System For Separating Multiple Acoustic Sources

描述(申请人提供)：我们建议开发一种系统，用于从响应多个同时声源的麦克风的输出中分离和提取一个或多个单独的声源。我们的系统将通过抑制背景噪声和竞争的前景源，使实时“清理”实时信号成为可能。拟议的系统将使用多个麦克风和算法来从噪声环境中提取单独的声源。我们系统的一个显著特点是，一些麦克风被用来“标记”已知的声源。标记麦克风连接到系统识别的重要目标或掩蔽源。其他麦克风用于拾取背景噪声和远程(未标记)目标或掩蔽源。对于需要在嘈杂环境中创建高保真、低噪音录音的研究人员，以及非音频工程师，建议的系统将很有用。我们的系统将允许用户标记最突出的声源，记录整个“声学场景”，并提取所需的声源信号。我们的系统的第二个重要用途是作为轻度至中度听力损失患者的辅助听力设备，使他们在嘈杂的社交场合，如会议、餐馆和会议中有效地发挥作用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to develop a system for isolating and extracting one or more individual acoustic sources from the output of microphones responding to multiple simultaneous sources. Our system would make it possible to "clean up" live signals in real time by suppressing background noise and competing foreground sources. The proposed system will employ multiple microphones and algorithms to extract individual acoustic sources from noisy environments. A distinguishing characteristic of our system is that some microphones are used to "tag" known acoustic sources. Tagging microphones are attached to significant target or masking sources that are identified to the system. Other microphones are used to pick up background noise and remote (untagged) target or masking sources. The proposed system would be useful to researchers who need to create high-fidelity low-noise recordings in noisy environments, and who are not audio engineers. Our system would allow a user to tag the most prominent acoustic sources, record the entire "acoustic scene", and extract the desired acoustic source signals. The second important use of our system would be as an assistive listening device for persons with mild to moderate hearing loss, allowing them to function effectively in noisy social situations such as meetings, restaurants, and conferences.