Steerable and variable first-order differential microphone array

A method for generating a microphone array output signal with a steerable response pattern, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a plurality of individual microphone output signals generated by a corresponding plurality of individual pressure-sensitive microphones, each individual pressure-sensitive microphone having a substantially omnidirectional response pattern, the plurality of individual microphones comprising three or more individual microphones arranged in an N-dimensional spatial arrangement where N>1, the spatial arrangement locating each of said individual microphones at a distance from each of the other individual microphones which is smaller than a minimum acoustic wavelength defined by a given audio frequency range of operation;
• computing a plurality of difference signals and an omni signal having a substantially omnidirectional response pattern, each difference signal comprising an algebraic difference between two of said individual microphone output signals corresponding to a pair of said individual microphones and the omni signal having an amplitude and a phase and comprising an additive aggregation of two or more of said individual microphone output signals;
• selectively weighting each of said plurality of difference signals and said omni signal and generating a combination thereof;
• and
• generating said microphone array output signal based upon said combination of said selectively weighted difference signals and said selectively weighted omni signal, such that the microphone array output signal thereby has a steerable response pattern having an orientation of maximum reception based upon said selective weighting of said plurality of difference signals and said omni signal.