This wave source direction estimation apparatus is capable of highly accurately estimating the direction of a wave source even in an environment with a high surrounding noise level, and is provided with: a plurality of input signal acquisition means for acquiring signals generated at a wave source as input signals; a correlation function calculation means for calculating correlation functions on the basis of the input signals acquired by the input signal acquisition means; an envelope function extraction means for extracting envelope functions on the basis of the calculated correlation functions; a combined envelope function calculation means for calculating a combined envelope function by combining the extracted envelope functions; and an estimated direction information generation means for generating estimated direction information about the wave source on the basis of the calculated combined envelope function.

This application provides a method for directing a user and an electronic device. A first electronic device exchanges an ultrasonic signal with a second electronic device, and the first electronic device outputs a directing signal according to the ultrasonic signal and angle information between the two devices, to guide user to search for the second electronic device. The first electronic device and the second electronic device do not need to be installed with a UWB chip, thereby reducing costs.

Provided is a sound direction detection sensor capable of detecting a direction from which sound is coming by using a multi-resonator array. The disclosed sound direction detection sensor includes two resonator arrays, each including a plurality of resonators having different resonance frequencies. The two resonator arrays have different directivities. Each resonator array serves as an audio sensor, and the sound direction detection sensor detects a direction from which sound is incident, regardless of a distance between audio sensors.

Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for controlling functions of an audio responsive electronic device based on a presence detector (e.g., a motion sensor) to improve power usage and functional performance. In some embodiments, an audio responsive electronic device operates to intelligently turn on and turn off components in response to the detected presence of a user. In some embodiments, an audio responsive electronic device operates to suppress noise from the display device (or other sources of noise), and enhance audio commands from a user (or other sources of audio commands). In some embodiments, a media device is configured to adjust a transmission pattern to an audio responsive electronic device based on user position.

Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for controlling functions of an audio responsive electronic device based on a presence detector (e.g., a motion sensor) to improve power usage and functional performance. In some embodiments, an audio responsive electronic device operates to intelligently turn on and turn off components in response to the detected presence of a user. In some embodiments, an audio responsive electronic device operates to suppress noise from the display device (or other sources of noise), and enhance audio commands from a user (or other sources of audio commands). In some embodiments, a media device is configured to adjust a transmission pattern to an audio responsive electronic device based on user position.

Detecting sound sources in a physical space-of-interest is challenging due to strong ego-noise from micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) propeller units, which is both wideband and non-stationary. The present subject matter discloses a system and method for acoustic source localization with aerial drones. In an embodiment, a wideband acoustic signal is received from an aerial drone. Further, the wideband acoustic signal is splitted into multiple narrow sub-bands having cells. Moreover, from a measurement position corresponding to each of the multiple narrow sub-bands, power in each of the cells is measured by forming a beam to each of the cells. In addition, intra-band and inter measurement fusion of the measured power at each of the cells is performed. Also, geo-location of an acoustic source corresponding to the wideband acoustic signal is identified upon performing intra-band and inter measurement fusion of the measured power.

The direction of an acoustic wave can be determined using a single microphone. The single microphone can be operatively positioned within an interior of a resonator. The resonator can include a body that includes an aperture, such as a slit, which allows communication between the interior and an exterior of the resonator. The resonator can be configured to rotate. The single microphone can be configured to acquire sound data of an incident acoustic wave. One or more processors can be operatively connected to the single microphone. The one or more processors can be configured to determine a direction of the incident acoustic wave based on the acquired sound data.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for detecting near-field sources in an audio device may include computing a normalized cross correlation function between a first microphone signal and a second microphone signal, computing normalized auto correlation functions of each of the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal, partitioning the normalized cross correlation function and the normalized auto correlation functions into a plurality of time lag regions, computing for each respective time lag region of the plurality of the time lag regions a respective maximum deviation between the normalized cross correlation function and a normalized auto correlation function within the respective time lag region, combining the respective maximum deviations from the plurality of time lag regions to derive multiple detection statistics, and comparing each detection statistic of the multiple detection statistics to a respective threshold to detect a near-field signal.

A method and system for enhancing a target sound signal from multiple sound signals is provided. An array of an arbitrary number of sound sensors positioned in an arbitrary configuration receives the sound signals from multiple disparate sources. The sound signals comprise the target sound signal from a target sound source, and ambient noise signals. A sound source localization unit, an adaptive beamforming unit, and a noise reduction unit are in operative communication with the array of sound sensors. The sound source localization unit estimates a spatial location of the target sound signal from the received sound signals. The adaptive beamforming unit performs adaptive beamforming by steering a directivity pattern of the array of sound sensors in a direction of the spatial location of the target sound signal, thereby enhancing the target sound signal and partially suppressing the ambient noise signals, which are further suppressed by the noise reduction unit.

A system and method for processing user speech commands in a voice interactive system is disclosed. Users issue speech phrases on a local device in a premises network, and the local devices first determine if the speech phrases match any commands in a set of local control commands. The control commands, in examples, can activate and deactivate premises devices such as smart televisions and simpler lighting devices connected to home automation hubs. In the event of a command match, local actions associated with the commands are executed directly on the premises devices in response. When no match is found on the local device, the speech phrases are sent in messages to a remote server over a network cloud such as the Internet for further processing. This can save on bandwidth and cost as compared to current voice recognition systems.