Clearone, Inc.

Clearone Communications, Inc.

Listen Technologies Corporation

Tracy A Bathurst

David K Lambert

Ashutosh Pandey

Darrin T Thurston

Michael Braithwaite

Peter H Manley

Carrie L Owen

Paul Robert Bryson

Wayne Whiteley

Derek Graham

Sandeep Kalra

Michael Tilelli

Bryan Shaw

Russell S Ericksen

Brett Harris

James Sidney Wright

Bret Harris

Daniel James Teigen

Dee Cook

Mark Simon

Russel S Ericksen

This disclosure describes a conferencing device with beamforming and echo cancellation that includes: a microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals; a processor configured to execute the following steps: (1) performing a beamforming operation; (2) performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation; (3) post processing; (4) selecting one or more of the post processed signals for transmission to the far end where a signal selector uses the far end signal as information to inhibit the signal selector from changing the selection of the post processed signals while only the far end signal is active.

Conferencing device with beamforming and echo cancellation

This disclosure describes a conferencing device with beamforming and echo cancellation that includes: a microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals; a processor configured to execute the following steps: (1) performing a beamforming operation to combine the plurality of microphone signals from the microphone array into a plurality of combined signals, (2) performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals, (3) receiving with a voice activity detector the far end signal as an input, (4) selecting one or more of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end where a signal selector uses the far end signal as information to inhibit the signal selector from changing the selection of the combined echo cancelled signals while only the far end signal is active.

This disclosure describes an apparatus and method of an embodiment of an invention that is a conferencing device that includes a microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones; a processor configured to execute the following steps: performing a beamforming operation to combine the plurality of microphones into a plurality of combined signals that is greater in number than one and less in number than the plurality of microphone signals, each of the plurality of combined signals corresponding to a different fixed beam; wherein performing the beamforming operation includes applying beamforming weights to the signals from each microphone to achieve a desired pickup pattern that includes a main lobe and sidelobes together with nulls for each fixed beam; performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals; and selecting one or more of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end.

Conferencing device with microphone beamforming and echo cancellation

This disclosure describes an apparatus and method of an embodiment of an invention that is a conferencing apparatus. This embodiment of the apparatus/system includes a microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones where each microphone is configured to sense acoustic waves and the plurality of microphones are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals; a processor, memory, and storage operably coupled to the microphone array, the processor configured to: perform a beamforming operation; perform an acoustic echo cancellation operation; perform a direction of arrival determination; and select one or more of the combined echo cancelled signals.

Conferencing apparatus

The present disclosure discloses a conferencing apparatus for a conference between a local end and a far end that combines a beamforming microphone array with an acoustic echo canceller. The apparatus includes a beamforming microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones wherein each microphone is configured to sense acoustic waves and the plurality of microphones are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals. The apparatus further includes a processor, memory, and storage where the processor is configured to execute program instructions. The processor performs a beamforming operation to create a plurality of combined signals. In addition, the processor performs an acoustic echo cancellation operation to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals. Further, the processor performs a direction of arrival determination; and, selects, in response to the direction of arrival determination, one of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end.

Conferencing apparatus that combines a beamforming microphone array with an acoustic echo canceller

This disclosure describes a method to manufacture a conferencing apparatus for echo cancelation with beamforming microphone arrays. This method provides a beamforming microphone array for developing a plurality of microphone signals, where each microphone of the beamforming microphone array is configured to sense acoustic waves from a direction vector substantially different from other microphones in the beamforming microphone array. Additionally provided is a memory configured for storing computing instructions. Operably coupled is a processor that executes computing instructions to: perform a beamforming operation to combine the plurality of microphone signals to a plurality of combined signals that includes a number of signals between one and a number of signals in the plurality of microphone signals, each of the plurality of combined signals corresponding to a different fixed beam; and perform an acoustic echo cancelation operation on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo-canceled signals.

Methods and apparatuses for echo cancellation with beamforming microphone arrays

This disclosure describes a conferencing system with spatial rendering of audio data. The conferencing system includes a local conferencing device that includes a plurality of microphones, an audio encoder, and a spatial encoder that are associated with a local endpoint. The conferencing system further includes a remote conferencing device that includes a plurality of speakers, an audio decoder, and a spatial renderer that are associated with the remote endpoint. The spatial renderer is configured to superimpose a coordinate system for the plurality of speakers and a coordinate system for the plurality of microphones during spatial rendering of the audio data.

