US 9,872,006 B2 · Audio signal level estimation in cameras

Abstract

A camera system includes a first microphone, a second microphone, and a microphone controller. The first microphone and the second microphone are configured to capture audio over a time interval to produce a first captured audio signal and a second captured audio signal, respectively. The second captured audio signal is dampened relative to the first captured audio signal by a dampening factor. The microphone controller is configured to store the first captured audio signal in response to a determination that the first captured audio signal does not clip. In response to a determination that the first captured audio signal clips, the microphone controller is configured to identify a gain between the first captured audio signal and the second captured audio signal representative of the dampening factor, amplify the second captured audio signal based on the identified gain, and store the amplified second captured audio signal.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A camera, comprising:

a first microphone;
a second microphone, the first microphone and the second microphone configured to capture audio simultaneously to produce a first audio signal and a second audio signal, respectively, and the second audio signal dampened relative to the first audio signal by a damping factor such that an amplitude of the second audio signal is less than an amplitude of the first audio signal;
and
a microphone controller coupled to the first microphone and the second microphone, the microphone controller configured to:
in response to a determination that the first audio signal does not clip, store the first audio signal, and
in response to a determination that the first audio signal clips:
identify a gain between the first audio signal and the second audio signal representative of the damping factor,
amplify the second audio signal by the identified gain, and
store the amplified second audio signal.

6 more elements

A method of recording audio and video, comprising:

producing a first audio signal by using a first microphone;
producing a second audio signal by using a second microphone, the first microphone and the second microphone configured to capture audio simultaneously to produce the first audio signal and the second audio signal, respectively, and the second audio signal dampened relative to the first audio signal by a damping factor such that an amplitude of the second audio signal is less than an amplitude of the first audio signal;
in response to a determination that the first audio signal does not clip, storing the first audio signal;
and
in response to a determination that the first audio signal clips:
identifying a gain between the first audio signal and the second audio signal representative of the damping factor,
amplifying the second audio signal by the identified gain, and
storing the amplified second audio signal.

5 more elements

A computer program product for recording audio and video in a camera, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing executable computer instructions for:

producing a first audio signal by using a first microphone;
producing a second audio signal by using a second microphone, the first microphone and the second microphone configured to capture audio simultaneously to produce the first audio signal and the second audio signal, respectively, and the second audio signal dampened relative to the first audio signal by a damping factor such that an amplitude of the second audio signal is less than an amplitude of the first audio signal;
in response to a determination that the first audio signal does not clip, storing the first audio signal;
and
in response to a determination that the first audio signal clips:
identifying a gain between the first audio signal and the second audio signal representative of the damping factor,
amplifying the second audio signal by the identified gain, and
storing the amplified second audio signal.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Audio signal level estimation in cameras

Life of this patent

Audio signal level estimation in cameras

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20