Back to results
US 2025/0267403 A1Published application
Networked automixer systems and methods
AssigneeShure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
InventorGregory H. Canfield
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for networked audio automixing using array microphones and an aggregator unit that participate in making a common gating decision to determine which channels to gate on and off. Through the use of such a network of array microphones having the capability to generate submix audio signals and reduced bandwidth metrics, as well as AEC processing capability, array microphone lobe selection can be enhanced while maximizing signal-to-noise ratio, increasing intelligibility, and increasing user satisfaction.
Claims21
1-20. (canceled)
An audio system, comprising:
- (A) a plurality of array microphones each comprising:
- a plurality of microphone elements, wherein each of the plurality of microphone elements is configured to provide a microphone signal;
- a beamformer in communication with the plurality of microphone elements, wherein the beamformer is configured to generate one or more beamformed signals based on the microphone signals from each of the plurality of microphone elements and to generate state information associated with a state of the beamformer, and wherein each of the one or more beamformed signals is associated with a lobe of the array microphone;
- and
- a processing unit configured to receive the one or more beamformed signals and the state information from the beamformer, determine one or more reduced bandwidth metrics based on the one or more beamformed signals and the state information, and generate a submix audio signal based on the one or more beamformed signals and a gating control signal;
- and
- (B) an aggregator unit in communication with the plurality of array microphones, wherein the aggregator unit is configured to:
- generate a final mix audio signal based on the submix audio signals received from each of the plurality of array microphones;
- and
- generate the gating control signal based on the one or more reduced bandwidth metrics received from each of the plurality of array microphones.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- generating, using a beamformer in each of a plurality of array microphones and based on microphone signals from each of a plurality of microphone elements in one of the plurality of array microphones, one or more beamformed signals and state information associated with a state of the beamformer, wherein each of the one or more beamformed signals is associated with a lobe of one of the plurality of array microphones;
- determining, using a processing unit in each of the plurality of array microphones and based on the one or more beamformed signals and the state information, one or more reduced bandwidth metrics;
- generating, using the processing unit in each of the plurality of array microphones and based on the one or more beamformed signals and a gating control signal, a submix audio signal;
- generating, using an aggregator unit in communication with the plurality of array microphones and based on the submix audio signal received from each of the plurality of array microphones, a final mix audio signal;
- and
- generating, using the aggregator unit and based on the one or more reduced bandwidth metrics received from each of the plurality of array microphones, the gating control signal.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.