Conferencing system with spatial rendering of audio data

A transmitter for transmitting audio signals via infrared light includes a first mounting board and a first plurality of narrow angle LED emitters and a first plurality of wide angle LED emitters attached to a front surface of the first mounting board. The first plurality of narrow angle LED emitters and the first plurality of wide angle LED emitters are configured to emit a beam of infrared light having a wide portion and a narrow portion, the wide portion being proximate the LED emitters and the narrow portion being distal to the LED emitters. An infrared audio system includes a transmitter and an expansion transmitter. The expansion transmitter may include a second plurality of narrow angle LED emitters and a second plurality of wide angle LED emitters. A method of making a transmitter includes attaching a plurality of narrow angle LED emitters and a plurality of wide angle LED emitters to a mounting board of a transmitter.

Infrared audio systems and related methods

This disclosure describes a conferencing apparatus with an automatically adapting beamforming microphone array for teleconferencing applications. The conferencing apparatus includes a processor coupled to memory, storage, and a housing. The apparatus further includes a communication element, a plurality of microphones arranged in the housing and configured as a beamforming microphone array, and an orientation sensor. Additionally, the apparatus includes executing a series of steps including: (a) adapting a signal-processing characteristic of the beamforming microphone array responsive to the orientation signal, (b) beamforming to combine the plurality of microphone signals to a plurality of combined signals, (c) performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo-canceled signals, and (d) selecting one or more of the plurality of combined echo-canceled signals for transmission.

Conferencing apparatus with an automatically adapting beamforming microphone array

The present disclosure discloses a conferencing apparatus that combines a beamforming microphone array (BMA) with an acoustic echo canceller where the BMA further comprises a plurality of microphones that are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals. The apparatus further includes a processor, memory, and storage where the processor is configured to execute program instructions. The processor performs a beamforming operation to create a plurality of combined signals. In addition, the processor performs an acoustic echo cancellation operation to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals. Further, the processor selects one of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end where the signal selection module uses the far end signal as information to inhibit the signal selection module from changing the selection of the combined echo cancelled signals while only the far end signal is active.

Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) devices and conferencing systems may include a spatial encoder associated with a first endpoint and a spatial renderer associated with a second endpoint. The spatial renderer may configured to receive audio data. The audio data may be rendered among a plurality of speakers based on a first set of spatial information for a plurality of microphones associated with the first endpoint, and a second set of spatial information for the plurality of speakers associated with the second endpoint. A method for generating a sound field may include determining spatial information for a plurality of microphones in a local room, determining spatial information for a plurality of speakers in a remote room, mapping the spatial information for the plurality of microphones and the spatial information for the plurality of speakers, and generating a sound field in the remote room based on the mapping.

VOIP device, VOIP conferencing system, and related method

Embodiments include methods and apparatuses for sensing acoustic waves for a conferencing application. A conferencing apparatus includes a plurality of microphones oriented to cover a corresponding plurality of direction vectors and to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals. A processor is operably coupled to the plurality of microphones. The processor is configured to perform a beamforming operation to combine the plurality of microphone signals to a plurality of combined signals that is greater in number than one and less in number than the plurality of microphone signals. The processor is also configured perform an acoustic echo cancelation operation on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo-canceled signals and select one of the plurality of combined echo-canceled signals for transmission.

Methods and apparatuses for echo cancelation with beamforming microphone arrays

Embodiments include methods and apparatuses for sensing acoustic waves for a conferencing application. A conferencing apparatus includes a plurality of directional microphones oriented to cover a corresponding plurality of direction vectors and disposed in a housing. An orientation sensor is configured to generate an orientation signal indicative of an orientation of the housing. A processor is operably coupled to the plurality of directional microphones and the orientation sensor. The processor is configured to automatically adjust a signal processing characteristic of one or more directional microphones of the plurality of directional microphones responsive to the orientation signal.

Methods and apparatuses for multiple configurations of beamforming microphone arrays

Embodiments include methods and apparatuses for echo cancelation involving multiple audio channels and the production, sensing, or a combination thereof of multiple audio channels in conferencing systems. A conferencing apparatus with a plurality of speakers configured to generate outgoing acoustic waves responsive to a multi-channel audio signal. One or more microphones are configured to sense incoming acoustic waves from the plurality of speakers and from locally produced acoustic waves from a participant of a conference to generate one or more incoming audio signals. A processor is operably coupled to the plurality of speakers and the one or more microphones. The processor is configured to perform acoustic echo cancelation on the one or more incoming audio signals relative to at least two different channels of the multi-channel audio signal.

Methods and apparatuses for multi-channel acoustic echo cancelation

This disclosure describes a bridge and control proxy for unified communication systems. The bridge transmits and receives data from a unified communication system. In addition, the bridge transmits and receives data from a non-compatible device. The bridge translates the data between the unified communication system and the non-compatible device. The bridge stores selected data such as presence information for later use by the unified communication system and/or the non-compatible device. Further, the bridge uses Web services to discover, promote, and/or advertise non-compatible devices to the unified communication system.

Growing community of inventors

South Jordan, UT, United States of America

Tracy A Bathurst