuth angle estimate based on a maximum number of azimuth angle estimates present in an azimuth segment from a plurality of azimuth segments;
• identify the elevation angle estimate based on a maximum number of elevation angle estimates present in an elevation segment from a plurality of elevation segments;
• report, for the azimuth angle estimate, an azimuth angle estimate confidence level based on a ratio of the maximum number of azimuth angle estimates present in the azimuth segment and a total number of azimuth angle estimates present in the plurality of azimuth segments;
• and
• report, for the elevation angle estimate, an elevation angle estimate confidence level based on a ratio of the maximum number of elevation angle estimates present in the elevation segment and a total number of elevation angle estimates present in the plurality of elevation segments,
• wherein a direction of arrival of the Ambisonics signals is based on the azimuth angle estimate and the elevation angle estimate.

A method comprising:

• determining a direction of arrival of Ambisonics signals for a time interval when a defined number of blocks in the time interval are valid, wherein the determining is further comprising:
• determining an azimuth angle estimate and an elevation angle estimate for the time interval;
• generating the azimuth angle estimate based on a maximum number of azimuth angle estimates present in an azimuth segment from a number of azimuth segments defining an azimuth space;
• generating the elevation angle estimate based a maximum number of elevation angle estimate present in an elevation segment from a number of elevation segments defining an elevation space;
• determining, for the azimuth angle estimate, an azimuth angle estimate confidence level based on a ratio of the maximum number of azimuth angle estimates present in the azimuth segment and a total number of azimuth angle estimates present in the number of azimuth segments;
• and
• determining, for the elevation angle estimate, an elevation angle estimate confidence level based on a ratio between the maximum number of elevation angle estimates present in the elevation segment and a total number of elevation angle estimates present in the number of elevation segments,
• wherein the direction of arrival is represented by the azimuth angle estimate and the elevation angle estimate.