A Method and an Apparatus for Characterizing an Airflow

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This invention describes a method and apparatus for determining characteristics of an airflow, such as wind speed and direction, by analyzing the acoustic signals (wind noise) captured with closely-spaced microphones. Instead of using traditional mechanical, ultrasonic, or thermal sensors, this approach uses digital signal processing to extract airflow-related features directly from the noise generated by the air moving past a microphone array. The system can operate using standard audio frequency ranges (20 Hz – 20 kHz), making it suitable for integration into existing audio devices like smartphones and cameras. Both model-based and machine learning techniques are used to estimate wind properties from the acquired acoustic features.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Smartphones, tablets, or cameras that need to estimate wind speed and direction for outdoor use or audio quality enhancement.
• Internet-of-things (IoT) devices, smart homes, and weather stations requiring low-maintenance wind sensing.
• Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles needing compact and integrated wind monitoring capabilities.
• Wearable technology for athletes or outdoor enthusiasts to track environmental conditions.
• Industrial monitoring of airflow in ducts or close to sensitive equipment.
• Augmenting personal hearing aids or audio recording devices for improved wind noise reduction based on actual wind data.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Eliminates the need for moving parts, reducing maintenance and increasing reliability.
• Smaller and more easily integrated into compact electronic devices compared to traditional anemometers.
• Potentially lower-cost than ultrasonic or laser-based wind sensors.
• Provides rapid and accurate estimation of both wind speed and direction.
• Can leverage existing hardware in devices already featuring a microphone array, enabling software-only upgrades.
• Suitable for a wide range of environments, including indoor and outdoor settings.
• Enables smarter wind noise suppression and environmental adaptation for devices with audio functionality.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

Method for charactering an airflow, comprising the following steps:• receiving acoustic signals generated by the airflow by means of a microphone array;• extracting a characteristic information from the acoustic signals;• determining an information on the airflow based on the characteristic information.