Activation of gooseneck microphone in integrated gooseneck/table microphone device

A method comprising:

• detecting audio with a first microphone unit of a hybrid microphone device in a relatively narrow angular sector;
• detecting, with a multi-directional microphone unit of the hybrid microphone device, audio in a relatively wide angular sector range that encompasses the relatively narrow angular sector;
• determining a direction of arrival of detected audio from outputs of the multi-directional microphone unit;
• and
• selecting for output the audio detected by the first microphone unit when the direction of arrival of the detected audio by the multi-directional microphone unit is a desired direction of arrival.

A hybrid microphone device comprising:

• a gooseneck microphone unit configured to detect audio in a relatively narrow angular sector;
• a multi-directional microphone unit configured to detect audio in a relatively wide angular sector range that encompasses the relatively narrow angular sector;
• and
• a processor coupled to receive signals derived from output of the gooseneck microphone unit and from outputs of the multi-directional microphone unit, wherein the processor is configured to, in a first operational mode, output a signal representing audio detected by the gooseneck microphone unit when the processor determines determine a direction of arrival of detected audio from outputs of the multi-directional microphone unit is a desired direction of arrival and mute audio detected by the multi-directional microphone unit, and in a second operational mode in which the processor outputs a signal representing audio detected by the multi-directional microphone unit and mutes audio detected by the gooseneck microphone unit.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of hybrid microphone devices, each hybrid microphone device comprising:
• a gooseneck microphone unit configured to detect audio in a relatively narrow angular sector;
• a multi-directional microphone unit configured to detect audio in a relatively wide angular sector range that encompasses the relatively narrow angular sector;
• and
• a processor coupled to receive signals derived from output of the gooseneck microphone unit and from outputs of the multi-directional microphone unit, wherein the processor is configured to, in a first operational mode, output audio detected by the gooseneck microphone unit and mute audio detected by the multi-directional microphone unit, and in a second operational mode, the processor is configured to output audio detected by the multi-directional microphone unit and mute audio detected by the gooseneck microphone unit;
• and
• an endpoint unit in communication with the plurality of hybrid microphone devices, wherein the endpoint unit is configured to provide a control signal to the plurality of hybrid microphone devices to configure the plurality of hybrid microphone devices to be either in the first operational mode or the second operational mode.