Sound emission and collection apparatus and control method of sound emission and collection apparatus

A method of controlling a sound emission and collection apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating first sound collection beam signals having respectively different directivities based on sound collection signals output from a first microphone group that collects a sound of one side of a reference plane;
• generating second sound collection beam signals having respectively different directivities based on sound collection signals output from a second microphone group that collects a sound of the other side of the reference plane;
• calculating an energy ratio between respective two of the first and second sound collection beam signals symmetrical with respect to the reference plane at each timing;
• detecting a combination of the respective two of the first and second sound collection beam signals in which the energy ratio is not within a reference level range;
• and
• selecting one sound collection beam signal from among the respective two of the first and second sound collection beam signals constructing the combination depending on whether the energy ratio is higher or lower than the reference level range.

A sound emission and collection apparatus comprising:

• a sound emission unit including a loudspeaker;
• a sound collector including plural microphones arranged in a pattern;
• a sound collection beam signal generator that generates plural sound collection beam signals having respectively different directivities by performing delay and amplitude processing with respect to a sound collection signal of each of the plural microphones of the sound collector;
• and
• a sound collection beam signal selector that:
• calculates an energy ratio between an energy average of all of the sound collection beam signals having respectively different directivities and energy of each of the sound collection beam signals at each timing;
• and
• selects a sound collection beam signal in which an absolute value level of the energy ratio is at least at a threshold value.

A sound emission and collection apparatus comprising:

• a sound emission unit including a loudspeaker;
• a sound collector, including plural microphones having respectively different directivities and arranged in a pattern, that uses an output signal from each of the microphones as a sound collection beam signal;
• and
• a sound collection beam signal selector that:
• calculates an energy ratio between an energy average of all of the sound collection beam signals having respectively different directivities and energy of each of the sound collection beam signals at each timing;
• and
• selects a sound collection beam signal in which an absolute value level of the energy ratio is at least at a threshold value.

A sound emission and collection apparatus comprising:

• a sound emission unit including a loudspeaker that emits an input sound signal at a sound pressure symmetrical with respect to a reference plane;
• a sound collector including a first microphone group that collects a sound of one side of the reference plane and a second microphone group that collects a sound of the side opposite the one side;
• a sound collection beam signal generator that generates each sound collection beam signal of a first sound collection beam signal group obtained by performing delay and amplitude processing to a first sound collection signal of the first microphone group, and generates each sound collection beam signal of a second sound collection beam signal group obtained by performing delay and amplitude processing to a second sound collection signal of the second microphone group, each sound collection beam signal of the first sound collection beam signal group being symmetrical to each sound collection beam signal of the second sound collection beam signal group with respect to the reference plane;
• and
• a sound collection beam signal selector that:
• calculates an energy ratio between respective two of the first and second sound collection beam signals symmetrical with respect to the reference plane at each timing;
• detects a combination of the respective two of the first and second sound collection beam signals in which the energy ratio is not within a reference level range;
• and
• selects one sound collection beam signal from the respective two sound collection beam signals constructing the combination depending on whether the energy ratio is higher or lower than the reference level range.

A sound emission and collection apparatus comprising:

• a sound emission unit including a loudspeaker that emits an input sound signal at a sound pressure symmetrical with respect to a reference plane;
• a sound collector that includes:
• a first microphone group comprising first microphones having respectively different directivities with respect to one side of the reference plane,
• wherein the sound collector uses an output signal from each of the first microphones as a first sound collection beam signal;
• and
• a second microphone group comprising second microphones having respectively different directivities with respect to the other side,
• wherein the sound collector uses an output signal from each of the second microphones as a second sound collection beam signal,
• wherein the sound collector sets the first sound collection beam signal obtained by the first microphone group and the second sound collection beam signal obtained by the second microphone group symmetrically with respect to the reference plane;
• and
• a sound collection beam signal selector that:
• calculates an energy ratio between respective two of the first and second sound collection beam signals symmetrical with respect to the reference plane at each timing;
• detects a combination of the respective two of the first and second sound collection beam signals in which the energy ratio is not within a reference level range;
• and
• selects one sound collection beam signal from the respective two of the first and second sound collection beam signals constructing the combination depending on whether the energy ratio is higher or lower than the reference level range.