Audio System for a Digital Camera

Abstract

A digital camera includes an optical assembly and image sensor for capturing still and/or video images and displaying the images on a screen. The camera includes three or more spaced apart microphones aligned with the optical assembly for capturing audio during image capture. At least two pairs of microphones are spaced apart along orthogonal directional axes for capturing left-right stereo sound in any camera orientation.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A digital camera, comprising:
 a digital camera housing;   a first image sensor coupled within the housing;   an optical assembly including one or more lenses contained within a lens housing for forming images on the first image sensor;   a display screen coupled to the housing; and   at least three spaced-apart microphones aligned with the optical assembly for capturing audio during image capture, wherein at least one microphone is spaced apart from at least one other microphone along two directional axes for capturing stereo audio in at least two camera orientations.