Patent ID: 6072522
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An apparatus for the purpose of determining the azimuthal position of a speaker from within a group of a first number of participants, said participants being azimuthally positioned about said apparatus, said apparatus comprising:a means for the determination of the azimuthal position of said speaker from within said group of participants, wherein said determination of said azimuthal position of said speaker is realized through the electronic processing of audio signals generated by said group of participants, wherein said means for said determination of the azimuthal position of said speaker is comprised of a generally circular array of a second number of audio microphones, wherein said second number of said audio microphones is not correlated to said first number of said participants, said audio microphones being affixed to a common base element, said audio microphones being unattached from said participants, said audio microphones being located so as to capture said audio signals generated by said participants, wherein the low level electronic signal produced by each of said audio microphones is electronically amplified to produce a multiple number of corresponding first electronic signals, wherein the absolute value of each said first electronic signal is averaged over time through electronic means to produce a corresponding number of second electronic signals, wherein the magnitude of each said second electronic signal is converted to a multiple number of discrete digital electronic signals, wherein said multiple number of discrete digital electronic signals are processed by electronic computational logic, wherein said electronic computational logic computes the azimuthal position of said speaker through a pre-programmed algorithm.