A device estimates direction of arrival (DOA) of sound from sound sources received by P microphones, wherein P≥>1. The device is configured to transform the output signals of the microphones into the frequency domain and compute a covariance matrix for each of N frequency bins in a range of frequencies of the sound. Further, the device is configured to calculate an adapted covariance matrix from each of the covariance matrices for wide-band merging, calculate an accumulated covariance matrix from the N adapted covariance matrices, and estimate the DOA for each of the sound sources based on the accumulated covariance matrix. In order to calculate an adapted covariance matrix from a covariance matrix, the device is configured to spectrally decompose the covariance matrix and obtain a plurality of eigenvectors, rotate each obtained eigenvector, and construct each rotated eigenvector back to the shape of the covariance matrix.

The systems, devices, and processes described herein may identify a beam of a voice-controlled device that is directed toward a reflective surface, such as a wall. The beams may be created by a beamformer. An acoustic echo canceller (AEC) may create filter coefficients for a reference sound. The filter coefficients may be analyzed to identify beams that include multiple peaks. The multiple peaks may indicate presence of one or more reflective surfaces. Using the amplitude and the time delay between the peaks, the device may determine that it is close to a reflective surface in a direction of the beam.

A system includes first, second, and third microphones configured to receive sound waves from a source of the sound waves. The system includes a memory configured to store first, second, and third phase difference maps for the first and second microphones, the second and third microphones, and the third and first microphones. The system includes a processor configured to measure first, second, and third phase differences between the sound waves received from the source by the first and second microphones, the second and third microphones, and the third and first microphones; receive the first, second, and third phase difference maps from the memory; and identify a location of the source of the sound waves based on the first, second, and third phase differences and the first, second, and third phase difference maps for the first and second microphones, the second and third microphones, and the third and first microphones.

A hearing protection apparatus, a related method, and a server device is disclosed. The hearing protection apparatus comprises a set of microphones comprising a first microphone and a second microphone; a first positioning device for provision of first position data of the hearing protection apparatus; and a communication device connectable to the first microphone and the second microphone and the first positioning device, the communication device comprising a processing unit and an interface; wherein the processing unit is configured to: obtain a first audio input signal from the first microphone and a second audio input signal from the second microphone; determine first audio data based on the first audio input signal and the second audio input signal; and transmit the first audio data and the first position data to a radio unit.

There is provided a signal processing apparatus advantageous in terms of sound source separation performance. The signal processing apparatus includes a dividing unit configured to divide audio signal acquired by a plurality of audio acquisition units into components of a plurality of different frequency bands, and a processing unit configured to form, based on the audio signal, a plurality of directional beams having different directivities in accordance with a target direction and a target width. Each of the plurality of directional beams has directivities in different directions for the respective components of the frequency bands divided by the dividing unit.

A method, system and computer readable medium for Ultrasound contact tracing comprising receiving one or more advertise messages determining a base station from the one or more advertise messages wherein the base station generates a broadcast order from at least the one or more advertise messages. A broadcast order is determined and an ultrasound message is sent according to the broadcast order. A detection period for ultrasound messages is initiated according to the broadcast order and a user may be notified of a detected ultrasound message.

A method, system and computer readable medium for Ultrasound contact tracing comprising receiving one or more advertise messages determining a base station from the one or more advertise messages wherein the base station generates a broadcast order from at least the one or more advertise messages. A broadcast order is determined and an ultrasound message is sent according to the broadcast order. A detection period for ultrasound messages is initiated according to the broadcast order and a user may be notified of a detected ultrasound message.

Acoustic signals from an acoustic event are captured via sensing nodes of sensor group(s) that comprise a group of sensing nodes at a location comprising spatial boundaries. Each of the sensing nodes comprise a sensor area. Each of the sensor group(s) is based on: range limits of each of the sensing nodes; shared sensing areas of the sensing nodes; and intersections between the sensor area for each of the sensing nodes and the spatial boundaries. Solutions(s) are generated by processing the acoustic signals. The solution(s) indicate the location of the acoustic event. A strength of solution compliance value for at least one of the solution(s) is determined. A refined solution is generated employing: sensor contributions of sensing nodes; and the strength of solution compliance value with the spatial boundaries and at least one of the solution(s). A report is created comprising the location of the acoustic event.

Acoustic signals from an acoustic event are captured via sensing nodes of sensor group(s) that comprise a group of sensing nodes at a location comprising spatial boundaries. Each of the sensing nodes comprise a sensor area. Each of the sensor group(s) is based on: range limits of each of the sensing nodes; shared sensing areas of the sensing nodes; and intersections between the sensor area for each of the sensing nodes and the spatial boundaries. Solutions(s) are generated by processing the acoustic signals. The solution(s) indicate the location of the acoustic event. A strength of solution compliance value for at least one of the solution(s) is determined. A refined solution is generated employing: sensor contributions of sensing nodes; and the strength of solution compliance value with the spatial boundaries and at least one of the solution(s). A report is created comprising the location of the acoustic event.

A voice processing device includes plural microphones 22 disposed in a vehicle, a voice source direction determination portion 16 determining a direction of a voice source by handling a sound reception signal as a spherical wave in a case where the voice source serving as a source of a voice included in the sound reception signal obtained by each of the plural microphones is disposed at a near field, the voice source direction determination portion determining the direction of the voice source by handling the sound reception signal as a plane wave in a case where the voice source is disposed at the far field, and a beamforming processing portion 12 performing beamforming so as to suppress a sound arriving from a direction range other than a direction range including the direction of the voice source.