Wave-source-direction estimation device, wave-source-direction estimation method, and program storage medium

A wave-source-direction estimation method implemented by an information processing device, the wave-source-direction estimation method comprising:

• acquiring, as input signals, electrical signals based on waves detected by a plurality of sensors;
• selecting a plurality of pairs that are each a combination of two input signals from among a plurality of the input signals;
• calculating, as relative delay times, arrival time differences of the waves at the sensors that are supply sources of the two input signals composing each of the pairs, for each wave source direction;
• generating per-frequency estimated direction information for each of the pairs using the input signals composing each of the pairs and the relative delay times of each of the pairs;
• calculating contribution rates per frequency with respect to estimated direction information generated for each wave source direction using the per-frequency estimated direction information generated for each of the pairs;
• calculating, based on the calculated contribution rates, a weight for each wave source direction according to a similarity of the contribution rates between different pairs among the pairs;
• and
• generating integrated estimated direction information by assigning the weight to and integrating the estimated direction information on all the pairs.

A program A non-transitory program storage medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer to execute:

• a process of acquiring, as input signals, electrical signals based on waves detected by a plurality of sensors;
• a process of selecting a plurality of pairs that are each a combination of two input signals from among a plurality of the input signals;
• a process of calculating, as relative delay times, arrival time differences of the waves at the sensors that are supply sources of the two input signals composing each of the pairs, for each wave source direction;
• a process of generating per-frequency estimated direction information for each of the pairs using the input signals composing each of the pairs and the relative delay times of each of the pairs;
• a process of calculating contribution rates per frequency with respect to estimated direction information generated for each wave source direction using the per-frequency estimated direction information generated for each of the pairs;
• a process of calculating, based on the calculated contribution rates, a weight for each wave source direction according to a similarity of the contribution rates between different pairs among the pairs;
• and
• a process of generating integrated estimated direction information by assigning the weight to and integrating the estimated direction information on all the pairs.