Multi-Microphone Abdominal Sound Recording on Portable Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable information terminals face difficulties in acquiring high-quality recordings of abdominal sounds due to challenges in microphone control and environmental noise interference.
Innovation Solution
A portable information terminal equipped with multiple microphones and a control system that adjusts microphone settings based on predetermined conditions, such as contact with the abdomen and noise levels, to enhance sound quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional portable information terminal is used to record abdominal sounds, then the device is portable and easy to use, but the recording quality is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic microphone control by switching between different microphones based on detection results. The system dynamically adjusts which microphone is active (first microphone for contact recording, second microphone for non-contact recording) depending on whether the terminal is detected to be in contact with the abdomen, thereby optimizing recording quality for different usage scenarios without requiring a fixed complex hardware configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters of the microphones based on detection conditions. When contact with the abdomen is detected, the first microphone is activated with appropriate gain settings; when not in contact, the second microphone is used. This parameter switching allows the simple portable terminal to achieve high-quality recordings adapted to different recording conditions.
2Measurement precision
If multiple microphones are used to improve recording quality, then sound quality increases, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically activates only the necessary microphone based on real-time detection of contact conditions. Instead of continuously operating multiple microphones, the control unit switches between the first and second microphones as needed, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining high sound quality when recordings are actually being made.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and activates only the specific microphone needed for the current recording condition. When contact recording is required, only the first microphone is activated; when non-contact recording is needed, only the second microphone is used. This selective activation reduces energy consumption compared to running all microphones simultaneously, while still achieving high sound quality.
3Measurement precision
If environmental noise is reduced to improve recording quality, then sound quality increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the noise reduction function into two parts: physical noise isolation through separate microphone placements (one for contact, one for non-contact) and software-based noise reduction processing. By dividing the noise mitigation approach into physical separation and digital processing, the system achieves high recording quality without requiring a single complex noise control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that selects which microphone to use based on contact detection, thereby mediating between the physical environment (with its noise challenges) and the recording process. This intermediary function allows the system to achieve high-quality recordings by choosing the appropriate microphone for each condition without implementing complex active noise control hardware.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables high-quality recording of abdominal sounds by selectively controlling microphones and optimizing settings, improving the accuracy of gut health monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
a portable information terminal that has two or more microphones and is used to record a user's abdominal sounds
Data Source
AI summary
When a conventional portable information terminal is used to record abdominal sounds, there is a problem in that it is difficult to acquire a high-quality recording result. It is possible to acquire a high-quality recording result of abdominal sounds by using a portable information terminal 6 that has two or more microphones and is used to record a user's abdominal sounds in a state where a sound collecting portion near one of the two or more microphones is in contact with the user's abdomen, the portable information terminal 6 including: a judgment unit 47 that judges whether or not a predetermined control condition related to recording of the abdominal sounds is satisfied; and a microphone control unit 48 that controls one or more microphones among the two or more microphones when the control condition is judged to be satisfied.