An apparatus for providing direction information based on a reproduced audio signal with an embedded watermark includes a signal processor, which is adapted to process at least two received watermarked audio signals recorded by at least two audio receivers at different spatial positions. The signal processor is adapted to process the received watermarked audio signals to obtain a receiver-specific information for each received watermarked audio signal. The receiver-specific information depends on the embedded watermarks embedded in the received watermarked audio signals. Moreover, the apparatus includes a direction information provider for providing direction information based on the receiver-specific information for each received watermarked audio signal.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to determine a location of an audio source are disclosed. Disclosed example apparatus are to determine respective error values for corresponding ones of a first dataset of time difference of arrival (TDOA) distance values between pairs of acoustic sensors, the error values based on a cost function, a first set of constraints and a second set of constraints. Disclosed example apparatus are also to adjust the corresponding ones of the first dataset of TDOA distance values based on the respective error values to determine a second dataset of TDOA distance values. Disclosed example apparatus are further to output the second dataset of TDOA distance values to source location circuitry that is to determine the location of the audio source.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to determine a location of an audio source are disclosed. Disclosed example apparatus are to determine respective error values for corresponding ones of a first dataset of time difference of arrival (TDOA) distance values between pairs of acoustic sensors, the error values based on a cost function, a first set of constraints and a second set of constraints. Disclosed example apparatus are also to adjust the corresponding ones of the first dataset of TDOA distance values based on the respective error values to determine a second dataset of TDOA distance values. Disclosed example apparatus are further to output the second dataset of TDOA distance values to source location circuitry that is to determine the location of the audio source.

Techniques for acoustic management of entertainment devices and systems are described. Various embodiments may include techniques for acoustically determining a location of a remote control or other entertainment device. Some embodiments may include techniques for controlling one or more entertainment components using voice commands or other acoustic information. Other embodiments may include techniques for establishing a voice connection using a remote control device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Techniques for acoustic management of entertainment devices and systems are described. Various embodiments may include techniques for acoustically determining a location of a remote control or other entertainment device. Some embodiments may include techniques for controlling one or more entertainment components using voice commands or other acoustic information. Other embodiments may include techniques for establishing a voice connection using a remote control device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

A method for spatial audio signal processing including: determining at least one first direction parameter for at least one frequency band based on microphone signals received from a first microphone array; determining at least one second direction parameter for the at least one frequency band based on at least one microphone signal received from at least one second microphone, wherein microphones from the first microphone array and the at least one second microphone are spatially separated from each other; processing the determined at least one first direction parameter and the at least one second direction parameter to determine at least one distance parameter for the at least one frequency band; and enabling an output and/or store of the at least one distance parameter, at least one audio signal, and the at least one first direction parameter.

An acquisition equipment, a sound acquisition method, a sound source tracking system and a sound source tracking method are provided. The acquisition equipment includes an audio acquisition device, an image acquisition device, an information processing device and an angle control device. The audio acquisition device is configured to acquire the sound of a target object; the image acquisition device is configured to acquire an optical image including an acquisition object; the information processing device is configured to process the optical image to determine position information of the target object; and the angle control device is configured to receive the position information of the target object sent by the information processing device, and control the sound pick-up angle of the audio acquisition device according to the position information of the target object.

An acquisition equipment, a sound acquisition method, a sound source tracking system and a sound source tracking method are provided. The acquisition equipment includes an audio acquisition device, an image acquisition device, an information processing device and an angle control device. The audio acquisition device is configured to acquire the sound of a target object; the image acquisition device is configured to acquire an optical image including an acquisition object; the information processing device is configured to process the optical image to determine position information of the target object; and the angle control device is configured to receive the position information of the target object sent by the information processing device, and control the sound pick-up angle of the audio acquisition device according to the position information of the target object.

A method, performed by an electronic device, of identifying location information of an external includes: obtaining map information including location information for each time interval of a mobile device based on the mobile device moving while generating noise near the external device; obtaining audio signal information about an audio signal including the noise generated by the mobile device, the audio signal being collected by a microphone of the external device; identifying, from the audio signal information, a time point at which a noise level of the noise generated by the mobile device is highest; obtaining, from the map information, location information of the mobile device corresponding to the identified time point; and identifying the location information of the external device based on the obtained location information of the mobile device.

A receiving unit is disclosed, including at least three receivers, each configured to receive an ultrasonic signal with a wavelength λ from the transmitting unit. A first receiver is arranged at a distance of at most one half wavelength λ/2 of the ultrasonic signal from a second receiver and from a third receiver. The at least three receivers are arranged in one plane. A processor is configured to determine the respective time-of-flight from the ultrasonic signal received at each of the at least three receivers. The respective time-of-flight is a time that the ultrasonic signal requires from the transmitting unit at a defined start time to the respective receiver. The processor is further configured to determine the three-dimensional position and/or direction of the transmitting unit from the determined times-of-flight and the arrangement of the at least three receivers.