Patent ID: 7054452

Claim:
A signal processing apparatus for processing a plurality of received signals obtained by receiving a signal or signals from at least one signal source through a plurality of reception apparatus, comprising: first means for decomposing each of the received signals into a plurality of different frequency band signals; second means for calculating cross correlation functions between the different frequency band signals originating from two different ones of said reception apparatus for individual corresponding frequency bands for individual possible combinations of said reception apparatus; and third means for estimating at least one direction or at least one position of the at least one signal source based on the cross correlation functions; wherein said third means includes: maximum value detection means for determining delay times with which the cross correlation functions exhibit maximum values for the individual frequency bands for the individual combinations of the reception apparatus and setting the determined delay times as candidate delay times; and estimation means for estimating the number and the at least one direction or the at least one position of the at least one signal source so that the candidate delay times may be provided most consistently.