Muting Specific Talkers Using a Beamforming Microphone Array

A method to make an apparatus that mutes specific talkers using beamforming microphone arrays, comprising:

• providing at least one microphone array configured for beamforming where an individual microphone array includes a plurality of microphones where each individual microphone is configured to sense audio signals and the microphone array is configured to generate N audio signals where each audio signal is associated with a spatial pickup pattern, the microphone array(s) are located in a room,
• operably coupling a processor and memory to the microphone array, the processor configured to execute the following steps:
• selectively mute or unmute an individual talker the room with a mute function that controls whether to mute or unmute the individual talker that is picked up by one or more of the individual audio signals, the mute function includes speech learning that learns to identify different talkers in real time to allow the mute function to identify transitions from one talker to another talker in the room,
• output an audio signal based on the selective muting of the talkers in the room.

A method to use an apparatus that mutes specific talkers using beamforming microphone arrays, comprising:

• beamforming with at least one microphone array where an individual microphone array includes a plurality of microphones where each individual microphone is configured to sense audio signals and the microphone array is configured to generate N audio signals where each audio signal is associated with a spatial pickup pattern, the microphone array(s) are located in a room;
• processing with a processor and memory operably coupled to the microphone array, the processor configured to execute the following steps:
• selectively mute or unmute an individual talker the room with a mute function that controls whether to mute or unmute the individual talker that is picked up by one or more of the individual audio signals, the mute function includes speech learning that learns to identify different talkers in real time to allow the mute function to identify transitions from one talker to another talker in the room;
• output an audio signal based on the selective muting of the talkers in the room.